Two-Stage Chaff Spreader with Grinding Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combines fail to optimally spread chaff, leading to incomplete separation from crop material, resulting in germination of remaining crop elements when chaff is spread, necessitating costly separate collection.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage chaff spreader system with first and second chaff accelerators, each with rotor blades, and an optional grinding mechanism using hammers and shred bars to break crop elements, ensuring they cannot germinate, integrated into a compact design with a chaff transporting channel and motor-driven operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single-stage chaff spreader is used, then the device complexity is low, but the chaff spreading efficiency and field coverage are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The chaff spreader is divided into two independent accelerators (first and second accelerators with rotor blades each), where the first accelerator receives chaff from the chaff separator and the second accelerator receives chaff from the first accelerator. This segmentation allows each accelerator to be optimized for specific functions, improving overall spreading efficiency while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular design.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If chaff is spread without grinding, then the device complexity is low, but crop elements germinate when spread onto the field
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding mechanism (comprising hammers and shred bars) is integrated into the second accelerator to pre-process chaff particles before they are spread onto the field. The hammers strike and grind the chaff particles, and the shred bars further break them down, ensuring that crop elements are destroyed before spreading. This preliminary action prevents germination of crop elements while maintaining cost-effectiveness through a relatively simple mechanical grinding system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If separate chaff collection is implemented, then crop element germination is prevented, but the operation becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of separately collecting chaff to prevent germination (which is cumbersome and expensive), the invention converts the chaff itself into a beneficial medium by grinding it within the spreader system. The grinding mechanism destroys crop elements in the chaff particles during the spreading process, transforming the potentially harmful chaff into a safe spreadable material. This eliminates the need for separate collection operations while maintaining effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides effective and cost-efficient chaff spreading, preventing crop element germination and improving the overall spreading efficiency, allowing for better field coverage without the need for separate chaff collection.
Implementation Method 1
chaff particles are accelerated by the first chaff accelerator to an intermediate energy level after which the chaff particles are further accelerated by the second chaff accelerator to an ejection energy level. The first chaff accelerator and the second chaff accelerator are formed as rotors comprising multiple rotor blades.
Implementation Method 2
the second chaff accelerator comprises grinding elements for grinding the chaff particles while accelerating them to the ejection energy level. Grinding of the chaff particles has as an effect that all crop elements that remain in the chaff are broken before ejection of the chaff.
Implementation Method 3
the grinding elements comprise multiple hammers and at least one shred bar mounted in cooperation with the multiple hammers
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
Agricultural combine (1) comprising a residue processing system, the residue processing system comprising a straw spreader (8) and at least one chaff spreader (12), wherein each of the at least one chaff spreader (12) subsequently comprises a first chaff accelerator (14) and a second chaff accelerator (15) so that in operation, chaff particles are accelerated by the first chaff accelerator (14) to an intermediate energy level after which the chaff particles are further accelerated by the second chaff accelerator (15) to an ejection energy level, wherein the second chaff accelerator comprises grinding elements (22, 23) for grinding the chaff particles while accelerating them to the ejection energy level.