Combine Harvester Control System for Load Balance Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural combines face inefficiencies in grain harvesting due to variations in crop feedrate, leading to imbalances in threshing and cleaning loads, which result in increased grain loss and strain on engine components.
Innovation Solution
A control system that adjusts the threshing and cleaning assembly settings, including the concave distance, blower blow rate, and chaffer and sieve inclinations, to match variations in threshing drum drive torque, thereby maintaining a balance between loads and reducing grain loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the combine harvester operates at high ground speed to increase productivity, then grain harvesting efficiency improves, but crop feedrate variations cause imbalance in threshing and cleaning loads leading to increased grain loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of threshing assembly and cleaning assembly settings based on real-time crop feedrate measurements. The control system continuously modifies operating parameters to maintain optimal load balance between threshing and cleaning sections, preventing grain loss while preserving high productivity speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to measure crop feedrate and provides feedback to the control system, which automatically adjusts threshing and cleaning assembly parameters. This closed-loop control ensures that load imbalances are corrected in real-time, maintaining grain loss minimization during high-speed operation
2Device complexity
If the threshing and cleaning assemblies operate at fixed settings, then device complexity is reduced, but load imbalance occurs due to crop feedrate variations causing increased grain loss
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically monitors and adjusts threshing and cleaning assembly settings based on sensor feedback without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates to maintain optimal load balance, reducing the need for complex manual control mechanisms while preventing grain loss
3Productivity
If the combine harvester operates at high ground speed, then productivity improves, but engine components and drive trains experience increased strain
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts threshing and cleaning assembly parameters in response to crop feedrate changes, maintaining optimal mechanical loads on engine components and drive trains. This prevents excessive strain during high-speed operation while preserving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The control system modifies operating parameters such as threshing drum speed, concave position, blower speed, and chaffer angle to maintain optimal mechanical stresses on engine components. These parameter adjustments allow high-speed operation without excessive strain on the engine and drive train
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 effectively minimizes grain loss by dynamically adjusting settings in response to changes in crop feedrate and ground speed, optimizing operational efficiency and reducing engine strain.
Implementation Method 1
The cleaning shoe typically is provided with a chaffer and a sieve. The chaffer and sieve have transverse louvers that define openings. The heavier clean grain falls through the openings formed by the louvers on the chaffer and the sieve. The air blast from the cleaning fan blows the chaff out the rear of the combine.
Implementation Method 2
A conveyor picks up the cuttings from the cutter, and conveys the cuttings to the threshing drum, which rotates and threshes the cuttings against the concave separating the grains from the chaff to form threshings
Implementation Method 3
The chaffer and sieve have transverse louvers that define openings. The heavier clean grain falls through the openings formed by the louvers on the chaffer and the sieve.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural combine has a threshing assembly for threshing a crop to produce chaff and grain, a cleaning assembly for removing the chaff from the grain, and a control system. The threshing assembly and the cleaning assembly operate at threshing and cleaning settings, respectively, for tending to produce a balance between a threshing load applied across the threshing assembly and a cleaning load applied across the cleaning assembly that tends to have a favorable influence on grain loss. The control system is for sensing an imbalance between the threshing load and the cleaning load tending to have an unfavorable influence on grain loss, and for concurrently adjusting the threshing and cleaning settings of the threshing and cleaning assemblies, respectively, for tending to convert the imbalance between the threshing and cleaning loads to a balance between the threshing and cleaning loads tending to have a favorable influence on grain loss.