Agricultural Distributor Boom Control for Hydraulic Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural equipment with large distribution booms experiences unreliable vibration damping during sharp acceleration, braking, or cornering, leading to uneven material application due to pressure differences in hydraulic cylinders.
Innovation Solution
A control and regulation system that uses sensors to detect pressure and position changes, processing these signals with PID controllers to generate control signals for hydraulic devices, adjusting the boom positions and damping vibrations based on predetermined angle intervals to maintain a stable working position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If hydraulic damping means are used to dampen vibrations in the distributor boom, then vibration damping is improved, but reliability deteriorates during sharp acceleration, braking, or cornering
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the damping behavior based on the detected boom position. When the boom is within the predetermined angle interval of the working position, damping control is active. When the boom deviates beyond this interval during maneuvers like sharp acceleration or cornering, the system automatically reduces or suspends damping control, preventing conflicts between damping forces and maneuvering forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the actual position of the distributor boom using position sensors and compares it with the predetermined angle interval. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically adjusts the damping control signal sent to the hydraulic cylinder, ensuring appropriate damping behavior under varying operating conditions.
2Productivity
If the distribution boom is extended to large working widths, then productivity is improved, but stability deteriorates due to vibrations from uneven ground, acceleration or braking
Solution Approach 1:
Position sensors continuously monitor the boom position and provide feedback to the control unit. The control unit processes this information and generates appropriate control signals to the hydraulic cylinder to maintain the boom within the predetermined angle interval, ensuring stable material application across the entire working width.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical passive damping with an active electro-hydraulic control system. The control unit processes position information and generates controlled damping signals, substituting simple mechanical dampers with an intelligent control loop that adapts to varying operating conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If damping control is continuously applied, then vibration damping is improved, but reliability worsens due to conflicts with external forces during maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between different damping control states based on the detected boom position. When the boom is within the predetermined angle interval, full damping control is applied. When the boom deviates beyond this interval during maneuvers, the system automatically reduces or suspends damping control to prevent conflicts with external forces from sharp acceleration, braking, or cornering.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously receives position feedback from sensors and automatically adjusts the damping control signal accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that damping is applied only when appropriate (during normal operation) and suspended when external forces from maneuvers would create conflicts.
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 dampens vibrations, ensuring homogeneous material application by maintaining the boom's position relative to the central section, even under varying driving conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Vibrations in the distributor rods create pressure differences in the hydraulic cylinders
Implementation Method 2
Vibrations in the distributor rods create pressure differences in the hydraulic cylinders
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention comprises an open-loop and/or closed-loop control system for an agricultural implement having a distributor linkage (12) for discharging material such as fertiliser, a crop protection agent or seeds, which extends transversely to the direction of travel and has a middle part (2) and two lateral booms (3) which are connected to the middle part (2) and have a plurality of linkage sections (4) which can be folded in with respect or another into a transportation position and can be folded out into a working position and are connected by joints, wherein each boom (3) is assigned at least one hydraulic device, wherein the respective hydraulic device can be actuated to damp oscillations occurring at the distributor linkage (12) in the direction of travel, and wheren the respective hydraulic device comprises a hydraulic cylinder (10a, b), in particular a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, wherein the open-loop and/or closed-loop control system comprises: a first sensor device which is configured to sense a change in pressure, occurring as a result of oscillations of the distributor linkage (12), at the respective hydraulic device, a second sensor device which is configured to determine a position of the respective boom (3) with respect to the centre part (2), and a data-processing unit which is configured to process signals of the first sensor device and of the second sensor device and to generate on the basis thereof an actuation signal for the respective hydraulic device, wheren the signals of the first sensor device are processed taking into account the determined position.