Embedded-Electrode Agricultural Shanks to Reduce Soil Adhesion Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural shanks experience significant wear during tillage operations due to adhesional forces between soil and the shanks, leading to costly and time-consuming replacement processes.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural implement with embedded electrodes and a computing system that induces an alternating electric field on the shank's outer surface based on soil moisture content to reduce adhesional forces through electroosmosis, thereby reducing friction and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If shanks are used for soil cultivation, then tillage operation is achieved, but shank wear increases due to adhesional forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical interaction between soil and shank with an electrostatic interaction by applying electrical charge to the shank surface through embedded electrodes. This substitution of mechanical friction with electrostatic repulsion reduces wear while maintaining tillage effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the shank surface by applying electrical charge (voltage) to create an electrostatic field. This parameter change modifies the interaction between soil particles and shank surface, reducing adhesional forces and subsequent wear
2Duration of action of stationary object
If shank wear is reduced through electrostatic field, then service life is extended, but device complexity increases due to electrodes and computing system
Solution Approach 1:
The shank structure is enhanced with embedded electrodes that serve dual purposes: maintaining the structural integrity of the shank while also generating the electrostatic field needed to reduce wear. The computing system also performs multiple functions including monitoring soil moisture and controlling electrode activation
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect soil moisture content and automatically adjusts the electrostatic field application accordingly. The shank essentially serves itself by using the system's own electrical charge to reduce its wear, rather than requiring external intervention
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 electric field reduces shank wear by minimizing adhesional forces, extending the service life of the shanks and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
an electric field is induced on at least a portion of a forward outer surface of the shank
Data Source
AI summary
A system for reducing shank wear on an agricultural implement includes a shank configured to be moved through soil within a field as the agricultural implement travels across the field. Furthermore, the system includes an electrode embedded within the shank. Additionally, the system includes a sensor configured to generate data indicative of a soil moisture content of a portion of the field and a computing system communicatively coupled to the sensor. As such, the computing system is configured to determine the soil moisture content of the field based on the data generated by the sensor. Moreover, the computing system is configured to control a flow of electricity at least one of to or from the electrode based on the determined soil moisture content such that an electric field is induced on at least a portion of a forward outer surface of the shank.