Grain Sensor Placement in Combine Harvester Separation Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combine harvester separating devices face challenges in reliably determining grain losses while maintaining trouble-free operation, as grain sensors are often affected by crop component deposits, leading to erroneous measurements and suboptimal separation behavior.
Innovation Solution
The grain sensor is strategically arranged within the separating device to avoid impairing crop flow, allowing for accurate grain quantity determination without interfering with the flow behavior, and is positioned to minimize exposure to non-grain components, ensuring continuous operation and precise measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If grain sensors are positioned within the crop flow to measure separated grains, then grain quantity determination is enabled, but crop flow is impaired and sensors are affected by deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The grain sensors are extracted from the crop flow path and positioned in the space between the separation unit and return floor, allowing grain measurement without direct exposure to the separating crop stream. This extraction resolves the contradiction by enabling measurement while avoiding flow impairment and deposit accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The return floor space acts as an intermediary zone where sensors can detect grains without being in the direct path of the separating crop flow. This intermediary positioning allows the sensors to measure grain quantity while being protected from the harmful effects of the separating flow and deposits.
2Measurement precision
If grain sensors are positioned in the space between separator basket and return floor, then grain measurement is possible, but sensors are exposed to non-grain components and deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The sensors are positioned in a specific local zone between the separator basket and return floor where grain concentration is high but direct exposure to separating crop components is minimized. This local positioning optimizes measurement quality while reducing exposure to harmful deposits.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor positioning anticipates the problem of deposit accumulation by placing sensors in a location where grains have already separated from the main crop flow but before significant deposit accumulation occurs on sensor surfaces.
3Loss of information
If sensors are placed directly in crop flow for measurement, then grain quantity can be determined, but separation performance deteriorates due to flow interference
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement function is extracted from the crop flow path and placed in the return floor space, allowing accurate grain loss determination without interfering with the separation process. The sensors measure grains that have already been separated, eliminating flow interference.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of measuring grains in the main separation flow, the system uses sensors to detect grains in the return floor space, creating a secondary measurement path that copies the grain information without disrupting the primary separation function.
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
This arrangement enables reliable and accurate determination of grain losses, allowing for optimal adjustment of operating parameters and maintaining the quality of grain separation, thus improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the combine harvester.
Implementation Method 1
The grain sensors are designed as acoustic sensors that register the noise caused by the exiting grains upon contact with the sensor, thereby generating a certain number of pulses per unit of time.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a separation device (7) for a combine harvester (1) with at least one axial separation unit (13) which has a separation basket (14) and a roof element (15) attached thereto, which together form a hollow cylindrical housing of the separation unit, with a separator rotor (16) rotatably mounted in the housing, such that a space for conveying crop material is defined between the housing of the separation unit and the separator rotor circumferentially and along a longitudinal axis (17) of the separation unit, and with a sensor device with at least one grain sensor (21).The grain sensor (21) is arranged inside and/or outside the separation unit in such a way that a quantity separated by means of the separation unit and/or a quantity of grains contained in the harvested material conveyed in the intermediate space can be determined at least along the longitudinal axis of the separation unit from the inlet area (18) to the outlet area (19) of the separation unit without affecting the flow of harvested material.