Combine Harvester Feed Rate Control for Blockage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Combine harvesters face challenges in maintaining a constant feed rate due to variations in crop height, density, and ground speed, leading to potential blockages and inefficiencies in crop processing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a feedback sensor to measure the current feed rate and a feed forward sensor to predict the future feed rate, with a controller adjusting operational settings based on discrepancies between the two to stabilize crop flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If feed rate is increased to improve harvesting productivity, then productivity increases, but blockages in crop processing parts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The feed forward sensor detects biomass ahead of the header before the crop enters the processing system. The controller uses this advance information to predict upcoming feed rate increases and proactively adjusts operational settings (reel speed, draper belt speed, ground speed) to prevent blockages before they occur, rather than reacting after blockages happen.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple operational parameters (reel rotational speed, draper belt speed, ground speed) in real-time based on predicted and actual feed rate conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the harvester to maintain optimal feed rate while preventing blockages under varying crop conditions.
2Reliability
If feed rate is decreased to prevent blockages, then reliability improves, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By detecting biomass ahead of the header, the system knows in advance when feed rate will increase. This allows proactive adjustment of operational settings to maintain high feed rate while preventing blockages, rather than conservatively limiting feed rate to avoid potential blockages.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback sensor continuously monitors actual feed rate and provides real-time information to the controller. The controller compares actual feed rate with predicted feed rate and adjusts operational settings to maintain optimal feed rate while preventing blockages, enabling high productivity with reliable blockage prevention.
3Measurement precision
If feed forward sensor is added to predict future feed rate, then prediction accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feed forward sensor acts as an intermediary that detects biomass ahead of the header, providing advance information about upcoming feed rate changes. This allows the controller to predict and prepare for feed rate variations, improving prediction accuracy while the complexity is managed by integrating the sensor into the existing control system.
4Stability of the object's composition
If multiple operational parameters are continuously adjusted to maintain constant feed rate, then feed rate stability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback sensor continuously monitors actual feed rate and provides real-time information to the controller. The controller compares actual feed rate with predicted feed rate and automatically adjusts operational settings to maintain stable feed rate, improving feed rate stability while using automated control to manage system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple operational parameters (reel speed, draper belt speed, ground speed) in real-time based on predicted and actual feed rate conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the harvester to maintain optimal feed rate while preventing blockages under varying crop conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural harvester includes a header, a feedback sensor for generating a feedback signal representative of a current feed rate of crop through the harvester, a feed forward sensor for generating a feed forward signal representative of a biomass of crop ahead of the header, and a controller operably coupled to the feedback sensor and the feed forward sensor. The controller determines a predicted feed rate of crop through the harvester based on the feed forward signal and an actual feed rate of crop through the harvester based on the feedback signal. The controller controls an operational setting of the agricultural harvester in dependence of a discrepancy between the predicted feed rate and the actual feed rate.