Harvester Crop Moisture Correction via Density Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural working machines, such as combine harvesters, face challenges in accurately determining crop moisture content due to the imprecision of capacitive sensors and the high cost of microwave sensors, which affect optimal machine parameter settings.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a volume sensor arrangement and a throughput sensor arrangement to determine throughput volume and quantity, allowing for the calculation of crop density and subsequent correction of moisture values, enabling precise moisture content determination without the need for expensive microwave sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a capacitive sensor is used to measure moisture content, then the measurement can be performed continuously and promptly, but the measurement precision deteriorates because the sensor measures total water amount which is influenced by crop throughput quantity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the capacitive sensor (electrical field-based measurement) with a microwave sensor that uses electromagnetic waves in the microwave frequency range. This substitution enables the sensor to penetrate the crop material and measure water content through dielectric properties, achieving both continuous real-time measurement and high precision by measuring the ratio of water mass to dry matter mass independently of throughput quantity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from capacitive coupling (sensitive to total water amount) to microwave dielectric properties (sensitive to water-to-dry-matter ratio). By measuring the attenuation and phase shift of microwave signals, the system derives moisture content as a ratio that compensates for density variations, maintaining measurement precision across different throughput conditions
2Measurement precision
If a microwave sensor is used to determine moisture content with density compensation, then the measurement precision improves, but the device cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement system into separate functional components: a microwave sensor for measuring water mass and a separate throughput sensor arrangement for measuring crop throughput quantity. The data processing device then combines these measurements to calculate density-compensated moisture content. This segmentation allows the use of simpler, more cost-effective sensors while achieving the precision of expensive integrated microwave sensors through computational processing
3Device complexity
If only a moisture sensor arrangement is used, then the device complexity remains low, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates due to lack of density compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the data processing device perform multiple functions: it processes moisture sensor signals, throughput sensor signals, calculates crop density, and applies density compensation to generate accurate moisture content values. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve high measurement precision using a relatively simple sensor configuration, as the computational processing compensates for the limitations of individual sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces density as an intermediary parameter that links moisture measurement and throughput measurement. The data processing device calculates density from throughput measurements and uses this intermediary value to compensate the moisture sensor readings, achieving accurate moisture content determination without requiring complex expensive microwave sensors
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 approach provides precise and cost-effective moisture content measurement, eliminating the need for expensive microwave sensors and improving accuracy by accounting for crop density, resulting in enhanced machine parameter settings for optimal operation.
Implementation Method 1
If the moisture sensor is in the form of a capacitive sensor, the moisture measurement is comparatively imprecise
Implementation Method 2
the throughput volume can be determined and taken into account by providing a volume sensor arrangement
Implementation Method 3
the throughput quantity or mass can be determined and taken into account by providing a throughput sensor arrangement
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an agricultural machine, in particular a combine harvester or forage harvester, for taking in and processing crops, with a intake arrangement (2) for taking in the crops, with at least one discharge arrangement (3a,3b) for discharging crop components, with a volume sensor arrangement (5,5') for determining a throughput volume (V) of the crops or at least one crop component and with a moisture sensor arrangement (6,6') for measuring a moisture content (δ) of the crops taken in or at least one crop component and for generating a crop moisture signal based on the measured moisture content (δ).It is proposed that the agricultural machine (1) further comprises a throughput sensor arrangement (7,7') for determining a throughput quantity (m) of the crop or at least one crop component and that the crop moisture signal is corrected based on the throughput volume (V) determined by the volume sensor arrangement (5,5') and the throughput quantity (m) determined by the throughput sensor arrangement (7,7').