Silage Wagon Fan Ejection System for Rapid Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current silage wagons are inefficient in reloading and transferring chopped silage due to time-consuming processes and high costs associated with tractor operations, especially in large biogas plants, where soil conditions restrict truck access, leading to the need for a solution that enables quick and targeted silage reloading and transfer.

Innovation Solution

A silage wagon design featuring a hold with a pre-acceleration fan and ejection rotor fan, allowing for efficient silage transfer with a defined speed and direction, equipped with crushing rollers and a transverse conveyor for compacting and redirecting silage, and driven by a tractor's PTO shaft for enhanced conveying capacity and ease of operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a silage wagon is used to transport silage from the field to storage, then the silage can be transported directly without using tractors, but the reloading process becomes time-consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of silage transportVSAvoidreloading speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The silage is pre-accelerated by a pre-acceleration fan before being fed to the ejection rotor fan, preparing the silage with defined speed and direction for efficient transfer. This preliminary acceleration action enables faster reloading by ensuring the silage is already moving at the required velocity when it enters the ejection system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical conveying systems with a rotor fan-based ejection system. The ejection rotor fan uses rotational motion to throw silage through the ejection tower, substituting conventional mechanical conveyors and enabling faster, more targeted silage transfer without requiring complex mechanical loading mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If the ejection rotor fan is used to discharge silage, then the silage can be directed with precision, but the system becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirectional accuracy of silage ejectionVSAvoidcomplexity of ejection system
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ejection system is segmented into distinct functional components: the pre-acceleration fan for initial silage acceleration, the ejection rotor fan for directed ejection, and the ejection tower for vertical discharge. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, achieving precise directional control while keeping individual elements relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The rotor fan system serves multiple functions: it accelerates silage, directs it along a precise trajectory, and loads it onto trucks or into storage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, achieving precise directional control without proportionally increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If crushing rollers and transverse conveyor are added to compact and redirect silage, then the conveying capacity increases, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveying capacityVSAvoidcomplexity of conveyance system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The crushing rollers and transverse conveyor are integrated into the existing silage wagon structure, merging multiple functions (crushing, compacting, redirecting) into a unified conveyance system. This integration allows the additional components to work together seamlessly, increasing conveying capacity without requiring separate independent systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The crushing rollers and transverse conveyor perform preliminary processing of the silage before it reaches the ejection system. By compacting and redirecting the silage in advance, these components prepare it for more efficient ejection, increasing overall conveying capacity while keeping the ejection mechanism itself relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Facilitates rapid and precise reloading of silage onto trucks or stationary storage, improving conveying capacity and reducing operational costs by enabling efficient silage transfer and compacting, while maintaining stability and low-maintenance drive technology.

Implementation Method 1

The pre-acceleration fan accelerates the silage in the direction of rotation and feeds it to the ejection rotor fan with a defined speed and direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

A high-speed rotor throws the material to be conveyed into the tangentially arranged ejection tower. This directs the goods to be conveyed in a desired direction.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

crushing rollers for crushing and shredding the silage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical compression: Compression

Implementation Method 4

a transverse conveyor for conveying the silage across the hold

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical conveyance:

Data Source

PatentEP2191712B1Silage car
Publication Date: 2011.09.07 HAWE WESTER
  • EP2191712B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2191712B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2191712B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The car (10) has a storage area (11) opened at an upper side and comprising a storage area conveyor (12) i.e. scraper floor conveyor, where the storage area accommodates silage. An ejection rotor fan (33) has an ejection tower, and the conveyor conveys the silage in the direction of the fan. A pre-acceleration fan (30) is arranged upstream of the rotor fan, and a free cross-section is formed between the fans for transferring the silage from the fan (30) to the rotor fan. The fan (30) has rotor blades (32) that are inclined around 30 degrees to 60 degrees to a rotational plane.