Agricultural Sprayer Boom Sensor Placement for Collision-Free Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural sprayers are limited by the speed at which they can traverse a field due to the time required for sensors to detect and process field conditions, leading to inefficiencies in spraying operations, and previous attempts to address this by mounting sensors above or below the boom sections have resulted in collisions during folding and unfolding.
Innovation Solution
A system where sensors are mounted on one boom section assembly to detect field conditions during a first pass, and nozzle assemblies on an opposing boom section assembly are controlled to spray based on the detected conditions during a subsequent pass, allowing for faster operation without the need for real-time data processing during spraying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are mounted on boom sections to detect field conditions in real-time, then spraying control based on field conditions is achieved, but the sprayer speed is limited by sensor processing speed
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system detects and maps field conditions (weeds, crops, etc.) during the first pass before spraying occurs. This preliminary detection and mapping allows the sprayer to travel at higher speeds during the second pass since real-time sensing during spraying is not required, resolving the speed-limiting contradiction.
2Length of stationary object
If sensors are extended above or below boom sections to detect field conditions further ahead, then detection distance is increased, but sensors collide with other boom sections during folding and unfolding
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is mounted on one boom section assembly while detecting field conditions that are later applied to spray control on an opposing boom section assembly. This spatial separation in the lateral dimension allows extended detection distance without physical interference during boom folding and unfolding operations.
3Extent of automation
If sensors and nozzles are on the same boom section, then real-time spraying control is achieved, but the system complexity increases and speed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The sprayer system is divided into separate functional segments: sensor detection on one boom section assembly and spray application on an opposing boom section assembly. This segmentation decouples the sensing and spraying functions, reducing system complexity and eliminating the need for complex real-time synchronization while maintaining automated spray control based on detected field conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing spraying operations includes monitoring a field condition of a first swath based on data received from a sensor as an agricultural sprayer makes a first pass across a field, the sensor being associated with a first boom section assembly extending over the first swath during the first pass. The method further includes controlling a nozzle assembly as the sprayer makes a second pass across the field to perform a spraying operation along the first swath based on the monitored field condition of the first swath, the nozzle assembly being associated with a second boom section assembly extending over the first swath during the second pass. Additionally, the method includes monitoring a field condition of a second swath based on data received from the sensor as the sprayer makes the second pass across the field.