Agricultural Sprayer Weight Distribution via Dual Rinse Tanks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Large agricultural trailed crop sprayers face stability and traction issues due to weight distribution challenges, particularly when the boom is deployed, as the center of mass shifts rearward, affecting both the sprayer's stability and the towing tractor's traction.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual rinse tank system where the front rinse tank is positioned forward of the rear rinse tank, with a fluid delivery network that allows for the transfer of rinse fluid between the tanks in response to weight transfer commands, ensuring optimal weight distribution by draining the rear tank before the front tank during operation and vice versa for transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the boom size is increased to meet customer demands, then the spray coverage area is improved, but the weight distribution becomes unbalanced causing stability and traction issues
Solution Approach 1:
The single rinse tank is segmented into two separate rinse tanks positioned at different locations on the sprayer chassis. This segmentation allows independent positioning of rinse fluid weight to counterbalance the boom weight distribution, resolving the stability issue while maintaining large spray coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The rinse tanks are positioned with different centers of gravity relative to the wheel axes - the front rinse tank has its center of gravity forward of the wheel axis while the rear rinse tank has its center of gravity behind the wheel axis. This local quality differentiation enables precise control over weight distribution at different locations to maintain stability during both operation and transport.
2Quantity of substance
If the rinse fluid weight is concentrated in the rear tank, then the rinsing capacity is improved, but the sprayer stability and tractor traction are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables dynamic redistribution of rinse fluid between the front and rear tanks based on operational requirements. During field operations, fluid can be positioned in the rear tank for rinsing capacity, while during transport, fluid can be transferred to the front tank to maintain balanced weight distribution and traction, making the weight distribution adaptive rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spatial parameter of rinse fluid distribution by transferring fluid between tanks positioned at different locations. This parameter change allows the same total quantity of rinse fluid to produce different weight distribution effects, optimizing both rinsing capacity and traction/stability as needed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the weight is balanced for road transport, then the transport stability is improved, but the field operation traction is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The weight distribution is made dynamic through the ability to transfer rinse fluid between front and rear tanks based on whether the sprayer is in transport mode or field operation mode. This dynamic adjustment allows optimization for transport stability during road travel and optimization for field traction during operational phases.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An agricultural trailed crop sprayer (10) comprises a wheeled chassis (22) with a towing hitch (14). The chassis supports a chemical tank (18), front and rear rinse tanks (24, 26), an applicator boom (19), and a fluid delivery network. The front rinse tank (24) is disposed forwardly of the rear rinse tank (26). The fluid delivery network is configured to convey fluid from the front and rear rinse tanks into the chemical tank during a rinse process. Fluid is transferable between the rinse tanks in response to operating demands.