Agricultural Sprayer Turn Speed Control for Uniform Nozzle Application
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural sprayers face challenges in maintaining a consistent application rate of agricultural fluids during turns, as nozzles on the outside of the turn travel faster than those on the inside, leading to underapplication of fluids on the field.
Innovation Solution
A computing system is integrated into the sprayer to receive inputs for target application rates and turn data, determining a maximum ground speed for the sprayer to ensure all nozzles dispense fluids at the desired rate by controlling the sprayer's speed during turns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sprayer travels at high speed during turns, then productivity is improved, but the nozzles on the outside of the turn underapply agricultural fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the ground speed of the sprayer based on real-time turn detection and nozzle position data. When a turn is detected, the computing system calculates the appropriate speed limit to maintain uniform application rate, and automatically controls the ground speed to comply with this limit, allowing high-speed operation during straight sections while preventing underapplication during turns
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors turn conditions and ground speed, using this feedback to dynamically determine and enforce speed limits. The computing system receives data from sensors detecting turn status and nozzle positions, calculates the maximum safe speed to maintain uniform application, and adjusts the ground speed accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that balances productivity and application precision
2Manufacturing precision
If the sprayer reduces ground speed during turns, then application rate uniformity is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts ground speed based on actual turn conditions rather than uniformly reducing speed for all turns. The computing system calculates the maximum ground speed allowed during each turn based on the specific turn radius, nozzle positions, and target application rate, allowing the sprayer to maintain higher speeds in gentle turns and reduce speed only when necessary, optimizing the balance between precision and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the ground speed parameter dynamically based on turn conditions and nozzle positions. By calculating the maximum allowable ground speed for each specific turn scenario and adjusting the actual ground speed to match this parameter, the system maintains uniform application rate while minimizing productivity loss, rather than applying a fixed speed reduction
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural sprayer includes a computing system configured to receive a first input associated with a target application rate at which agricultural fluid is to be dispensed onto the field. Moreover, the computing system is configured to receive a second input associated with a turn being made or to be made by the sprayer. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine a maximum ground speed for the turn at which a selected nozzle dispenses the agricultural fluid onto the field at the target application rate based on the received first and second inputs. Furthermore, when the turn is being made, the computing system is configured to control an operation of the sprayer such that the ground speed of the sprayer is at or below the determined maximum ground speed.