Sugarcane Harvester Sugar Mapping From Yield, Trash, and Pour Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sugarcane harvesters lack real-time data on sugar content, leading to delayed adjustments in operating parameters, which affects harvest efficiency and sugar yield.
Innovation Solution
A sugarcane harvester equipped with a sensor suite and computing device that estimates sugar weight per unit area using sensor data, enabling real-time adjustments of operating parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If real-time sensor data and computing devices are added to the sugarcane harvester, then harvest efficiency and sugar yield are improved through real-time adjustments, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The computing device serves multiple functions: it processes sensor data, calculates sugar content estimates, generates real-time feedback, and controls harvesting operations. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated unit, improving productivity while limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements real-time feedback by continuously monitoring sensor data (crop yield, wagon trash content, crop pour rate) and using this information to adjust harvesting operations immediately. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables real-time optimization of sugar yield without requiring complex manual intervention systems.
2Quantity of substance
If real-time sensor data processing is implemented, then sugar yield optimization is improved, but loss of time in data processing and transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The computing device performs preliminary calculations by continuously processing sensor data and pre-calculating sugar content estimates before the harvesting operation completes. This allows real-time optimization decisions to be made without delaying the actual harvesting process, as the system is already prepared with optimized parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous data processing and sugar content calculation throughout the entire harvesting operation. Rather than batch-processing data after harvesting, the system continuously analyzes sensor inputs and provides ongoing optimization guidance, ensuring no time is lost between data collection and actionable insights.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and computing devices are integrated into the harvester, then measurement precision of sugar content is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is segmented into three key sensor components that each measure specific parameters: crop yield sensors, wagon trash content sensors, and crop pour rate sensors. The computing device then integrates these segmented measurements to calculate overall sugar content estimates. This segmentation approach improves measurement precision by focusing on critical parameters while avoiding the complexity of a single comprehensive sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The computing device acts as an intermediary that processes raw sensor data from multiple sources and transforms it into meaningful sugar content estimates. Rather than requiring direct complex interaction between multiple sensors, the computing device mediates by standardizing data formats, performing calculations, and presenting unified results, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A sugarcane harvester includes a sensor suite configured for sensing data related to one of a crop yield, a wagon trash content, and a crop pour rate. A computing device is operable to determine a crop yield at a first time during a first time period, determine a wagon trash content at the first time, and determine a crop pour rate at the first time. The computing device may then estimate a delivered sugar weight per unit area during the first time period using an equation stored in the memory of the computing device. The inputs into the equation include the crop yield at the first time, the wagon trash content at the first time and the pour rate at the first time. The result or output of the equation is the estimated delivered sugar weight per unit area during the first time period.