New technological solutions for restoring the inner surface of hydraulic cylinders

Relevance. Agricultural machines widely use hydraulic cylinders for various auxiliary and working movements. Operation in harsh field conditions leads to the failure of the hydraulic cylinder mirror and, as a result, to the loss of force on the cylinder rod. The development of technological solutions for the restoration of the inner surface as a more appropriate solution in repair production is relevant.Methods. Studies of the heat flow using the “Fluke Ti32” thermal imager and ofthe influence of gas-dynamic spraying (GDS) modes on the adhesive and cohesive strength when using a new design of the nozzle part of the GDS equipment were carried out.Results. The suitability of usage of new nozzle design for GDS in order to restore the inner surface of the hydraulic cylinder body has been established. The elongated and curved nozzle for installations of the “Dimet” type practically does not change the temperature regime of spraying. The adhesive and cohesive strength of the coatings obtained with the new nozzle design is sufficient to operate under conditions characteristic of the inner surface of the hydraulic cylinder body.

Optimization of Energy in Smart Farms Using a Genetic Algorithm

The need for energy in the agriculture field is increasing as a result of increasing the productivity of these fields. The appearance of smart grid and IoT (internet of objects) enabled farmers to control, manage, and optimize the energy consumption. Agriculture will continue to rely on energy to increase its productivity in line with increasing population and great demand. In this chapter, the authors present an integrated model between SmartFarms, the smart-grid, and optimization methods. In this way, smart forms can participate actively and benefit from the energy market. In this chapter, they consider the electrical energy that is directly used in activities ranging from field processes such as irrigation of land. Energy is also indirectly consumed in synthetic additives notably fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. In addition, the authors can consider the electrical energy, which is used for powering some agricultural machines.

The development of an energy efficient electric drive for agricultural machines

Agriculture is a socially significant sector of the economy. The growth of agricultural production contributes to the stable development of society. It is necessary to use new mechanisms driven by induction motors to increase agricultural productivity. Three-phase induction motors are mainly used in the electric drive of agricultural machines. At the same time, it is advisable to use a single-phase network to supply power to remote farms. In this regard, the development of a single-phase electric drive using three-phase motors becomes relevant. In this work, a study of an original semiconductor device for starting a three-phase induction motor from a single-phase network is made. The simulation model of the device created in the Matlab Simulink environment made it possible to study the electromechanical characteristics of the induction motor when operating from a single-phase network. A comparison of the characteristics of the motor during operation from a three-phase and a single-phase network is carried out. The most significant results of the work are the data obtained that the developed device can be used to start and operate a squirrel cage induction motor from a single-phase network. At the same time, the engine energy parameters change slightly.

RESEARCHES ON THE TESTING IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS OF AN ECOLOGICAL CLIMATE SYSTEM USED FOR SELFPROPELED AGRICULTURAL MACHINES

Nowadays, cooling the air by means of climate maintenance systems is achieved, in most cases, using installations based on freon or other substances that cause pollution. Taking into account the fact that the EEC standards and regulations increase the emphasis on ensuring the quality, labour safety, health and environment, finding a solution for air conditioners that do not use a substance that causes pollution, has become a necessity. As a great part of farming work is done in the warmest periods of the year, temperatures being frequently over 35oC, it is necessary to equip the agricultural machines with air conditioners in order to achieve a thermic comfort in the cab. For this purpose, an air conditioner based on the process of water evaporation was designed, made and tested. The installation is able to cool the air that enters into the cab through the evaporation process that takes place in the special filling, with an efficiency of the mixing process more than 90%. Air passing sections are calculated so that they can assure both the quantity needed for climate maintenance in the cab (about 3.5 - 4 m3/min) and the relative speed between air and water in the filling, in order for the evaporation process to be conducted in the best conditions that were theoretical established.

Performance Evaluation of an Autonomously Driven Agricultural Vehicle in an Orchard Environment

To address the problems of inefficient agricultural production and labor shortages, there has been active research to develop autonomously driven agricultural machines, using advanced sensors and ICT technology. Autonomously driven speed sprayers can also reduce accidents such as the pesticide poisoning of farmers, and vehicle overturn that frequently occur during spraying work in orchards. To develop a commercial, autonomously driven speed sprayer, we developed a prototype of an autonomously driven agricultural vehicle, and conducted performance evaluations in an orchard environment. A prototype of the agricultural vehicle was created using a rubber-tracked vehicle equipped with two AC motors. A prototype of the autonomous driving hardware consisted of a GNSS module, a motion sensor, an embedded board, and an LTE module, and it was made for less than $1000. Additional software, including a sensor fusion algorithm for positioning and a path-tracking algorithm for autonomous driving, were implemented. Then, the performance of the autonomous driving agricultural vehicle was evaluated based on two trajectories in an apple farm. The results of the field test determined the RMS, and the maximums of the path-following errors were 0.10 m, 0.34 m, respectively.

Software for Diagnosing and Predicting the Technical Condition of Agricultural Machines

The technical platforms for solving the problems of using artificial intelligence in the field of agriculture are described. Creation of new computing devices that allow storing and processing large amounts of information and software makes it possible to form integrated computer systems to increase maximum productivity.

A Novel Approach to Determine Static Falling down Sidelong Angle of Tractor Using a 3D Printed Miniature Model

In this study, we have conducted a quasi-static lateral overturning test and derived a static falling down sidelong angle by using a miniature tractor model. We analyzed the lateral overturning condition of tractors theoretically by literature review and derived a method to manufacture a miniature model based on the analysis result. A miniature model was manufactured using a 3D printer at a scale of 1/20, relative to the actual dimension of a tractor. In addition, a test platform was constructed to perform lateral overturning tests. The miniature model was placed on the test platform, and the inclination angle of the ground was gradually increased. Then the static falling down sidelong angle, that is the inclination angle at the moment of lateral overturning occurred, was measured. The test result indicated that the difference of average static falling down sidelong angle was 1.0%. comparing to the accredited certification test result of the original tractor. Therefore, by utilizing the method applied in this study, the static falling down sidelong angle of tractors could be derived quickly and conveniently from a miniature model. As future research, the in-depth verification for the developed method is required by applying to a variety of agricultural machines.

Unsettled Topics in Obstacle Detection for Autonomous Agricultural Vehicles

Agricultural vehicles often drive along the same terrain day after day or year after year. Yet, they still must detect if a moveable object, such as another vehicle or an animal, happens to be on their path or if environmental conditions have caused muddy spots or washouts. Obstacle detection is one of the major missing pieces that can remove humans from highly automated agricultural machines today and enable the autonomous vehicles of the future. Unsettled Topics in Obstacle Detection for Autonomous Agricultural Vehicles examines the challenges of environmental object detection and collision prevention, including air obscurants, holes and soft spots, prior maps, vehicle geometry, standards, and close contact with large objects.

Analysis of the operation of active needle disks on erosive soils

The development of agricultural technologies, the mechanization of the cultivation of ordinary crops for a long time has gone differently in different ways. The working bodies of agricultural machines process various materials, the number of which is increasing. In addition, the way the same material is processed often changes when trying to improve agricultural technologies. All this forces us to create new mechanisms of agriculture that were previously known. The use of replaceable gear bodies on flat cutting cultivators helps to reduce the energy intensity the process and improve the quality of non-falling soil. To protect against it, various agricultural techniques are recommended: plowing along the entire slope, deepening the arable layer, the formation of irregularities on the surface of arable land in the form of holes, intermittent furrows. The article describes the mechanized protection of the soil of the technological process and technical means for growing crops on erosive lands on the slope. Methodology for improving agricultural machinery for working on the slope of erosive dangerous lands. Ways to increase the stability of the movement of agricultural machines on slopes to improve the quality of technological operations are justified. The operating mode of the active disk needle is described.

STUDY OF VIBRATION ISOLATION SYSTEM OF AGRICULTURAL POWER UNITS WITH HYDRAULIC VIBRATION MOUNTS

At the present, the improvement of vibration isolation systems for equipment, machines and units remains an urgent task. The ways to solve this problem are based on the optimization of existing structures, the development and application of new vibration-insulating elements as well as the improvement of design methods. In particular, to ensure the reliable functioning of agricultural machines, units, working elements and other mechanization means for the technological processes of agricultural production one of the perspective areas is the use of hydraulic vibra-tion mounts in suspension systems for units. This type of mounts is used to mount engines, cabins of agricultural vehicles, and power units. This paper discusses the simu-lation of the dynamic behavior of a power unit attached to a fixed base by the hydraulic mounts. It is proposed to use approximating functions modelling real stiffness character-istics of the mounts. A comparative analysis with a similar design using rubber-metal mounts as vibration-insulating elements is presented.