Optimization of the Fluted Force-Feed Seeder Meter with the Helical Roller Using the Discrete Element Method and Response Surface Analysis

Jianxiao Wang, Wei Sun (), Petru Aurelian Simionescu and Yuanjin Ju
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Jianxiao Wang: College of Mechano-Electronic Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Wei Sun: College of Mechano-Electronic Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Petru Aurelian Simionescu: College of Engineering, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA
Yuanjin Ju: College of Mechano-Electronic Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: The seed metering process of a fluted force-feed seeder was simulated using the Discrete Element Method and its parameters optimized using the Box–Behnken Design of Experiments and the Response Surface Method. The rotational speed of the feed roller, the lead (helix) angle of the flutes, and the number of flutes were the independent variables, while the response value was the seeding uniformity index. Two regression models were investigated, and the following conclusions drawn. For the flute lead angle between 0 and 10 degrees, and the number of flutes between 10 and 14, it was found that the number of flutes and the lead angle influenced the seeding performance the most, with the order of importance being the (i) number of flutes, (ii) lead angle and (iii) roller speed. For the flute lead angle between 5 and 15 degrees, and the number of flutes between 12 and 16, it was found that the roller speed and the number of flutes influenced the seeding performance the most, with the order of importance being the (i) roller speed, (ii) number of flutes and (iii) flute lead angle. The two regression models were then minimized for the seeding uniformity index and the corresponding optima verified experimentally on a conveyor belt test stand fitted with an image recognition system.

Keywords: wheat seeder; fluted force-feed seeder; discrete element method; response surface analysis; numerical optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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