Research on Economic Comprehensive Control Strategies of Tractor-Planter Combinations in Planting, Including Gear-Shift and Cruise Control

Baogang Li, Dongye Sun, Minghui Hu and Junlong Liu
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Baogang Li: State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmissions, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
Dongye Sun: State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmissions, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
Minghui Hu: State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmissions, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
Junlong Liu: State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmissions, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: An automatic control strategy for forward speed in the planting process is proposed to improve the fuel economy and reduce the labor intensity of drivers. Models of tractors with power-shift transmission (PST) and a precise pneumatic planter with an electric-driven seed metering device are built as research objects and simulated using Matlab with Simulink. The economic comprehensive control strategies for forward speed, including gear-shift schedule and cruise control strategy, are developed. Four levels control mode with different fuel economy performances are implemented to meet different driver or operation condition requirements. In addition, the control strategy is developed for the seed-metering device motor to maintain the required seed spacing in planting. Finally, the fuel economy and effectiveness of the control strategies for forward speed and planting quality are verified by simulations with Matlab/Simulink and Matlab/Stateflow. The simulation results verify the satisfactory performance of the proposed control strategies. The error of seed spacing is less than 3% when planting with speed fluctuation. Under the premise of ensuring planting quality and driver’s demands, the cruise control strategies for forward speed have more significant effects on the fuel economy than previous cruise control strategies. Furthermore, the control mode with higher level has better fuel economy and a larger speed deviation range.

Keywords: tractor-planter combination; PST; fuel economy; gear-shift schedule; cruise control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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