Design and Development of a Warning System for Seed Blockage in a One Row Grain Drill

ماشین های کشاورزی

Article 1, Volume 11, Issue 2 - Serial Number 22, 2021, Pages 131-143   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jam.v11i2.83159

Authors

O. Esmand; S. R. Mousavi Seyedi^* ; D. Kalantari

Mechanics of Biosystem Department, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari. Iran

Abstract

Introduction
The use of new technology in planters is one of the most important factors in the advancement of agricultural science. In the present study, an electronic warning system has been designed and implemented to prevent large seeds from falling from the fall pipe into the ground groove. In this study, three types of corn, bean and soybean seeds have been used, using two laser and microwave sensors. Viewing and comparison of the two sensors and their performance in two conditions of medium and high sensitivity in both laboratory and field conditions were conducted. In this case, the differences between the two sensors in different sensitivities have been evaluated and compared. The performance of the sensors in seed count has also been studied and compared. According to the results obtained in both cases, the sensors performance was acceptable, and especially in the maximum sensitivity of the sensors, they were able to handle well the clogs created in different situations (clogging down or above the fall pipe or emptying the seed tank). Detect and alert in a timely manner. Also, the count of seeds in all three seed types was recorded with high accuracy compared to the actual number.
Materials and Methods
Three types of coarse seeds (corn, beans and soybeans) as well as two types of sensors (laser and microwave) with two levels of medium sensitivity and high sensitivity were used for the experiments. Laser sensors are one of the most precise instrumentation and industrial automation tools that use laser light to detect objects or even precise distances. The function of the microwave sensor is that the high frequency waves are transmitted when the power supply is connected. These waves are reflected back to the module receiver if they hit objects. The open waves in the module are multiplied by the frequency of transmission by the mixer and a low-output (IF) signal is generated. The output frequency is equal to the difference between the frequency of the transmitted and reflected waves caused by the Doppler effect. Based on this frequency, the presence of a moving object and its speed are detected.
Experiments were carried out at both laboratory and field levels and in both moderate and high sensitivity modes using variable resistance mounted on the controller. The equivalent distance for each seed test is 100 meters, so twice for each seed in the laboratory and field level for each of the laser and microwave sensors in both high and medium sensitivity modes. In this system, in case of falling pipe clogging due to seed accumulation or mud under the falling pipe or other factors, an alert system (warning beep), along with the corresponding LED light, indicates a problem in the seed fall system and the operator alerts paying attention to the LED light (green or red) will detect the problem.
Results and Discussion
The results indicated that by installing a variable resistance inside the circuit, different sensors can be created in the sensors. Increasing the sensitivity of the sensor as much as possible can cause higher the efficiency of the sensor. In the two cases of medium and high resistance, sensors work with medium and high sensitivity. It works since both modes have been tested and the results have been satisfactory. The accuracy of counting and seed detection accuracy between two laser sensors and microwave sensors in two medium and high sensitivity modes were calculated and evaluated. The experiments in the laboratory showed that the difference in the number of seed count by laser sensor compared to the actual number in maize seed at medium and high sensitivity were 87.4% and 94.3%, respectively, in bean seeds 89.1% and 94.2%, respectively. And in soybean seed were 89.4% and 92.3%, respectively.
Conclusion
The developed embedded system can successfully check and announce the instantaneous state of three types of grain tested (corn, beans and soybeans) in the seed delivery tube of a hand single-row planter with visual cues (on or off LED lights) and audible signals (on or off the alarm), whenever there is a grain flow or no grain flow. Likewise, the developed system can show the blockage at the end of the seed delivery tube with visual indications of the green and red lights on or off and the alarm sound described in detail. These warnings are indications of a fall pipe failure or lack of grain flow in the grain measuring mechanism toward the opening groove and then into the ground. This type of detection alerts the operator in a timely manner by monitoring the status of the grains in the measuring system and ensuring that the grains are located in the ground.

Keywords

Drill; Grain count; Laser; Microwave; Sensor

References

1. Akhshik, S., M. Behzad, and M. Rajabi. 2015. CFD-DEM approach to investigate the effect of drill pipe rotation on cuttings transport behavior. Petrol Science Engineering 127: 229-244.

2. Al-Mallahi, A. A., and T. Kataoka. 2013. Estimation of mass flow of seeds using capacitive sensor and multiple linear regression modeling. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 99: 116-122.

3. Dai, Y. Z., X. W. Luo, Z. M. Wang, S. Zeng, Y. Zang, W. W. Yang, M. H. Zhang, B. L. Wang, and H. Xing. 2016. Design and experiment of rice pneumatic centralized seed distributor. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering 32 (24): 36-42.

4. Grift T. E., and J. W. Hofstee. 2002. Testing an online spread pattern determination sensor on a broadcast fertilizer spreader. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 45 (3): 561-567.

5. Han, D. D., D. X. Zhang, L. Yang, K. H. Li, T. L. Zhang, Y. X. Wamg, and T. Cui. 2017. EDEM-CFD simulation and experiment of working performance of inside-filling air-blowing seed metering device in maize. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering 33 (13): 23-31.

6. Jafari, M., A. Hemmat, and M. Sadeghi. 2010. Development and performance assessment of a DC electric variable-rate controller for use on grain drills. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 73 (1): 56-65.

7. Kachman, S. D., and J. A. Smith. 1995. Alternative measures of accuracy in plant spacing for planters using single seed metering. Transactions of the ASAE 38 (2): 379-38.

8. Karayel, D., M. Wiesehoff, A. Ozmerzi, and J. Muller. 2006. Laboratory measurement of seed drill seed spacing and velocity of fall of seeds using high-speed camera system. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 50 (2): 89-96.

9. Kocher, M. F., Y. Lan, C. Chen, and J. A. Smith. 1998. Opto-electronic sensor system for rapid evaluation of planter seed spacing uniformity. Transactions of the ASAE 41 (1): 237-245.

10. Kumar, R., and H. Raheman. 2018. Detection of flow of seeds in the seed delivery tube and choking of boot of a seed drill .Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 153: 266-277.

11. Lan, Y., M. F. Kocher, and J. A. Smith. 1999. Opto-electronic sensor system for laboratory measurement of planter seed spacing with small seeds. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 72: 119-127.

12. Navid, H., S. Ebrahimian, and H. R. Gassemzadeh. 2011. Laboratory evaluation of seed metering device using image processing method. Australian Journal of Agricultural Engineering 2 (1): 1-4.

13. Raheman, H., and U. Singh. 2003. A sensor for seed flow from seed metering mechanisms. Proceedings of Institution of Mechanical Engineers. (I)-AG. 84: 6-8.

14. Wang, C., and R. He. 2011. Performance detection of precision seed-metering device based on single chip microprocessor. Science Technology Engineering 33 (12): 8300-8302.