SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING MASS FLOW STABILITY AT VARIABLE AIR FLOW RATES IN AN AIR SEEDER

摘要

A method of monitoring a mass flow rate of product being applied with an agricultural implement includes the steps of: calibrating a pressure drop across a known distance in an air line at a number of air flow rates; metering a product at a desired application rate into the air line at a selected one of the air flow rates; establishing a pressure drop across the known distance at the selected air flow rate, while the product is being metered at the desired application rate; calculating a value of K1 dependent on the established pressure drop; estimating a mass flow rate of the product being applied, using the mathematical expression: log µ = -(1 + .EPSILON.) .cndot. log Fr + K1 where µ (mass loading ratio); Fr (Froude number); .EPSILON. = calibration variable; and K1 = constant for a given product being applied at a given mass flow rate.