Particulate flow sensing for an agricultural implement

摘要

Particulate Flow Sensing for an Agricultural Implement Abstract of the Disclosure An impact sensor is located in a distribution tower which divides the seed 5 and/or nutrient flow into individual rows, and a second sensor provides a compensation signal dependent upon one or more variables such as the velocity of the air in the conveying system, implement vibrations. As the seed/fertilizer bounces off of the impact sensor and flows into the individual row air streams, the impact sensor provides a force signal to a processor which calculates the total particulate 10 mass flow rate from the force signal and the air velocity signal. To determine individual seed and fertilizer rates, a rate controller temporarily changes the metering rate of one of the materials, and the processor then calculates the desired information from the mass flow change and meter speed change. Another embodiment includes seed sensor structure at the meter output for achieving or confirming accuracy. 80 8 Speed Signal 8 Feed Rate Controller Processor100 Fig. 2 94 " "581F2 i2 24 372 12 14 74 1616114 58 7 42 44 78 60 Inritialize mass flow sensor14 142 Fig. 3 FCalculate Mass flow rate Flow rate match No 148 pre-set number? Adjust Meter rate7 Yes Re-calculate 146 Mass flow rate End150J