Abstract
In recent years, research into and development of hillside tractors has become a popular topic in the field of agricultural engineering in China. To solve the main problems associated with a low adjustment range of the working speed, complex operation, and low safety for slope operation of medium-sized crawler tractors, a hydrostatic drive system that can be used for hillside crawler tractors was designed. According to the operation requirements of a hillside crawler tractor, the parameters of the three-cylinder diesel engine, hydrostatic transmission (HST), drive rear axle, and other key components of the drive system were matched after the force and motion analyses of the tractor, and then the main performance indicators, including the traction performance, system pressure and working speed of the drive system were verified. On this basis, a drive system performance test bench was built, and the traction performance and starting acceleration performance of the drive system was tested. The results of the traction bench test show that when the engine was at the maximum torque point of 1700 r/min, the maximum theoretical tractive force outputted by the tractor in Gear I was 114,563 N, and the maximum theoretical tractive force outputted by tractor in Gear II was 10,959.2 N, which were both larger than the traction resistance of 9550.6 N experienced by the hillside tractor ploughing on the slope. The results of the initial acceleration bench test show that the tractor driving speed can gradually increase with increasing output of the variable pump and can reach the maximum in 3 s. When the tractor was driving on flat ground, the maximum driving speeds of Gear I, Gear II, and Gear III were 4.65 km/h, 6.58 km/h, and 8.57 km/h, respectively, which are close to the theoretical values. When the tractor was driving on a 15° slope, the maximum driving speeds of Gear I, Gear II, and Gear III were 4.55 km/h, 6.25 km/h, and 8.28 km/h, respectively. It can be concluded that the design matching of the drive system is reasonable, the speed consistency is good and there is enough power reserve, which can meet the requirements for a large workload.
Highlights
IntroductionThe hilly and mountainous areas in China account for approximately 69.4% of the total national territorial area [1]
This paper develops a drive system for hillside crawler tractors based on a hydrostatic transmission (HST) and presents the results of tests and analyses of its dynamic performance
4.0 km/h with the increasement of the load torque from 10 N·m to 70 N·m, when the load torque increases from 70.0 N·m to 75.0 N·m, the range of the change in the engine speed exceeds 200 r/min, the test for the drive system was repeated several times, and it was found that the engine will often shut down when the Gear II load torque exceeds 75.0 N·m
Summary
The hilly and mountainous areas in China account for approximately 69.4% of the total national territorial area [1]. The amount of agricultural equipment in the plain areas of China is relatively high and developing rapidly, while the progress of agricultural mechanization in hilly areas is less developed. The development of agricultural mechanization in hilly and mountainous areas is restricted for two reasons. The first is that the farmland area in hilly and mountainous areas is small, the shape is irregular, and the slope is steep, and the second is that research into and development of hillside tractors in China is still in its early stages, and the supply of hillside tractors that can meet the operation requirements in hilly areas is insufficient. There is an urgent need to develop tractors that can operate in the hilly and mountainous areas of China [2,3,4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
