Abstract
One of the most important means of improving the mechanization of rapeseed harvests and increasing farmers’ income is to reduce the cleaning loss of rapeseed. In this study, a fuzzy grey control system was developed using an assembled cleaning loss sensor. Based on experimental data, the relationship between the cleaning loss and the opening of the louver sieve in the cleaning device was obtained. The fuzzy control scheme was established by combining grey prediction and the fuzzy control principle. Secondly, a microcontroller unit (MCU) was used as the controller, and the opening of the louver sieve was automatically regulated by detecting the signal of the cleaning loss. Finally, the performance and robustness of the control system was evaluated in field tests. Different experiments were conducted under different speed conditions to reflect the variable throughput. Results showed that using the grey prediction control system can realize the adjustment of the louver sieve opening in real time. The cleaning loss could be maintained within the ideal setpoint interval, compared with the operation with the control system switched off. These findings indicate that the application of the grey fuzzy control system reduces cleaning loss, and the nonlinear, time-variable and time delay problems in cleaning devices can be solved effectively.
Highlights
The combine harvester has one of the most complex structures amongst agricultural machinery, in which the cleaning device is a core part
These findings indicate that the application of the grey fuzzy control system reduces cleaning loss, and the nonlinear, time-variable and time delay problems in cleaning devices can be solved effectively
To verify the adaptation of fuzzy grey control systems, the cleaning loss was monitored under different field working conditions
Summary
The combine harvester has one of the most complex structures amongst agricultural machinery, in which the cleaning device is a core part. Cleaning performance is affected by working speed, feed rate, and working parameters, and relates to the moisture, crop intensity, and geographical conditions. Cleaning loss is one of the main bottlenecks restricting the development of mechanized rapeseed harvesting [1,2], and is an important indicator to evaluate the operating performance of rape combine harvesters. While working in the field, it is hard for the operator to guarantee the operation stability of the combine harvester when facing different varieties of crops and working conditions. The cleaning loss and material other than grain (MOG) are significant cleaning performance parameters. MOG can be controlled by controlling the cleaning loss. A large quantity of experimental data shows that the grain loss of modern harvesters is mainly due to cleaning. The reduction of cleaning loss is one of the most important methods for farmers to increase yield and income
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