Disc angle and tilt angle effects on forces acting on a single-disc type no-till seeder opener

Abstract

Disc angles which play an important role on horizontal (draft), side and vertical forces are divided into two as the disc and tilt angle. Five disc angles (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20°), five tilt angles (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10°), three vertical disc loads of 50 kg, 100 kg and 150 kg and no-residue, wheat and corn residue conditions were taken into account in this study which was conducted under soil bin conditions. The angles of the disc opener were easily changed by using a mechanism designed and manufactured for this purpose. According to the obtained results, the increase in disc angle led to an increase of the vertical and draft forces that affect the disc and minimum values at 0° disc angle and maximum values at 20° disc angle were obtained. The vertical forces acting on the disc according to disc angle varied between 321.5 N and 373.4 N while the draft forces were between 92.2 N and 131.3 N. As the tilt angle increased, the draft forces decreased, and these values were measured between 122.7 N and 103.7 N. The vertical forces ranged from 335.1 N to 360.6 N. It has been determined that the 7.5 and 10° tilt angles generally give better results. The increase in the vertical load applied to the disc enabled penetration into the soil, while at the same time an increase incurred in the vertical, draft and side forces acting on the furrow opener. In addition, the vertical, draft and side forces acting on the disc type opener and the data of cross-sectional area of the furrows opened were used to calculate specific vertical, specific draft and specific side forces Results indicate that an increase in disc angle decreased specific draft, side and vertical forces. An increase of the tilt angle caused the specific vertical, draft and side forces to increase.