Air cart automatic fan control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10918010-B2
Application number	US-201816124591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A pressure gradient or differential in a product distribution line for conveying granular particulate material, including at least one of a seed or a fertilizer, in an air flow to an agricultural field consistently decreases as air speed and velocity in the product distribution line decreases until a critical air speed is reached. Below the critical air speed, the particulate material is susceptible to falling out of the air flow to potentially cause a blockage in the system. A control system efficiently determines an optimum operating velocity for an air flow that is above the critical air speed yet below a maximum air speed associated with inefficient operation. The control system retains the air flow setting in a data structure for later retrieval.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for distributing particulate material to an agricultural field, comprising:
a meter module configured to dispense particulate material to a product distribution line;
an air source configured to entrain the particulate material in an air flow for transferring the particulate material through the product distribution line;
first and second pressure sensors arranged at first and second locations of the product distribution line, respectively, the first pressure sensor positioned at a first location proximal to the meter module and the second pressure sensor positioned at a second location distal to the meter module, wherein the first location is proximal to the meter module and the second location is distal to the meter module, wherein each pressure sensor is configured to indicate a pressure at a location in the product distribution line;
a data structure for holding a plurality of air flow settings for the air source, each air flow setting comprising a velocity for an air flow corresponding to at least one particulate material and a rate for dispensing the particulate material;
a controller in communication with the air source, the first and second pressure sensor, and the data structure, the controller executing a program stored in a non-transient medium to configure an operating velocity for the air flow via:
control of the air source via the controller to produce an air flow at an initial velocity, wherein the initial velocity is a maximum velocity producible by the air source;
repeatedly determine a pressure gradient in the product distribution line by calculating a difference between first and second pressures indicated by the first and second pressure sensors, respectively, and controlling the air source to lower the velocity of the air flow from the initial velocity, until a minimum velocity for the air flow causing a minimum pressure gradient sufficient to maintain entrained particulate material is determined,
configure the operating velocity for the air flow to be greater than the minimum velocity by a predetermined margin, and
communicate the operating velocity via the controller to the data structure for retention of the air flow setting for the air source, the air flow setting corresponding to the particulate material in the product distribution line and the rate for dispensing the particulate material in the product distribution line.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating velocity is a first operating velocity, and wherein, upon determining a change, the controller further executes to determine a second operating velocity for the air flow based on changes detected by the first and second pressure sensors and at least one environmental sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a Human Machine Interface (HMI) for receiving an input from an operator, wherein the controller further executes to determine the at least one of a given type of particulate material and a given rate for dispensing particulate material from the HMI.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a location sensor for determining a location of the system on a prescription map, wherein the controller further executes to determine the particulate material and the rate for dispensing the particulate material from a location on the prescription map.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one environmental sensor inside of or external to the product distribution line for measuring an environmental condition.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one environmental sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, an ambient pressure sensor, and a humidity sensor, wherein the at least one environmental sensor provides feedback to the controller, and the controller adjusting the operating velocity in accordance with an environmental condition detected by the at least one environmental sensor by increasing or decreasing the operating velocity.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of seed and fertilizer.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the air source comprises a hydraulic fan, and wherein the controller executes to control the air source to increase or decrease the air flow by increasing or decreasing hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fan.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an air speed sensor in communication with the controller, wherein the air speed sensor is configured to indicate a velocity of the air flow in the product distribution line.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller executes a closed loop control system to maintain the air flow at the operating velocity while receiving feedback from the air speed sensor.

11. A method for distributing particulate material to an agricultural field, comprising:
dispensing particulate material from a meter module to a product distribution line;
entraining the particulate material in an air flow produced by an air source for transferring the particulate material through the product distribution line;
controlling the air source to produce the air flow at an initial velocity, wherein the initial velocity is a maximum velocity producible by the air source;
providing a data structure for holding a plurality of air flow settings for the air source, each air flow setting comprising a velocity for an air flow corresponding to at least one particulate material and a rate for dispensing the particulate material;
repeatedly determining a pressure gradient in the product distribution line by calculating a difference between first and second pressure sensors arranged at first and second locations, respectively, of the product distribution line, with the first location being proximal to the meter module and the second location being distal to the meter module, and controlling the air source to lower the velocity of the air flow from the initial velocity, until a minimum velocity for the air flow causing a minimum pressure gradient sufficient to maintain entrained particulate material is determined;
configuring the operating velocity for the air flow to be greater than the minimum velocity by a predetermined margin; and
communicating via the controller to the data structure to retain the air flow setting for the air source, the air flow setting corresponding to the particulate material in the product distribution line and the rate for dispensing the particulate material in the product distribution line.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the operating velocity is a first operating velocity, and wherein, upon determining a change, the controller further executes to determine a second operating velocity for the air flow based on changes detected by first and second pressure sensors and at least one environmental sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving an input from an operator through an HMI, wherein the input comprises the particulate material and the rate for dispensing particulate material.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining a location on a prescription map from a location sensor and determining the at least one particulate material and the given rate for dispensing particulate material from a location on the prescription map.

15. A system for distributing particulate material to an agricultural field, comprising:
an air cart comprising:
a product storage tank configured to store particulate material;
a meter module configured to dispense the particulate material from the product storage tank to a primary product distribution line; and
a fan configured t

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Gervais Joel
• Paulson Ian
• Mittal Lav
• Noble Scott

Classifications

• A01C7/102 Primary

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• Y02P60/21

  Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures · CPC title

• A01C21/00

  Methods of fertilising {, sowing or planting} · CPC title

• A01C7/081

  Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01C21/002

  Apparatus for sowing fertiliser; Fertiliser drill · CPC title