System for monitoring and controlling product distribution in an agricultural system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9615506-B2
Application number	US-201414537731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure describes an agricultural system having a flow path configured to distribute agricultural product from a product storage tank to a row unit across a field via an air flow. The flow path includes an inlet configured to receive the agricultural product, an outlet configured to output the agricultural product, a body extending between the inlet and the outlet, and a first pressure tap and a second pressure tap each extending into the body. The agricultural system also includes a first pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the first pressure tap and configured to output a first signal indicative of a first static pressure of the air flow proximate to the first pressure tap, and a second pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the second pressure tap and configured to output a second signal indicative of a second static pressure of the air flow proximate to the second pressure tap. Further, the agricultural system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor and configured to receive the first signal and the second signal, and a supplemental air supply fluidly coupled to the flow path proximate to the inlet and configured to selectively provide a supplemental air flow to the flow path. The controller is configured to instruct the supplemental air supply to selectively provide the supplemental air flow to the flow path based on the first signal, the second signal, or a combination thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural system, comprising:
a flow path configured to guide agricultural product through the flow path via a primary air flow, wherein the flow path comprises an inlet configured to receive the agricultural product, an outlet configured to output the agricultural product, a body extending between the inlet and the outlet, and a first pressure tap and a second pressure tap each extending into the body;
an air blower configured to provide the primary air flow to the flow path to urge the agricultural product through the flow path;
a first pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the first pressure tap and configured to output a first signal indicative of a first static pressure of the primary air flow proximate to the first pressure tap;
a second pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the second pressure tap and configured to output a second signal indicative of a second static pressure of the primary air flow proximate to the second pressure tap;
a controller communicatively coupled to the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and configured to receive the first signal and the second signal; and
a supplemental air supply separate from the air blower, fluidly coupled to the flow path, and configured to selectively provide a supplemental air flow to the flow path, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the supplemental air supply to selectively provide the supplemental air flow to the flow path based on the first signal, the second signal, or a combination thereof.

2. The agricultural system of claim 1 , comprising a control system having the controller, wherein the control system comprises a display communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to display primary information indicative of the first static pressure, the second static pressure, a comparison between the first and second static pressures, or a combination thereof, wherein the display is viewable by an operator.

3. The agricultural system of claim 2 , wherein the display is configured to display supplemental information indicative of a current operating capacity of the agricultural system, a suggested operating capacity of the agricultural system, a target operating capacity of the agricultural system, or a combination thereof.

4. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a pressure drop between the second static pressure and the first static pressure and to instruct the supplemental air supply to selectively provide the supplemental air flow to the flow path while the pressure drop exceeds a pressure drop tolerance.

5. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental air supply separate from the air blower comprises an air booster.

6. The agricultural system of claim 1 , comprising a product storage tank configured to store the agricultural product and a metering device configured to meter the agricultural product at a rate to the inlet of the flow path, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the metering device, and wherein the controller is configured to control the rate.

7. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural product comprises seed, fertilizer, pesticide, or a combination thereof.

8. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental air supply is configured to provide the supplemental air flow as a short duration supplemental air flow, a long duration supplemental air flow, a series of pulsated supplemental air flows, a patterned series of supplemental air flows, a series of random duration supplemental air flows, or a combination thereof.

9. The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the flow path comprises a primary flow path and a supplemental flow path at least partially separated from the primary flow path by a wall, wherein the primary flow path is configured to receive the agricultural product and the primary air flow, wherein the supplemental flow path is configured to receive the supplemental air flow, and wherein an opening through the wall fluidly couples the primary flow path with the supplemental flow path to enable the supplemental air flow to travel through the supplemental flow path, through the opening, and into the primary flow path.

10. An agricultural system, comprising:
a flow path configured to distribute agricultural product through the flow path via a primary air flow provided by a primary air supply, wherein the flow path comprises an inlet configured to receive the agricultural product, an outlet configured to output the agricultural product, a body extending between the inlet and the outlet, and a first pressure tap and a second pressure tap each extending into the body;
a first pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the first pressure tap and configured to output a first signal indicative of a first static pressure of the primary air flow proximate to the first pressure tap;
a second pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the second pressure tap and configured to output a second signal indicative of a second static pressure of the primary air flow proximate to the second pressure tap;
a controller communicatively coupled to the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and configured to receive the first signal and the second signal;
a duct immediately adjacent to the flow path, wherein a wall at least partially separates the duct from the flow path, and wherein at least one opening through the wall fluidly couples the flow path with the duct; and
a supplemental air supply fluidly coupled to the duct and configured to selectively provide a supplemental air flow to the duct to enable the supplemental air flow to travel through the duct, through the opening, and into the flow path, wherein the supplemental air supply is separate from the primary air supply, and wherein the controller is configured to instruct the supplemental air supply to selectively provide the supplemental air flow to the duct based on the first signal, the second signal, or a combination thereof.

11. The agricultural system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings extending through the wall, wherein the plurality of openings fluidly couples the duct and the flow path.

12. The agricultural system of claim 11 , comprising a plurality of flow diverters, each flow diverter corresponding to an associated opening of the plurality of openings, wherein each flow diverter is configured to selectively enable and disable flow through the associated opening, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the plurality of flow diverters based on the first signal, the second signal, or the combination thereof.

13. The agricultural system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to determine, based at least in part on the first signal, the second signal, or the combination thereof, a location of a clog, or a pre-clog condition, of the agricultural product within the flow path.

14. The agricultural system of claim 10 , wherein the wall comprises a cylindrical wall defining a circular cross-section of the flow path.

15. The agricultural system of claim 10 , wherein the primary air supply comprises an air blower configured to provide the primary air flow to the flow path.

16. An agricultural system, comprising:
a flow path configured to distribute agricultural product from a product storage tank through the flow path via a primary air flow provided by a primary air supply, wherein the flow path comprises an inlet configured to receive the agricultural product, an outlet configured to output the agricultural product,

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Ruppert Rex L
• Hansen Bradley D
• Roberge Martin J

Classifications

• A01C15/04

  using blowers · CPC title

• A01C15/00

  Fertiliser distributors ({combined with seeders} A01C7/06) · CPC title

• B05B15/0225

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B05B15/0208

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B05B15/0258

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic