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DEM simulation research of selected sowing unit elements used in a mechanical seeding drill
Last modified: 16. 12. 2018
Abstract
One of the most important parameters of an agricultural seed drill operation is the uniformity of the seed flow. It determines the efficiency of the machine which is later verified by harvested crops. The main component of the seeding machine affecting the uniformity of seed dosing is the sowing unit, whose key parameter is conditioned by its structural and technological features. Therefore, in order to obtain even more accurate results, ceaseless efforts have been made to improve the component's geometry. Accordingly, in this work we present the results of the survey of existing design solutions using modern research methods, namely computer simulations. The work we carried out allows for presenting the results of the simulation tests using the discrete elements method. Applying selected geometric solutions of seed wheels used in the agricultural seed drill, we carried out simulation tests which showed the effectiveness of our constructions. In this work, we present the description of a structure of virtual research models and of the applied mathematical models used to depict contacts between particles.