• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.138-144
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• 2012

Recent environmental issues such as exhaust gas and greenhouse effect make the agricultural machinery market takes into account the hybrid and electric propulsion technology used in automotive engineering. Generally the agricultural machinery, particularly an agricultural tractor, needs large load capacity and long continuous operating time comparing with conventional vehicles. In case of a pure electric tractor, it is necessary for considering large capacity batteries and long charging time. Therefore we take an AER extended PHEV (All Electric Range extended Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) power transmission system in developing an electric tractor in this study. First we propose a PHEV powertrain structure in order to substitute the conventional diesel engine equipped tractor. And we performed the road tests using a conventional mechanical tractor with various load conditions, which were classified and statistically treated real agricultural works. The test results were analysed with respect to the power characteristics of the power source. Finally using the test result, we designed two-stepped reduction gear ratios in the proposed an electric tractor powertrain for carrying out typical agricultural works.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.389-399
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was aimed at developing a tractor-driving simulator for the safety training of agricultural tractor operators. Methods: The developed simulator consists of five principal components: mock operator control devices, a data acquisition and processing device, a motion platform, a visual system that displays a computer model of the tractor, a motion platform, and a virtual environment. The control devices of a real tractor cabin were successfully converted into mock operator control devices in which sensors were used for relevant measurements. A 3D computer model of the tractor was also implemented using 3ds Max, tractor dynamics, and the physics of Unity 3D. The visual system consisted of two graphic cards and four monitors for the simultaneous display of the four different sides of a 3D object to the operator. The motion platform was designed with two rotational degrees of freedom to reduce cost, and inverse kinematics was used to calculate the required motor positions and to rotate the platform. The generated virtual environment consisted of roads, traffic signals, buildings, rice paddies, and fields. Results: The effectiveness of the simulator was evaluated by a performance test survey administered to 128 agricultural machinery instructors, 116 of whom considered the simulator as having potential for improving safety training. Conclusions: From the study results, it is concluded that the developed simulator can be effectively used for the safety training of agricultural tractor operators.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 2013

Purpose: Performances of a tractor diesel engine fueled by three different animal fats biodiesels were evaluated comparing with light oil tractor in terms of power, fuel consumption rate, exhaust gases, particulate matter amount and field work capacity. Methods: Animal fats based on pig biodiesel were manufactured manually and tested for its engine performance in the tractor diesel engine and fuel adoptability in the field works. Four different fuels, three different content of biodiesel (BD20, BD50, BD100) and light oil, were prepared and tested in the four strokes diesel engine. Power output, fuel consumption rate and exhaust gases of the four fuels in the diesel engine were compared and discussed. Results: Power output of light oil engine was the greatest showing 5.3% difference between light oil and BD100, but 0.37% better power than BD20 engine power. Less exhaust gases of $CO_2$, CO, $NO_X$ and THC were produced from animal fats biodiesel than light oil, which confirmed that biodiesel is environmental friendly fuel. For fuel adoptability in the tractor, biodiesel engine tractor showed its fuel competitiveness comparing with light oil for tractor works in the faddy field. Conclusions: With four different fuel types of animal-fats biodiesel, performances of a four cylinder diesel engine for tractor were evaluated in terms of power, exhaust gases, particulate matters (PM) and field work capacity. No significant differences observed in the engine performances including power output and exhaust gases emission rate. No significant power difference observed between the various fuels including light oil on the engine running, however, amounts of noxious exhaust gases including $CO_2$ and $NO_X$ decreased as biodiesel content increased in the fuels. Field performances of animal-fats biodiesel tractor were investigated by conducting plowing and rotary operation in the field. Tilling and rotary performance of light oil tractor and BD20 tractor in the field were compared, in which about 10% travelling speed difference on both operations were monitored that showed light oil tractor was superior to BD20 tractor by 10%. Animal-fats can be an alternative fuel source replacing light oil for agricultural machinery and an environmental friendly fuel to nature.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.151-157
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to analyze the factors affecting on fuel consumption of agricultural tractor. According to the statistical analysis, fuel consumption of agricultural tractor was considerably influenced by kind of operation, throttle engine speed and gear steps of tractor but much less by kind of soil. Specific fuel consumption of the tractor in plowing, dry paddy tilling, wet paddy tilling and wet paddy levelling was 0.33~0.36, 0.30~0.45, 0.19~0.34, 0.28~0.39 L/$kW{\cdot}h$, respectively, and $CO_2$ emission was 0.36~0.45, 0.35~0.58, 0.22~0.42, 0.24~0.37 kg/$kW{\cdot}h$, respectively. Specific fuel consumption and $CO_2$ emission increased as throttle engine speed increased but reversely proportional with gear step of tractor, by which one can reduce fuel consumption and $CO_2$ emission with practicing of "Gear up & Throttle Down" technique in paddy operations.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.391-398
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• 2000

This study was performed to analyze the holding pace and decision factors of tractor in Korea and Japan, which probably should be used for making master plan of agricultural mechanization. The logistic function is used for holding pace estimation of tractor, and log-log function for analysis of decision factors. The results of this study are as follows: First, the increasing rate of the total amount of holding tractor power in Korea has been over that in Japan during 1980∼、94 which is now, however, under Japan. So, it could be forecasted that the per tractor holding power in Japan will increase continuously, and will be over 30PS in the short run. Second, the most important one of decision factors to support tractor demand is agricultural income in Korea, but on the other hand Non-Agricultural Income in Japan. From these, the fast increase of total amount of holding power of tractor in Korea could not expected, because Korea Agriculture has some difficulties to increase Agricultural Income. There are differences on the holding pace and decision factors of tractor between Korea and Japan, therefore, the plan of agricultural mechanization should be made in accordance with self-features.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.77-84
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• 2010

In this study, we tried to predict tractor power output, fuel consumption rate and work performance indirectly in order to develop an eco driving system. Firstly, we developed equations which could predict tractor power output and fuel consumption rate using characteristic curves of tractor power output. Secondly, with actual engine rpm determined by initial engine rpm and work load, tractor power output and fuel consumption rate were forecasted. Thirdly, with speed signals of GPS sensor system, it was possible to foresee tractor work performance and fuel consumption rate. Lastly, precision of the eco driving system was evaluated through tractor PTO test, and effects of the eco driving system were investigated in the plowing and rotary tilling operations. Engine rpm, power output, fuel consumption rate, work performance and fuel consumption rate per plot area were displayed in the eco driving system. Predicted tractor power outputs in the full load curve were well coincided with the actual power output of prototype, but small differences, 1 to 6 ㎾, were found in the part load curve. Error of the fuel consumption rate was 0.5 L/h, 4.5%, the greatest, and 1 to 3 L/h at the part load curve. It was shown that 69% and 53% of fuel consumption rates could be reduced in plowing and rotary tilling operations, respectively, when the eco driving system was installed in tractor.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.46-53
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• 2022

RIn this study, a test tractor that could measure various types of agricultural operational loads was developed, and its performance was verified. This tractor could be used to measure the load generated during agricultural work and convert the related data into a database. A test tractor was developed using an 80-kW-rated load tractor, and it could measure various types of field test data, such as engine torque and rpm, wheel torque, PTO(power take-off) torque, hexometer, IMU/INS sensor, steering angle sensor, hydraulic pressure, and flow sensor data. To verify the developed test tractor, a verification test using an agriculture rotavator was performed. The test conditions were L1, L2, and L3 based on the tractor's main and sub-transmission stages, and stages 1 and 2 were selected as the PTO. In a comparison of the analyzed test data, similar tendencies in the test results of this research and other research (Kim's research) were seen. Through this, the developed test tractor was verified. In the future, we plan to conduct research on the tractor developed in this study using various attached working machines.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.1196-1201
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• 1993

Test of Caterpillar Challenger 65 tractor which has rubber tracks, and articulated four wheel drive tractor with dual wheels and a mechanical front wheel drive tractor were conducted on an unplowed and plouwed wheat stubble field. The following parameters were analyzed : tractive efficiency (ηv), net tractive coefficient ($\phi$n), slip ($\sigma$) , drawbar pull(Fv), drawbar power (Pv) and forward velocity(v). The maximum net tractive coefficient was established at the tractive efficiency of 0.60 on the unplowed wheat stubble field : for the Challenger 65 tractor 0.855 ; 4WD 0.624 and MFWD 0.534 and on the plowed wheat stubble field with the tractive efficiency of 0.40 for the Challenger 65 tractor 0.82 : 4WD 0.57 and for tractor MFWD 0.48.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.31-48
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• 1993

Economic background is discussed with consequences for tractor industry and tractor concepts. Particular reference is given to the question of frame chassis instead of block concept. Development trends of tractor components are analyzed for driving system (including four-wheel drive and brakes), diesel engines, transmissions, human engineering , hydraulics and implement control. Consideration is given to electronics and aspects of environmental protection as well. Expected further tractor design developments are summarized at the end of the paper.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2010

Tractor PTO output and fuel consumption rate under the korean paddy and various paddy operations were measured and analyzed, in which all the measurements were accomplished by the OECD tractor test codes and the collected information will be utilized for defining tractor energy efficiency class and its test methods. Tractor PTO performance tests were conducted under full-load, part-load and various engine RPMs with part-load at the engine laboratory, while the paddy operations were dry land plowing, wet and dry land rotary tilling and wet land preparation under various soils. As a whole, the rated tractor outputs were ranged from 17% to 100% in the various tillage and land preparation operations, however, the loads for the paddy operations of 1,700 to 2,000 rpm were very close to the OECD tractor load distribution thus it would be appropriate to adopt OECD tractor test codes to measure energy consumption efficiency of tractor.