• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.8-19
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• 2019

In this study, the spray pattern of a centrifugal fertilizer distributor with two shutter holes was analyzed and an effective driving width that satisfies proper spray uniformity was derived. The centrifugal fertilizer distributor was mounted on a tractor with a rated power of 23.7 kW and static and dynamic spray pattern tests were performed according to the standard procedure proposed by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Standard ASAE S341.5. The height of the fertilizer distributor was 80 cm from the ground and the PTO (power take-off) shaft speed of the tractor was fixed at 540 rpm. The fertilizer scattered in space was collected using 275 evenly spaced collectors at shutter opening ratios of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The spray pattern was analyzed via the amount of sprayed fertilizer at each collector location and the coefficient of variation was used as an indicator of spray uniformity. Using the analyzed spray pattern, the effective driving width that satisfied less than 15% of the coefficient of variation was derived for different tractor driving patterns (race track mode, back and forth mode). From the results, spray uniformity increased as the shutter opening ratio decreased. The largest effective driving width was 8 m at a shutter opening ratio of 25% for both driving patterns.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.420-425
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• 2018

Purpose: Chemical fertilizers contribute to agricultural productivity. Annually, 450,000 tons of chemical fertilizers are used in Korea, which is 268 kg per hectare (MAFRA, 2016). However, excessive use causes problems such as environmental pollution and soil acidification. This study proposes use conditions for a fertilizer distributor that can reduce excessive fertilization by analyzing distribution patterns. Methods: This study analyzed fertilizer application uniformity according to the number of blades on a centrifugal fertilizer distributor (three or four blades), orifice gate open ratio (50 or 100%), and blade rotation speed (400, 500, or 600 rpm). Results: When using four blades, the coefficient of variation (CV) was lower than when using three by 11-13% points, and the CV using the 50% open ratio was 10-30% points lower than using the 100% open ratio. The CV at 500 rpm blade rotating speed was 9-12% points lower than that for 400 and 600 rpm. Conclusions: The CV with four blades, 50% orifice gate open ratio, and 500 rpm of blade rotating speed was 18.4%, which provided the most uniform fertilization.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.242-250
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• 1989

The performance of a vertical type centrifugal distributor of granular materials was studied by means of mathematical models and experimental investigations. To develop the mathematical description of particle motion, some assumptions were made. The distribution process consisted of three stages: the entrance of a particle to the blade, the motion of the particle on the blade, and the motion of the particle in the air. The physical properties of fertilizer, which affected the particle motion, were investigated: bluk density, coefficient of friction, coefficient of restitution, and particle size distribution. The particle motion were simulated by using a computer. A prototype distributor was designed and constructed for experimental tests. The following conclusions were drawn from the computer simulation and experiment results. 1. The fertilizer may slide or roll at the point of contact when they impact on the blade and move along the blade. 2. The interaction among fertilizers may prevent them from bouncing. 3. When fertilizers roll on the blade, rolling resistance is one of the factors affecting the particle's motion. 4. The trajectory angle and position of fertilizers from a disc depend on the blade position and particle shape, but the rotating speed of the disc affected them only slightly.