• Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.59-64
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• 2005

In the study, the cone index, the cohesion and the internal resistant angle of soil were measured before and after tillage in order to suggest relative improvement in soil properties. The tillage methods tested in the study were five combinations of plow and rotary tillage operation and the experiments were performed on five selected test fields. The maximum tillage depth was 20 cm under the ground. The CIs for all the tillage operations were improved in comparison with those before tillage. The best combination of tillage operations for improving the CIs of soil was one plow operation followed by one rotary. After applying the tillage operations, the internal resistance angle reduced by 7-8 degree and the cohesion decreased up to about $1N/cm^2$ in comparison with those before tillage. We concluded that the cone index, the cohesion and the internal resistant angle of soil could be used as measures for representing the relative degree of tillage for a specific tillage operation. In addition, the study was useful as a basic research tool for developing an decision making system that determines an optimal tillage method with soil properties.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2018

Purpose: This study derived the consumed power and load characteristics of a tillage operation performed in an upland field located in Seomyeon, Chuncheon, Rep. Korea, where potatoes and cabbages were cultivated in two crops. Methods: A plow and rotavator were mounted on a tractor with 23.7 kW of rated power to perform the tillage operation. The work conditions were determined, considering the actual working speed of the tillage operation performed by the local farmers. The power consumption of the rear axle, engine, and power take-off (PTO), PTO torque, and tractive force were measured under each work condition. The consumed power and load characteristics were analyzed using their average values. Results: The rotary-tillage operation consumed more engine power than the plow operation for the same tractor-transmission gear condition. The PTO in the rotary-tillage operation and the rear axle in the plow operation consumed the most power. The power consumption of the engine and the PTO for the rotary-tillage operation tended to increase as the transmission gears of the tractor and the PTO became higher. In contrast, the rear-axle power consumption was insignificant. In addition, the PTO torque tended to rise as the tilling pitch increased. For the plow operation, the drawbar power and the rear axle power accounted for 68-90% of the engine power. The engine and rear axle power, drawbar power, and tractive force tended to rise as the working speed increased. Conclusions: The power consumption and load characteristics differed for the plow and rotary-tillage operations. They may also differ depending on the soil conditions. Therefore, the power consumption and load characteristics in various work environments and regions should be analyzed, and reflected in the design of tractors and working implements. The results derived from this study can be used as a reference for such designs.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.215-222
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• 2007

In the study, the cone index, the cohesion and the internal friction angle of soil were measured before and after tillage in order to suggest relative improvement in soil properties by comparing the two measured values before and after tillage. The tillage methods tested in the study were five combinations of plowing and rotovating; one plow tillage operation, one plow followed by one rotary, one plow followed by two rotary, one rotary without plow and two rotary without plow. The experiments were performed in a soil bin in Sunggyunkwan Univ. and in four selected test fields in Yeoju, Seodun-Dong, Suwon (especially, two different fields) and Chungju. In general, the internal friction angle and cohesion of soil increased with the increase of soil compaction. After applying the tillage operations, the internal friction angle reduced by 14 degree and the cohesion decreased up to about $2.2N/cm^2$ on the soil bin in comparison with those before tillage. The two values, however, reduced by 9 degree and up to about $1.0N/cm^2$ on the tested fields. The CIs for all the tillage operations on the soil bin and on 4 different test fields were decreased by 800 kPa in comparison with those before tillage. The best combination of tillage operations for decreasing the CIs of soil was one plow operation followed by one rotary. The CIs for one plow operation followed by two rotary were slightly higher than that for one plow operation followed by one rotary because one plow operation followed by two rotary crushed down the soil excessively, so that the porosity of soil decreased.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.397-406
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• 2011

In this study, surveys on operation status of the 73 tractors with rated power of over 75 kW from six provinces in Korea were performed to obtain basic data required for development and efficient use of the high-power and high-performance tractors. And types of tractors and implements, operation crops, types of operations, annual operation areas, annual operation days, annual operation hours, operation speeds and widths, and problems and improvements in use were investigated. Most (91.7%) of the tractor surveyed were operated for forage and silage crops such as rice straw, whole barley, rye grass, reed canary grass, sudan grass, and the remains were operated for upland crops such as ginseng, sweet potato, potato, chinese cabbage, radish. Main operations of the tractors were cutting, baling, and wrapping for forage crops, plow tillage, rotary tillage, and manure spreading. About half (47.9%) of the tractors were used exclusively for forage crop harvesting such as forage crop cutting, forage baling, and bale wrapping, 24.5% of the tractors were used exclusively for plow or rotary tillage, and 27.4% of the tractors were used for both forage crop harvesting, and plow or rotary tillage. For the tractors with power ranges of 75~83, 89~94, 98~101, 113, 124 kW, average annual operation areas per tractor for plow tillage, rotary tillage, forage crop harvesting (cutting, baling, wrapping), and manure spreading operations were analyzed as 112.6. 144.8, 158.9. 390.0. 215.6 ha, respectively. and total average annual operation area per tractor was 171.3 ha. Average annual operation days per tractor for those operations were analyzed as 24.1, 28.9, 38.3, 55.4, 33.4, respectively, and total average annual operation days per tractor was 33.6. Average annual operation hours per tractor for them were analyzed as 260.0, 321.6, 408.1, 664.8, 413.8, respectively, and total average annual operation hours per tractor for the all tractors was 377.1. Ranges of operation widths of plow tillage, rotary tillage, forage crop cutting, forage baling, bale wrapping, and manure spreading operations were shown as 1.5~2.6, 2.3~3.0, 1.8~3.2, 1.8~2.0, 1.8~2.3, 3.1~6.6 m, respectively. Ranges of operation speed of plow tillage, rotary tillage, forage crop cutting, forage baling, bale wrapping, and manure spreading were shown as 6~9, 4~11, 9~16, 8~15, 8~17, 12~16 km/h, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2009

In this study, actual state of operation of rotary tillage was surveyed in the central part of Korea which includes 29 rural community around Asan city, Choongnam principal. 29 heads of the village and 44 farmers were surveyed at the field with a questionnaire on the operation of rotary tillage with farm tractors. Power requirement of rotary tillage operation was measured at the field of each farmers during rotary tilling operation in the central part of Korea. Summaries of this study are summarized as follows. 1) Operations of tillage and land preparation were found to be carried out with farm tractors by 98 percents which are results of the survey on 29 heads of the village and 44 farmers. 2) More than half of the farms had tractors with horsepower more than 38 kW which states that most tractors were supplied in middle and large size. 3) The case of applying secondary tillage after the first primary tillage were 79 percent among the most of operations of tillage and field preparation. Rotary tillage were carried out on the most of wet paddy fields and only 14 percent of dry fields were cultivated with rotary tillage. 4) 63.6 percent of farm tractors were surveyed to meet the recommended field capacity on tillage operation by the government which were ranged from 15.1 to 34.9 ha. And the field capacity of these farm tractors were greater than that of annual total area of operation field, 13.2ha (data from Information of agricultural machinery, National agricultural products quality service, Korea), which states the utilization of agricultural machinery was high in the area surveyed. 5) 46 percent of farmers changed the blade of rotary implement when they used it over the field capacity of rotary blade of 33 ha which is the area of field for rotary operation per a blade change. 55 percent of farmers changed the rotary blade more than once per two years. 6) The required power for rotary operation of each farm tractors were measured as 17.206 kW at untilled paddy field and 34.989 kW at untilled dry field on the average, respectively. The required power for rotary operation was measured as 28.248 kW on the average at the paddy field which had been plowed once and 28.015 at the paddy field that had rotary tillage operation. Untilled dry field showed the highest value of the required power for rotary operation.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.31-39
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• 2023

The aim of this study was to measure and analyze engine load factor (LF) according to working conditions (operation type and gear stage) of small agricultural multi-purpose cultivator to estimate the emission of air pollutants. To calculate LF, a torque sensor capable of collecting torque and rotational speed was installed on the engine output shaft and DAQ was used to collect data. A field test was conducted with major operation of a cultivator and tillage operations (plow tillage and rotary tillage). Engine power was calculated using engine torque and rotational speed and LF was calculated using real-time power and rated power. In addition, unified LF was calculated using the weight for each operation and the average LF for each operation. As a result, average LF values at 1.87 and 3.10 km/h by plow tillage were 0.50 and 0.69, respectively. Average LF values at 1.87 and 3.10 km/h by rotary tillage were 0.70 and 0.78, respectively. Furthermore, unified LF calculated in consideration of the weight factor showed a value of 0.65, which was 135% higher than the conventional LF (0.48). Results of this study could be used as basic information for realizing LF values in the field of agricultural machinery.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2004

This study was intended to investigate the characteristics of ride vibrations transmitted to tractor operator during rotary tillage and plowing operations. Seat accelerations of a 41 ps diesel tractor in rotary tillage and plowing were measured and evaluated as specified in the ISO 2631-1. Effects of working speed and tilling depth on ride vibration were investigated. The level of ride vibration was also evaluated in terms of health guidance caution zones. Some of the results of the study are as follows: 1. The level of ride vibration in plowing was about 4.3 times greater than in rotary tillage. 2. The effect of working speed in rotary tillage differs depending upon the tillage depth. The level of ride vibration was increased with the speed, but it decreased over a certain tillage depth. Fore and aft vibration was 2.2-2.7 times severer than horizontal and vertical vibrations. Dominant frequency band was 1-3.15 ㎐ in fore and aft, 1-3.15㎐ and 16-25㎐ in horizontal, and 16-25㎐ in vertical directions. 3. Plowing reduced the ride vibration by 42.8-50.2%. But its positive effect decreased as the plowing speed increased. In plowing operation, ride vibration was similar degrees in fore and aft, horizontal and vertical directions. The dominant frequency band in plowing operation was 1-2.5㎐ in fore and aft, 1-2.5㎐ in horizontal, and 1-8㎐ in vertical directions. 4. On a basis of daily work hours of 4, total level of ride vibrations in plowing operation is likely to be harmful to operator's health.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.163-170
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• 2011

Analysis of load on major parts of the tractor power drive line is critical for efficient and optimum design of a tractor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate severeness of the tractor PTO driving axle during rotary tillage operation. First, S-N (stress vs. number of cycle) curve of a PTO driving gear was obtained through the fatigue life test using a PTO dynamometer. Second, PTO severeness was evaluated during rotary tillage operation. Torque measurement system was constructed with strain-gauge sensors to measure torque of a PTO axle, an I/O interface to acquire the sensor signals, and an embedded system to calculate severeness. The severeness of PTO was analyzed using measured torque data during rotary tillage. In the PTO gear life fatigue test, breakage time and bending stress of the gear were measured by tooth widths and torque change during the fatigue life test. The S-N curve showed a good linear relationship between bending stress and number of cycle (life) with a coefficient of determination of 0.97. For PTO severenss evaluation, rotary tillage operations were conducted at two PTO rotational speeds (level-1, level-2) under different paddy and upland field sites with different soil conditions. Results of averaged relative severeness for PTO level-1 and PTO level-2 were 1.96 and 3.34, respectively, at paddy field sites, and they were 1.36 and 2.51, respectively, at upland field sites. The results showed that the PTO driving axle experienced more severe load during rotary tillage at paddy fields than at upland sites, and relative severeness was greater at the higher PTO rotational speed under all of the soil conditions.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2000

Autonomous farm operation needs to be developed for safety, labor shortage problem, health etc. In this research, an autonomous tractor for tillage was investigated using machine vision and a fuzzy logic controller(FLC). Tractor heading and offset were determined by image processing and a geomagnetic sensor. The FLC took the tractor heading and offset as inputs and generated the steering angle for tractor guidance as output. A color CCD camera was used fro the image processing . The heading and offset were obtained using Hough transform of the G-value color images. 15 fuzzy rules were used for inferencing the tractor steering angle. The tractor was tested in the file and it was proved that the tillage operation could be done autonomously within 20 cm deviation with the machine vision and the FLC.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyze power requirement of an agricultural tractor by major field operations. First a survey was conducted to obtain annual usage ratio of agricultural tractor by field operation. Plowing, rotary tillage, and loader operations were selected as major field operations of agricultural tractor. Second, a power measurement system was constructed with strain-gauge sensors to measure torque of four driving axles and a PTO axle, speed sensors to measure rotational speed of the driving axles and an engine shaft, pressure sensors to measure pressure of hydraulic pumps, an I/O interface to acquire the sensor signals, and an embedded system to calculate power requirement. Third, the major field operations were experimented under fields with different soil conditions following planned operation paths. Power requirement was analyzed during the total operation period consisted of actual operation period (plowing, rotary tillage, and loader operations) and period before and after the actual operation (3-point hitch operating, forward and reverse driving, braking, and steering). Power requirement of tractor major components such as driving axle part, PTO part, main hydraulic part, and auxiliary hydraulic part were measured and calculated to determine usage ratio of agricultural tractor power. Results of averaged power requirement for actual field operation and total operation were 23.1 and 17.5 kW, 24.6 and 19.1 kW, and 14.9 and 8.9 kW, respectively, for plowing, rotary tillage, and loader operations. The results showed that rotary tillage required the greatest power among the operations. Averaged power requirement of driving axles, PTO axle, main hydraulic part, and auxiliary part during the actual field operation were 8.1, 7.8, 3.4, and 1.5 kW, respectively, and the total requirement power was about 70 % (20.8 kW) of the rated power. Averaged power requirement of driving axles, PTO axle, main hydraulic, and auxiliary hydraulic for the total operation period were 6.5, 6.0, 2.1, 0.9 kW, respectively, and total requirement power was about 52 % (15.5 kW) of the rated power. Driving axles required the greatest amount of power among the components.