• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.243-251
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• 2011

Purpose of this study was to analyze power requirement of an agricultural tractor for baler operation. First, a power measurement system was developed and installed in a 75 kW agricultural tractor. Strain-gages with a telemetry system were used to measure torques of transmission and PTO input shafts. An engine tachometer was used to measure rotational speed of transmission and PTO input shafts. The measurement system also included pressure sensors to measure pressure of hydraulic pumps, an I/O interface to acquire the sensor signals, and an embedded system to determine power requirements. Second, field experiments were conducted at two PTO speed levels, and proportion of utilization ratio of rated engine power and power consumption of major parts (transmission input shaft, PTO input shaft, main hydraulic pump, and auxiliary hydraulic pump) were analyzed. Results of usage proportion of engine power for PTO speed level 1 and 2 were 4.1 and 2.2%, 31.5 and 16.3%, 49.6 and 59.7%, 14.4 and 20.8%, and 0.4 and 1.0%, respectively, for ratio of measured engine power to rated engine power of less than 25%, 25 ~ 50%, 50 ~ 75%, 75 ~ 100%, and greater than 100%. The results showed that the usage proportion increased in the range with the ratio of power requirement to rated engine power of over than 50% when the PTO gear was shifted from P1 to P2. Averaged engine power requirement for baling operation, tying and discharging operation, and total operation were 43.3, 37.3, and 42.0 kW and 49.0, 37.0, and 47.4 kW, respectively, for PTO speed level 1 and 2. Paired t-test showed significant difference in power consumption of engine, transmission input shaft, and PTO input shaft for different PTO speed levels. Therefore, the power consumption of engine for baler operation increased when the PTO gear was shifted from P1 to P2. It was indicated that the power requirement of tractor was affected by the PTO rotational speed for baler operation.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2008

Bio-implantable devices such as heart pacers, gastric pacers and drug-delivery systems require power for carrying out their intended functions. These devices are usually powered through a battery implanted with the system or are wired to an external power source. This paper describes an inductive power transmission link, which was developed for an implantable stimulator for direct stimulation of denervated muscles. The carrier frequency is around 1MHz, the transmitter coil has a diameter of 46mm, and the implant coil is 46mm. Data transmission to the implant with amplitude shift keying (ASK) and back to the transmitter with passive telemetry can be added without major design changes. We chose the range of coil spacing (2 to 30mm) to care for lateral misalignment, as it occurs in practical use. If the transmitter coil has a well defined and reliable position in respect to the implant, a smaller working range might be sufficient. Under these conditions the link can be operated in fixed frequency mode, and reaches even higher efficiencies of up to 37%. The link transmits a current of 50 mA over a distance range of 2-15 mm with an efficiency of more than 20% in tracking frequency. The efficiency of the link was optimized with different approaches. A class E transmitter was used to minimize losses of the power stage. The geometry and material of the transmitter coil was optimized for maximum coupling. Phase lock techniques were used to achieve frequency tracking, keeping the transmitter optimally tuned at different coupling conditions caused by coil distance variations.