Effects of Biomimetic Surface Designs on Furrow Opener Performance

doi:10.1016/S1672-6529(08)60110-9

Abstract

Abstract:

The effects of biomimetic designs of tine furrow opener surface on equivalent pressure and pressure in the direction of motion on opener surface against soil were studied by finite element method (FEM) simulation and the effects of these designs on tool force and power requirements were examined experimentally. Geometrical structures of the cuticle surfaces of dung beetle (Copris ochus Motschulsky) were examined by stereoscopy. The structures of the cuticle surfaces and Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) material were modeled on surface of tine furrow opener as biomimetic designs. Seven furrow openers were analyzed in ANSYS program (a FEM simulation software). The biomimetic furrow opener surfaces with UHMWPE structures were found to have lower equivalent pressure and pressure in the direction of motion as compared to the conventional surface and to the biomimetic surfaces with textured steel-35 structures. It was found that the tool force and power were increased with the cutting depth and operating speed and the biomimetic furrow opener with UHMWPE tubular section ridges showed the lowest resistance and power requirement against soil.

Key words: furrow opener, UHMWPE, biomimetic surface design, tillage resistance, finite element analysis

Jin Tong, Ballel. Z. Moayad, Yun-hai Ma, Ji-yu Sun, Dong-hui Chen, Hong-lei Jia, Lu-quan Ren. Effects of Biomimetic Surface Designs on Furrow Opener Performance[J].J4, 2009, 6(3): 280-289.

References

[1] Tong J, Ren L Q, Chen B C, Qaisrani A R. Characteristics of adhesion between soil and solid surfaces. Journal of Terramechanics, 1994, 31, 93–105.

[2] Wismer R D, Luth H J. Performance of plane soil cutting blade in clay. Transactions of American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1972, 15, 211–212.

[3] McKyes E. Soil Cutting and Tillage. Developments in Agricultural Engineering 10. Agricultural Engineering Soil Mechanics, Elsevier Science Publishing Company Inc. Amsterdam, 1989.

[4] Tong J, Moayad B Z, Ren L Q, Chen B C. Biomimetics in soft terrain machines: A Review. International Agricultural Engineering Journal, 2004, 13, 71–86.

[5] Liu G R, Zhang, Y W, Wang R. The Color Illustrated of Common Lamellicornia Beetle of Northern China. China Forestry Publication House, Beijing, China, 1997. (in Chinese)

[6] Tong J, Ren L Q, Chen B C. Geometrical morphology, chemical constitution and wettability of body surfaces of soil animals. International Agricultural Engineering Journal, 1994, 3, 59–68.

[7] Cheng H, Sun J R, Li J Q, Ren L Q. Structure of the integumentary surface of the dung beetle Copris ochus Motschulsky and its relation to non-adherence of substrate particles. Acta Entomology Sinica, 2002, 45, 175–181. (in Chinese)

[8] Tong J, Sun J Y, Chen D H, Zhang S J. Geometrical features and wettability of dung beetles and potential biomimetic engineering applications in tillage implements. Soil and Tillage Research, 2005, 80, 1–12.

[9] Ren L Q, Cong Q, Tong J, Chen B C. Reducing adhesion of soil against loading shovel using bionic electro-osmosis method. Journal of Terramechanics, 2001, 38, 211–219.

[10] Tong J, Ren L Q, Yan J L, Ma, Y H, Chen B C. Adhesion and abrasion of several materials against soil. International Agricultural Engineering Journal, 1999, 8, 1–22.

[11] Qaisrani A R, Tong J, Ren L Q, Chen B C. The effect of unsmoothed surfaces on soil adhesion and draft of bulldozing plates. Transaction of Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 1993, 9, 7–13. (in Chinese)

[12] Ren L Q, Han Z W, Li J Q, Tong J. Effects of non-smooth characteristics on bionic bulldozer blades in resistance reduction against soil. Journal of Terramechanics, 2003, 39, 221–230.

[13] Li J Q, Sun J R, Ren L Q, Chen B C. Sliding resistance of plates with bionic bumpy surface against soil. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2004, 1, 207–214.

[14] Soni P, Salokhe V M. Influence of dimensions of UHMWPE protuberances on sliding resistance and normal adhesion of bangkok clay soil to biomimetic plates. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2006, 3, 63–71.

[15] Soni P, Salokhe V M, Nakashima H. Modification of a mouldboard plough surface using arrays of polyethylene protuberances. Journal of Terramechanics, 2007, 44, 411–422.

[16] Shen J, Kushwaha R L. Investigation of an algorithm for non-linear and dynamic problems in soil-machine systems. Computer and Electronics in Agriculture, 1995, 13, 51–66.

[17] Shen J, Kushwaha R L. Soil-Machine Interaction: A Finite Element Perspective. Marcell Dekker, New York, 1998.

[18] Mouazen A M, Nemenyi M. A review of the finite element modeling techniques of soil tillage. Mathematics and Computer in Simulation, 1998, 48, 23–32.

[19] Mouazen A M, Nemenyi M. Tillage tool design by finite element method: Part 1. Finite element modeling of soil plastic behavior. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 1999, 72, 37–51.

Tong J, Ren L Q, Sun S Y, Chen B C. Scanning electron microscopy of soil micromorphology at the rubber/soil adhesion interface. Journal of Chinese Electron Microscopy Society, 1993, 14, 348–351. (in Chinese)

Quick Search Adv. Search