Structural Optimization and Performance Evaluation of Blocking Wheel-Type Screw Fertilizer Distributor

Abstract

In order to solve the problem where the amount of screw fertilizer distributor can only be adjusted by rotating speed and poor fertilization uniformity at low rotational speeds, a blocking wheel-type screw fertilizer distributor was designed. Single factor and L9(34) orthogonal simulation tests based on EDEM software were carried out to optimize the distributor variables at a speed of 20 r/min. The bench verification test was built under the same conditions as the simulation tests to verify the results of the simulation. Finally, the bench performance tests were carried out to evaluate distributor performance. The results of simulation tests revealed that the minimum coefficient of variation of fertilization uniformity (CVFU) was 19.27%, with the structural parameter combination of the inner diameter (17 mm), pitch (45 mm), outlet distance (40 mm), and number of screw heads (1). The verification test results showed that the changing trend and values of the CVFU were almost the same as the simulation tests. The results of the performance test revealed that when the opening width of the blocking wheel was 10–30 mm and the rotation speed was 20–60 r/min, the amount of fertilizer per lap (FAPL) was in the range of 27.74–38.15 g/r; the maximum CVFU and the coefficient of variation of fertilization stability (CVFS) were 29.43% and 2.18%, respectively, which met the requirements of the industry standard. This research provides a good reference for optimizing the screw fertilizer distribution and for researchers in the field of precision fertilization.

Keywords

• screw fertilizer distributor
• blocking wheel
• discrete element method (DEM)
• fertilizing performance
• fertilization uniformity