Design and experiment of furrow side pick-up soil blade for wheat strip-till planter using the discrete element method

Abstract

The strip rotary tillage method effectively reduces the occurrence of straw clogging and creates a favorable seed bed environment. However, the mixture of crushed straw and soil in the seeding area results in inadequate seed-soil contact following compaction by the press wheels. A chisel-type opener furrow side pick-up blade was proposed to improve seed-soil contact by picking up wet soil from the furrow's side. The discrete element method was used to investigate the impact of earth blade surface parameters on soil dynamics. The key factors of the blade, including forward velocity, endpoint tangent angle, and angle of soil entry, were determined through theoretical analysis. Soil cover thickness and straw ratio in the seed furrow were evaluated using orthogonal rotation regression tests. The results show that the endpoint tangent angle and angle of soil entry have the greatest influence on soil cover thickness, while the angle of soil entry has the greatest influence on the straw ratio. The optimal values for the forward velocity, endpoint tangent angle, and angle of soil entry are 4.86 km/h, 107.17°, and 5.46°, respectively, resulting in a soil cover thickness of 40 mm and a straw ratio of 21.46%. Confirmatory soil bin tests showed similar results, with a soil cover thickness of 40.4 mm and a straw ratio of 18.03%. These results provide a viable solution for improving seed-soil contact after strip rotary tillage planter seeding.