Study of Seed Agitation in the Fluid of a Hydropneumatic Precision Seeder

Abstract

One of the most responsible operations in the cultivation of vegetables includes seeding. Its timing and quality largely determine the quality of sprouts, yield and crop morbidity. The emergence of sprouts can be accelerated and their uniformity can be improved by using hydraulic seeding of germinated seeds. The operation of hydraulic seeders can be divided into main stages: agitation of seeds in a liquid, selection, and dosage of seeds, seeding in the seedbed. The process of seed agitation in a liquid, that is, obtaining a fluidized bed with required seed concentration in the intake chamber of the hydropneumatic precision seeder was considered. The process of seed agitation in the liquid is performed in different ways: bubbling or the use of mechanical stirrers. Each of them requires the use of energy-intensive actuators. A method of seed agitation in a liquid was proposed. It makes it possible to reduce energy consumption by means of agitation, not the entire volume but just the part that is in the zone of seed intake to the seed duct. According to the results of theoretical studies, it has been established that to ensure reliable and accurate seeding, the seed concentration should be in the range of 0.2–0.65 pcs/ml. Under such conditions, the charging process takes place without clogging the seed duct and at an acceptable speed of the seeder. The main factors influencing the formation of a set seed concentration were established: seed diameter, the height of the fluidized bed, flow speed in the intake chamber, the angle between walls of the intake chamber, fluid flow rate. According to the results of theoretical studies of the process of formation of a set seed concentration, limits of existence of the fluidized bed (h 2 =0.014 m, h 1 =0.07 m) and height of the seed duct (h H ≈0.015–0.02 m) which will ensure reliable and prompt taking of seeds from the intake chamber for their further dosage and seeding. The main provisions of theoretical studies of the agitation process and formation of a set seed concentration were confirmed by experimental studies in a laboratory