Investigating the interactions of granular fertilizers with various types of equipment is an essential part of agricultural research. A numerical technique simulating the mechanical behavior of granular assemblies has the advantage of data trackings, such as the trajectories, velocities, and transient forces of the particles at any stage of the test. The interaction parameters were calibrated to simulate responses of granular fertilizers in EDEM, a discrete element method (DEM) software. Without a proper calibration of the interaction parameters between the granular fertilizers and various materials, the simulations may not represent the real behavior of the granular fertilizers. Therefore, in this study, a strategy is presented to identify and select a set of DEM input parameters of granular fertilizers using the central composite design (CCD) to establish the nonlinear relationship between the dynamic macroscopic granular fertilizer properties and the DEM parameters. The determined interaction properties can be used to simulate granular fertilizers in EDEM.

For sowing grain crops on stubble, stubble seeders with tine coulters are used, which perform technological operations in one pass. However, they do not meet the requirements of the agricultural machinery to ensure an even distribution of seeds in the sub-spear space. The subsoil no-drill planting creates the most favorable conditions for growth and development of cultivated crops and at the same time, grain crop yields are increased on average by 10…30%. Using no-drill planting, seeders equipped with spear coulters with spreaders for no-drill subsoil seeding provide the best quality and distribute the seeds evenly over the field. The article proposes the original design of the seed drill coulter for no-drill planting, which provides an even seed distribution over the feeding area. As a result of the theoretical researches the optimal parameters of the diffuser for the grain drill coulter are determined and the dependence between the unevenness on the test parameters of the diffuser and the height of the pendulum spreader, the base diameter are obtained. The purpose of this research is to develop the design and rationale of parameters of the grain drill for subsoil no-drill planting, the use of which will reduce the uneven distribution of grain crops seeds or mineral fertilizer granules.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

Investigation of the pin-roller metering device and tube effect for wheat seeds and granular fertilizers based on DEM

This paper deals with the investigation of the performance of a nozzle used for intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizers (LMF), determination of the range of spray angle, fall angle, droplet size, spray distribution characteristics, and substantiation of its dependence on the nozzle design parameters. The proposed nozzle has a jet-impact channel and deflector slot design with very compact overall dimensions. It can be mounted on a deep tillage knife (wing) with a height of 12–14 mm and provides flat fan spray with a high spraying angle. The following range of effective parameters has been determined: the feed channel diameter is 1–1.6 mm, the slot height is 0.35–0.7 mm, and impact surface diameter 5–8 mm. The resultant spray angle is 170–175°, and the fall angle diapason is 5–10°. These parameters contribute to determination of the tillage knife design parameters such as knife height and the height of spray window, as well as the nozzle installation parameters such as t , n and m in future studies. The results can be useful for nozzle industries, particularly in developing the flat fan nozzles with wide spray angle. Overall, the nozzle design is applicable to use for intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizes with deep tillage knives.

This paper deals with the problem of predetermining the spray angle and uniformity of the flat fan sprayer with a semicircular impact surface for the intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizers. The jet impact on a round splash plate and radial atomization properties are investigated theoretically, the formation features of the spray with an obtuse angle are studied in a geometrical way, and the design search of the nozzle shape and optimization calculations are performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and then verified experimentally. It was revealed that the spray rate and spray angle can be adjusted by changing the parameter s, and when the spray angle is within s = 0–0.2 mm, it forms spray angles with range of 140°–175°. The spraying angle, in turn, shows the potential length of the tillage knife in accordance with the undersoil cavity dimensions. A spray uniformity of up to 74% was achieved, which is sufficient for applied studies and for intra-soil application operations. According to the investigations and field experiments, it can be concluded that the designed nozzle is applicable for the intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizers. The use of flat fan nozzles that form a spraying band under the soil cavity and along the entire length of the tillage knife ensures a highly efficient mixing process, the liquid mineral fertilizers with treated soil (particles) positively contributing to plant maturation.