Development of test bench to determine the distribution of granular fertilizers in planting rows using spiral roller, two spiral rollers and fluted roller

Abstract

The success of the application of granular fertilizers (GFs) in planting rows depends on the uniformity and performance of product dispensing systems, which are influenced by external factors. The objective of this study was to determine the outflow rates of two GF formulations (GF1 04-14-08 and GF2 04-30-10) using three types of fertilizer spreader—with one spiral roller (A), two spiral rollers (B), or a fluted roller (C)—and three operating speeds (1,11, 1.94, and 2.77 m s-1). The following parameters were determined in GFs: density, angle of repose, water content, and segregation (particle size). In the designed test bench, GFs were transferred from a reservoir to a spreader, and ultimately to a container, where they were weighed, and data were transmitted to the data acquisition system (DAS). A total of 7,560 outflow data points were collected (g s-1) and subjected to descriptive analysis of measures of central tendency, dispersion, asymmetry, and kurtosis, and Shewhart control charts were generated. Particle density and segregation were significantly different between the GFs, whereas the angle of repose and water content were not significantly different. The bench design and the DAS allowed measuring the outflow of GFs in different spreaders and demonstrated that this parameter was influenced by particle segregation. The segregation of GF1 was higher than that of GF2. The outflow variability at the speed of 1.11 m s-1 was lower, and the spreader with a fluted roller had the highest uniformity and was the most suitable for application with variable rates.

Interference of Operating Speed and Physical Properties of Granulated Fertilizers With Their Deposition

“…The experiment was carried out on an electronic and automated bench. This technique was used in the simulation to evaluate the deposition of granulated fertilizers equipped with different metering mechanisms, under different operating conditions, without the interference of external factors (Zimmermann et al, 2020).…”

Fertilizer deposition as a function of angular velocity and inclination of the helical dosing mechanism

“…The automation performed on static distribution simulation benches emerges as an alternative to meet this demand, allowing the assessment of the metering mechanisms used for seed (Savi et al, 2020) and fertilizer distribution (Zimmermann et al, 2020) at different velocities and inclinations, with no interference from external factors. A more efficient assessment can be carried out using a data acquisition system customized according to the test requirements (Jasper et al, 2016), generating an almost infinite amount of data and enabling precise and accurate detection of the deposition of a single fertilizer granule.…”

“…The demand for efficient, accurate, and sustainable assessments, such as the statistical process control method, arises due to the large number of data collected in this process (Duran-Villalobos et al, 2020). This tool, developed for industries and also used in agriculture, aims to develop and apply statistical methods as a strategic part of error prevention, improvements in quality and productivity, and cost reduction, with emphasis on research related to agricultural inputs, such as granular fertilizers (Zimmermann et al, 2020). This assessment is carried out by quality control charts, which facilitate the rapid detection of the causes of common or special variations in the test (Mehmood et al, 2020).…”