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Full-Text Articles in Agriculture

Pack Factor Measurements For Corn In Grain Storage Bins, Rumela Bhadra, Aaron P. Turner, Mark E. Casada, Michael D. Montross, Sidney A. Thompson, Josephine M. Boac, Samuel G. Mcneill, Ronaldo G. Maghirang Jan 2015

Pack Factor Measurements For Corn In Grain Storage Bins, Rumela Bhadra, Aaron P. Turner, Mark E. Casada, Michael D. Montross, Sidney A. Thompson, Josephine M. Boac, Samuel G. Mcneill, Ronaldo G. Maghirang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Shelled yellow corn is commonly stored in concrete or corrugated steel bins. Granular materials compact under their own weight, primarily due to particle rearrangement, leading to an increase in bulk density and a change in volume when stored. Reliable grain pack factors are needed to estimate storage capacities and to accurately monitor grain inventories. A science-based model (WPACKING) of pack factors is available that uses the differential form of Janssen's equation and takes into account the variation in density caused by pressure variation with height and moisture content of the grain and accounts for the effects of grain type, test …


An Optical Sprayer Nozzle Flow Rate Sensor, Joseph S. Dvorak, Luke E. Bryant Jan 2015

An Optical Sprayer Nozzle Flow Rate Sensor, Joseph S. Dvorak, Luke E. Bryant

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Ensuring proper flow rates from each nozzle on an agricultural sprayer has become even more important as advances continue to be made in precision application technology. In this article, we describe the structure and testing of a sensor technology based on optical cross-correlation to determine the flow rate of individual sprayer nozzles. An advantage of this technology is that it does not require that impellers or other components be placed in the flow, which could cause plugging. The only moving part in the entire system is a solenoid used to inject a tracer dye. The objective of this study was …


Control System Development And Response Analysis Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle For Agricultural Pesticide Applications, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer, Michael P. Sama, Santosh K. Pitla Jan 2015

Control System Development And Response Analysis Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle For Agricultural Pesticide Applications, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer, Michael P. Sama, Santosh K. Pitla

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of this research project was to further the development of an electromechanically controlled variable-orifice nozzle by creating an electronic control system and then evaluating that system based on step and ramp inputs. The control system was developed in a programming environment that combined an electronic data acquisition system and actuator with pressure and flow sensors. A proportional, variable-gain (based on system pressure) control system was developed to adjust nozzle flow rates to meet target application rates. The constraints were to achieve settling time of less than 1.0 s, overshoot of less than 10% of maximum flow (or minimum …


Stored Grain Pack Factors For Wheat: Comparison Of Three Methods To Field Measurements, Josephine M. Boac, Rumela Bhadra, Mark E. Casada, Sidney A. Thompson, Aaron P. Turner, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Ronaldo G. Maghirang Jan 2015

Stored Grain Pack Factors For Wheat: Comparison Of Three Methods To Field Measurements, Josephine M. Boac, Rumela Bhadra, Mark E. Casada, Sidney A. Thompson, Aaron P. Turner, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Ronaldo G. Maghirang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Storing grain in bulk storage units results in grain packing from overbearing pressure, which increases grain bulk density and storage unit capacity. This study compared pack factors of hard red winter (HRW) wheat in vertical storage bins using different methods: the existing packing model (WPACKING), the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) method, and the USDA Farm Service Agency Warehouse Licensing and Examination Division (FSA-W) method. Grain bins containing HRW wheat were measured in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Packing was measured in corrugated steel bins and reinforced concrete bins with diameters ranging from 4.6 to 31.9 m (15.0 to 104.6 ft) …


Flow, Spray Pattern, And Droplet Spectra Characteristics Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle, Joe D. Luck, Santosh K. Pitla, Michael P. Sama, Scott A. Shearer Jan 2015

Flow, Spray Pattern, And Droplet Spectra Characteristics Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle, Joe D. Luck, Santosh K. Pitla, Michael P. Sama, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the flow rate, spray pattern, and droplet spectra characteristics of an actively controlled variable-orifice nozzle at constant carrier pressures. A commercially available variable-orifice nozzle (VariTarget) was modified to allow for direct electromechanical control of the metering stem. The modified system was tested at five carrier pressures ranging from 138 to 414 kPa and five metering stem (and thus orifice) positions. The metering stem position range was chosen because it provided a linear response in flow rate at each carrier pressure. Flow rate testing indicated a turndown ratio of 2.4:1 at …