Simulation of Tractor Operation in Threshing Field by Creating a Dust Environment to Study the Operational Behavior of Tractor

The objective of this project is “Bringing Field to Lab”. Normally in field, tractors are utilized for various applications like harvesting and threshing operation in a dusty environment which consists of paddy, sand, straw etc. These dusts would affect the tractor performance and often cause problem like engine choking at severe condition. Field data on threshing acquired from north Indian places like Jaitsar, Jalandhar where threshing done in summer at a temperature around 50°C. Also during threshing full tractor power is used through (PTO) power take off and this load fluctuates according to manual loading of paddy in thresher. Many iterations are carried out to simulate the real time loading of tractor in lab level and from the results concepts like,

1. a)
   Forced dust blowing arrangement with spray quantity control - Simulates Threshing environment,
2. b)
   Room heaters with controllers for maintaining room temperature-Simulates North India environment,
3. c)
   DYNO arrangement for PTO loading - Simulates thresher loading of tractor and
4. d)
   Time controlled dust flow to maintain a dust environment similar to field are developed.

A test up is developed with normal dust throw of 250 grams / min and PTO loading which simulates the tractor operation in field condition and also give close correlation between field and lab level. The parameters like Engine coolant temperature (IN and OUT), Engine oil temperature, Transmission oil temperature and Engine suction pressure (due to dust block in inlet air filter the pressure get vary) can be mapped. This become our standard test and it is followed now for our new projects and by that field failures during initial phase of development are identified.