Design of sprayer boom suspensions through computer simulation and design optimization
Derksen, Richard Charles
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/23678
Description
Title
Design of sprayer boom suspensions through computer simulation and design optimization
Author(s)
Derksen, Richard Charles
Issue Date
1989
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Coddington, Richard C.
Department of Study
Engineering, Agricultural
Discipline
Engineering, Agricultural
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Engineering, Agricultural
Language
eng
Abstract
Control of the movement of the field sprayer boom will directly enhance uniform deposition of chemicals. Means are necessary to insure that the boom structure supporting the spray applicators follows low frequency ground slope changes and to insure attenuation of high frequency signals from the sprayer boom. Suspensions between the sprayer boom and the sprayer improve control of boom movement. The suspension designs analyzed in this study include: central pivot, simple pendulum, double pendulum, and twin-link. The suspension models derived for this study consisted of two-dimensional roll models for analysis of the vertical movement of the sprayer boom in relation to the input excitation to the suspension system. The design procedure developed for use on personal computers combines existing optimization and dynamic simulation codes to measure suspension performance and to determine design parameters that improve suspension performance. The designer specifies the input excitation to the suspension system and the desired performance criteria that define overall suspension performance.
Transient suspension response during conditions of low frequency excitation of 0.6 rad/s and high frequency excitation of 5.0 rad/s indicated overall suspension performance. The optimization algorithm made adjustments to suspension geometry, suspension location, and the damping and stiffness properties of the suspension systems in search of improved suspension designs. The optimum double pendulum suspension provides the best balance in boom position error between the low and high frequency test conditions. The optimum twin-link suspension allows better transmission of low frequency rolling ground motion to the boom than the other suspension designs at a cost of reduced attenuation of high frequency signals. The optimum twin-link suspension allows greater flexibility for changes in boom height and best meets the performance criteria used to determine acceptable suspension designs. Simulations of sprayer travel over an artificial bumptrack representation verify the desirable performance characteristics of the optimum double pendulum and twin-link suspensions. Lighter boom configuration allows better control of boom movement, assuming the boom is a rigid body. Results of studies incorporating a low pass filter element into the optimum passive suspension designs indicates potential for future use of active suspension elements added to passive suspension designs.
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