Improvement of solid spreader blade design using DEM applications

Since the conventional blade designs are more suitable for spreading manure behind the machine, the time and fuel consumption required to complete the fertilization process is high. When homogenous and wide area distribution is achieved, both time and fuel will be saved. In this study, improvement studies of the blade design are presented to increase the spread width of solid fertilizer distribution trailers used for fertilizing agricultural lands and to obtain a homogeneous distribution in land. This new design has been tested both in the field and in the computer environment. The blade drums were bent and the fertilizer was thrown further, and the amount of fertilizer thrown in unit time was increased by increasing the blade surfaces. Collection boxes were used to monitor the distribution in the land. The machine driven by a tractor was operated at three different feed speeds (4 km / h, 5 km / h and 6 km / h), passed over the boxes in the determined route and the amount of fertilizer accumulated in the boxes was observed. In the trials, two different fertilizers were used, which are separated solid manure (65% moisture) and compost (50% humidity). The volume weights of these materials were measured as 720 kg / m³ and 600 kg / m³, respectively. After the distribution is completed, the fertilizer collected in each container is weighed and the coefficient of variation is calculated.