Design and Testing of Soybean Double-Row Seed-Metering Device with Double-Beveled Seed Guide Groove

Abstract

During the operation of a shaped hole seed-metering device, poor seed-filling quality and inconsistent seed-casting points lead to poor seed spacing uniformity, especially in a one-chamber double-row seed-metering device. To solve this problem, a soybean double-row seed-metering device with double-beveled seed guide groove was designed to ensure a high single-seed rate and seed-casting point consistency. Through the theoretical analysis of the working process of the seed-metering device, dynamic and kinematic models of the seeds were established, and the main structural parameters of the seed discharge ring, triage convex ridge, shaped hole, and seed guide groove were determined. The main factors affecting the seeding performance were obtained as the following: the inclination angle of the triage convex ridge, the radius of the shaped hole, and the depth of the seed guide groove. A single-factor test was carried out by discrete element simulation to obtain the inclination angle of the triage convex ridge α3 = 29°, the radius of the shaped hole r1 = 4.16–4.5 mm, and the depth of the seed guide groove l1 = 0.49–1.89 mm. A two-factor, five-level, second-order, orthogonal rotation combination test was conducted to further optimize the structural parameters of the seed-metering device. The two test factors were the radius of the shaped hole and the depth of the seed guide groove, and the evaluation indices were the qualified rate, replay rate, and missed seeding rate. The results showed that the optimal combinations of the structural parameters were the radius of the shaped hole r1 = 4.33 mm and the depth of the seed guide groove l1 = 1.20 mm. Subsequent bench testing demonstrated that the seed discharge’s qualified rate was above 94% at operating speeds of 6–10 km/h, and the seeding performance was stable. The final results of the soil trench test showed that the seed-metering device exhibited a qualified rate of 93.31%, replay rate of 2.04%, and missed seeding rate of 4.65% at an operating speed of 8 km/h. This research outcome may serve as a valuable reference and source of inspiration for the innovative design of precision seed-metering devices.