Improving Sowing Uniformity of a Maize High-Speed Precision Seeder by Incorporating Energy Dissipator

Abstract

To enhance the sowing uniformity of the vacuum seeder in the high-speed working state, a flexible energy-dissipation receiving device was designed. We analyzed the angle and velocity of seed ejection from the seed-metering device. Additionally, we explored the rheological properties of four different sodium alginate (SA) solutions. Combined with high-speed camera technology, the movement characteristics of four kinds of energy dissipators were revealed, and it was determined that the fabrication material of the energy dissipator is colloid with an SA percentage of 10%. The influence of the thickness of the energy dissipator body, impact velocity, and impact angle on the pre- and post-impact velocity difference and end-of-motion transverse displacement value was investigated. The quadratic regression equation between experimental factors and experimental indexes was established, and it was determined that the thickness of the energy dissipator was 7 mm. Field experiment results showed that the working speed was 12~16 km·h−1, the leakage rate was less than 6.83%, the multiple rates were less than 0.97%, the qualified rate was stable at more than 92.4%, and the qualified grain distance variation rate was stable at less than 16.57%. The designed energy-dissipation device is beneficial to improve the overall working performance of high-speed precision seeders. In the future, if the reliability and long-term performance of the energy-dissipation device are further improved, it will be able to meet the requirements for precision seeding under high-speed conditions.