A Simplified Approach to the Evaluation of the Influences of Key Factors on Agricultural Tractor Fuel Consumption during Heavy Drawbar Tasks under Field Conditions

Abstract

The optimization of energy input on agricultural farms, such as through improved fuel consumption, is currently under investigation in agricultural mechanization research with the aim of achieving economic and environmental goals. In previous research, we developed a simplified algorithm focused on defining the most efficient tractor–implement combination considering the factors that most influence this aspect. The ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) equation for calculating the drawbar pull force was adopted to fit the results to the soil conditions. Agricultural tires of different sizes were tested at different pressure settings under field conditions to assess differences in drawbar force. The resulting algorithm underwent a linear regression analysis to achieve a simplified equation for assessing the optimal wheel-slip, mass, engine power, and tire pull force properties during drawbar works that result in optimal fuel consumption with a minimal tractor efficiency impairment. Using a specific probability density function, the Monte Carlo Simulation method introduced randomness into the input and runs a sufficiently large number of trials to identify the most probable output. The result is a simplified algorithm that can be used to investigate the effects of certain parameters on fuel consumption; however, it can be adapted to evaluate the effects of different implements, tires, engine settings, or fleet management methods on fuel consumption.