Development of seed openers using modeling and experimental approaches

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Agriculture in Canada and many countries of the world involves large-scale agricultural machines. Among those machines, seeders have evolved from small planters to large airseeders, which has significantly increased the field efficiency (acres per hour). In pursuit for economies of scales, today's cereal and oilseed farms have grown from hundreds of acres to many thousands of acres. Meanwhile, farmers have to complete seeding operation in the same weather window as before. This requires airseeders to travel at high speeds (over 8 km/h). However, higher travel speeds cause higher soil disturbance, which adversely affects the seeding performance and consequently crop emergence and growth. The proposed project is about development of a low soil disturbance and high efficiency airseeder for Buhler Versatile Inc. (Versatile), a large agricultural equipment manufacturer. Since 2011, development of a new airseeder product line has become the company's priority, and for this purpose, the company has sought the help of University of Manitoba (UM) within the scope of a NSERC Engage project. Versatile has committed to continuing this partnership via the proposed NSERC CRD project, in addition to teaming up with Atom-Jet Group, another large agricultural equipment manufacturer specializing in aftermarket seed openers. In the proposed project, new airseeders, the ML930/950 airseeders of Versatile will be developed with the focus on seed openers (the key elements of an airseeder). Prototype openers will be designed, fabricated, and tested with the joined efforts of UM, Versatile, and Atom Jet. The design of seed openers will be guided by simulations of soil dynamic behaviours using a new and innovative numerical method: the Discrete Element Method (DEM). A post-doctoral fellow with experienced with DEM and a graduate student, and a company's engineers in training (EIT) will be trained at UM and the two companies. Engineers and researchers from the two companies will participate in all project activities.