Field Traction Performance Test Analysis of Bionic Paddy Wheel and Vaned Wheel

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Biomechanics
• Robotics

Background:

• Traction is critical for micro-tiller performance in paddy fields.
• Conventional wheels often struggle with the unique challenges of wet, muddy soil.
• Improving wheel-soil interaction is key to enhancing agricultural machinery efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a bionic paddy wheel inspired by cow hooves.
• To improve the traction performance of micro-tiller wheels in paddy fields.
• To compare the performance of the bionic wheel against conventional designs.

Main Methods:

• Extracted the surface curve of a cow's hoof to create a bionic prototype.
• Designed a bionic paddy wheel based on the cow hoof prototype.
• Constructed a wheel-soil test bench in an experimental field (36% moisture content).
• Tested and compared the bionic wheel with a conventional vaned wheel under various loads.

Main Results:

• Both wheels exhibited similar trends in torque, drawbar pull, and slip ratio under varying loads.
• The bionic paddy wheel demonstrated higher torque and drawbar pull than the conventional wheel at equivalent slip ratios.
• Maximum torque and hook traction increased with wheel load for both designs.
• The bionic paddy wheel provided at least 22% greater performance (torque/traction) than the conventional wheel under identical loads.

Conclusions:

• The bionic paddy wheel, inspired by cow hooves, offers superior driving force and hook traction in paddy soil.
• This design can significantly improve the working efficiency of vehicles operating in wet field conditions.
• Bionic design principles offer a promising avenue for optimizing agricultural machinery performance.