Parameter Optimization and DEM Simulation of Bionic Sweep with Lower Abrasive Wear Characteristics

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Materials Science
• Tribology

Background:

• High wear rates of tillage tools cause substantial financial losses in agriculture.
• Conventional sweeps (CS) are prone to significant wear during soil engagement.
• Developing wear-resistant tillage components is crucial for sustainable farming practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and optimize a bionic ribbed sweep (BRS) for reduced tillage wear.
• To investigate the influence of BRS parameters on tillage resistance (TR), soil contact (CNSP), and wear (AW).
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a bionic design in mitigating abrasive wear.

Main Methods:

• Bionic design principles applied to create a ribbed sweep.
• Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for simulation and optimization.
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine parameter significance.

Main Results:

• A protective layer formed by the ribbed structure effectively reduced abrasive wear.
• Parameters φ (width), θ (angle), and λ (interval) significantly impacted AW, CNSP, and TR.
• Optimized BRS parameters achieved reduced wear loss across various operational speeds.

Conclusions:

• The bionic ribbed sweep (BRS) design is effective in reducing tillage wear.
• Optimizing ribbed unit parameters enables the creation of a protective layer to minimize wear.
• This bionic approach offers a feasible solution for enhancing the durability of tillage tools.