Numerical Studies of Drag Forces on Drainage Plows
Abstract
The industrial drainage plow is a mechanized tool used for the installation of agricultural drainage, trenching, and installation of underground pipes. To make the plow more competitive in the industry, this research aims to modify the shape of the plow to increase the tile installation efficiency, which will reduce fuel consumption. Numerical methods will be used in this study to predict the tillage forces on the plow. Numerical simulations will be carried out for the plowing processes under different working conditions with different plow shapes. Also, the load distribution on the plow will be obtained based on the numerical results, which will allow the modification of the structural components to make the plow more efficient and more durable. First, a numerical model for the simulation of the drainage plow operation process is developed, which can predict the performance of the drainage plow in soil, such as force, pressure distribution, topsoil placement, etc. The drag force is a key factor affecting the efficiency of the drainage plow. The pressure on the plow affects the service life of the plow, and the topsoil placement affects the subsequent backfilling of the soil. Then, the modification of the shape of the drainage plow is performed to reduce the drag force and surface pressure without compromising the topsoil placement. The comparison shows that the performance of the modified drainage plow is significantly improved.