AIRFLOW DEFLECTOR FOR RADIAL FAN OF AIR SEEDER

• US 20160081262A1
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Roberge, Martin J., Hui, Ka Po Catherine
• Granted Patent: US 9,629,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries

Abstract

A pneumatic system of an agricultural implement includes a radial fan coupled with a plenum. The plenum contains outlets which distribute the airflow into a plurality of product distribution lines for application to a field. An airflow deflector plate has a back face fixed on a sidewall of a region interconnecting the fan outlet and plenum inlet to modify the airflow pattern and obtain an airflow that is at a uniform pressure and flow rate for each product distribution line. The deflector plate is tapered with a narrow edge pointed upstream and includes front face having at least one generally rectangular groove with a bottom surface extending generally parallel to the deflector back face.

Claims

1. A pneumatic agricultural product conveying system, comprising:

at least one agricultural product supply chamber;

a pneumatic source having an air inlet and an air outlet;

a plenum having an inlet for receiving airflow from the pneumatic source air outlet and having outlets at the downstream end thereof;

a plurality of distribution lines extending from the plenum outlets to a utilization implement for applying air entrained product to an agricultural field;

a metering device for metering and conveying agricultural product from the supply chamber to the distribution lines; and

a wedge-shaped airflow deflector for modifying the airflow pattern exiting the pneumatic source as it enters the plenum to improve the distribution of the pressure and flow profiles from left to right, and top to bottom.

2. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 1, wherein the wedge-shaped airflow deflector includes a front face, a back face, a narrow edge, a wider edge and a pair or opposed generally triangular ends.

3. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 2, further comprising a region of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration coupling the pneumatic source outlet and the plenum inlet, the back face of the wedge-shaped airflow deflector being fixed to a sidewall of the region with the narrow edge of the wedge extending upstream.

4. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 3, wherein the pneumatic source inlet and the sidewall to which the airflow deflector is fixed are on the same lateral side of the system.

5. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 3, wherein the airflow deflector front face includes at least one generally rectangular groove having a bottom surface extending generally parallel to the deflector back face.

6. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 5, wherein the groove bottom surface extends from the wider edge and terminates about midway between the wider edge and the narrow edge.

7. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 1, wherein the airflow deflector includes a plurality of like generally rectangular grooves for inducing mixing of airflow near the pneumatic source outlet to better balance the pressure and airflow profiles vertically and horizontally.

8. The pneumatic agricultural product conveying system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic source comprises a radial fan.

9. An air system for supplying a flow of air entrained agricultural product from a product tank to be applied to an agricultural field, the system including a pneumatic product conveying feature, comprising:

a pneumatic source having an air inlet and an air outlet;

a plenum having an inlet for receiving airflow from the pneumatic source air outlet and having outlets at the downstream end thereof;

a plurality of distribution lines extending from the plenum outlets for supplying air entrained product to be dispensed to an agricultural field; and

a wedge-shaped airflow deflector for modifying the airflow pattern exiting the pneumatic source as it enters the plenum to provide a more uniform distribution of product among the distribution lines.

10. The air system of claim 9, wherein the pneumatic source comprises a fan.

11. The air system of claim 9, wherein the wedge-shaped airflow deflector includes a front face, a back face, a narrow edge, and a wider edge.

12. The air system of claim 11, further comprising a region of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration coupling the pneumatic source and the plenum, the back face of the wedge-shaped airflow deflector being fixed to a rectangular region sidewall with the narrow edge of the wedge extending upstream for modifying the air flow pattern.

13. The air system of claim 12, wherein the plenum is defined in part by top and bottom walls and a pair of diverging sidewalls, one of said diverging sidewalls merging with the sidewall to which the airflow deflector is fixed.

14. The air system of claim 11, wherein the airflow deflector front face includes at least one groove having a bottom surface extending generally parallel to the airflow deflector back face.

15. The air system of claim 14, wherein the groove bottom surface extends from the wider edge and terminates about midway between the wider edge and the narrow edge.

16. The air system of claim 9, wherein the airflow deflector includes a plurality of like generally rectangular grooves for inducing mixing of the airflow near the pneumatic source outlet to better balance the pressure and airflow profiles vertically.

17. A generally rectangular airflow deflector plate for placement on one sidewall of an air conveying system to more uniformly distribute airflow within a chamber downstream of the flow deflector plate, the deflector plate comprising a front face, a back face, a narrow edge, a wider edge and a pair or opposed generally triangular ends, the airflow deflector front face including at least one groove having a bottom surface extending generally parallel to the deflector back face.

18. The airflow deflector plate of claim 17, wherein the groove bottom surface extends from the wider edge and terminates about midway between the wider edge and the narrow edge.

19. The airflow deflector plate of claim 17, wherein the deflector plate is configured to have the back face fixed to a wall of the air conveying system with the narrow edge upstream of the wider edge.

20. The airflow deflector plate of claim 17, wherein the at least one groove bottom surface is of a generally rectangular shape.