X-ray Technique for Simultaneous Mass Flow Measurements and Foreign Body Detection in a Self-Propelled Forage Chopper

Abstract

Accurate yield monitoring and detection of non-magnetic foreign objects are still unsolved problems for forage choppers. After static tests which demonstrated that X-rays could measure mass and also indicate the presence of foreign bodies, a dynamic test stand was designed, built, and used to simulate flows of grass and maize forage at speeds up to 3 m/s into a forage chopper X-ray sensing system. Tests of an X-ray sensing system with grass forage throughputs of 0.5 to 16.5 kg/s indicated that the X-ray system could accurately indicate the mass and was unaffected by a rotating feedroller. Further tests indicated that the system could detect ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic metals, stones, glasses, a plastic body, and a simulated animal carcass depending upon the particulars of the situation. Some safety issues of using X-rays are discussed. Successful further development and field tests would be necessary to generate a commercial product. .