1. Energy Efficiency: Field Machinery Operation
John Nowatzki
Ag Machine Systems Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
Vern Hofman
Professor Emeritus
Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Department
11/18/2018

2. Introduction Fuel Use by Field Operation Tractor Traction Technology
Regular Maintenance Schedule
Conservation Tillage
Energy Saving Practices
11/18/2018

3. Fuel Use by Field Operation
Gallons/Acre
Grain Drill .6
Row Crop Planter .3
Combine – 1.9
Round Baler .7
Corn Chopper (pt) 3.3
Mower/Conditioner .4
Data from University of Minnesota Farm Machinery Economic Cost Estimates For 2005.
Since these are required operations, depending on the crop, the only way to lower the fuel cost is to increase efficiency, such as proper maintenance on the equipment and tractors pulling the equipment.
Farm Machinery Economic Cost Estimates For 2005
University of Minnesota
11/18/2018

4. Fuel Use by Field Operation
Chisel Plow .6
Moldboard Plow 1.3
Field Cultivator .5
Tandem Disc .4
Stalk Shredder .7
Data from University of Minnesota Farm Machinery Economic Cost Estimates For 2005
Farm Machinery Economic Cost Estimates For 2005
University of Minnesota
11/18/2018

5. Tractor Traction Technology
Bias or Radial Tires?
Radials 5–7%
Advantage
Radial tires have a definite advantage over bias ply tires in improved power delivery. It is usually 5 to 7% over bias.
For tires to reach their maximum efficiency, slippage needs to be between 8 and 15 %.
If slippage is lower than 8 %, too much weight is being carried on the tractor which is reducing tractive efficiency.
Excessive weight causes the tires to sink into the soil and power is being used to lift itself out of the hole the tire forms.
If too little weight is being carried on the tractor, tractive efficiency again suffers due to excessive slippage.
Michelin Agricultural Tires
11/18/2018

6. Tractor Traction Technology
Bias or Radial Tires?
Operate Radial Tire Pressures at 6 psi.
Operate Bias Tires at or above 14 psi.
Limit Tire Load to Manufacturer’s Recommendations
Studies show that radial tractor tires are more efficient at power transfer than bias ply tires. Most studies show they are usually 6 to 10 % more efficient.
This is due to the tire being more flexible allowing more tire in contact with the soil.
Radial tires can operate at lower pressures than bias tires, but the static load on the tires must not exceed the amount listed in Tire and Rim Assn. standards at the operating pressure.
Load ratings are available for all tires whether they are used as singles, duals or triples.
Bias ply tires should not operate at pressures below 14 psi as bias tire sidewalls are designed to flex less.
A word of caution, radials operated at low pressures may bounce excessively on rough spots when run at high speeds on roads throwing the tractor off the road. Use care at road speeds to avoid an accident. Remember that tractors are not built to operate on roads, they are made to operate in fields.
SAE – Society of Automotive Engineers sets inflation and load standards for tires.
11/18/2018

7. Tractor Traction Technology
Bias or Radial Tires?
Increase Tire Pressure when using Mounted Equipment
Tire Slippage: 8-15%
Higher range for 4WD Tractors
Check Tire Pressure Regularly
Note: Less Soil Compaction with Lower Tire Pressure
When radials are operated at low pressures with mounted or semi-mounted equipment, tire pressure must be increased to carry the extra load.
Be sure to increase tire pressure based upon the weight being carried.
Radial tires decrease soil compaction. The operating pressure in the tire is directly related to the force being exerted on the soil. If tire pressure is 8 psi, the pressure on the soil will be about 8 to 9psi. The slightly higher force on the soil is due to the slightly stiffer tire sidewall as compared to the cross section of the tire face.
Tires should slip between 8 and 15 %. The lower values usually occur with 4 wheel drive tractors and the higher values of 10 to 15 % usually are associated with 2 wheel drive tractors.
A word of caution, be sure to check tire pressures on a regular schedule with low pressure radials as a small reduction in pressure may cause a major overload of the tire due to too much weight being carried on the tire at lower pressures. Radial tires usually show considerable sidewall bulge. This is normal and is not a good method to determine if a tire is overloaded. Use a pressure gauge. It is recommended to use a gauge designed for low pressures. A gauge that reads from 0 to 20 psi is recommended such as one designed for use on garden tractors or low pressure flotation tires. Using a gauge designed for higher pressure tires is not recommended as they will not provide an accurate reading at low pressures.
11/18/2018

8. Tractor Traction Technology
Singles, Duals, Triples or Tracks?
Duals and
Tracks show
Similar Efficiency
This study at the Alberta Farm Machinery Research Center found that low pressure radial tires and rubber tracks produced tractive efficiency that was very similar except that the tracked tractor produced top efficiency at a lower slippage.
Slippage on a tractor tire should not be considered a disadvantage. If a tractive device produces an efficient power delivery, that is the important criteria.
In this study, tractors with single and triple tires produced a power delivery lower than the dual tires and the tracks.
11/18/2018

9. Tractor Traction Technology
Singles, Duals, Triples?
Triples Reduce
Efficiency
The power delivered with a properly sized large single or dual tires is similar at the 8 to 10 % slip range.
However, triple tires may reduce tractive efficiency due to a wider track being produced across the field. A wider track sometimes reduces efficiency due to greater rolling resistance from the extra tire even though better flotation may occur.
High horsepower tractors may need triple tires to provide enough tire in contact with the soil to utilize the horsepower.
These tests conducted at Alberta were with a small or medium size tractor and triple tires are not needed.
11/18/2018

10. Tractor Traction Technology
Tracked Tractors
Less Slippage, Little Difference in Power Delivery
No “power hop”
Maintain Efficiency
Over Wider Range
of Conditions
Less Steering Control
Higher Costs
Wheels Equally Efficient with 5% Wheel Slippage
Optimizing a rubber tire tractor for a given speed, pull and ground condition can require changes in ballast and tire inflation pressure. This is often done only once for a tractor.
Tracks usually perform at their optimum efficiency without the need to alter ballast or pressure.
Tracked tractors do not “power hop” under load or on roads as some tractors with tires do.
Both tracked and tired tractors deliver a maximum of approximately 80% power efficiencies.
Rubber belt tracks maintain their efficiency over a wide range of pull and ground conditions.
Rubber tracks on tractors are an excellent traction device. Slippage is usually near 2% on tracked tractors, but power delivery efficiency is about equal to tired tractors that are weighted properly and are using low pressure radial tires.
11/18/2018

11. Tractor Traction Technology
Other Traction Issues
Soil Compaction
Least: Radial Tires with 7 psi inflation
Most: Tires with 24 psi inflation
Tracked Tractors Usually Leave Narrower Field Track than Tires
Yield Effects
Iowa State Study: Tires Reduced Yield
An Ohio State University study found that a tractor equipped with radial with pressures at 7 psi produced the lowest forces on the soil.
The compaction was less than with the tracked tractor.
The study also found that the compaction was the highest with the tired tractor when tire pressure was at 24 psi. This is a higher pressure than most producers run unless they are carrying mounted equipment or are using narrow tires such as what is needed in sugar-beet production. The reason that low pressure radials were causing lower forces on the soil is due to the tire deflection which spreads the load over more area when weight on the tractor shifts to the rear of the tractor due to a load being applied to the tractor. A tracked tractor has the same shift of weight to the rear of the tractor, but the tracks do not flex which concentrates the weight on the rear driver increasing the force on the soil. Front end weights reduce this shift, but it is always changing due to the change in load on a tractor. A tracked tractor usually has an advantage of producing a narrower track print across a field as compared to a tired tractor.
The pressure on the soil with tires is directly related to the operating tire pressure.
An Iowa State University study found a significant increase in yield with tracked tractors as compared to a tired tractor. Soil pressure measurements in the track zone were 3 and 6 psi and were 16 psi for the tired tractor. The pressure in the tires were above 15 psi.
In a 4-year continuous corn experiment in alluvial soils in southeastern Iowa, Iowa State University (ISU) researchers found that soil farmed with equipment exerting a maximum of 6-psi surface pressure yielded nine more bushels of corn per acre than soil farmed with more conventional equipment exerting 16-psi surface pressure.
11/18/2018

12. Regular Maintenance Periodic Engine Tune-up Scheduled Filter Changes
Properly Adjusted Tillage Equipment
11/18/2018

13. Conservation Tillage Fuel Savings From No-Till Fuel Cost/Acre1 No-Till
Conventional
Savings
Canola
$9.27
$9.52
$.25
Corn
14.06
16.94
2.88
Soybeans
10.48
10.96
.48
Wheat
10.37
10.91
.54
Average
11.04
12.08
1.04
The No. 1 way to save on fuel costs is to switch to a no-till or other conservation tillage production practice. “Conservation tillage cuts down on machinery usage,” he said. “You can cut tractor use in half by switching to no-till.” - Randall Reeder, Ohio State University Extension
That’s in Ohio! In North Dakota today, conventional tillage rarely includes moldboard plowing and tilled summer fallow. Most ND farmers already practice reduced tillage, with one post-harvest tillage operation and one pre-planting operation.
Data in table from ND Farm and Ranch Business Management Annual Report 2005
1. ND Farm and Ranch Business Management Annual Report 2005
11/18/2018

14. Conservation Tillage Strip Tillage 11/18/2018
Strip till is an excellent way of maintaining residue over much of a field and also allowing tillage of a narrow strip in which fertilizer can be applied in the fall.
The residue will keep erosion to a minimum and the tilled strip will allow fast drying in the spring so planting can be completed as early as possible.
The residue between the strips will help provide a firm tractive strip for tracks or tires.
Strip till units usually have a cutting coulter up front with residue or spooked wheels directly behind to push crop residue to the side. This exposes a strip of bare soil about 8 in. in wide. Behind the residue wheels, a knife is placed to inject fertilizer into the soil. Then two coulters push a small amount of soil into the tilled strip which produces a small ride of soil which helps it to dry out faster in the spring.
11/18/2018

15. Conservation Tillage Strip Tillage Effect on Corn Emergence
A study presented in Midwest Plan Service publication (MWPS-45) indicates that corn emergence for strip till is similar to conventional tillage.
Both of these methods provided emergence about 1 day sooner than no-till. Strip till for row crops has significant advantages.
I Day Sooner
Than No-Till
11/18/2018

16. Energy Saving Practices
GPS Guidance
5-10% Less Overlap
Various studies show significant less overlap comparing GPS Guidance to hand steering.
11/18/2018

17. Energy Saving Practices
Tillage Costs
Is the Operation Necessary?
Use Right Gear and Throttle Setting.
Proper Ballasting and Tire Inflation
Deep primary tillage often requires over 1.5 gal/ac of diesel fuel.
Selecting a fuel saving gear and throttle
Use the right fuel. Winter diesel and summer diesel are not the same. Winter diesel gives around 154,000 BTU’s per gallon while summer fuel generates 159,000 BTU’s per gallon. That 3% difference means you won’t get as much done using winter fuel in the summer.
If you are using biodiesel, it is important to fresh-fill your storage tank each spring because microbial action can cause fuel to spoil.
Tires should slip 8-12% when pulling a load on firm surfaces, 10-16% on soft ground
11/18/2018

18. Energy Saving Practices
General Practices
Don’t Let Engine Idle Excessively
Use the Right Fuel
Match Tractor to Implement Size
Use the right fuel. Winter diesel and summer diesel are not the same. Winter diesel gives around 154,000 BTU’s per gallon while summer fuel generates 159,000 BTU’s per gallon. That 3% difference means you won’t get as much done using winter fuel in the summer.
If you are using biodiesel, it is important to fresh-fill your storage tank each spring because microbial action can cause fuel to spoil.
Tires should slip 8-12% when pulling a load on firm surfaces, 10-16% on soft ground
Don’t Let Engine Idle Excessively
Use the Right Fuel
11/18/2018

19. More Information http://134.129.78.3/geospatial
John Nowatzki, NDSU Extension State Specialist
Telephone:
11/18/2018