Design and Evaluation of Variable Rate Stover Collection Control System For a Single Pass Dual Stream Biomass Harvester System

摘要

The increased need for renewable fuel sources has driven research to focus on agricultural by-products in the form of corn stover. Corn stover is the single largest available biomass feedstock in the U.S. and is also a vital part of agriculture as it provides soil protection and maintains the carbon cycle. Removing this material requires it be done using sustainable practices, with this research focusing specifically on protecting soil loss. Achieving this requires variable rate removal of corn stover to provide site specific management to account for spatial variability of a field by field basis. Utilizing two modes of control with a single pass dual stream biomass harvester, target rates of stover can be removed or returned to attain sustainable corn stover harvesting.