Idling is considered as an operating condition in which the engine is not subjected to any substantial load and the vehicle is standing. Idling is detrimental for the environment, health of people due to the fact that fuel is wasted and emissions are produced in vain. Idling is a very frequent operating conditions for vehicles and especially for agricultural tractors. Indeed, in a previous study, the idling practice of a fleet of tractors was monitored for a year and it was reported that agricultural tractors run on idle from 20% up to 50% of the time. However, no study reported, why such improper use occurs. The aim of the project is to report a meth- od to analyse in detail the idling practice of agricultural tractors. In a cash-crop tractor, a GPS and CAN-Bus data logger were installed and data were recorded on real-world conditions. Idling stops were identified and classified in function of the location of the tractor. The tractor run on idle for the 17% of the entire operating time and the daily idling durations range from 15min to 70min. Around the 70% of the entire idling activity occurred around the farm area and in the field. On the farm, idling mostly occurs for connecting the implement, while on the field for checking the implement status at the end of the headland turns. The results of this study could be used for designing anti-idling devices on agricultural tractors, so that fuel waste due to idling can be significantly reduced.
Idling of agricultural tractors
Michele Mattetti
;Giovanni Molari;
2019
Abstract
Idling is considered as an operating condition in which the engine is not subjected to any substantial load and the vehicle is standing. Idling is detrimental for the environment, health of people due to the fact that fuel is wasted and emissions are produced in vain. Idling is a very frequent operating conditions for vehicles and especially for agricultural tractors. Indeed, in a previous study, the idling practice of a fleet of tractors was monitored for a year and it was reported that agricultural tractors run on idle from 20% up to 50% of the time. However, no study reported, why such improper use occurs. The aim of the project is to report a meth- od to analyse in detail the idling practice of agricultural tractors. In a cash-crop tractor, a GPS and CAN-Bus data logger were installed and data were recorded on real-world conditions. Idling stops were identified and classified in function of the location of the tractor. The tractor run on idle for the 17% of the entire operating time and the daily idling durations range from 15min to 70min. Around the 70% of the entire idling activity occurred around the farm area and in the field. On the farm, idling mostly occurs for connecting the implement, while on the field for checking the implement status at the end of the headland turns. The results of this study could be used for designing anti-idling devices on agricultural tractors, so that fuel waste due to idling can be significantly reduced.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
