DEM-CFD-based simulation and optimization of a combined pneumatic-centrifugal wheat seed-metering device

Authors

  • Duanxu Ma Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
  • Song Shi Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
  • Hui Li Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
  • Guojian Wei Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
  • Jilei Zhou Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
  • Yupeng Shi Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
  • Hu Liu Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v18i5.9438

Keywords:

wheat seed-metering device, pneumatic centrifuge, drag force, DEM-CFD

Abstract

Pneumatic wheat seed-metering device often has a poor seed-filling state under the high-speed working condition, which adversely affects precision seeding. This paper describes a wheat seed-metering device that employs a combined mechanical–pneumatic seed-filling method. The orifice structure and seed-filling space at the nozzle are optimized to improve the seed-filling efficiency and seed-carrying stability. The working process of the wheat seed-metering device was analyzed, the principles of the seed-filling and seed-cleaning processes were elucidated, the factors influencing the seed-filling performance and seed-carrying stability were investigated, and the discrete element method–computational fluid dynamics (DEM-CFD) simulation method was employed to simulate the working process. The nozzle-orifice diameter, seed-filling-space angle, and rotation speed were determined as the simulation influence factors, and the trends of the nozzle void fraction, resistance to clearing, and initial dropping position were analyzed from a microscopic scale. On a macroscopic scale, the seed-leakage rate, reseeding rate, and grain-spacing qualification rate as performance-evaluation metrics were analyzed, and the significant order of impacts for these influencing factors and their interaction effects was obtained. Through secondary optimization experiments, the optimal parameter combination was determined to be a nozzle-orifice diameter of 1.7 mm, a seed-filling-space angle of 39.3°, and a rotation speed of 657.4 r/min. Static bench-validation tests and indoor vibration-environment simulation experiments were conducted, and the results were compared with a control group. The findings reveal that when the seed-metering plate rotation speed varies between 400 r/min and 1000 r/min, the optimized seed-metering plate exhibits a seed-leakage rate below 7.6% and superior performance in all indicators compared to the original seed-metering plate, indicating a significant improvement in seed-filling efficiency and seed-carrying stability. Keywords: wheat seed-metering device, pneumatic centrifuge, drag force, DEM-CFD DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20251805.9438 Citation: Ma D X, Shi S, Li H, Wei G J, Zhou J L, Shi Y P, et al. DEM-CFD-based simulation and optimization of a combined pneumatic-centrifugal wheat seed-metering device. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2025; 18(5): 127–141.

References

Zhai J B, Xia J F, Zhou Y, Zhang S. Design and experimental study of the control system for precision seed-metering device. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2014; 7（3）: 13–18.

Lei X L, Hu H J, Yang W H, Liu L Y, Liao Q X, Ren W J. Seeding performance of air-assisted centralized seed-metering device for rapeseed. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2021; 14（5）: 79–87.

Manzone M, Paolo M, Mario T, Balsari P. Performance evaluation of a cyclone to clean the air exiting from pneumatic seed drills during maize sowing. Crop Protection, 2015; 76: 33–38.

Bourges G, Medina M. Air-seeds flow analysis in a distributor head of an “air drill” seeder. Acta Hortic, 2013; 1008: 259–264.

Lei X L, Liao Y T, Li Z D, Cao X Y, Li S S, Wei Y P, et al. Design and experiment of seed feeding device in air-assisted centralized metering device for rapeseed and wheat. Transactions of the CSAE, 2015; 31（20）: 10–18.

Zhang G Z, Zang Y, Luo X W, Wang Z M, Li Z D. Line-churning tooth design and metering accuracy experiment of rice pneumatic precision hill-drop seed metering device on pregnant Japonica rice seed. Transactions of the CSAE, 2014; 30（17）: 1–9.

He S Y, Qian C, Jiang Y C, Qin W, Huang Z S, Huang D M, et al. Design and optimization of the seed feeding device with DEM-CFD coupling approach for rice and wheat. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024; 219: 0168–1699.

Shi S, Zhou J L, Liu H, Fang H M, Jian S C, Zhang R F. Design and experiment of pneumatic precision seed-metering device with guided assistant seed-filling. Transactions of the CSAM, 2019; 50（5）: 61–70. DOI: 10.6041 //j.issn.1000-1298.2019.05.007. （in Chinese）

Li H, Liu H, Zhou J L, Wei G J, Shi S, Zhang X C, et al. Development and first results of a no-till pneumatic seeder for maize precise sowing in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. Agriculture, 2021; 11（10）: 1023.

Hu H J, Zhou Z L, Wu W C, Yang W H, Li T, Chang C, et al. Distribution characteristics and parameter optimisation of an air-assisted centralised seed-metering device for rapeseed using a CFD-DEM coupled simulation. Biosystems Engineering, 2021; 208: 246–259.

Ren B, Zhong W Q, Chen Y, Chen X, Jin B S, Yuan Z L, et al. CFD-DEM simulation of spouting of corn-shaped particles. Particuology, 2012; 10（5）: 562–572.

Tong Z B, Zheng B, Yang R Y, Yu A B, Chan H K. CFD-DEM investigation of the dispersion mechanisms in commercial dry powder inhalers. Powder Technol, 2013; 240: 19–24.

Akhshik S, Behzad M, Rajabi M. CFD–DEM approach to investigate the effect of drill pipe rotation on cuttings transport behavior. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2015; 127: 229–244.

Krause B, Liedmann B, Wiese J, Wirtz S, Scherer V. Coupled three dimensional DEM–CFD simulation of a lime shaft kiln—Calcination, particle movement and gas phase flow field. Chemical Engineering Science, 2015; 134: 834–849.

Iqbal N, Rauh C. Coupling of discrete element model （DEM） with computational fluid mechanics （CFD）: A validation study. Applied Mathematics and Computation, 2016; 277: 154–163.

Brosh T, Kalman H, Levy A, Peyron I, Ricard F. DEM-CFD simulation of particle comminution in jet-mill. Powder Technology, 2014; 257: 104–112.

Zhou H, Mo G Y, Zhao J P, Cen K. DEM–CFD simulation of the particle dispersion in a gas–solid two-phase flow for a fuel-rich/lean burner. Fuel, 2011; 90（4）: 1584–1590.

Liu M L, Wen Y Y, Liu R Z, Liu B, Shao Y L. Investigation of fluidization behavior of high density particle in spouted bed using CFD–DEM coupling method. Powder Technology, 2015; 280: 72–82.

Lei X L, Liao Y T, Liao Q X. Simulation of seed motion in seed feeding device with DEM-CFD coupling approach for rapeseed and wheat. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2016; 131: 29–39.

Wang Y B, Li H W, Hu H N, He J, Wang Q J, Lu C Y, et al. DEM-CFD coupling simulation and optimization of a self-suction wheat shooting device. Powder Technology, 2021; 393: 494–509.

Zhao X S, Hou Z Z, Lyu W, Lu C, Yu H L, Wei Z M. Design and test of a positive-negative pressure quinoa precision seed-metering device with a disturbed seed-filling mechanism. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2024; 17（6）: 121–134.

Han D D, Zhang D X, Jing H R, Yang L, Cui T, Ding Y Q, et al. DEM-CFD coupling simulation and optimization of an inside-filling air-blowing maize precision seed-metering device. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2018; 150: 426–438.

Wang Y B, Li H W, Hu H N, He J, Wang Q J, Lu C Y, et al. A noncontact self-suction wheat shooting device for sustainable agriculture: A preliminary research. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2020; 197: 106927.

Sun X P, Li H, Qi X D, Feng D H, Zhou J Q, Wang Y J, et al. Optimization of a three-row air-suction Brassica chinensis precision metering device based on CFD-DEM coupling simulation. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2023; 16（3）: 130–142.

Zhao X S, Bai W J, Li J, Yu H L, Zhao D W, Yin B Z. Study on positive-negative pressure seed metering device for wide-seedling-strip-seeding. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2022; 15（6）: 124–133.

Xu H M, Liu W R, Liu H, Liu Z F, Zhang G Z. Design and performance test of a combined and adjustable precise rice seed metering device. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2025; 18（1）: 101–114.

Wang Y B, He M Z, Yan Q H, Zheng Z W. DEM-CFD simulation and seed orientation evaluation of a self-suction wheat shooting device. Powder Technology, 2023; 427: 118746.

Lai Q H, Sun K, Yu Q X, Qin W. Design and experiment of a six-row air-blowing centralized precision seed-metering device for Panax notoginseng. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13（2）: 111–122.

Zhang Z, Xie Z L. Numerical simulation of fluid-solid two-phase flows. Journal of Chemical Industry and Engineering, 2001; 52（1）: 1–12.

Shi S, Liu H, Wei G J, Zhou J L, Jian S C, Zhang R F. Optimization and experiment of pneumatic seed metering device with guided assistant filling based on EDEM-CFD. Transactions of the CSAM, 2020; 51（5）: 54–66. DOI: 10.6041 /j.issn: 1000–1298.2020.05.006. （in Chinese）

Downloads

Published

2025-10-27

How to Cite

Ma, D., Shi, S., Li, H., Wei, G., Zhou, J., Shi, Y., & Liu, H. (2025). DEM-CFD-based simulation and optimization of a combined pneumatic-centrifugal wheat seed-metering device. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 18(5), 127–141. https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v18i5.9438

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 5 (2025): IJABE

Section

Power and Machinery Systems

License

IJABE is an international peer reviewed open access journal, adopting Creative Commons Copyright Notices as follows.


Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:


  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).