Capabilities for increasing the technological level of high-power wheeled tractors

BACKGROUND: Solving the problem of efficient use of the Russian-produced energy-saturated 4K4b wheeled tractors of high (235–350 kW) power, which are the basis for the formation of an innovative fleet of mobile energy facilities in the regions of the Siberian Federal District, in zonal tillage technologies with velocity ranges limited by the requirements of agricultural technology and resource saving, is a relevant task.

AIMS: Determination the conditions for the reasonable configuration of the 4K4b wheeled tractors for operational tillage technologies.

METHODS: The basis for solving the problems to achieve the aim is the conditions and methods of a multi-level system of technological adaptation of wheeled tractors.

RESULTS: Based on the results of simulation and experiment, it was determined that the most reasonable method for adapting tractors to tillage technologies in terms of minimum labor costs and the level of capabilities implementation is the formation of the operating mass of the basic configuration at the nominal mode, corresponding to the optimal values of the specific mass at ${\phi }_{\text{кр\hspace{0.17em}н}}^{*}=0.40$ and $V_{Н2}=2.90$ m/s which are $m_{\text{уд\hspace{0.17em}н1}}^{*}=58.0$ kg/kW for single wheels and $m_{\text{уд\hspace{0.17em}н2}}^{*}=62.4$ kg/kW for dual wheels, with adjustable axle distribution. The scientific novelty of the study lies in building the model that helps to establish a reasonable traction range of a tractor of various configurations for operational tillage technologies with an interval of nominal operating velocities of 2.5–3.3 m/s, limited by the conditions of resource saving by the modes of maximum traction efficiency and acceptable slipping.

CONCLUSIONS: The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of using the developed recommendations for the reasonable configuration of tractors in tillage operations.