Optimization of Clamping and Conveying Device for Sunflower Oil Combine Harvester Header

To solve the problem of grain spatter during harvest by combine harvester headers, a new clamping and conveying device of the sunflower oil harvester header was designed. We investigated plant states during the conveying process. To optimize the parameters of the sunflower oil harvester header, a test bench was built to simulate sunflower plant harvest. The influence of the clamping gap, clamping speed ratio, and clamping length on conveying success rate was explored by a single-factor experiment. Based on this experiment, the secondary regression orthogonal rotation test was carried out. The optimal structural parameter combination was obtained as follows: the clamping gap was 20 mm, the clamping speed ratio was 1.3, and the clamping length was 345 mm. Under this combination parameter condition, the corresponding conveying success rate reached up to 85.16% and the minimum value of conveying grain loss rate was 1.57%. To verify the effect of parameter optimization, a verification test and a comparison test were performed. Results showed that the actual conveying success rate was 83.50% and the actual grain loss rate was 1.49%, which were close to the optimized parameter value. The comparison test showed that the conveying success rate of the flexible clamping and conveying device was 83.50% with a grain loss rate of 1.49%, and that of the rigid clamping and conveying device was 55% with a grain loss rate of 5.17%. This study provides a theoretical basis for the design of a low-loss sunflower oil combine harvester header.