1991 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 23-32
Power driven trailer is a type of trailer whose wheels are driven by tractor PTO shaft or another engine. Trafficability of a tractor-power driven trailer system was analyzed using a static model. In this model, relation between tractor coefficient and slippage was modeled after a simplified Bekker's equation, and the model was validated by the field experiments on a plowed field. A perameter study using the model was done to analyze the effects of the peripheral velocity ratio of tractor rear wheels to trailer wheels, the axial load of the trailer and the working resistance simulated as the digging force of a potato digger or a beet digger. The peripheral velocity ratio of tractor wheels to trailer wheels (Rs) was varied from o to 2.0. It was clarified that the Rs should be set under 0.8 in order to prevent the trailer from pushing the tractor. The total required power of the system increased as the peripheral velocity ratio Rs increased, but the energy consumption per unit travel distance decreased as the Rs increased.
