OPTIMAL DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF DOUBLE-DISK FURROW OPENER FOR A PRECISION CORN PLANTER IN SALINE-ALKALI SOIL

Traditional furrow openers used for corn planting in saline-alkali soils often face challenges such as high resistance, excessive soil disturbance, and unstable furrow depth, all of which negatively affect planting quality. This study presents an optimized design of a double-disk furrow opener for precision corn planting under saline-alkali conditions. The structure and working principle of the opener were described, and its force mechanism analyzed. Key structural parameters, including disk diameter, disk angle, and convergence angle of the disk points, were identified, with furrow resistance and furrow depth stability selected as evaluation indicators. Using a Box-Behnken design combined with EDEM simulation, the soil-machine interaction model was established, followed by variance analysis. The optimal parameters were determined as a disk diameter of 344 mm, disk angle of 12.9°, and convergence angle of 58.4°. Under these conditions, the operating resistance of the furrow opener was 370.234 N, and the furrow depth stability coefficient reached 93.87%. The results provide a theoretical basis for reducing furrow resistance and improving planting stability and efficiency in saline-alkali soils.