Wang Shusong, Wang Heng, Wang Peng, Wang Haiyuan, Xie Xiaolin, Jin Xin, Liu Xingyu
Longmen laboratory, Luoyang, 471003, China.
College of Agricultural Equipment Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Mar 6;15(1):7884. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-90323-6.
To address the challenges of motor system temperature rising and the failure of temperature-sensitive components in electric agricultural robots, this study focuses on the cooling design for the motor system of a specific electric weeding robot using simulation and experiment methods. Optimal cooling fan configuration was proposed, and the safe operational fan airflow volume range at varying working ambient temperatures was determined. First, the thermal properties of the physical model, including component materials, internal heat sources, and fluid conditions, were analyzed. A three-dimensional, full-domain simulation model was then developed, and steady-state fluid-thermal coupling field calculations were performed for three different fan configurations. These simulations identified the optimal fan configuration and highlighted the motor as the primary heat-generating component. Under this configuration, the cooling performance improved by 22.7% and 22.3% compared to the other two configurations. Furthermore, based on the optimal fan setup and the operational temperature characteristics of the electric weeding robot, the relationships between motor temperature, fan airflow, and ambient temperature were analyzed and modeled. Real-time, high-precision steady-state temperature experiments were conducted to validate the airflow-motor temperature relationship, leading to the establishment of a safe operational airflow range based on the maximum allowable motor temperature. The implementation of this safe airflow range reduces the probability of motor system failure by at least 60%. This work provides theoretical and practical insights for enhancing the cooling design of motor systems in electric agricultural robots.
为应对电动农业机器人中电机系统温度升高和温度敏感部件故障的挑战，本研究采用仿真和实验方法，聚焦于一款特定电动除草机器人电机系统的冷却设计。提出了最佳冷却风扇配置，并确定了在不同工作环境温度下安全运行的风扇风量范围。首先，分析了物理模型的热特性，包括部件材料、内部热源和流体条件。然后建立了三维全区域仿真模型，并对三种不同的风扇配置进行了稳态流热耦合场计算。这些仿真确定了最佳风扇配置，并突出了电机作为主要发热部件。在此配置下，与其他两种配置相比，冷却性能分别提高了22.7%和22.3%。此外，基于最佳风扇设置和电动除草机器人的运行温度特性，分析并建立了电机温度、风扇风量和环境温度之间的关系模型。进行了实时、高精度的稳态温度实验，以验证风量与电机温度的关系，从而基于电机的最高允许温度建立了安全运行风量范围。该安全风量范围的实施至少降低了电机系统故障概率60%。这项工作为改进电动农业机器人电机系统的冷却设计提供了理论和实践见解。
