Combining active and passive tillage elements to reduce draft requirements.

ABSTRACT An experimental tillage tool that combines active and passive elements was field tested. Because the active elements were forward-rotating and, thus, resulted in a negative draft, overall draft requirements of the total tool was decreased considerably. A combination machine with two active and two passive elements required 87% less draft and draft power than a tool with four passive elements, although total power was siniilar. Based on assumed power transmission efficiencies, the combination machine was predicted to be 34% more energy efficient than a similar passive tillage tool.