Sensor Arrangement for Detecting Constituents

Abstract

A sensor apparatus for detecting constituents of a material, the apparatus comprising: a first sensor, which interacts with the material, configured to measure an optical spectrum of the material and is coupled to an evaluation device that is configured to output an output value relating to the level of the one or more constituents in the material with the aid of the measured spectrum and calibration data; a second sensor configured to analyse the material examined by the first sensor and to output a signal relating to the level of the one or more constituents in the material; and a calibration data generating device configured to generate the calibration data for the evaluation device with the aid of the signal of the second sensor.

Claims

1. A sensor apparatus for detecting constituents of a material, the apparatus comprising: a first sensor, which interacts with the material, configured to measure an optical spectrum of the material and is coupled to an evaluation device that is configured to output an output value relating to the level of the one or more constituents in the material with the aid of the measured spectrum and a calibration data; a second sensor configured to analyse the material examined by the first sensor and to output a signal relating to the level of the one or more constituents in the material; and a calibration data generating device configured to generate the calibration data for the evaluation device with the aid of the signal of the second sensor.

2. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first sensor is a near-infrared spectrometer operating in at least one of reflection and transmission.

3. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second sensor is a nuclear magnetic resonance sensor.

4. The sensor apparatus of claim 3 wherein the evaluation device is configured to generate the output value with the aid of relationships which are saved in a memory between the measured spectrum and the output value.

5. Sensor arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the evaluation device is configured to use the calibration data during subsequent measurements to correct the output value generated with the aid of the measured spectrum and the stored relationships.

6. The sensor apparatus of claim 4 wherein the calibration data generating device is configured to determine a relationship between the measured spectrum and the level of the at least one constituent in the material with the aid of the measured spectrum and the signal of the second sensor as calibration data and the evaluation device is configured to use the calibration data during subsequent measurements as a relationship between the measured spectrum and the output value.

7. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first sensor is adjacent to a channel through which the material flows and the second sensor is configured to analyse a sample of the material from the channel.

8. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the calibration data generating device has a signal-transmitting connection to a third sensor in order to send calibration data.

9. The sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the level of the one or more constituents in the material is stored with geo-referencing for documentation purposes.

10. An agricultural working machine comprising: a first sensor, which interacts with a material being processed by the agricultural working machine, configured to measure an optical spectrum of the material and is coupled to an evaluation device that is configured to output an output value relating to the level of one or more constituents in the material with the aid of the measured spectrum and a calibration data; a second sensor configured to analyse the material examined by the first sensor and to output a signal relating to the level of one or more constituents in the material; and a calibration data generating device configured to generate the calibration data for the evaluation device with the aid of the signal of the second sensor.

11. The agricultural working machine of claim 9 wherein the level of the one or more constituents in the material is used to actuate a component of an agricultural working machine.

12. The agricultural working machine of claim wherein the calibration data is used to actuate a component of an agricultural working machine.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0040] The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an agricultural machine having a sensor arrangement;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart relating to a first procedure of the sensor arrangement;

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart relating to a second procedure of the sensor arrangement; and

[0044] FIGS. 4-7 show diagrams to illustrate steps 106, 108, 206 and 208 of FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Generally, a spectrum may be converted into the constituent level by using a linear model of the form Constituent=Σ.sub.i Spectrum*Coefficient+Offset. Intensities of the components i of the spectrum are therefore respectively multiplied by the coefficient associated with the value i and summed up. The coefficients and the offset are typically established with the aid of a learning data set from spectra and associated constituent levels, which are determined independently of the spectroscopic measurement by conventional analysis methods in the laboratory, by suitable linear regression methods (calibration algorithm).

[0046] A spectroscopic measurement is therefore conducted on a number of samples, each with known constituent levels, to determine the associated relationship (here: coefficient and offset) for a constituent to be examined for each of the i wavelengths examined. These relationships are finally stored, and are used during a following measurement of an unknown sample in order to ascertain the proportion of the constituent with the aid of the recorded spectrum by using, for example, the aforementioned equation (cf. J. B. Reeves III et al., Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Determination of Carbon, Total Nitrogen, and Ammonium-N in Dairy Manures, J Dairy Sci 83 (2000), pages 1829-1836).

[0047] The compilation of the relationships can be carried out by taking samples during a working or harvesting process from the crop flow and analysis in the laboratory (French Patent Appl. No. FR 2 801 380 A1, European Patent Appl. No. EP 1 378 742 A2), in which case the recording of the spectra used for compiling the relationships may also take place during the working or harvesting process directly from the sample respectively taken (WIPO Patent Appl. No. WO 2005/003728 A2; German Patent Appl. No. DE 102 36 515 C1; M. Ewers et al., NIR-Sensor for determination of product quality of grain while combining, CIGR World Congress “Agricultural Engineering for a Better World” from 3-7 Sep. 2006 in Bonn, VDI-Berichte No 1958, pages 163-164 and related CD).

[0048] European Patent Appl. No. EP 0 908 087 A1 describes a combine harvester having a feeder house, arranged below the cleaner, which delivers the cleaned grain to the elevator. The feeder house is assigned a first, capacitively operating moisture sensor interacting with the grain flow and a second moisture sensor following downstream. The second moisture sensor receives a sample, taken from the crop flow, which is comminuted and heated to detect the proportion of water evaporating. The moisture value of the second moisture sensor, determined as accurately as possible, may be compared by a sensor state monitoring apparatus with the moisture value ascertained by the first moisture sensor, and a correction factor for the first moisture sensor may be determined in the event of differences.

[0049] In some examples, besides spectroscopic analyses of agricultural materials, it is also proposed to use an NMR sensor, which is based on nuclear magnetic resonance. The underlying principle of this measurement method is that nuclei of magnetically active atoms (nonzero spin) are in a first, static magnetic field and exposed to a second, oscillating magnetic field. Because of the interaction between the second magnetic field and the dipole moments of the nuclei aligned in the first, static magnetic field, resonance energy is released and generates a measurable electromagnetic field which contains detailed information relating to the structure, dynamics, the reaction state and the chemical environment of the molecular material to be sensed (cf. P. Mazzei et al., HRMAS NMR spectroscopy applications in agriculture, Chem. Biol. Technol. Agric. (2017) 4:11 and the references cited therein). European Patent Appl.