Hydropneumatic Suspension Design
This study proposes a robust and cheap hydropneumatic suspension system for agricultural trailers used to spread crop protection. This kind of vehicle has a high dynamic load factor that increases the axles loads when it is in use and require a height control to assure the same spraying efficiency keeping constant the distance between the spray nozzles and the crop. As the tractor has its own hydraulic system, the hydropneumatic suspension conception take in account that height control will be done by the hydraulic fluid, being the mass of gas kept constant. A mathematical model of the hydropneumatic spring stiffness behavior was developed, as well as a methodology to define the suspension parameters. Experimental validation of the mathematical model was carried out through the use of a real agricultural trailer, equipped with a hydropneumatic suspension projected using the procedure presented, and tested in a hydropuls® road simulator.