Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
1973
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Agricultural Engineering
Abstract
When agriculture was at the stage of horse drawn implements, man used an umbrella or some other form of sunshade to reduce radiation from the sun. An umbrella sufficed as an attempt at environmental control. Farmers worked long hours and little concern was given to personal comfort. Environmental control measures for farmers improved little with the introduction of the farm tractor. The farmer then moved the umbrella from the horse drawn implement to a mount over the tractor seat. Later tractors were developed with windshields or simply windbreaks. These offered protection only when going against the wind and dust. For winter use a canvas comfort cab was developed which directed heat from the engine to the operator's lower body area. With the present day concern for the value and quality of human life an "umbrella.tr is no longer adequate. It is the belief that correct comfort of the operator, the feeling that puts him physically at ease, can reduce heat or cold stress. He can also be protected from flying objects and dust with the use of a tractor cab. The conditioning and control of air in an agricultural tractor cab is a relatively new field. Establishing criteria for acceptable comfort zones within a tractor cab is the first step in the-design of adequate environmental control for the operator. A second step is to evaluate a particular air distribution and control system design relative to acceptable comfort zones. The objectives of this study were:
1. Establish criteria for determining acceptable comfort within a tractor cab for summer cooling.
2. Design three air distribution systems for a typical present day tractor cab. 3. Evaluate the three air distribution systems on the basis of the criteria established.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Agricultural machinery
Air conditioning
South Dakota State University Theses
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
61
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Vig, MIchael Albert, "Design and Evaluation of Air Distribution Systems in Agricultural Tractor Cabs for Summer Environmental Control" (1973). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3966.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/3966