On the Reliability of Intelligent Fuzzy System for Multivariate Pattern Scrutinization of Power Consumption Efficiency of Mechanical Front Wheel Drive Tractor

Purpose Multivariate intelligent simulation of engineering phenomena can be a supportive manner for integrated realization of compound patterns of involved parameters. This paper was aimed to scrutinize power consumption efficiency of mechanical front wheel drive (MFWD) tractor during tillage process by means of an artificial intelligence system (intelligent fuzzy system). Method The system was developed by various numbers and types of input membership functions, defuzzification methods, types of output membership functions, and the numbers of training cycles. Promising performance of the prominent system guaranteed its reliability for simulation of tractor power consumption efficiency on the basis of operational variables of tillage depth (10–30 cm), speed (2–6 km/h), and tractor driving modes (two-wheel drive (2WD) and four-wheel drive (4WD)). Results The simulation results demonstrated a pattern of increasing nonlinear variations of the power consumption efficiency versus proliferation of tillage depth and speed for both tractor driving modes. However, the power consumption efficiency simulated in a range of 25.87–42.29% was slightly higher for the 2WD than the 4WD mode, in tested ranges of tillage depths and speeds. Taking the power consumption efficiency components (power transmission, slip, motion, and drawbar power consumption efficiency) into consideration, it was elucidated that a major portion of power produced by the tractor engine was wasted over unconsumed drawbar pull followed by slip of driving wheels. Conclusion The developed intelligent fuzzy system improved exhaustive comprehension of the phenomenon.