Patent ID: 7877970
Filing Date: 2011-02-01
Classification: A01D,A01F

Abstract:
1. A biomass harvesting system for harvesting agricultural plant growth from agricultural fields, said biomass harvesting system comprising in operative combination: a power source for providing mechanical and electric power to said system; a biomass accumulator for producing discrete units of accumulated biomass; a windrower for feeding biomass to said biomass accumulator; a biomass quality analyzer for determining a set of quality characteristics of the accumulated biomass, said biomass quality analyzer comprising a spectrometer and an associated sensor head connected thereto, said sensor head positioned to scan the stream of chopped agricultural plant growth fed to the biomass accumulator from the windrower; a dirt control system for controlling the quantity of dirt in the accumulated biomass; a ground cover residue monitor for determining on optimal quantity of biomass residue to remain on the agricultural field; an active tracking system for identifying individual ones of the discrete units of accumulated biomass; and a central processing unit including a memory module storing an executable instruction set therein, said central processing unit being responsive to said executed instruction set for integrated management of said dirt control system, said biomass quality analyzer, said ground cover residue monitor, and said active tracking system; said windrower having at least one chopping unit for chopping the agricultural plant growth and a transporter for collecting the chopped agricultural plant growth, said transporter moving the chopped agricultural plant growth to a windrow for collection by said biomass accumulator, said transporter having adjustable slots therein for the selective sifting out of unwanted particles; and said central processing unit adjusting a height above ground surface of said chopping unit, a speed of said chopping unit, and a size of said adjustable slots in said transporter in response to electronic signals received from said biomass quality analyzer representing a quantity of unwanted particles contained in the chopped agricultural plant growth.