Innovative additive dispenser for Krone’s BiG Pack

The new Krone BiG Pack models of the fifth generation are now available with an integral dispenser for silage or conservation additives. The unit can also be installed on other silage harvesting equipment.

As its stand-out feature, it dispenses additives according to the current throughput rate – a unique technology which is only available from Krone. With this innovative in-house development, Krone is responding to frequent requests by contractors around the world. US farmers and contractors in particular use dispensers on all Big balers to ensure the long-term quality and stability of their crops.

The Krone system comprises an approx. 400-litre tank which is mounted behind the yoke on the tube steel frame. The tank has a large filling opening with a sieve and labyrinth ventilation and a filling level sensor. The current filling height is indicated on the cab-mounted terminal screen, and operators can pre-set whether and at which filling level an alarm is signaled. The pump is housed in a box above the yoke where it is well protected from the ingress of dust and at the same time is easy to get at.

Several hoses are coupled behind the baler’s lamp bracket. A filling hose, a rinsing hose and a sump emptying mechanism make it easy to service the system. Four customary flat spray nozzles are installed behind the pick-up where they apply a uniform spray onto the material. Access to these nozzles is without tools, so replacing them by nozzles with larger outlets is easy.

Simple and practical

And this is how the additive pump works: A three-way stopcock on the right allows operators to switch between the suction line to the tank and the rinsing line. An integral filter ensures the lines will not clog. A flow-metering sensor measures the current flow rate, while a gear pump in combination with two valves allows operators to select individual rates from 0.5-6.5 l/m. The additive flows through two lines to the two nozzles at the end of each line.

Thanks to the intuitive operator terminal, tractor drivers can operate the integral unit conveniently in one of several modes. Yet the special convenience feature of the new system is the fact that the dispensing rate is controlled by the current throughput. This is done either by using the weighing information from the bale chute or by entering the bale weight manually. You either select a specific flow rate (l/t) or have the rate automatically controlled relative to current moisture levels (l/t) or by using a combination of both. Another way of doing this is to enter the flow rate as a percentage figure.

Pump servicing is conveniently enabled by pressing a push button. An extra pressure outlet ensures all lines to the nozzles are emptied completely. The pump assembly is also removed conveniently from the machine, such as for winter storage. To do that, simply undo two wing screws and remove the lines. No tools required.

A flow-metering system measures the current flow rate on the Krone BiG Pack baler