Industrial Tech Days, CNH innovations on stage in Arizona
The two latest 'green' prototypes developed by New Holland were unveiled in Phoenix (Arizona, USA) last December. At the CNH Industrial Tech Days event, a two-day event organised by the Italian multinational precisely with the aim of launching the two prototypes, the T7 Methane Power powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the T4 Electric Power took their first steps. The T7 Methane Power - reads a company note - has been designed to meet the growing market demand for high-powered machines with reduced emissions and running costs (270 horsepower and torque are the same as the diesel model). The liquefied natural gas fuel system - explains the manufacturer - is very advantageous not only in terms of the machine's operating range, which is far greater than that of other LNG models, but also because this type of fuel offers four times the storage capacity of compressed gas. The CNH prototype is equipped with a temperature-controlled propulsion system, which includes a cryogenic, moulded stainless steel tank that matches its diesel counterpart and allows the liquefied methane to be effectively stored inside the tractor. A self-supporting void space isolates the fuel inside the tank and reduces its thickness, while active tank temperature control technology ensures smooth engine operation. The T7 Methane Power LNG can be fuelled with liquefied biomethane from livestock manure, making it a highly sustainable solution. The first prototype of an electric utility tractor also made its debut at the CNH Industrial Tech Days. The T4 Electric Power - this is the name of the model - is suitable for all those jobs that do not require a lot of power. Developed in collaboration with Monarch Tractor, a company specialising in electrification in the agro-mechanical field, the T4 Electric Power features high battery capacity (up to a full day's work, with recharging time reduced to just one hour) and top-level performance. Moreover, the tractor can also be used as a back-up generator to power other devices and machines or to supply energy to implements. The noise reduction is also significant (90% less than traditional models), which allows the machine to be used even at night. Still on the subject of performance, the T4 Electric Power stands out for its control and responsiveness, with considerable savings in terms of running and maintenance costs. At the U.S. event, New Holland turned the spotlight on some important automation technologies such as the Agritechnica silver medal-winning New Holland Baler Automation System, available on the BigBaler High Density, which combines automatic windrow guidance with automatic speed and bale weight control. Also on show in Phoenix, the IntelliSense automation system for the CR Revelation combine. To optimise harvesting, New Holland's in-house technology selects every 20 seconds the best action out of 280 million, makes preventive adjustments, maximises productivity, minimises losses and grain damage through precise load measurements. Based on this data, the system can constantly adjust the speed and angle of the Twin RotorTM vanes, fan speed and the opening of the pre-sieve, and of the top and bottom sieve to automatically achieve the desired result.
