Centrifugal spreading : motion blurred images to determine the three components of fertiliser outlet velocity

In the optical control of centrifugal spreading, the use of a single CCD camera to measure the outlet velocity is not limited to flat discs and 2D motion estimation. Combining the kinetic study of the fertiliser motion on the vane and the geometric analysis of image acquisition, the 3D components of the outlet velocity can be deduced from motion blurred images in the case of a traditional concave disc. The estimation of the horizontal and vertical outlet velocities is useful to predict spread patterns using ballistic flight models. This opens up the possibility to implement simple spreader test tools for quality diagnoses or sensors for feedback loop adjustments.