Pressure-based blockage detection system and method in crop production systems

1. A crop production system, comprising:

an air source configured to provide an air flow to convey a particulate material through a pneumatic flow path;

at least one electrical sensor configured to determine pressure within the pneumatic flow path and to transmit a first signal indicative of the pressure; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and to the air source, wherein the controller is configured to detect a blockage in the crop production system based on a change in the first signal and to transmit a second signal to the air source that instructs the air source to change operation in response to detection of the blockage.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical sensor may be positioned anywhere along the pneumatic flow path.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second signal is indicative of a change in a speed of the air flow.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a user interface is configured to display an alarm indicating blockage in the crop production system in response to a third signal from the controller.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the user interface is configured to display changes in the first signal indicative of the pressure.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising a particulate delivery system configured to alter particulate delivery upon receiving a third signal from the controller indicating blockage.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical sensor is configured to determine static pressure or dynamic pressure.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second signal is indicative of an increase in a speed of the air flow.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second signal is indicative of alternating decreasing and increasing speeds of the air flow.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller signals a compressed air injector to release compressed air into the pneumatic flow path in response to detection of the blockage in the crop production system.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller signals a vibrator to vibrate a particulate distribution line in response to detection of the blockage in the crop production system.

12. A crop production system comprising:

a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of pressure within a pneumatic flow path configured to convey a particulate material, to monitor a magnitude of oscillations of the signal, and determine blockage in the pneumatic seed distribution system based on a change in the oscillations of the signal below a threshold range or a change in the frequency of the oscillations of the signal.

13. The crop production system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to activate a blockage alarm in response to detecting the blockage.

14. The crop production system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to activate a blockage removal system to remove the blockage in response to detecting the blockage.

15. The crop production system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to stop a particulate delivery system in response to detecting the blockage.

16. The crop production system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to send the changes in pressure magnitudes or frequencies to a user interface.

17. A method for determining blockage in a crop production system, comprising:

receiving a signal indicative of pressure within a pneumatic flow path;

calculating a magnitude of oscillations within the signal; and

determining blockage in the pneumatic seed distribution system based on a decrease in the magnitude of the oscillations of the signal below a threshold range a change in the frequency of the oscillations of the signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising stopping a particulate delivery system in response to detecting the blockage.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising removing the blockage by activating a blockage removal system.