Method and system for preventing plugging of an agricultural particulate material

1. A system for distributing an agricultural particulate material as part of a crop production process, the system comprising:

a distribution line configured to receive an air entrained flow of particles;

a flow sensor configured to measure a flow parameter associated with the air entrained flow of particles through the distribution line; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the flow sensor, the controller including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the controller to:

monitor a flow parameter associated with the air entrained flow of particles through the distribution line to establish a baseline operating level for the flow parameter;

determine that a change in the monitored flow parameter over time is associated with a plugging flow pattern that is indicative of potential plugging of the distribution line, the plugging flow pattern being represented by a reduction in the flow parameter below a first predetermined flow value defined relative to the baseline operating level across a first predetermined time interval followed by an increase in the flow parameter to within a predetermined threshold range defined relative to the baseline operating level; and

when it is determined that the monitored flow parameter has experienced the plugging flow pattern, automatically initiate a corrective action associated with reducing a likelihood of the distribution line plugging.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow parameter is indicative of an air flow rate of the air flow through the distribution line.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow parameter is indicative of an air pressure within the distribution line.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow parameter is indicative of a particle flow rate of the particles through the distribution line.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow parameter is indicative of an average particle velocity of the particles through the distribution line.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the baseline operating level based on an average of the monitored flow parameter values during a predetermined initial time interval preceding the flow parameter experiencing the plugging flow pattern.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plugging flow pattern is representative of a pattern of the monitored flow parameter across a predetermined total time interval, the predetermined total time interval being less than two seconds.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plugging flow pattern includes a predetermined settling time interval in which the flow parameter remains within the predetermined threshold range defined relative to the baseline operating level.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the corrective action includes increasing an air flow rate of the air flow through the distribution line.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the corrective action includes providing an alert for an operator of the agricultural implement.

11. A method for distributing an agricultural particulate material as part of a crop production process using a distribution line configured to receive an air entrained flow of particles, the method comprising:

monitoring, with one or more computing devices, a flow parameter associated with the air entrained flow of particles through the distribution line to establish a baseline operating level for the flow parameter;

determining, with the one or more computing devices, that a change in the monitored flow parameter over time is associated with a plugging flow pattern that is indicative of potential plugging of the distribution line, the plugging flow pattern being represented by a reduction in the flow parameter below a first predetermined flow value defined relative to the baseline operating level across a first predetermined time interval followed by an increase in the flow parameter to within a predetermined threshold range defined relative to the baseline operating level; and

when it is determined that the monitored flow parameter has experienced the plugging flow pattern, automatically initiating, with the one or more computing devices, a corrective action associated with reducing a likelihood of the distribution line plugging.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein monitoring the flow parameter includes monitoring an air flow rate of the air flow through the distribution line.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein monitoring the flow parameter includes monitoring an air pressure within the distribution line.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein monitoring the flow parameter includes monitoring a particle flow rate of the particles through the distribution line.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein monitoring the flow parameter includes monitoring a particle velocity of the particles through the distribution line.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining the baseline operating level based on an average monitored flow parameter value during a predetermined initial time interval preceding the flow parameter experiencing the plugging flow pattern.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plugging flow pattern includes a predetermined settling time interval in which the flow parameter remains within the predetermined threshold range defined relative to the baseline operating level.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plugging flow pattern is representative of a pattern of the monitored flow parameter across a predetermined total time interval, the predetermined total time interval being less than two seconds.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein automatically initiating the corrective action includes increasing an air flow rate through the distribution line.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein automatically initiating the corrective action includes providing an alert for an operator of the agricultural implement.