Aspiration system for a work vehicle including an adjustably-sized venturi section

A work vehicle, comprising:

• an engine;
• an air filtration system configured to filter air provided to the engine;
• an exhaust tube through which an exhaust gas from the engine flows in a flow direction, the exhaust tube extending along the flow direction from an upstream end to a downstream end, the exhaust tube defining an exhaust passage extending from the upstream end of the exhaust tube to the downstream end of the exhaust tube, the exhaust tube including a venturi portion;
• an aspiration tube fluidly coupled between the air filtration system and the exhaust tube, the aspiration tube defining an aspiration passage extending between the air filtration system and the exhaust tube;
• a flow adjustment mechanism provided in operative association with the venturi portion such that the flow adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a cross-sectional flow area of the venturi portion of the exhaust tube;
• and
• a controller supported relative to the work vehicle and being configured to monitor a backpressure of the exhaust gas upstream of the venturi portion relative to a predetermined range, the controller being further configured to control an operation of the flow adjustment mechanism to adjust the cross-sectional flow area of the venturi portion of the exhaust tube when the backpressure of the exhaust gas falls outside the predetermined range.

A method of aspirating an air filtration system of a work vehicle, the air filtration system including an aspiration tube in fluid communication with an exhaust tube of the work vehicle, the exhaust tube including a venturi portion, the method comprising:

• monitoring, with a computing device, a backpressure of an exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust tube upstream of the venturi portion
• comparing, with the computing device, the backpressure of the exhaust gas to a predetermined range set for the backpressure;
• adjusting, with the computing device, a cross-sectional flow area of the venturi portion of the exhaust tube when it is determined that the backpressure of the exhaust gas falls outside the predetermined range;
• and
• generating an aspirated airflow through the aspiration tube via the venturi portion to remove particulates from the air filtration system.