CFD AND TEST OF SINGLE SIDE GANTRY BOOM SPRAYER FOR APPLE ORCHARDS

Peng Huo,Jianping Li,Yongliang Bian,Pengfei Wang,Chunlin Xue

doi:10.1590/1809-4430-eng.agric.v41n5p536-550/2021

Abstract

Aiming at addressing the uneven pesticide distribution when spraying high-spindle apple trees, the parameters of a homemade profiling boom sprayer were analysed, and the optimal parameter combinations of the profiling sprayer were determined. Fluent was used to simulate the spray for various parameter values. The goodness of fit (R2) with experimentally measured data was 0.9270, which verified the accuracy of the numerical simulations. The response surface methodology (RSM) method was used to obtain optimal parameter values from the simulations, and the effective collection rate and spray distribution coefficient of variation were introduced as response values. A sprayer prototype was manufactured based on the optimal parameters determined by RSM analysis, and the results were verified by vertical droplet distribution tests. The results showed that the spray quality increased by 0.7%, 0.9%, and 0.3% for the three best parameters combinations, the droplet distribution was more uniform, and the effect of the profiling spray was better than that of the control tests. The results can provide guidance for the design of sprayers for orchards, and the optimal combination of parameters can provide a basis for subsequent research on precision modelling of profile spraying.

Highlights

With the continuous development and updating of orchard plant protection machinery, researchers have found that profiling application technology has a good effect on orchard plant protection (Zhai et al, 2018a; Zhou et al, 2017; Liangfu et al, 2018)
Li et al 2017a used an automatic profiling sprayer equipped with a laser sensor to detect the volume of the fruit tree canopy and adjust the air volume and spray volume in real time, providing a novel method and innovative equipment for the prevention and control of fruit tree diseases and insect pests (Li et al 2017b)
Based on the three sets of optimal parameters obtained from the optimization analysis of the simulations, a prototype was developed, and the sprayer application effect was studied through field tests

Summary

INTRODUCTION

With the continuous development and updating of orchard plant protection machinery, researchers have found that profiling application technology has a good effect on orchard plant protection (Zhai et al, 2018a; Zhou et al, 2017; Liangfu et al, 2018).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

FIELD TEST, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS