Effect of angled spray nozzle designs on spray distribution and droplet spectrum

Matheus Mereb Negrisoli,Diego Miranda De Souza,Patrick Julio De Jesus,Danilo Morilha Rodrigues,Carlos Gilberto Raetano

doi:10.5935/1806-6690.20210029

Matheus Mereb Negrisoli, Diego Miranda De Souza + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5935/1806-6690.20210029

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Abstract

ABSTRACT New technologies have been developed to promote uniform, sustainable, safe and effective application of phytosanitary products. In this scenario, spray nozzles of different designs and jet angles can optimize application. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the effect of angled flat fan spray nozzles on spray pattern uniformity and droplet spectrum formation. The spray volumetric distribution of standard flat fan, double flat fan and the new angled flat fan spray nozzle, using two spray volumes were assessed. For that, the spray pattern distribution and the coefficient of variation (CV) were determined. The droplet spectrum characterization produced by the same treatments was performed in a real-time particle size analyzer. Also the effect of adding a fungicide mixture associated with an adjuvant on droplet formation was evaluated. All spray nozzles, regardless of design and spray volumes evaluated, produced CV values below 7%, considered acceptable by international uniformity standards. There was a difference in spray pattern according to the spray nozzle design and spray volume. It was evidenced that the main differences found in droplet spectrum occurred due to spray nozzle type, spray mixture and nominal flow rate, with little influence of spray jet angled or spray volumes.

Highlights

Phytosanitary products are widely used in agriculture through spraying onto several crops
All flat fan nozzles (AXI, JGT and Defy 3D), in both spray volumes (125 and 250 L ha-1), presented similar spray pattern distribution, with a peak of volume collected in the central region of the channels right below the tip of the spray nozzle, with a gradual volume reduction towards the channels at the end of both sides of the spray jet (Figure 1)
The spray nozzles AXI, JGT and Defy 3D, regardless of the flow rate, angle of the spray jet and operational conditions showed adequate spray distribution uniformity with a coefficient of variation below 7%

Summary

Introduction

Phytosanitary products are widely used in agriculture through spraying onto several crops. The quality of a spray application is directly influenced by the components of the sprayer (FERGUSON et al, 2015; MASSOLA et al, 2018), application parameters (FORNEY et al, 2017; HASSEN; SIDIK; SHERIFF, 2013) and climate conditions (DE COCK et al, 2017). In this scenario, pesticide application technology plays a key role in determining the best parameters for each situation, which may vary according to the target as well as the pesticide being used (DE COCK et al, 2017; NUYTTENS; ZWERTVAEGHER; DEKEYSER, 2017). One of the most important factors is to achieve a uniform spraying distribution throughout the field at the correct dosage and with minimum product losses due to spray drift (DE COCK et al, 2017; MATUO, 1990)

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