Nozzle Type and Driving Speed Effects on Spray Density of Aerial Application According to the Wind Tunnel Measurements

Abstract

Spray density (Number of droplets/cm2) is an important component of agricultural spraying processes. In the field, assessment of the spray density under effect of a number of variables such as nozzle type and driving speed without take in account the effect of cross wind speed is insufficient. In this study, to simulate field spray operation, tests were carried out in wind tunnel using automatic spraying mechanism to investigate and to clarify effect of three types of flat fan nozzle tip spray at three driving speeds under effect three cross wind speeds on spray density. Water sensitive papers (WSPs) were used to collect spray density data. Spray density was calculated through image processing program software. Performance of spray nozzles was validated relative to experimental data of a TP11003 reference nozzle. Results indicated that XR11003 nozzle behavior was to some extent similar to that TP11003 nozzle under effect slow wind speed. It is also noticed that the spray density value decreased with increasing driving speed and wind speed, the spray density value with driving speed of 2.2 m/s and wind speed of 1 m/s was the best, reaching 64.3 droplet /cm2. While the spray density value with driving speed of 5.5 m/s and wind speed of 3 m/s was the least, reaching 3.8 droplet /cm2. The current study presents that the use of DG11003 nozzle gives the best control spray density data under effect very windy conditions to the reference nozzle.