Operation Of Sprayer Research Articles

Optimization of a Boom Height Ultrasonic Detecting Model for the Whole Growth Cycle of Wheat: Affected by the Oscillation of the Three-Section Boom of the Sprayer

In the dynamic operation of a boom sprayer, the boom oscillation will cause the detection value of the boom height to fluctuate greatly, resulting in failures of the control system. Based on the previously developed static boom height detection model for the entire wheat growth cycle, this study aimed to optimize the model to reduce the impact of boom oscillation on the accuracy of boom height detection. Three ultrasonic sensors were installed on each section boom of a three-section boom sprayer, and dynamic boom height detection tests were conducted at vehicle speeds of 4 to 8 km/h across six growth stages of winter wheat in Beijing, a total detection area within a single fixed operational row of approximately 14 ha. The test results showed that as vehicle speed increased, boom oscillations intensified across all sections. By setting the boom oscillation correction parameters, the detecting value of each section of boom height is corrected. The results show that the fluctuation and deviation degree of the boom height-detecting value are obviously reduced, and the correction effect is obvious. Further analysis of the detecting value of the boom height after the correction shows that the previously established detection model still maintains high detection accuracy under dynamic conditions; that is, the detection position of the ultrasonic sensor does not downward shift. This paper provides a low-cost technical method that can be directly applied to the dynamic detection of boom height.

Justification of range limits of root spray angle of an adaptive spraying device

BACKGROUND: Oscillations of the sprayer field boom in the transverse-vertical plane causes a decrease in the quality of the technological operation. This is especially true in relation to the operation of small-sized single-support barrow-type sprayers. One of the possible solutions to compensate the effect of transverse oscillations of the boom on the quality of spraying is the use of adaptive sprayers with a variable root angle of the spray jet, responding to the position taken by the sprayer in relation to the surface being treated. AIM: Justification of the necessary limits for changing the spray angles of an adaptive sprayer for a single-support spraying device. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that insufficient attention is paid to the implementation of technologies using means of small-scale mechanization, unlike industrial agricultural machinery. METHODS: A prototype of a single-support boom motor sprayer was used as the study object. The field experiment was carried out at the experimental area of the Oryol State Agrarian University. Data acquisition on the deviation of the sprayer from the vertical axis was carried out using a specially developed angle gauge. A spreadsheet processor in the Microsoft Excel environment was used to perform mathematical processing of the decrypted experimental data. The study of the obtained analytical dependencies was carried out in the environment of the Mathcad 14.0 mathematical calculation system. RESULTS: It has been experimentally found that the maximum deviations of the sprayer from the vertical can be up to 30° during operation. At the same time, the average amplitude of the transverse operating oscillations of the boom of a single-support barrow-type boom sprayer ranges from +11° to -18°. The amplitude of the transverse oscillations of a single-support sprayer depends on the operator’s skills and the unit motion velocity. Balancing the sprayer is important due to the moment of force caused by the weight of the one-sided field boom. A formula for calculation of the spray width of one sprayer, taking into account the geometric parameters of a single-support sprayer, as well as its inclination angle in the transverse-vertical plane, has been derived. An analytical relationship that makes it possible to calculate the required limits of the root angle of the spray jet of an adaptive sprayer, taking into account the installation distance of the sprayer relative to the vertical plane passing through the support point of the sprayer, has been obtained. The values of the root spray angles for the deflectors of adaptive sprayers, with the sprayer oscillations amplitude from -18° to +11° in the transverse-vertical plane, were found. CONCLUSIONS: The practical value of the study lies in the potential of using the formula to determine the range limits of root spray angles when designing and developing adaptive sprayers.

Spray Drift, Operator Exposure, Crop Residue and Efficacy: Early Indications for Equivalency of Uncrewed Aerial Spray Systems with Conventional Application Techniques

Highlights Initial data shows UASS spray drift is greater than ground, less than aerial, and similar to an airblast application. Operator exposure with UASS is less than that of a backpack sprayer. No current data shows that residues on crops from UASS applications would be different than conventional applications. UASS applications generally have similar efficacy as their conventional counterparts. Abstract. Uncrewed Aerial Spray Systems (UASS) are being adopted at a rapid pace in agricultural applications of crop protection products. The data required to effectively regulate their use must be gathered to position UASS in terms of equivalency with other conventional practices. In Fall 2021, the CropLife America Drones Working Group initiated an effort to collect published information on establishing the equivalency of UASS applications with conventional application types as it relates to spray drift, operator exposure, crop residue, and efficacy. Based on the published literature, our comparison demonstrated that UASS spray drift is lower than aerial, higher than ground boom, and similar to orchard airblast applications. However, this comparison is based on limited data and needs further confirmation. Individual use cases and other application variables will need to be considered to determine if this generalization applies (e.g., adjuvant use, rotor and nozzle configuration, etc.). For operator exposure, this work supported the current consensus that applications with UASS have less potential for exposure in some respects (e.g., compared to backpack applications), but for other job steps that are unique to UASS (such as mixing and loading) more information is needed. With respect to crop residue, UASS applicators follow the label for conventional application techniques with the same directions for use (i.e., application rate, pre-harvest interval, and number of applications), but there is no evidence that pesticide residues resulting from a UASS application are any different to conventional application techniques. In terms of efficacy, applications with UASS tend to be equivalent to conventional methods; however, more information is needed, especially where good coverage is a requirement. The assessment of published literature on UASS demonstrates potential equivalency in certain key areas and supports the responsible use of this emerging technology, while more information on spray distribution within the target zone, off-target droplet movement, operator and bystander exposure, and pesticidal efficacy continues to be generated. Keywords: Drone, Efficacy, Emerging technology, Operator exposure, Pesticide, Residue, Spray drift, UASS.

喷杆喷雾机双摆悬架动力学特性研究

During the operation of a boom sprayer, various excitations can cause the boom to roll, yaw, or jolt, which can negatively impact the spray effect. In order to maintain the stability of the boom, it is crucial to incorporate a suspension between the vehicle body and the boom. This study established a dynamic model that describes the roll of a boom mounted on a double-pendulum suspension. The transfer function and frequency response function of the passive suspension were obtained, with the ground slope angle as input and the boom inclination angle as output. The analysis results showed that the passive suspension can partially isolate high-frequency disturbances but cannot follow low-frequency signals. For the active suspension, the transient and frequency responses were analyzed by numerical integration algorithm, the harmonic balance method and numerical solution. The results indicated that the active suspension can enable the boom to follow the ground slope, track low-frequency signals to a certain extent, and isolate high-frequency signals. The proposed mathematical model can be utilized to analyze the dynamic characteristics and provide guidance for the double-pendulum suspension design.

Assessing IRS performance in a gender-integrated vector control programme on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, 2010–2021

BackgroundIndoor residual spraying (IRS) is a common vector control strategy in countries with high malaria burden. Historically, social norms have prevented women from working in IRS programmes. The Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project has actively sought to reduce gender inequality in malaria control operations for many years by promoting women’s participation in IRS.MethodsThis study investigated the progress of female engagement and compared spray productivity by gender from 2010 to 2021, using inferential tests and multivariable regression. Spray productivity was measured by rooms sprayed by spray operator per day (RSOD), houses sprayed by spray operator per day (HSOD), and the daily productivity ratio (DPR), defined as the ratio of RSOD to HSOD, which standardized productivity by house size.ResultsThe percentage of women participating in IRS has increased over time. The difference in DPR comparing male and female spray operators was only statistically significant (p < 0.05) for two rounds, where the value was higher for women compared to men. Regression analyses showed marginal, significant differences in DPR between men and women, but beta coefficients were extremely small and thus not indicative of a measurable effect of gender on operational performance.ConclusionsThe quantitative analyses of spray productivity are counter to stigmatizing beliefs that women are less capable than male counterparts during IRS spray rounds. The findings from this research support the participation of women in IRS campaigns, and a renewed effort to implement equitable policies and practices that intentionally engage women in vector control activities.

Automatic sprayer operation control

U radu je prikazana suvremena poljoprivredna tehnika u zaštiti bilja kroz pojašnjen pristup rada automatske kontrole rada prskalice. Prikazani su moderni sustavi za nivelaciju armature upotrebom senzora i ukazana važnost korištenja GIS navođenja kao glavne smjernice precizne poljoprivrede. U radu su dani konkretni primjeri prskalica na kojima su postavljeni automatski sustavi poput Amatron 3, Arag sustav, BoomTrac Pro gdje su ukazane sve prednosti navedenih. Korištenjem suvremene tehnike i dodatne digitalne opreme omogućena je kvalitetna aplikacija zaštitnih sredstava uz višestruke uštede.

Development of a Control System for Double-Pendulum Active Spray Boom Suspension Based on PSO and Fuzzy PID

During the operation of boom sprayers in the field, it is crucial to ensure that the entire boom is maintained at an optimal height relative to the ground or crop canopy. Active suspension is usually used to adjust the height. A control system for double-pendulum active suspension was developed in this paper. The control system consisted of a main control node, two distance measurement nodes, a vehicle inclination detection node, and an execution node. Communication between nodes was carried out using a CAN bus. The hardware was selected, and the interface circuits of the sensors and the actuator were designed. The transfer functions of the active suspension and electric linear actuator were established. In order to enhance the efficiency of the control system, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was employed to optimize the initial parameters of the fuzzy PID controller. The simulation results demonstrated that the PSO-based fuzzy PID controller exhibited improvements in terms of reduced overshoot and decreased settling time when compared to conventional PID and fuzzy PID controllers. The experimental results showed that the active suspension system equipped with the control system could effectively isolate high-frequency disturbances and follow low-frequency ground undulations, meeting the operational requirements.

Technological process of field crops spraying with slotted sprayers

BACKGROUND: The subject of the study is the technological process of spraying field crops with slotted sprayers and the indicators dispersion.&#x0D; AIMS: Improving the technological process of spraying plants with the use of pneumo-hydraulic slotted sprayers.&#x0D; METHODS: Special equipment was used for photographing films of the liquid being sprayed under various operating modes of slotted sprayers with the possibility of calculating the size of the droplets. Fulfillment of the requirements for the number of drops/cm2 at the treated object, overlapping the liquid spray jets ensures uniform distribution of drops over the spraying width. Therefore, it was sufficient to have information about the fragmentation of the thickness of the liquid film along the axis of the nozzle spray liquid into drops and obtaining their quantity per unit time depending on the flow rate of the working fluid.&#x0D; Newness of the research lies in determining the effective operation of slotted sprayers as part of the spraying device.&#x0D; RESULTS: With the use of the special equipment, it is possible to fulfill agrotechnical requirements for droplet sizes. When using herbicides for foliar post-emergence treatment with a systemic pesticide, the limits of MMD range are from 226 m to 400 m. Soil herbicide treatment with a systemic pesticide requires an increased droplet MMD range of 401 m to 500 m and 500 m. The number of drops/cm2 when using fungicides is limited from 50 to 70, insecticides from 20 to 30, and herbicides from 20 to 40.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: The applied technology makes it possible to reduce the consumption of preparations and working fluid with high work performance and resource saving. The above research results can be used as the basis for determining the effective technology of a boom sprayer with slotted liquid sprayers. Fulfillment of the requirements for the number of drops/cm2 at the treatment facility overlapping liquid spray torches ensures a uniform distribution of drops over the spraying width. Therefore, it suffices to know about the division of the thickness of the liquid film along the axis of the liquid spray jet into drops and to obtain their number per unit time.

Residual efficacy of SumiShield™ 50WG for indoor residual spraying in Ethiopia

BackgroundThe rate of decay of the biological efficacy of insecticides used for indoor residual spraying (IRS) is an important factor when making decisions on insecticide choice for national malaria control programmes. A key roadblock to IRS programme is insecticide resistance. If resistance is detected to most of the existing insecticides used for IRS (DDT, pyrethroids, organophosphates and carbamates), the logical next choice could be neonicotinoid insecticides, as pyrethroids are used to treat nets. SumiShield™ 50WG belongs to the neonicotinoid class of insecticides and has shown promising results in several phase I, II and III trials in different settings. The aim of this study was to assess the persistence of SumiShield™ 50WG by spraying on different wall surfaces and determine its decay rates over time in Ethiopia.MethodsFive huts with different wall surface types (mud, dung, paint and cement) which represented the Ethiopian house wall surfaces were used to evaluate the residual efficacy of SumiShield™ 50WG. Actellic 300CS sprayed on similar wall surfaces of another five huts was used as a comparator insecticide and two huts sprayed with water were used as a control. All huts were sprayed uniformly by an experienced spray operator; non-stop starting from the door and moving clockwise to cover the entire wall surface of the hut. The treatments were assigned to huts randomly. The residual efficacy of the insecticide formulations was evaluated against a susceptible insectary-reared population of Anopheles arabiensis using WHO cone bioassays.ResultsSumiShield™ 50WG resulted in mortality rates of over 80% at 120 h post-exposure on all surface types for up to nine months post-spray, while Actellic 300CS yielded mortality rates of over 80% for eight months after spray.ConclusionsThe results of this trial demonstrated that the residual efficacy of SumiShield™ 50WG extends up to nine months on all treated wall surface types. The long-lasting residual efficacy and unique mode of action of the SemiShield™ 50WG shows that it could be an ideal product to be considered as a potential candidate insecticide formulation for IRS in malaria endemic countries such as Ethiopia or other sub-Saharan countries where the transmission season lasts up to four months or longer.

Design and Experimental Verification of the YOLOV5 Model Implanted with a Transformer Module for Target-Oriented Spraying in Cabbage Farming

Due to large line spacing and planting distances, the adoption of continuous and uniform pesticide spraying in vegetable farming can lead to pesticide waste, thus increasing cost and environmental pollution. In this paper, by applying deep learning and online identification methods, control technology for target-oriented spraying is studied with cabbages as the research object. To overcome motion blur and low average precision under strong light conditions during the operation of sprayers, an innovative YOLOV5 model implanted with a transformer module is utilized to achieve accurate online identification for cabbage fields under complex environments. Based on this concept, a new target-oriented spray system is built on an NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX. Indoor test results show that the average precision is 96.14% and the image processing time is 51.07 ms. When motion blur occurs, the average precision for the target is 90.31%. Then, in a field experiment, when the light intensity is within the range of 3.76–12.34 wlx, the advance opening distance is less than 3.51 cm, the delay closing distance is less than 2.05 cm, and the average identification error for the cabbage diameter is less than 1.45 cm. The experimental results indicate that changes in light intensity have no significant impact on the identification effect. The average precision is 98.65%, and the savings rate reaches 54.04%. In general, the target-oriented spray system designed in this study achieves the expected experimental results and can provide technical support for field target spraying.

Training Farmers in How to Apply Pesticides and Other Topical Subjects

When the use of chemical pesticides began to increase, there were several commercially available insecticides that were considered to be highly hazardous pesticides (HHP) to use. Methyl parathion was one of these insecticides. In Zimbabwe, it was decided that the containers of insecticide should have a colour to indicate its toxicity level as defined by the World Health Organisation. Thus, the colour purple indicated an extremely hazardous pesticide (Class I), while the colours red, orange and green indicated Classes II, III and unclassified pesticide. Pesticides with a purple or red label were not displayed and those who wished to purchase these products had to know about their higher toxicity and precautions to be taken when used. Despite this system of simple colour codes, many smallholder farmers in cotton growing areas did not know the significance of this code. In Zimbabwe, pesticides are now sold over the counter regardless of the toxicological and ecotoxicological impacts. However, this government policy was intended to stimulate and grow the agricultural sector, but small-scale farming is prevalent and dominated by vulnerable populations. Due to these factors, beneficiaries of subsidised pesticides engage in uncontrolled vending of pesticides. Companies have not adopted this and unfortunately, responsible registration in many countries has not limited the sale of HHP products. Without proper training workers have died or suffered illness following use of these pesticides. According to Rother label information is a poor communication vehicle regarding risks, so it is argued that the use of the term "misuse" of pesticides in the literature, and by regulators and industry inappropriately allocates blame of poisonings and environmental contamination to end-users. In the UK, the Crop Protection Association introduced a Voluntary Initiative aimed at improving the standards of pesticide use. This resulted in setting up the National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSo), which is open to anybody who holds an appropriate certificate of competence qualification approved by the Chemical Regulations Directorate (CRD) for the safe application of pesticides. In some countries, the government has supported Extension Services, usually linked to a University. These provide training for farmers, but in many parts of the world there has been relatively little attention to providing farmers adequate training on the correct and safe way to apply pesticides. The Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC), which is a part of the African Union (AU), was increasingly concerned about the safety and efficiency of pesticides used in Africa. In all member states, there were cases of pesticide abuse at the field level and lack of adequate control over the way pesticides were being used. In particular, small-scale farmers using knapsack sprayers and other portable application equipment were inadequately trained. Similarly, this was also a problem amongst plantation workers. An example of the problems in Nigeria is expressed by Asogwa et al and Onuegbu &amp; Harbor. The lack of training was also reported from Pakistan, where the majority of the farmers (88%) in the study had never received any formal training on the use of pesticides and knapsack sprayers. Instead farmers learnt methods of spraying pesticide, handling and tank filling by imitating their relatives or neighbours. Another contributing factor in acute pesticide poisoning of farmers was due to knapsack sprayers being poorly maintained. When spraying, most farmers had wet clothes owing to leakage from ill-fitting nozzles and poorly kept equipment. It was observed that most of the equipment that was in use, was locally made and was of poor quality. Many of the knapsack sprayers had been there for years without any maintenance, repair or replacement by new equipment. The lack of training and unavailability of safetyequipment is consistent with other studies. In 2000, FAO organised a Training programme for agricultural staff in tropical countries, who were expected to utilise their training to organise training sessions in their own country. The initial course was aimed at farms in Cameroon, but for a second course, participants were invited from other African countries. One result of these training sessions was a 273 page booklet produced by FAO.

Urinary metabolites of diazinon and chlorpyrifos in sprayer operators and farm workers of a potato farm

In order to investigate the effect of diazinon and chlorpyrifos on agricultural workers exposed to pesticides, urinary metabolites 2-Isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinol (IMPy) and 3,5,6-Trichloro-2-pyridinol (TPCy) in farm workers, sprayer operators, and non-exposed people as a control group were measured. The modified QuEChERS method was applied to extract samples and was measured using a gas chromatograph/nitrogen-phosphorus detector. The obtained results showed that the median concentrations of TCPy were 36.92–547.7 and 7.7–49.58 ng/mL for sprayer operators and farm workers, respectively. Moreover, the median concentrations of IMPy were 81.66–593.1 ng/mL for sprayer operators and 40.6–66.1 ng/mL for farm workers. The control group had no measurable metabolites. The IMPy level of 60% of sprayer operators was significantly higher (P ˂ 0.05) than the TCPy level. The analysis of variance highlighted the significant relationship (P ˂ 0.05) between the levels of each metabolite and the use of safety gloves, respiratory masks, safety goggles, working time per week, and type of insecticide exposure. Our findings revealed the need to measure the urinary metabolites of these insecticides in other exposed workers. Also, workers should be taught the impact of using personal protective equipment.

IMPROVMENT OF PESTICIDE APPLICATION QUALITY IN WINDY WEATHER

The application of process solutions of pesticides in the field is inevitably accompanied by losses, which it is not possible to eliminate completely at this stage. The greatest damage to the environment is caused by the drifting of preparations off the treated object during treatment in windy weather. The process of drifting the drops of the process solution, taking into account the impact of environmental factors on them, has not been fully studied; consequently, the results of practical experiments can be different, sometimes contradictory. The issue of compliance with technological recommendations and use of technical devices that reduce or prevent the drifting of drops of working solutions when spraying crops remains relevant. The studies of the movement of pesticide drops under the influence of various factors, the directions of possible reduction of losses due to drifting and the use of various designs of windproof devices to field sprayers are considered in the paper. The results of experimental studies of quantitative and qualitative indicators of drifting using hydraulic sprayers are presented: slit Teejet TR40015E, vortex Lurmark 30НСX3 and centrifugal POK-0.6, as well as a windproof device made in the form of a louver grille. Drifting degree of the working fluid, characterized by the coefficient of targeted use of the fluid and the distance of drifting of droplets were taken as the objective functions. As a result, recommendations on the use of hydraulic sprayers of various types when spraying in windy weather and the technological parameters of a louvered windproof device are given and justified. The results obtained were implemented in development of agricultural machines for the band fertilizing during plant care of vegetables and can be used in the design and operation of field sprayers.

Vision and Radar Steering Reduces Agricultural Sprayer Operator Stress without Compromising Steering Performance

HighlightsStress was measured in professional sprayer operators who, while working, drove manually and with vision or radar steering.Vision and radar steering reduced the average operator stress rate by 48% relative to manual steering.The use of automatic guidance could have a dramatic positive effect on the health of sprayer operators.Sprayer steering performance was reported for professional operators and both vision and radar guidance for the first time.Abstract. Self-propelled agricultural sprayer operators work an average of 15 h d-1 in peak season, and steering is the task that causes the operator the most stress because of the large number of stimuli involved. Automatic guidance systems help reduce stress and fatigue for operators by allowing them to focus on tasks other than steering. Physiological signals like skin conductance (electrodermal activity, EDA) change with stress and can be used to identify stressful events. The objective of this study was to determine if using a commercially available vision and radar guidance system (VSN®, Raven Industries) reduces agricultural sprayer operators’ stress compared to when they are steering manually. Four male professional sprayer operators participated in this study. Each operator performed his job duties normally in GPS-guidance-planted fields, at his self-selected speed, except to drive some passes manually and others with VSN in the same field. EDA was measured with an Empatica E4 wristband, and stressful events were quantified. Machine data (e.g., speed, RTK-GPS, and VSN metrics) were collected from each sprayer via CAN logs. The steering type, stress rate (e.g., stressful events min-1), and steering performance (cross-track error standard deviation, XTE SD) were determined for each pass. In total, 51 passes (23 manual, 28 VSN) in six fields were analyzed. Operators using VSN had a significant reduction (48% lower, p &amp;lt; 0.001) in their stress rate compared to when they were steering manually. There was no significant difference in the XTE SD for the steering type. The use of an automatic guidance system such as VSN could have a dramatic positive effect on the health of sprayer operators, especially during the long workdays of the peak spraying season, and could reduce the negative effects that stress and fatigue have on steering performance, mistakes, and accidents. Keywords: Electrodermal activity, Guidance systems, Machine vision, Precision agriculture, Radar, Skin conductance, Vehicle guidance.

Investigation of the working capacity of the operating body suspension functional-transporting machine

The investigation concerning the identification of the effectiveness of reducing the oscillations of the sprayer boom developed by independent pendulum suspension is carried out in this paper. In order to achieve this goal, the field microrelief, which creates kinematic perturbation of the rod oscillations is simulated. Dynamic model of rod mass oscillations on this suspension is also constructed, numerical solutions for a given sprayer operation mode are obtained, and numerical results are analyzed.

Assessment of spray deposition, drift and mass balance from unmanned aerial vehicle sprayer using an artificial vineyard.

Under the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) plant protection products (PPP) application in Asian countries, the drift risk of UAV sprayer operation in orchard or vineyard is fairly high because of the much finer droplets generated and the higher height than ground sprayers, increasing threats to non-targeted crop, human and environment. However, there is few of comprehensive experimental study on the effects of UAV type and nozzle type on spray deposition and drift from UAV sprayer. The objectives of this study were to compare the spray performance of three different typical commercial UAV types (helicopter, 6-rotor and 8-rotor) with two nozzles types (hollow cone nozzle, HCN and air-injector flat fan nozzle, AIN) in vineyard. An artificial vineyard and three vertical collection frames, designed and built by ourselves, were applied for collecting droplets together with PVC collectors, petri dishes and rotary samples. The characteristics of deposition, drift and mass balance of UAV aerial spraying in vineyard were analyzed. As a result, under the crosswind speed of 3.11-3.79m/s, AIN promoted spray deposition and uniformity and reduced drift significantly compared to HCN for all tested UAVs, improving of the utilization of PPP. The fitted regression functions of the sedimenting and airborne drift were obtained, respectively, and the drift percentage reduction values of AIN compared to HCN determined based on those functions varied from 81% to 95%. With HCN, 49.3%-73.4% of measured droplets drifted into non-targeted area and the highest proportion of drift loss was found for the airborne spray drift. According to the principle of more deposition and less drift, the spray performance of the three UAVs can be ranked in an order of 6-rotor, 8-rotor and helicopter, and two main reasons causing the difference in spray performance were the vortex airflow and the nozzle arrangement.

Инновационные методы экспресс-анализа дисперсных характеристик капель распыла

An innovative technique for the manufacture and application of cards for the rapid test of spraying quality is presented, which allows determining in real time the main qualitative indicators of the sprayer operation, that is to say, the number of drops per unit area and the average size of the traces of these drops.

Muscle Moment and Angle of Hip, Knee and Ankle Joints in a Seven- Link Model of Backpack Sprayer Operator

Muscle Moment and Angle of Hip, Knee and Ankle Joints in a Seven- Link Model of Backpack Sprayer Operator

Visual Information Requirements for Remotely Supervised Autonomous Agricultural Machines

A study to determine the visual requirements for a remote supervisor of an autonomous sprayer was conducted. Observation of a sprayer operator identified 9 distinct “look zones” that occupied his visual attention, with 39% of his time spent viewing the look zone ahead of the sprayer. While observation of the sprayer operator was being completed, additional GoPro cameras were used to record video of the sprayer in operation from 10 distinct perspectives (some look zones were visible from the operator’s seat, but other look zones were selected to display other regions of the sprayer that might be of interest to a sprayer operator). In a subsequent laboratory study, 29 experienced sprayer operators were recruited to view and comment on video clips selected from the video footage collected during the initial ride-along. Only the two views from the perspective of the operator’s seat were rated highly as providing important information even though participants were able to identify relevant information from all ten of the video clips. Generally, participants used the video clips to obtain information about the boom status, the location and movement of the sprayer within the field, the weather conditions (especially the wind), obstacles to be avoided, crop conditions, and field conditions. Sprayer operators with more than 15 years of experience provided more insightful descriptions of the video clips than their less experienced peers. Designers can influence which features the user will perceive by positioning the camera such that those specific features are prominent in the camera’s field of view. Overall, experienced sprayer operators preferred the concept of presenting visual information on an automation interface using live video rather than presenting that same information using some type of graphical display using icons or symbols.

Modeling a pneumohydraulic sprayer for irrigation and fertigation

The aim of the research was to increase the efficiency of use and the ability to control liquid spraying when creating artificial rain in medium to reduce energy consumption, to increase the reliability of the device for irrigation of crops, which combines additional processing of plants with various technologies for growing them by creating the necessary conditions for the formation of a water-air stream due to substantiation of the structural and geometric design parameters of sprayer. The most common irrigation method called the sprinkling is analyzed. The need to increase the economic efficiency of spray nozzle designs to improve the quality of artificial rain is shown. A fundamentally new scheme of the spraying device for innovative irrigation technologies and a mathematical model for the theoretical and technological substantiation of its main parameters: the diameters of the nozzles of the water and air nozzles, the diameter and length of the mixing chamber, as well as the necessary water and air pressures, are developed. The rationale for the design decisions of the pneumohydraulic sprayer is given. The destruction of the continuity of the liquid in the atomizer is considered taking into account the parameter of its strength during the interaction of heterogeneous phases of water and air. In this case, the air supply for spraying the liquid can be carried out either by force or by ejection. The algorithm for calculating the parameters of the spraying device is executed and works in a spreadsheet (EXCEL or WPS) using the mathematical expressions justified for the main structural and technological parameters of the device. The initial data are the pressure of water р1 and air р2 at the inlet of the sprayer, the required water flow rate G1 and the ejection coefficient u. The calculations take into account the flow coefficients of water and air µ, the gas constant R and the air temperature Т. The calculation results are displayed in EXCEL tables. Based on the results of mathematical modeling of the operation of the pneumohydraulic sprayer there were obtained the graphical dependencies to optimize its technological parameters and design solutions for the development, manufacture of a pneumohydraulic sprayer prototype and its experimental testing to obtain droplets of artificial rain of various sizes during irrigation and fertigation of crops, which will contribute to a successful solution of discussed agroindustrial complex problems.