SUPPLY TUBE ASSEMBLY FOR MEASURING THE APPLICATION RATE OF LIQUID AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT THROUGH A SUPPLY TUBE

Abstract

A delivery tube assembly for measuring the application rate of a liquid agricultural product. An upstream portion of the delivery tube has an upstream outlet end. A downstream portion has a downstream inlet end. The sensor body assembly includes a sensor body, a first sensing plate, and a second sensing plate. The sensor body has an inlet end positioned to receive an inlet flow of the liquid agricultural product from the upstream portion and an outlet end positioned to receive an outlet flow of the liquid agricultural product. The sensor body is an enclosure with a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional areas of both the upstream and downstream portions of the delivery tube.Electronic components are configured to measure the application rate of liquid agricultural product between the first detection plate and the second detection plate.

Description

SUPPLY TUBE ASSEMBLY FOR MEASURING THE APPLICATION RATE OF LIQUID AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT THROUGH A SUPPLY TUBE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 17 / 583,479, filed on January 25, 2022, which is a continuation in part of U.S. Application No. 17 / 201,988 filed on March 15, 2021. The entire contents of U.S. serial numbers 17 / 583,479 and 17 / 201,988 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of invention The present invention relates generally to a flow sensor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting the flow rate of fluids, granular solids, and discrete particles by measuring the electrical capacitance for dielectric materials and the magnetic permeability for magnetic materials. State of the art The dielectric constant of a first material is usually different from that of a second material. The dielectric constant of a substance can vary depending on its thermodynamic state, such as solid, liquid, or vapor (gas). Therefore, the presence of a material can be detected by a process that determines its effective dielectric constant. The state of that material can also be deduced from the value of the effective dielectric constant. Similarly, in the case of a magnetic material, its presence can be detected by a process that determines its effective relative permeability. The state of that magnetic material can also be deduced from the value of its effective relative permeability. Anhydrous ammonia is a popular option for supplying nitrogen to crops—particularly corn—in the Midwest. Other forms of nitrogen are applied in liquid form, both at planting and as a side dressing. For a state like Iowa, the average annual nitrate export from Iowa's surface waters was estimated to range from 204,000 to 222,000 Mg, or approximately 25% of the nitrate that the Mississippi River delivers to the Gulf of Mexico, even though Iowa occupies less than 5% of its drainage basin [KE Schilling and RD Libra. Increased baseflow in Iowa during the second half of the 20th century. Journal of American Water Research Association, 39:851-860, 2004]. Therefore, controlling the flow rate of anhydrous fertilizers and other nitrogen fertilizers is paramount to preventing nitrification of surface and groundwater. Iowa State University published an article describing the difficulties of applying anhydrous ammonia, entitled Improving the uniformity of anhydrous ammonia application, Publication number PM 1875, dated June 2001. This publication is incorporated in its entirety by reference. When an insufficient amount of anhydrous ammonia is applied to a row of crops, that strip of land (area) will not yield as it should, and the costs associated with tillage, planting, and harvesting represent an economic disadvantage. Once again, controlling the application rate is crucial for food production in agriculture. One application of the sensor of the present invention is the detection of anhydrous ammonia flow. U.S. Patents Nos. 6,208,255 and 6,346,888, both incorporated by reference, explain how to use near-microwave resonance techniques for flow measurements. Most row-crop agricultural equipment for applying anhydrous ammonia is not equipped with flow sensors for individual rows. Additionally, liquid spraying agricultural equipment does not provide individual row detection. Regarding anhydrous ammonia application systems, current single-sensor systems measure mass per acre, but row-to-row variations can reach 30%. Modern anhydrous ammonia applicators utilize cooling towers or cooling chambers and pressurized systems, or combinations of both. One of the most common systems uses cooling towers or devices that purge 5% to 10% of the ammonia vapor to liquefy the remaining anhydrous ammonia. The purged vapor is often injected along with the metered ammonia, resulting in over-application. Furthermore, after the liquid anhydrous ammonia leaves the cooling chamber and flow sensor, re-vaporization can occur. This leads to variable application rates due to many factors, including the heating of the applicator hoses.To ensure a similar flow rate to each row, hoses of identical length are often used. Hoses for short distances are coiled, while those for longer distances are straighter. However, unless the hoses are kept parallel to the ground, anhydrous ammonia will accumulate in low-lying areas, resulting in uneven flow rates. Furthermore, it is not easy to determine if a hose in a particular row is clogged, as the rate regulator maintains a constant overall flow rate even if an individual hose is blocked. Fully pressurized systems exist for anhydrous ammonia that provide liquid flow through the flow sensor system. However, these systems are more expensive and require more maintenance. Furthermore, they typically lack row clogging detection. Augmenting these systems (hybrid systems) with supply pumps to maintain pressure for higher flow rates is costly and more complex, resulting in reduced reliability. Anhydrous ammonia applied by a typical system is nominally 90% vapor and 10% liquid by volume, but nominally 90% of the mass of the applied ammonia is in liquid form. These properties make flow detection challenging. Detecting the flow rate of particles, such as grain, has also proven challenging. Inaccurate detection of individual grains in a seeder can lead to overcrowding or sparse sowing, neither of which is advantageous for the farmer. Inaccurate measurement of other substances can have adverse effects in other applications. Therefore, it is highly advantageous when a flow monitoring system can detect flow non-uniformity and, if necessary, be used to control and / or adjust flow uniformity. Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for detecting the flow of liquid, vapor, or solid fluid, or a mixture, to provide a uniform application of the fluid. There is a particular need for improved devices and methods for detecting low-flow liquid agricultural products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention embodies a delivery tube assembly for measuring the application rate of a liquid agricultural product flowing through the delivery tube. The delivery tube assembly includes a delivery tube and a sensor body assembly incorporated within the delivery tube. The delivery tube has an upstream portion and a downstream portion. The upstream portion has an upstream outlet end. The downstream portion has a downstream inlet end. The sensor body assembly includes a sensor body, a first sensing plate, a second sensing plate, and sensing electronics. The sensor body has an inlet end positioned to receive an inlet flow of the liquid agricultural product from the upstream portion and an outlet end positioned to receive an outlet flow of the liquid agricultural product. The sensor body is an enclosure with a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional areas of both the upstream and downstream portions of the supply pipe. The sensor body is configured and constructed so that the liquid agricultural product does not come into contact with any surface of the enclosure as it flows from the sensor inlet end to the sensor outlet end. The first detection plate is located in a first operable position of the sensor body. The second detection plate is located in a second operable position of the sensor body opposite the first detection plate. The electronic detection components are operationally connected to the first and second detection plates. They are configured to measure the application rate of liquid agricultural product between the first and second detection plates. In another aspect, the invention is embodied as a flow-sensing apparatus for monitoring a directed flow of an agricultural product from an application port at the end of a delivery tube. The directed flow has a target directed portion and an off-target portion. The flow-sensing apparatus includes a sensor housing and a sensing element. The sensor housing includes a conical flow-receiving element and a sensing body. The conical flow-receiving element has an inlet orifice at a first end and a receiving element outlet at a second end. The first end is smaller than the second. The inlet orifice is sized based on selected operating characteristics of the directed flow and a target area.The sensor body has a sensor input end positioned to receive a targeted portion of the directed flow from the outlet of the conical flow receiver element, where an off-target portion of the directed flow is not detected. The sensor housing and sensor element are positioned outside the application port and are therefore positioned to provide measurement, orientation, and timing of the agricultural product. An objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for detecting fluid and particle flows. An additional objective of this invention is to measure the mass of a material whether the material is stationary or flowing. A further objective is to provide a flow detection system that does not require cooling towers or other phase-change apparatus to effectively detect the flow rate. Yet another objective is to detect the path traveled by a particle, such as a single grain or a bubble, within a liquid. A measure of the presence and quantity of a substance in a given volume can be made by measuring the capacitance between two electrically conducting plates positioned at the periphery of that volume. The plates do not need to be directly opposite each other. However, for example, a volume consisting of a rectangular cross-section (one long side and one shorter side) could have electrically conducting plates along each long side and electrically non-conducting plates along the shorter sides. The surfaces in the third dimension of the volume are typically such that the substance being measured could enter and exit the volume. In a preferred embodiment, these three-dimensional surfaces consist solely of virtual surfaces through which mass is permitted to pass. At least two of these sensing volumes may exist in close proximity to one another and oriented in the flow direction relative to each other. To measure the flow of a substance or material whose density varies with time, the amount of material would be measured in a first sensing volume, and then, as the substance flows, that material would be subsequently measured in a second sensing volume. A time-cross-correlation between the amounts of material in each of the volumes would indicate the flow velocity, and the mass divided by the cross-sectional area multiplied by the velocity would be the mass flow rate. This flow determination technique has been used in patents 6,208,255 and 6,346,888. The sensors are placed close enough to each other so that any variation in the density of the material is minimized during the time required to travel the distance between the two detection volumes. Sensors placed within the detection volume measure the electrical capacitance of the substance inside. Knowing the dielectric constant of the analyte within the volume, the dielectric mass can be determined, and thus an inference can be made about the mass of the material within the volume. Knowing the mass and volume, the density of the material can be easily calculated. To calculate a mass flow rate, only a velocity is needed. A particular challenge is determining the mass flow rate of a saturated liquid-vapor mixture. A saturated liquid-vapor mixture is defined as a mixture in which the liquid and vapor are in equilibrium with each other. This definition includes cases of pure saturated liquid alone and pure saturated vapor alone. The topics of equilibrium and saturated liquid-vapor mixtures are covered in undergraduate thermodynamics courses and are included in any textbook used for such courses. An example of a textbook is Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, Moran and Shapiro, Wiley, 7th edition, 2011, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference. In particular, the “quality” of a saturated mixture is defined as: mg+mf where mf is the mass of the liquid in the mixture and mg is the mass of the vapor in the mixture. Therefore, mg+mf is the total mass of the mixture. The density, ρ, of a saturated mixture is related to the quality as follows: p = --where pt is the saturated density of the liquid and pges the saturated density of the vapor. The mass of a substance with a density, p, within a volume, V, is: m = pV regardless of whether the substance is solid, liquid, vapor or any combination of these. Saturated substances, such as anhydrous ammonia applied to agricultural fields, can undergo a change in quality and, consequently, in dielectric constant (permittivity) as they flow within their respective conduits. Using the mass or density results from a single-volume measurement, as described above, and employing another technique to measure velocity or a velocity-related value, yields the mass flow rate. For materials like anhydrous ammonia (or mixtures of anhydrous ammonia and water or other materials), the mass flow rate depends on the fluid's temperature or pressure, so similar masses would exist in a given volume as a saturated liquid-vapor mixture dependent on temperature or internal pressure. Measuring the mass would then depend on knowing the dielectric constant of each phase and the volume of each phase. In the art, measurements using techniques other than permittivity measurement for materials like anhydrous ammonia involve converting the material into a single phase, for example, by cooling, and then measuring the material's flow rate. In applications such as an anhydrous ammonia applicator for crop injection (fields), a concern is the uniformity of application across multiple rows formed by individual injectors. In such applications, monitoring and / or controlling parameters like pressure and / or temperature improves the uniformity of the measurement results. For example, in a preferred embodiment, a collector with a single inlet, where the flow rate is measured using a two-volume sensing technique or an alternative technique, and multiple outlets with varying substance quality and similar pressures and temperatures, allows monitoring of flow rate uniformity among the outlets. In an agricultural application, the uniformity of anhydrous ammonia is a primary concern. Excessive amounts of nitrogen (one source of which is anhydrous ammonia) do not increase crop yields but contribute to runoff. In the discussions that follow, delay time refers to the time delay between an input signal to the measurement path and the output signal from the measurement path. Since the system is causal, the delay time is positive; however, the differential delay time, which is the derivative of the phase shift in radians with respect to the radian frequency, can be negative. ω 360 f άθ l í / 0τ,ι~ ~άω~ 360df Here, Θ is the phase shift in radians of the output signal with respect to the input signal, φ is the phase shift in degrees, ω is the frequency of the measured radian (in rad / s), fe is the frequency (in Hz), t is the delay time, and T is the differential delay time. Any of these delay times can be correlated with a dielectric constant which can be used to deduce the density of the material. In one embodiment of the present invention, the measurement of electrical capacitance is used to deduce density, and another type of sensor provides the velocity or volumetric flow rate. In another embodiment of this invention, two electrical capacitance sensor volumes, spaced at a known distance, are used to determine velocity. The mass flow rate, m, of a substance is related to the density, ρ, and the velocity, V, or the volumetric flow rate, , as follows: th = pVA = pV where A is the cross-sectional area of ​​the volume perpendicular to the flow direction. In yet another modality, discrete particles are detected as they pass by and can be recorded for, for example, grain planting equipment. A further embodiment of the present invention allows the path of a particle to be located, the particle being, for example, a single grain or seed, or a bubble within a liquid. In this case, the two electrically conductive plates are conical. Therefore, the distance the particle travels between the plates on one side of the volume is greater than the distance on the other side. The particle's path signature on one side of the volume is detectably different from the signature when the particle passes on the other side. In a further embodiment, a flow-sensing apparatus is provided for monitoring a directed current from an application port. The directed current has a target directed portion and an off-target portion. The flow-sensing apparatus includes: a) a first electrically conductive plate; b) a second electrically conductive plate disposed at a distance from the first electrically conductive plate; c) a first electrically non-conductive surface arranged to connect the edges of the first and second electrically conductive plates; d) a second electrically non-conductive surface arranged to form a volume, the volume being bounded by surfaces including the first electrically conductive plate, the second electrically conductive plate, the first electrically non-conductive surface, and the second electrically non-conductive surface.e) a signal conditioning circuit, having an input and an output, with the first and second plates being electrically conductive; f) means for measuring the delay time from the input to the output of the signal conditioning circuit; g) means for correlating the measured circuit delay time with the electrical capacitance between the two electrically conductive plates; h) a dielectric constant determination circuit for determining an effective dielectric constant between the first and second electrically conductive plates; and i) a calculation function for correlating the effective dielectric constant with the presence of material within the volume. The first electrically conductive plate, the second electrically conductive plate, the first electrically non-conductive surface, and the second electrically non-conductive surface are located outside the application port. In another aspect, the present invention is embodied as an agricultural product application system. In this embodiment, a mobile application unit is provided, including a flow-sensing device for monitoring a directed stream from an application port. The directed stream has a targeted portion and an off-target portion. At least one upwind moisture sensor is positioned upwind of the mobile application unit. At least one downwind moisture sensor is positioned downwind of the mobile application unit. In another embodiment, sensors responsive to variations in the refractive index of specific chemical substances may be used. The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention, both in its organization and method of operation, along with its other objectives and advantages, will be better understood from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures, which illustrate, by way of example, a currently preferred embodiment of the invention. It should be expressly understood, however, that the figures are illustrative and descriptive only and are not intended to define the limits of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS VIEWS OF THE FIGURES Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a capacity detection volume of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an anhydrous ammonia applicator for crop rows; Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a first graph of ¿φ, / ) for two substances having unequal dielectric constants; Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a second graph of (φ, / ) for two substances having unequal dielectric constants; Fig. 7a is a first outline of a communication and calculation flowchart; Fig. 7b is a second schematic of a communication and calculation flowchart; Fig. 7c is a third schematic of a communication and calculation flowchart; Fig. 7d is a fourth schematic of a communication and calculation flowchart; Fig. 8a is a side elevation view of a first flow-measuring rotameter device with electrical capacitance detection; Fig. 8b is a side elevation view of a second flow-measuring rotameter device with electrical capacitance detection; Fig. 8c is a side elevation view of a third flow-measuring rotameter device with electrical capacitance detection; Fig. 9 is a side elevation view of a flow measuring device that uses a piston-spring assembly and electrical capacitance sensing; Fig. 10 is a side elevation view of a flow measuring device that uses a piston-spring assembly that plugs the outlet in the absence of adequate pressure and uses electrical capacitance detection; Fig. 11 is a representation of two-phase flow; Fig. 12 is a side elevation view of a single-volume detection system; Fig. 13 is a side elevation view of a dual-volume detection system for discrete particles; Fig. 14 is a side elevation view of a grain seeder; Fig. 15 is a partially filled conduit containing flowing solid particles; Fig. 16 is a conduit that transports highly dispersed solid particles in a fluid; Fig. 17a is a trend line graph showing an initial sensor response to a discrete particle; Fig. 17b is a trend line graph showing a second sensor response to a discrete particle; Fig. 17c is a trend line graph showing a first time derivative of the sensor's first response to a discrete particle; Fig. I7d is a trend line plot showing a first time derivative of the sensor's second response to a discrete particle; Fig. 18a is a graph of the sensor's first response as a function of time; Fig. 18b is a graph of the second sensor response as a function of time; Fig. 18c is a cross-correlation graph of the first and second sensor responses as a function of time increment; Fig. 19 is a flowchart that illustrates the comparison and warning functions; Fig. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a communication of a plurality of signals from a plurality of sensors; Fig. 21 is a perspective and ghost view of a single-volume sensor using conical electrodes; Fig. 22 is a perspective and ghost view of a dual sensor system that uses conical electrodes for two-dimensional position detection; Fig. 23 is a perspective and ghost view of a dual sensor system using conical electrodes, all substantially at the same longitudinal position, for three-dimensional position detection; Fig. 24 is a perspective and ghost view of a dual sensor system using conical electrodes, with the electrodes of one sensor upstream of the electrodes of the other sensor, for three-dimensional position detection; Fig. 25 is a first graph of the sensor response as a function of time for a particle passing through the dual sensor system of Fig. 22 or Fig. 24; Fig. 26 is a second graph of the sensor response as a function of time for a particle passing through the dual sensor system of the present invention; Fig. 27 is a perspective and ghost view of a single sensor volume using an electrode array; Fig. 28 is a perspective and ghost view of a dual-sensor system using an electrode array and a single electrode; Fig. 29 is a perspective view of a first sensor system for detecting permeability; Fig. 30 is a perspective view of a second sensor system for detecting permeability; Fig. 31 is a perspective view of a first sensor system for detecting permittivity and permeability; Fig. 32 is a perspective view of a second sensor system for detecting permittivity and permeability; Figure 33 is a circuit diagram of a sensor for detecting permeability; and Fig. 34 is a plot of (φ,O) for two substances having unequal magnetic filling in the sensor volume. Fig. 35 is a side view of another form of the flow sensing apparatus that extends from an application port of a seed drill row unit. Fig. 36 is a perspective view of a seeder having a sprayer with a rear bar and a separate flow-sensing apparatus. Fig. 37 is a schematic view of the spray can with the separate flow sensor apparatus and humidity sensors. Fig. 38 is a schematic illustration of an agricultural product application system that uses separate flow sensors. Fig. 39 is a perspective and ghost view of a separate dual sensor system that uses conical electrodes for location detection via the sensor. Fig. 40 is a schematic perspective view of a flow-sensing apparatus for monitoring a directed flow of agricultural product according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 41 is a side view of the flow sensing apparatus of Figure 40 shown separated from an application port of a seeder row unit. Fig. 42 is a perspective view of a seeder having a sprayer with a rear bar, and a separate flow sensing apparatus according to the modality of Figure 40. Fig. 43A is a side view of a supply tube assembly for measuring a liquid agricultural product application rate of liquid agricultural product flowing at a low flow rate through a supply tube, according to an aspect of the present invention. Fig. 43B is a top view of the supply tube assembly of Fig. 43A. Fig. 44 is a side view of a supply tube assembly for measuring an application rate of liquid agricultural product flowing through a supply tube, according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a sensor system volume 100 through which material can pass or in which material is contained. Two sides 110 comprise electrically conductive plates. Two other sides 120 comprise electrically insulating plates. The capacitance between the electrically conductive plates can be measured using methods commonly understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the art and explained in undergraduate electrical engineering texts. Figures 3 and 5 show circuits for this purpose, the use of which is described below. The arrows 130 indicate a direction of flow, but the direction is immaterial. In fact, there may be no flow at all. One application of the present invention is the detection of the mass flow rate of anhydrous ammonia using an applicator 200, an example of which is shown in Fig. 2. Said applicator is made to apply anhydrous ammonia in multiple rows simultaneously.Figure 3 shows an example of an equivalent circuit for the sensor of the present invention. An input AC signal, or the sum of several AC signals known as a Fourier signal, is incident on the left side of the circuit, and an output signal flows from the right side. The frequency(ies) of the AC signal(s) can range from just above zero (DC) to well into the optical region. The input source and terminating load are not shown. The input source and terminating load can be a simple source and a terminating resistor. Alternatively, the source can consist of a power divider that allows part of the power from a source to enter the circuit and other parts of the power to enter part of an amplitude-phase measurement circuit.The termination circuit may consist of a transmission line, other components, and a subsequent termination. The subsequent termination may be in the amplitude-phase measurement circuit. Under a multitude of configurations, one purpose is to detect the amplitude-phase response of the sensor volume's two ports. In many applications, the phase shift of the output signal relative to the input signal will determine the desired characteristics of the sensor volume. In other situations, the input reflection coefficient (a measure of the amount of input signal reflected from the input port) can also be used to determine the volume's characteristics. The transmission and reflection parameters of the sensor volume can be determined using scattering parameter techniques, immittance matrix techniques, chain matrix techniques, hybrid matrix techniques, etc., known to experts in circuit characterization. L1 and L2 are the input and output coupling inductors, respectively; CA and CB are the matching capacitors for the input and output circuits; and C1, C12, and C2 are the capacitances associated with the sensor volume. In one configuration, C12 would represent the capacitance of the parallel plate between an input electrode and an output electrode, such as the plates in Fig. 1. The circuit in Fig. 3 can be represented technically as a bipolar filter where C12 is the coupling capacitor between two resonators. The phase shift, at a given frequency, of this circuit's response depends on the value of C12. The resonant frequency (e.g., the center frequency of the passband) of the circuit depends on the value of C12. Increasing C12 will lower the resonant frequency of the circuit. The delay time at a given frequency is related to the phase shift across the circuit by: r =-! = -□- / ω 360 f where t is the delay time through the circuit, Θ is the phase shift through the circuit, and ω is the measurement frequency used. Figure 4 shows a typical phase shift curve as a function of frequency for the circuit, where the leftmost curve is 0.12 degrees larger than the rightmost curve. At 40.68 MHz (an ISM frequency), this sensor exhibits a variation from, nominally, a negative phase shift of 60 degrees to a negative phase shift of 120 degrees. This results in a change in the delay time due to the change in phase shift at the same frequency. In one configuration of the sensor, the delay time can be measured using a phase frequency detector with two D flip-flops and a function, as is well known to those versed in the art. This delay time is a function of the dielectric filling in the sensor volume 100. For applications where the analyte is a continuum (solid, liquid, vapor, or gas), the delay time is a function of the material's permittivity. For other applications where the only desired feature is to indicate or measure the variation between multiple sensors, uniformity of the delay time across several sensors is the desired characteristic. In a preferred mode, the signal delay time is less than the period of one signal cycle. As described below, in certain sensor modes, the delay time may be greater than one signal period. In that case, differential delay time measurements would allow the dielectric filling variation to be measured. In those configurations where the delay time is less than the period of a cycle, and since by chance the delay time through the second path is positive, a simple circuit or a simple electronic circuit can be used to measure the delay time of the signal as is well known in the art. Another configuration of a sensor volume system would use the equivalent circuit in Fig. 5 with a similar output phase shift as a function of frequency. The added resistors, R1 and R2, are included to account for component losses. Core loss in an inductor manifests in an inductor equivalent circuit as a parallel resistance. The variation in C12 used in the graph in Fig. 6 is different from that used in the first graph shown above. However, the phase shift as a function of C12 can be calibrated to indicate the amount of change in C12 and, therefore, the presence of different dielectric materials in the sensor volume. The value of C12 can be correlated with the nature of the material in the volume. Various applications may dictate the sensor bandwidth, the number of frequency components in the input source signal, the desired sensitivity (phase shift based on the capacitance variation of C12), etc. Some applications might specify the use of alternative frequencies other than 40.68 MHz, and others might use more than one measurement frequency, either simultaneously or sequentially. Other variations are anticipated in the application to measuring the permittivity of a volume. In some applications, phase shift may be easier to measure than time delay. In still other applications, the amplitude response of the circuit could be more easily used to indicate the permittivity of the volume. Phase shift and amplitude response are related and well known to those skilled in the art. Other configurations of the sensor circuit could also be used. As is known in the art, in various applications, the measurement of impedance (alternatively return loss) at one terminal of the circuit or using only one terminal (instead of two as shown) can often be used to quantify the value of C12 or when the terminal intersection of C2 and C12 is at ground potential, the value of an equivalent C12. Other modes include those in which the signal phase can be quantified and measured. The delay time, by design, across the circuits would be positive. However, the differential delay time, which can also be measured, could be negative in some regions of the frequency domain. In a preferred mode, as shown in the two circuits above, it is the delay time that is measured. The delay time across the circuit, for example, using a long transmission line on a return path, can make the delay time longer than one signal cycle. The delay time measured by zero-crossing measurement would then be in error by an integer multiple of one period. However, the differential delay time would still give an indication of a change in the delay time within the measurement cell. The application of the art discussed here can provide row-by-row detection of anhydrous ammonia or row-by-row detection of other uses of the sprayer. The mass flow rate for more complex systems can be determined and is a useful application using the techniques described here. However, to simplify and reduce the cost of an anhydrous ammonia system, only the mass flow rate can be measured for many applications. Ammonia toolbars have a distribution manifold. These manifolds have one inlet port and several outlet ports. Mounting a mass flow rate sensor on each outlet port will monitor the mass flow rate reaching each row. The seed drill monitoring systems receive information about soil velocity and await a pulse signal indicating the number of seeds in the seeding units. In some embodiments of the present invention, the sensor system, when used to measure the mass flow rate, will emit a number or frequency of pulses based on the mass flow rate. In ammonia mode, the monitor will detect the mass—generally kilograms (pounds)—per acre. When monitoring the seeding equipment and seed flow rate, the seed monitoring function uses a bar graph to compare the different seed rates from each sensor and triggers an alarm if the sensor signals fall outside the permissible tolerance. Adjustment of the flow rate for individual rows can be performed manually using a valve system or electronically with an automatic control function.This automatic control function would employ an automatic control algorithm, such as a Proportional-Integral-Differential (PID) algorithm. The seed function can be reprogrammed to read the mass or flow rate of seeds instead of seeds per acre. This same function can be used to monitor liquid systems and sprayers, except that the sensor will be used to determine velocity instead of, or in addition to, mass. In a liquid system, the density is substantially constant, and the flow rate varies according to the application rate. The sensor will emit a number of pulses based on the flow rate. In one embodiment of the present invention, the flow sensing system is augmented in various applications with prior art rotameter flow sensors 800 shown in Figs. 8a-8c or similar, which utilize a truncated cone 810, a bead 820, a cone, or another shape having a known drag coefficient as a function of the flow rate. These additional sensors can be mounted vertically to utilize gravity as a force for positioning the sensing element, or buoyancy for downward flow, as shown in Fig. 8c, or they can utilize spring force to position the sensing element 910 (Fig. 9), 1010 (Fig. 10) for applications where momentum or vibration is not negligible, or where the installation is necessarily non-vertical. When microwave frequencies are used with the present 710 sensor applied to an 800 rotameter or similar flowmeter, and when the appropriate material is used, the 710 sensor will respond to the total mass in the sensor volume 100. Since liquids such as ammonia and water have a higher dielectric constant than their respective vapors or air, if vapors are present in the 800 meters, the physical movement of the 810, 820 sensor element will correspond to the total flow volume. Therefore, unlike the standard 800 rotameter, false measurements caused by non-liquid flow are eliminated. For fluid flows such as ammonia, which can be 90% vapor 1120 and 10% liquid 1110 (see Fig. 11) by volume, a much more accurate flow reading can be obtained without refrigeration. The flow sensor 900 shown in Fig. 9 uses a piston 910 with an orifice 920 that provides resistance to flow and the resulting force in the direction of the flow, counteracting the spring force. The flow sensor 1000 in Fig. 10 uses a positive-seal piston 1010 with a tapered plug 1020 and a pressure relief line 1030 to equalize the pressure between the space above the piston 1010 and the flow outlet 1040. The electrical capacitance sensor 710 of the present invention can be used with these additional sensing elements 800, 900, 1000. The material used in the bead 820, cone 810, piston 910, plug 1010, or other moving component is chosen so that the dielectric constant of the mass is different from that of the fluid being measured. When the bead 820 or the sensing element 810, 910, 1010 is moved by the flow, the resulting change in position is detected by the sensing system 710 as described. The location of the sensing element 810, 820, 910, 1010 is a function of the flow rate and is detected by the incremental change in the location of the sensing element material 810, 820, 910, 1010 within the measuring volume. The known function of the bead or cone's location with respect to the flow rate is used to calculate the flow rate. This known function is determined by the manufacturer or from empirical data. In addition to increasing the system's sensor area, the system's interface with other systems and / or vehicles can be enhanced using computer hardware, as shown in Figs. 7a-7d. A monitor and operator interface, such as a 1410 seed monitor (Fig. 14), is likely mounted in the space occupied by the operator, such as on an agricultural tractor. The 710 sensor responds to various analytes: liquids, solids, particles (Figs. 12, 13, 15, and 16), liquid / vapor mixtures (Fig. 11), etc. The computational machinery in Figs. 7a–7d can process the various signals from the different analytes to provide a signal indicative of the material's thermodynamic properties. The computational functions can be performed by one or more of a 730 computer, a 740 microcomputer, a 750 microcontroller, or a 760 microprocessor. For example, the signal from a mixture of liquid 1110 and vapor 1120—see Fig. 11—can be augmented by an input from another sensor, tractor, or implement to account for the characteristics of a particular environment or measurement condition. The signal can be processed to fit various 720 communication bus architectures for information transmission. The information can be unilateral or bilateral and may contain control information or commands in addition to signaling information.Referring now to Figures 11, 15, and 16, for determining the flow rate of a material or substance flowing continuously, the response of Sensor A may resemble the noisy signal shown in Figure 18a, while the response of Sensor B may resemble the noisy signal shown in Figure 18b. Using a sampling technique and a correlation technique, a signal similar to that shown in Figure 18c is obtained. The Zl value at the peak G of this signal is the time required for the material to move between the two measurement volumes. For high flow rates, where a larger volume of material passes per unit of time, the time difference is smaller, while for low flow rates, where a smaller volume of material passes per unit of time, the time difference is larger. At very low flow rates or with no flow, there would be no discernible signal peak. The signals shown in Figs. 18a and 18b can be received by an operator interface, such as a seed sensor unit 1410. Sampling and correlation can also be performed on the seed sensor unit 1410, and the relevant information is displayed on it for the operator. However, the signals in Figs. 18a and 18b can also be received by any of the computer 730, microcomputer 740, microcontroller 750, or microprocessor 760, and the calculations performed thereon. The results of these calculations can then be sent, via the communication bus 720, to the operator interface unit 1410 for display, alarms, etc. In this latter case, the signal processing results must be provided to the operator interface unit 1410 in a compatible format.As experts will understand, a 1410 seed monitor provides the operator with information about the planter's performance and the planting operation, such as whether the operation is within tolerance. The same type of information and alarm would be provided by the 1410 operator interface unit when applying anhydrous ammonia. Additionally, the sensor system 710 of the present invention can be used under the flow conditions of Figs. 11, 15, and 16 to detect the material density. Given the density, the delay time, and the volume of the measuring volume 100, a mass flow rate can be calculated. Figures 12 and 13 show an example of a discrete particle 1210. An example of this is the seeder 1400 in Figure 14, where grain, such as corn 1210, falls through a conduit 1420. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 12, the passage of a particle 1210 is detected by the detection system 710 as a change in capacity, as shown in Figure 17a. The signal can be differentiated with respect to time—the first time derivative—to obtain a signal like the one shown in Figure 17c, and the detected zero crossing C to accurately determine the time at which the particle 1210 passed. This time can be compared with the time at which the next (or previous) particle passed to calibrate the operation of the seeder 1400. The signals shown in Figs. 17a and 17b can be received by a 1410 seed sensor unit, such as those commonly used to monitor seeder performance. Time derivatives can also be calculated on the 1410 seed sensor unit, and the relevant information displayed on it. However, the signals in Figs. 17a and 17b can also be received by any of the 730 computer, 740 microcomputer, 750 microcontroller, or 760 microprocessor, and the calculations performed on them. The results of these calculations can then be sent to the 1410 seed sensor unit for display, alarms, etc. In the configuration illustrated in Fig. 13, two sensor systems, A and B, 710, are arranged in the flow direction relative to each other, with sensor system A being upstream of sensor system B. In this configuration, the signals shown in Figs. 17a and 17b for sensor systems A and B, respectively, are detected. In this configuration, the signals from both sensors can be time-differentiated to produce the signals in Figs. 17c and 17d. Again, the zero-crossing times C and D are detected for each signal. In this case, the two zero-crossing times are subtracted, indicating the time taken to travel the distance between the two sensor systems, A and B, 710, thus providing a velocity value. Figure 19 illustrates the communication bus 720 that communicates with the operator interface 1410. Within the operator interface, the signal is compared to at least one tolerance value in a comparator function 1910. The tolerance value can be a low or high threshold, or both. If the signal does not meet the tolerance(s), a warning signal is provided to the operator in a warning function 1920. In Fig. 20, a plurality of sensors 710 are in communication with a calculation function 2010 where the signals are processed appropriately, as shown in Figs. 17a-17d or Figs. 18a-18c. The result is sent, via the communication bus 720, to the operator interface 1410, where the results are displayed, compared, and made available to the operator in an easily understandable manner. The plurality of signals received from the plurality of sensors 710 can be compared with each other in the comparator function 1910 to determine whether the application is substantially uniform across all rows. The 2010 calculation function can, for example, provide a signal fully compatible with a 1410 seed monitoring system, as used during sowing. The 1410 seed monitor can then make comparisons, as shown in Fig. 19, exactly as it performs this function for the sowing operation. Additionally, the tolerance can be adjusted to suit the operator and the operational requirements. In many cases, it is important to know not only the presence and size of a particle 1210 being detected, but also the path that such particle 1210 follows within a tube. For the purposes of this document, including the claims, a particle 1210 is defined as a single solid particle 1210, such as a seed, or a bubble within a liquid. For example, in a seed-sowing operation, it is desirable to know that the seed 1210 does not deviate from the sides of the tube and that its position at the tube outlet can be monitored so that its position during sowing can be controlled—especially at high seeder speeds. The signal derived from the detection of the position of particle 1210 can be used in a feedback control system to control a particle 1210 release mechanism designed to control the path of the particle within volume 100. ΙνΙΛ / The position of particles can be monitored using the electrical capacitance between two conical plates, as shown in Fig. 21. It should be noted that the electrical capacitance may not be measured directly, but the permittivity of the material filling the detection volume will change the electrical capacitance between the electrodes. This change in capacitance will modify the response of the detection circuit, and the inferred capacitance, and therefore the permittivity, will be measured indirectly. Similarly, if the electrodes were replaced by a current loop, the magnetic properties in the detection volume could be measured in a similar way. Therefore, this modality involves narrowing the two electrically conductive plates in a direction transverse to the flow of matter and detecting a transverse location of matter between the two conical electrically conductive plates. The position detection system of Fig. 21 can be extended to locate particles in three dimensions by adding a second sensor to the adjacent walls of the volume, as shown in Figs. 23 and 24. Considering the orientation of the volumes in Figs. 23 and 24, the two conical plates 2100 indicate location in a horizontal plane, while the two conical plates 2300 indicate location in a vertical plane. It is well understood by those of ordinary skill in this art that the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24 can be arranged in any desired orientation and are not limited to determining horizontal and vertical positions. In Fig. 24, the two conical plates 2100 are shown upstream of the two conical plates 2300. This arrangement helps to avoid interference of the electric field of the two sensors and can be advantageous for determining the velocity of the particles. The responses of two of these sensors 710, as shown in Fig. 22, along the flow path further help ensure that the particles 1210 follow a path without deflecting from the walls of volume 100. There are paths that the particles 1210 can follow with deflections—path A—that provide the same position response signal as a particle flowing without deflections 2110, 2120, 2130, 2140. However, the time between sensor responses differs between that of a direct path 2110, 2120, 2130, 2140 and a path with deflections—path A. A diagonal path A, resulting from a deflection, exhibits a longer path than a direct path 2110, 2120, 2130, 2140 or a diagonal path without deflections—path B—between two sensor volumes 100, and therefore a difference in the detected travel time. Path B, Fig. 22, shows a path through two sensor electrode volumes 100 that passes through different lateral positions of the two volumes 100 and would be detected as different. Fig. 25 shows three possible example responses. Note that the top trend 2530, representing a response for path 2130, has two responses of equal amplitude and equal pulse width spaced one time, Δi, apart. Path 2130 goes directly through the tube, parallel to the longitudinal direction. Compare response 2530 with the response for path A, shown as the lower response 2500A in Fig. 25. Path A includes a deviation 2210 in the path of particle 1210. There are also two responses of equal amplitude and pulse width, wA, shown in trend 2500A, except that these pulse responses are more separated in time than those in response 2530. The default time-delay data stored in calculation functions 730, 740, 750, and 760, entered manually or determined by calculations, allow the system to identify this path as a path with a deviation. The response for path B, shown as the mean trend 2500B in Fig. 25, has two responses of different widths, wBi, wb¿, because the particle 1210 passes between the sensing electrodes 2100 of the respective sensors 710 at positions where the sensing electrodes 2100 are of different widths. Note also that the delay time between pulses is somewhat greater than the forward path delay time of response 2530. Referring now to Fig. 26, the time it takes for a particle 1210 to pass through a virtual plane placed across its path to approach the edge of the conical sensor varies depending on the path it takes within the tube. The time relationship for the different normalized responses of a single electrode volume 100 shown on the left side of Fig. 26 would result if the signal response were plotted starting at time zero when a particle 1210 passes through a virtual plane inside the tube. The signal begins to rise as the particle 1210 approaches the edge of the conical electrode volume 100, and for different paths, the rise time varies because the distance from the virtual plane to the conical edge of the electrode varies depending on the path of the particle 1210—that is, the lateral position the particle 1210 passes between the pair of electrodes. However, it is not known a priori when particle 1210 approaches sensor 710. The important parameter of the response is the time difference, Ah, At¿, Ah, Ah, between the time when a particle 1210 approaches the volume 100 of the sensor electrode 2100 and the time when the particle 1210 leaves the volume 100 of the sensor electrode 2100, as shown by plotting the responses as seen on the right side of Fig. 26. Some acceleration of particle 1210 over the distance traveled within the sensor electrode volume 100 is possible, but with the sensor dimensions being suitably small relative to the velocity multiplied by the time within sensor volume 100, the velocity differences can be neglected. Furthermore, with historical data determined by system calculations or entered manually, the expected delay times along the path would be nominally known. For example, when particle 1210 undergoes gravitational acceleration, the expected velocity (and therefore the time, given the distances) would be nominally known. However, the nominal velocity can also be quantified by knowing the time response between two different sensor volumes 100 within the flow path. In applications where the mechanical design is such that the probability of deflection of particle 1210 - by the walls of the duct, for example - is small, a single 710 conical electrode 2100 sensor may be suitable to indicate the lateral position of particle 1210. For clarification, dotted lines between the sensing electrodes are shown in Figures 21 and 22 to visually illustrate the flow paths for the responses shown in Figure 26, as well as the vertical position of particle 1210 in the tube. Paths 2110, 2120, The particles 2130 and 2140 shown in Fig. 21 are depicted entering a virtual cross-section of the flow tube, progressing through a virtual cross-section between the sensing electrodes 2100, and then exiting the volume 100 through a virtual outlet cross-section. Four different flow paths 2110, 2120, 2130, and 2140 are shown, but there are a multitude of flow paths for a particle 1210 to follow anywhere through the virtual cross-sections, including paths that are angled, i.e., not parallel to the longitudinal direction. The responses of sensor 710 for the particles 1210 will nominally have the same amplitude regardless of their vertical position—as shown in the figures—at the time of passage. Figure 27 shows a representation of the electrode volume of sensor 100, which includes two electrode assemblies 2700. In a similar embodiment, shown in Figure 28, one of the electrode assemblies 2700 is replaced by a single electrode 2800 covering one of the surfaces. The distance between the individual components of the electrode assembly 2700 is necessarily small relative to the dimensions of the assembly. If all the electrodes within an assembly 2700 on one side are electrically connected to each other, the sum of their electrical responses is substantially the same as the response of a single electrode 2800 covering the same surface. This is a result of the marginal electric field that exists at the edges of the individual electrodes that make up an electrode assembly, or part of an electrode assembly. Therefore, the individual electrodes appear larger than their physical dimensions. Summing the responses from different arranged electrode groups can make the summed responses appear to simulate a conical or stepped sensing electrode volume. Summing the responses from a group of electrodes or the detection responses of individual electrodes will therefore indicate where a particle 1210 passes through the volume. The time delay between the input and output electrode responses also indicates the average speed. With the computing power available in current computer processors of various types (730, 740, 750, 760), these measurements and calculations can be performed with relative ease. Arranging electrodes in a fixed configuration is slightly more complex and expensive than using electrodes without a fixed configuration. The frequency or frequencies of an AC source chosen for measurement—and therefore the frequency or frequencies of the signal generator—depend on several factors. To obtain a reasonable transfer admittance value across the measurement volume, the frequency must be high enough so that the capacitance impedance between an input and output electrode array 2100 is approximately the same order of magnitude as the impedance level chosen for the sensor circuit 710. In many cases, the sensor's sensing circuit 710 nominally operates at 50 ohms, but it can also have some other impedance value. Additionally, the frequency is chosen low enough so that the cross-sectional areas of the inlet and outlet for particle 1210 or fluid flow are small enough so that the waveguide formed by the housing (which forms an electromagnetic waveguide) does not allow electromagnetic energy to escape through the inlet and outlet areas. These and other considerations regarding microwave circuit design will often be involved in the choice of circuit frequency and dimensions and are described in the book Introduction to Microwave Circuits, Radio Frequency and Design Applications, by Robert J. Weber, IEEE Press, ISBN 0-7803-4704-8, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference. Microwave effects could be determined by parasitic or distributed effects associated with the 710 sensor circuit and its components or the choice of measurement frequencies versus the size of the 710 sensor. The present invention is not limited to any frequency range. However, frequencies in the radio frequency (RF) and microwave ranges can be selected and are, in fact, advantageous. In other applications, optical frequencies may be advantageous. As mentioned previously, the sensor electrodes can be replaced with loops to directly measure the magnetic properties of materials, such as magnetic permeability, effective magnetic permeability, etc., by measuring transfer inductance values. In a sensor with two volumes, one volume could measure permittivity values ​​and the other volume could measure flux permeability values, with one volume using capacitance plates and the other using inductive loops. When monitoring the transport of magnetic particles or magnetic fluids, for example ferrofluids or magnetorheological fluids, it is advantageous to use sensor volumes 100 comprising an inductive loop to detect the quantity and / or presence of the material. For example, in magnetorheological fluids, ferroparticles can settle due to gravity or in a magnetic field. It is desirable to know if this has occurred and / or the quantity of particles in the fluid. Counting magnetic particles, such as steel screws falling or flowing in tailings or transport containers, etc., could be performed using a magnetic sensor volume. Figure 29 shows a perspective view of a sensor volume 100 with sensor loops 2910 instead of sensor plates 2100, 2700. The sensor loops 2910 can be multi-turn or a single loop, as shown. The sensor loops 2910 generate magnetic fields in the sensor volume 100. Magnetic material passing through the volume will change the mutual impedance of the sensor volume 100 and thus the transmission of electromagnetic energy through the sensor volume 100. In Fig. 30, the sensor loops are shown as small 3010 plates instead of loops. However, these 3010 plates are electrically grounded at one end instead of floating freely as in a capacitance measurement. The ball at the end of the 3010 loop indicates that the loop is grounded to the surrounding conductive boundary. The cross-hatched area 2930 indicates that the conductive boundary surrounds a dielectric material that guides magnetic particles or fluids through the sensor volume 100. The surrounding conductive boundary and the dielectric material that guides the particles or fluids may be rectangular or circular in cross-section, as well as have other cross-sectional geometries. The present invention is not limited to a particular cross-sectional shape. Sometimes it can be advantageous to know the permittivity of the medium carrying the magnetic material. Figure 31 shows a sensor for detecting magnetic permeability and permittivity in which loops 2910 and capacitive plates 3110 are arranged perpendicular to each other. In Figure 32, loops 2910 and capacitive plates 3110 are arranged on the same side walls of the sensor volume 100. With the flow in the direction of the arrows 2920, the relative positions of the loops 2910 and the plates 3110 in Figs. 31 and 32 imply that the magnetic properties (permeability) are measured first and then the dielectric properties (permittivity) are measured as the measured material is transported through the sensor volume 100. However, the plates 3110 and the loops 2910 could be reversed with respect to the flow direction and measure the dielectric properties first and then the magnetic properties second. With careful design, as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the loops 2910 shown in Fig. 31 could be moved to be adjacent to the capacitive plates 3110 and have their magnetic and dielectric properties measured simultaneously. The present invention is not limited to any particular order of measurement. Fig. 33 shows an equivalent circuit diagram 3300 of sensor volume 100. Inductances L1, L12, and L2 represent the sensor volume. Elements C1, L3, and C3 represent components for adjusting the impedance of sensor volume 100 to the appropriate value. Similarly, elements C4, L4, and C2 represent components for adjusting sensor volume 100 to the appropriate value. These values ​​are such that, with a measuring AC source on the left and a load on the right, the circuit's response will provide the desired amplitude and phase response. In this case, L12 varies depending on the magnetic material filling in the sensor volume. The circuit can also be changed to a two-pole filter configuration with L12 representing the coupling between an input resonator and an output resonator. Figure 34 shows a representative phase curve for a variable magnetic filling (variable L12). The delay time can then be related empirically or theoretically to the amount of magnetic filling in the sensor volume 100. As is known to those skilled in the art, measurements at the input port of the equivalent circuit 3300 can be used to indicate the value of L12 and, therefore, the magnetic filling in the sensor volume 100. Figure 34 shows a typical phase shift curve as a function of frequency for the circuit, where the leftmost curve results from a larger magnetic fill than the rightmost curve. This sensor exhibits a phase shift variation of one degree due to the amount of magnetic fill. This results in a change in the delay time due to a change in phase shift at the same frequency. As with the dielectric property, the delay time through the magnetic sensor volume 100 can be used to indicate the presence and relative amount of magnetic material in the sensor volume 100. All the same applications and functionalities shown in Figs. 1, and 7a-20 belong to the present inductive loop type sensor volume 100, as well as to the capacitive plate type sensor volume 100. Referring now to Fig. 35, another embodiment of a flow-sensing device 3510 in a corn planter row unit, generally designated as 3520, is illustrated. The flow-sensing device 3510 is positioned external to an application port 3522 of a supply tube, generally designated as 3524. The supply tube 3524 may be, for example, a liquid or granular tube. The separate flow-sensing device 3510 is mounted by means of a support clamp 3526 attached to the planter frame of the row unit 3520. The clamp may be attached to a side bolt or another part of the planter frame to which the supply tube 3524 is attached, so that it is stationary with respect to the supply tube 3524. Although this embodiment has been illustrated in connection with a corn planter row unit, it may be used in other types of row units or other application equipment. Referring now to Fig. 36, another type of application equipment is illustrated in which the fixed flow sensor device can be used. Fig. 36 shows a 3600 self-propelled sprayer with a rear boom. Figure 37 shows an enlarged portion of a spray boom 3610 with nozzles (alternatively referred to as discharge ports or application ports) 3612. The nozzles 3612 are operatively positioned relative to associated separate flow sensors 3614, which are configured to measure the spray volume and spray pattern at a predetermined position below the application ports (i.e., the nozzles) 3612. Preferably, separate humidity sensors 3616 are positioned above the boom to measure the humidity (i.e., water content) of the air. Alternative mounting positions for the separate humidity sensors 3616 are provided for mounting in the cab or other locations on the self-propelled spray vehicle 3600. Such alternative separate humidity sensors 3618 are shown in Figure 36. Suitable spray boom mounting clamps 3620 are used.Figure 38 is a schematic illustration of a field with wind directions and sensors indicated to determine the movement of spray drift away from the target area. Figure 38 illustrates how to position the sensors to monitor spray drift flowing away from the target area or the field being treated. Sensor A (i.e., the upwind moisture sensor) is positioned upwind. Moisture sensors B1, B2, etc., can be mounted on the sprayer vehicle or the spray boom. The overall agricultural product application system, which may be a seeder application or a spray application, may include a downwind moisture sensor C. The spray drift into the non-target area can be measured by comparing the readings of sensors A, B, and C.Depending on field and wind conditions, the number and position of sensors may vary for more accurate flow measurement. The various flow sensor devices described above and below can be used in this agricultural product application system. Figure 39 is a perspective and phantom view of a separate sensor system that uses conical electrodes 3910, 3912, 3914, and 3916 for location detection. The conical electrodes have different responses that are used to determine the direction of the material (i.e., contents) flowing through the sensor. If the material passes over the wider portion of source electrode 1, it produces a signal that is detected by detector electrode 1. If the material passes over the narrower portion of source electrode 2, it produces another signal that is detected by detector electrode 2. By comparing the amplitudes of the two signals, the position of the material in the sensor body, and therefore the path the material follows through the sensor body, can be determined. The sensor body includes any physical housing, the electrodes, and the appropriate circuitry that allows the separate sensor system to be coupled to various pieces of equipment.Therefore, as in the previous embodiments, this method involves delimiting a volume by means of surfaces comprising a first electrically conductive plate, a second electrically conductive plate not in physical contact with the first electrically conductive plate, and at least two sides of electrically insulating material that also delimit the volume. In a preferred embodiment, the source electrodes emit an alternating current. The sensing electrodes and interface circuits are reactive circuit elements. The material flowing through the sensor creates a change in the circuit's reactance. The electrode pairs facilitate the determination of the material's path through the volume between them. The response, amplitude, or phase of the sensing systems connected between the first electrode pair (i.e., separate plates) 3910, 3912 and the second electrode pair 3914, 3916, together with the determination of the material's passage time between the electrodes, facilitates the determination of whether the material passes to one side, the center, or the other side of the volume. Assuming the material passes in front of and exits behind the sensor, as depicted in Figure 39, and when the material's path is to the left of the volume (i.e., path 3), the sensing system's response will be apparent for a longer period between the first electrode pair 3910, 3912 than the response of the sensing system that is apparent from the second electrode pair 3914, 3916.When the material travels through the center of the volume (i.e., path 2), the responses of the two detection systems will be substantially equal in duration. Furthermore, if the amplitude responses of the detection systems for each of the two electrode pairs are substantially equal, the amplitude response of the detection system for the first electrode pair versus the amplitude response of the detection system for the second electrode pair is indicative of the path taken by the material. When the path is to the left, the amplitude response of the detection system for the first electrode pair will be greater than the amplitude response of the detection system for the second electrode pair. When the material travels toward the center of the volume, the amplitude responses for each electrode pair will be substantially equal.When the path is to the right (i.e., path 1), the amplitude response of the detection system for the first pair of electrodes will be less than the amplitude response of the detection system for the second pair of electrodes. When used in a comparator detection system, the absolute magnitude of the response of each pair of electrodes is not needed to determine the position of the material flow. By comparing the amplitude responses of the two detection systems in terms of relative magnitude, the path followed by the material can be determined. The position source electrodes and detector electrodes 3910, 3912, 3914, and 3916, as shown in Fig. 39 and specific for seeder tube applications, in a preferred sensor embodiment, have a width of approximately 2.54 cm (1.5 in.) and a height of 1.58 cm (5 / 8 in.). In a preferred embodiment, they are positioned so that the seeds or granules travel through the volumes over which the conical electrodes are nominally 4.44 cm (1.75 in.) apart centerline to centerline in the direction of travel. Position sensors for typical liquid-based applicators may be larger and have a different aspect ratio.The maximum size is limited in such a way that, at the frequency used for detection systems, the electromagnetic fields established in the sensor volume remain evanescent and do not propagate out of the sensor as is well known to experts in the art. The refractive index is the square root of the relative dielectric constant. Incorporating sensors that are responsive to the refractive index variation of specific chemical species into the 3614 sensor apparatus facilitates the tracking and location determination of specific chemicals such as herbicides, insecticides, etc. In a preferred embodiment, a miniature sensor such as the one described in "Patterning of nanophotonic structures at optical fiber tip for refractive index sensing" by Shawana Tabassum, Yifei Wang, Jikang Qu, Qiugu Wang, Seval Oren, Robert J. Weber, Meng Lu, Ratnesh Kumar, and Liang Dong, presented at SENSORS 2016, Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel and Convention Center, Orlando, FL, October 30–November 2, 2016, can be readily incorporated into the 3614 sensor body.A multiplicity of such sensors facilitates the determination not only of the quantities of chemicals passing through the volume, but also of their application position by judicious placement of such sensors in sensor 3614. In some modes, additional calculation operations and resulting warnings can be used when the output of individual sensors from the sensor multiplicity varies, indicating that there is no flow or limited flow when there should be flow or full flow. Referring now to Fig. 40, another embodiment of the flow-sensing apparatus, generally designated as 4010, is illustrated. In this embodiment, as in the other embodiments, the flow-sensing apparatus 4010 monitors a directed flow, generally designated as 4012, of an agricultural product from an application port (i.e., a nozzle 4014) at the end of a delivery tube (i.e., the hose 4016). The flow-sensing apparatus 4010 includes a sensor housing, generally designated as 4016. The sensor housing 4018 includes a conical flow-receiving element 4020 having an inlet orifice 4022 at a first end and a receiving element outlet 4024 at a second end, the first end being smaller than the second. A sensing element 4025 is positioned inside the sensor housing 4018. The inlet orifice is sized based on selected operating characteristics of the directed flow and a target area. The set of selected operating characteristics may include, for example, the flow rate, flow pattern, and target size. The sensor housing 4018 includes a sensor body 4026 that has a sensor inlet end 4028 positioned to receive a target-directed portion 4030 of the directed stream 4012 from the outlet of the conical flow-receiving element 4020. An off-target portion 4032 of the directed stream 4012 is not detected. The sensor housing materials 4018 are typically metal or plastic. The flow rate is typically in the range of approximately 0.08 liters (3 oz) to 3.78 liters (1 gallon) per acre. The conical flow receiving element 4020 is positioned outside the application port 4014 and is therefore positioned to provide measurement, guidance, and timing of the agricultural product. The target zone is the point in the furrow in the vicinity of the seed or it can be a desired location between the seeds. In summary, if the flow is in the correct direction, it passes through the inlet orifice 4022 at the top of the conical flow-receiving element 4020, flows through the sensor housing 4018, and then strikes the target (e.g., the seed) in the furrow. If the flow is not in the correct direction, all or part of the flow will not reach orifice 4022 and will run off the outer surface of the sensor housing 4018. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor element 4025 measures partial flow, no flow, or undirected flow. The operator will then be notified if there is a problem. Alternatively, a controller can be used to receive a timing signal from the sensor element 4025 to determine whether the liquid will reach the seed. Referring now to Fig. 41, the flow sensor apparatus 4010 is illustrated in a corn planter row unit, generally designated as 4034. As in Fig. 35, the flow sensor housing 4018 is located outside the application port 4014 of the supply tube 4016. Referring now to Fig. 42, another type of application equipment in which the attached 4010 flow sensor can be used is illustrated. Fig. 42 shows a self-propelled sprayer vehicle with a rear boom, similar to Fig. 36, discussed earlier. The 4025 sensor element can utilize microwave or capacitive technology, as discussed previously in relation to the preceding modalities. It can also employ optical sensing technology, as commonly used in this field for detecting seeds and granular materials, or other suitable types of non-mechanical flow sensing systems. Thus, and referring now for example to Figs. 19-20, in some modalities the sensor element 4025 can be configured to notify, that is, inform or warn, the operator of a system of the following potential conditions: 1. When the system synchronized input works as intended and the synchronized pulse of the crop input is placed in the correct proximity to the individually planted seeds to provide the desired biological effect. 2. When the system-synchronized input is pulsing as planned, but the synchronized pulse of the crop input is being placed in proximity to individually planted seeds, in such a way that the desired biological effect will not be realized. 3. When the input synchronized with the system does not pulse as intended, thus providing an indication that a synchronized pulse from the crop input is not close enough with individually planted seeds to produce the desired effect. In a preferred configuration, the measured flow rate ranges from approximately 0.14 liters (0.5 fl oz) to 3.78 liters (1 gallon) per linear acre. Synchronized application allows for disengaging the application process between seeds. This significantly reduces the actual volume of liquid agricultural product used compared to current application methods, where the liquid agricultural product is applied continuously. Referring now to Figs. 43A, 43B, and 44, other embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as supply tube assemblies for measuring a liquid agricultural product application rate of liquid agricultural product flowing through a supply tube at low rates. Specifically referring to Figures 43A and 43B, a first embodiment of said supply tube assembly, generally designated as 4310, is illustrated. The supply tube assembly 4310 includes a supply tube 4312 and a sensor body assembly 4314. The supply tube 4312 has an upstream portion 4314 and a downstream portion 4316. The upstream portion 4314 has an outlet end of the upstream portion 4318 and the downstream portion 4316 has an inlet end of the downstream portion 4320. The sensor body assembly 4314 is incorporated into the supply tube 4312. The sensor body assembly 4314 includes a sensor body 4322, a first sensing board 4324, a second sensing board 4326, and sensing electronics 4328. Sensor body 4322 has a sensor inlet end 4330 positioned to receive an inlet flow of the liquid agricultural product from the upstream portion 4314 and a sensor outlet end 4332 positioned to receive an outlet flow of the liquid agricultural product. Sensor body 4322 is an enclosure having operable positions (i.e., sides) 4334, 4336, 4338, and 4340. The cross-sectional area of ​​the sides (i.e., the operable positions) is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the upstream portion of the supply tube 4312. Sensor body 4322 is configured and constructed so that the liquid agricultural product does not come into contact with the sides (i.e., surfaces) as it flows from sensor inlet end 4330 to sensor outlet end 4332. The first detection plate 4324 is positioned on side 4336 of the sensor body 4322. The second detection plate 4326 is positioned on the second side 4338 of the central body 4322, opposite the first detection plate 4324. The electronic detection components 4328 are operably connected to the first detection plate 4324 and the second detection plate 4326 and are configured to measure the application rate of the liquid agricultural product between the first detection plate 4324 and the second detection plate 4326. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet end of the upstream portion 4318 of the supply tube 4312 is large enough to allow the liquid agricultural product to accumulate at the outlet end of the upstream portion 4318 and drip off by gravity. The sensor body 4322 is preferably oriented substantially vertically. Although the sensor body 4322 has been shown to have a rectangular cross-section, other shapes, such as a cylindrical shape, are possible. However, the first operable position (i.e., the side) and the second operable position (i.e., the side) must be substantially parallel and opposite each other on the sensor body for the liquid agricultural product to flow between the two sensing plates. Referring now to Figure 44, another embodiment of the supply tube assembly, generally designated as 4350, is illustrated. In the supply tube assembly 4350, a flow element 4352 is placed inside the sensor body 4354. An upper end of the flow element 4356 is physically connected to the outlet end of the upstream portion 4358. The flow element 4352 extends through the sensor body 4360 and terminates with a lower end of the flow element 4362 at the outlet end of the sensor to provide a conduit for the flow of liquid agricultural product through the sensor body 4360. In a preferred embodiment, the flow element 4352 comprises a wire. In one embodiment, the flow rate is in the range of 0.00739 liters (one-quarter of a fluid ounce) per acre to 3.78 liters (one gallon) per acre (i.e., an ultra-low range). In another embodiment, the flow rate is in another ultra-low range of approximately 0.00739 liters (one-quarter of a fluid ounce) per acre to 0.94 liters (one-quarter) per acre. In a preferred embodiment, the flow rate is approximately three drops per second. The operator adjusts the flow by counting the drops. The sensor plates may be made of electrically charged material, such as copper, aluminum, or other materials capable of maintaining an operating electrical charge. The sensor plates may use electrical capacitance or microwave sensors to count the drops and determine the amount of material in each drop. Ultra-low flow rate sensing technology is needed, but until now it has been relatively ineffective. Current sensing techniques generally measure the flow velocity through a specific space and convert the measurement into volume. Electrical capacitance measurements are currently used for seed flow and can be used for flow measurement. The ultra-low flow rate sensing system, shown in Figures 43A and 43B, involves measuring the flow through free space. In other words, the flow does not fill the entire sensor volume. Furthermore, the flow can leave the sensor area by gravity or be pumped out of the area below the sensor. As can be seen in Figure 44, if a more continuous flow is desired, the flow element 4352, such as a small U-shaped plastic or thin piece of material, can be placed between the outlet and the inlet at an angle to accommodate the ultra-low flow. The operator is informed if the agricultural product is not applied at the appropriate rate, as measured by the electronic detection components 4328. It should be understood that, although the invention has been described above in terms of particular embodiments, the foregoing embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not limit or define the scope of the invention. Several other embodiments, including, but not limited to, the following, are also within the scope of the claims. For example, the elements and components described herein may be divided into additional components or joined together to form fewer components that perform the same functions. Any of the functions described in this document may be implemented using means to perform those functions. Such means include, but are not limited to, any of the components described in this document, such as the computer components described below. The techniques described above can be implemented, for example, in hardware, one or more computer programs tangibly stored on one or more computer-readable media, firmware, or any combination thereof. The techniques described above can also be implemented in one or more computer programs that run on (or are executable by) a programmable computer that includes any combination of the following: a processor, a processor-readable and / or writable storage medium (including, for example, volatile and non-volatile memory and / or storage elements), an input device, and an output device. The program code can be applied to the input entered through the input device to perform the described functions and generate the output through the output device. The embodiments of the present invention include features that are only possible and / or feasible to implement with the use of one or more computers, computer processors, and / or other elements of a computer system. Such features are impossible or impractical to implement mentally and / or manually. For example, the embodiments of the present invention can read and write data to electronic memory devices (such as RFID tags) and / or distributed ledgers (such as a blockchain), which are functions that cannot be performed mentally or manually. Any claim herein that affirmatively requires a computer, processor, memory, or similar computer-related elements is intended to require such elements and should not be construed as implying that such elements are not present or required by such claims. Such claims are not intended to, and should not be construed as, covering methods and / or systems that lack the computer-related elements mentioned. For example, any method claim herein that states that the claimed method is executed by a computer, processor, memory, and / or similar computer-related element is intended to, and should only be construed as, encompassing methods that are executed by the computer-related element or elements mentioned.Such a method claim should not be construed, for example, to encompass a method performed mentally or manually (e.g., using pencil and paper). Similarly, any product claim herein stating that the claimed product includes a computer, a processor, memory, and / or a similar computer-related element is intended to, and should only be construed to, encompass products that include the mentioned computer-related element(s). Such a product claim should not be construed, for example, to encompass a product that does not include the mentioned computer-related element(s). Each computer program within the scope of the following claims may be implemented in any programming language, such as assembly language, machine language, a high-level procedural programming language, or an object-oriented programming language. The programming language may be, for example, a compiled or interpreted programming language. Each of these computer programs can be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embedded in a machine-readable storage device for execution by a computer processor. The steps of the method of the invention can be performed by one or more computer processors executing a program tangibly embedded in a computer-readable medium to perform the functions of the invention by operating on input and generating output. Suitable processors include, by way of example, general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors. Generally, the processor receives (reads) instructions and data from memory (such as read-only memory and / or random-access memory) and writes (stores) instructions and data to memory.Suitable storage devices for tangibly incorporating computer program instructions and data include, for example, all forms of non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices, including EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard drives and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROMs. Any of these can be supplemented with, or incorporated into, specially designed ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits) or FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays). Typically, a computer can also receive (read) programs and data from, and write (store) programs and data to, a computer-readable, non-transient storage medium, such as an internal disk (not shown) or a removable disk.These elements will also be found in a conventional desktop computer or workstation, as well as in other computers suitable for running computer programs that implement the methods described herein, which can be used in conjunction with any digital printing or marking engine, display monitor, or other raster output device capable of producing color or grayscale pixels on paper, film, display screen, or other output media. Any data disclosed herein may be implemented, for example, in one or more data structures tangibly stored on a non-transient, computer-readable medium. The embodiments of the invention may store such data in such data structure(s) and read such data from such data structure(s). Any step or action described herein as being performed, or capable of being performed, by a computer or other machine may be performed automatically by a computer or other machine, whether or not explicitly described as such herein. A step or action that is performed automatically is performed solely by a computer or other machine, without human intervention. A step or action that is performed automatically may, for example, operate solely on inputs received from a computer or other machine, and not from a human. A step or action that is performed automatically may, for example, be initiated by a signal received from a computer or other machine, and not from a human. A step or action that is performed automatically may, for example, provide output to a computer or other machine, and not to a human. The foregoing embodiments are preferred, but this invention is not limited to them. It is therefore evident that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the foregoing. Consequently, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be implemented in a manner other than that specifically described.

Claims

1. A supply tube assembly for measuring an application rate of liquid agricultural product flowing through a supply tube, characterized in that it comprises: a supply tube having an upstream portion and a downstream portion, said upstream portion having an upstream portion outlet end, and said downstream portion having a downstream portion inlet end;a sensor body assembly incorporated in said supply tube, comprising: a) a sensor body having a sensor inlet end positioned to receive an inlet flow of said liquid agricultural product from said upstream portion and a sensor outlet end positioned to receive an outlet flow of said liquid agricultural product, said sensor body being an enclosure having a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​said upstream portion of the supply tube and said downstream portion of the supply tube, said sensor body being configured and constructed so that the liquid agricultural product does not come into contact with a surface of the enclosure while flowing from the sensor inlet end to said sensor outlet end; b) a first sensing plate located in a first operable position of said sensor body;c) a second detection plate located in a second operable position of said sensor body opposite said first detection plate; and d) electronic detection components operably connected to said first detection plate and said second detection plate configured to measure the application rate of liquid agricultural product between said first detection plate and said second detection plate.

2. The supply tube assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that a cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet end of the upstream portion of the supply tube is sufficiently large to allow the liquid agricultural product to accumulate at said outlet end of the upstream portion and fall by gravity in the form of a drip, said sensor body being substantially vertically oriented.

3. The supply tube assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a flow element positioned within said sensor body and having an upper end of the flow element physically connected to said outlet end of the upstream portion, said flow element extending through said sensor body, and terminating with a lower end of the flow element at the outlet end of the sensor to provide a conduit for the flow of liquid agricultural product through said sensor body.

4. The supply tube assembly according to claim 3, further characterized in that said flow element comprises a wire.

5. The supply pipe assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that said flow rate is in the range of between 0.00739 liters (one quarter of a fluid ounce) per acre and 3.78 liters (one gallon) per acre.

6. The supply pipe assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that said flow rate is in the range of between 0.00739 liters (one quarter of a fluid ounce) per acre to 0.94 liters (one quarter) per acre.

7. The supply tube assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that said flow rate is approximately three drops per second.

8. The supply tube assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that an operator is informed if the agricultural product is not applied at a suitable rate, as measured by said electronic detection components.

9. A method for measuring an application rate of liquid agricultural product flowing through a supply tube, characterized in that it comprises: a) providing a supply tube assembly of the type comprising: a sensor body assembly incorporated in said supply tube, comprising: i.a sensor body having an inlet end of the sensor positioned to receive an inlet flow of said liquid agricultural product from an upstream portion of the supply pipe and an outlet end of the sensor positioned to receive an outlet flow of said liquid agricultural product, said sensor body being an enclosure having a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of ​​an upstream portion of the supply pipe and said downstream portion of the supply pipe, said sensor body being configured and constructed so that the liquid agricultural product does not come into contact with a surface of the enclosure while flowing from the inlet end of the sensor to said outlet end of the sensor; ii. a first sensing plate located in a first operable position of said sensor body; iii.a second detection plate located in a second operable position of said sensor body opposite said first detection plate; and iv. electronic detection components operably connected to said first detection plate and said second detection plate configured to measure the application rate of liquid agricultural product between said first detection plate and said second detection plate; and b) flow liquid agricultural product through said sensor body assembly; and, c) measure the application rate of liquid agricultural product between said first detection plate and said second detection plate using said electronic detection components.

10. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that a cross-sectional area of ​​an outlet end of the upstream portion of the supply tube is sufficiently large to allow the liquid agricultural product to accumulate at said outlet end of the upstream portion and fall by gravity in the form of a drip, said sensor body being substantially vertically oriented.

11. The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that said sensor body assembly further comprises a flow element positioned within said sensor body, said flow element comprising an upper end of the flow element physically connected to said outlet end of the upstream portion, said flow element extending through said sensor body, and terminating with a lower end of the flow element at the outlet end of the sensor to thus provide a conduit for the flow of liquid agricultural product through said sensor body.

12. The method according to claim 11, further characterized in that said flow element comprises a wire.

13. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that said flow rate is in the range of between 0.00739 liters (one quarter of a fluid ounce) per acre and 3.78 liters (one gallon) per acre.

14. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that said flow rate is in the range of between 0.00739 liters (one quarter of a fluid ounce) per acre to 0.94 liters (one quarter) per acre.

15. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that said flow rate is approximately three drops per second.

16. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the step of informing an operator if the agricultural product is not applied at an appropriate rate, as measured by said electronic detection components.

17. A flow-sensing apparatus for monitoring a directed flow of an agricultural product from an application port at one end of a supply tube, said directed flow having a target directed portion and an off-target portion, said flow-sensing apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a sensor housing, comprising: a) a conical flow-receiving element having an inlet orifice at a first end and a receiving element outlet at a second end, said first end being smaller than said second end, said inlet orifice being dimensioned by selected operating characteristics of the directed flow and by a target area;(b) a sensor body having a sensor input end positioned to receive the target directed portion of the directed stream from the outlet of the receiving element of the conical flow receiving element, wherein no off-target portion of the directed stream is detected; and a sensor element positioned within the sensor housing, wherein the sensor housing and the sensor element are positioned outside the application port and thus positioned to provide measurement, orientation, and timing of the agricultural product.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized in that said selected operating characteristics include: flow rate, flow pattern, and target size.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized in that a measured flow rate is in the range of approximately 0.14 liters (0.5 fluid ounces) to 3.78 liters (1 gallon) per linear acre.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized in that an operator is informed if the agricultural product is not applied in a position relative to the seed dispensed from a seeder.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized in that an operator is informed when a synchronized input to the system is functioning as intended and a synchronized pulse from the crop input is placed in proximity to the individually planted seeds to provide a desired biological effect.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized in that an operator is informed when a system-synchronized input is pulsing as intended, but a synchronized pulse from the crop input is being placed in proximity to individually planted seeds, such that a desired biological effect will not be realized.

23. The apparatus according to claim 17, further characterized in that an operator is informed when an input synchronized with the system does not pulse as intended, providing an indication that a synchronized pulse from the crop input is not sufficiently close with individually planted seeds to produce a desired effect.

24. A method for monitoring a directed flow of an agricultural product from an application port at one end of a supply tube, said directed flow having a target directed portion and an off-target portion, said method is characterized in that it comprises: a) providing a flow sensing apparatus, comprising: a sensor housing, comprising: i) a conical flow receiving element having an inlet orifice at a first end and a receiving element outlet at a second end, said first end being smaller than said second end, said inlet orifice being dimensioned by selected operating characteristics of the directed flow and by a target area;and (i) a sensor body having a sensor input end positioned to receive a target directed portion of the directed stream from said outlet of the receiving element of said conical flow receiving element, wherein the off-target portion of the directed stream is not detected; and a sensor element placed within said sensor housing; and (b) directing the directed stream towards said flow sensing apparatus, wherein said sensor housing and said sensor element are positioned outside said application port and thus positioned to provide measurement, guidance, and timing of the agricultural product.

25. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that said selected operating characteristics include: flow rate, flow pattern, and target size.

26. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that a measured flow rate is in the range of approximately 0.14 liters (0.5 fluid ounces) to 3.78 liters (1 gallon) per linear acre.

27. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that an operator is informed if the agricultural product is not applied in a suitable position relative to the seed dispensed from a seeder.

28. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that an operator is informed when a synchronized input to the system is functioning as intended and a synchronized pulse from the crop input is placed in proximity to the individually planted seeds to provide a desired biological effect.

29. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that an operator is informed when a system-synchronized input is pulsing as intended, but a synchronized pulse from the crop input is being placed in proximity to individually planted seeds, such that a desired biological effect will not be realized.

30. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that an operator is informed when a system-synchronized input does not pulse as intended, providing an indication that a synchronized pulse from the crop input is not sufficiently close to individually planted seeds to produce a desired effect.

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