Continuous sensory spray-liquid monitoring system

Abstract

In modem crop protection, accurate and precise knowledge and monitoring of the amount of chemicals applied per unit area of land is essential to minimize environmental impact and due to restrictions on active ingredients. The currently known solutions are not suitable for component-by-component analysis of spray liquids containing several active ingredients. The invention is based on the insight that by measuring the 3 parameters simultaneously, a unique set of values can be assigned to the pesticide and fertilizer combinations used. This value sequence is representative of that combination. In the future, if the same combination is used, it will be possible to identify it from the measured values without knowing the exact content of the mixture. In addition, continuous monitoring is a great help for crop protection professionals to accurately adjust additives. Through continuous monitoring, spraying can be safer in all aspects.

Description

DescriptionTitle of Invention: CONTINUOUS SENSOR¬BASED SPRAY AGENT MONITORING SYSTEM

[0001] The patent application concerns a continuous sensor-based spray agent monitoring system, mainly for agricultural sprayers. The spray agent monitoring system is able to monitor the concentration of the tank mix applied throughout the entire operation, thus helping to prevent damage caused by over- or under-use of the chemical.

[0002] Tank-mix means a spray mixture of two or more different preparations - physically, chemically and biologically compatible with each other - mixed in a spray liquid tank with a carrier (usually water) at the prescribed dose and applied in one pass, during the filling of the tank with the plant protection product (PPPs) and / or liquid nutrient for use.

[0003] In modem crop protection, accurate and precise knowledge and monitoring of the amount of chemicals applied per unit area of land is essential to minimise environmental impact and due to restrictions on active substances.

[0004] In some cases, even a small amount of under-dozing can result in reduced or no effect at all, while over-dozing, in addition to increased environmental impact, can result in crop damage and unjustified cost increases. Many PPPs are only effective at certain pH levels and can only be used safely at certain concentrations, and to ensure that these settings are made and continuously monitored, the concentration of spray liquid ingredients must be known throughout the entire application process.

[0005] In order to simplify the workflow and make it more cost-effective, it is advisable to apply each plant protection product and nutrient solution to the crop in one application, if possible. For example, a spray mixture can contain different formulations pesticides, fertiliser solutions, bio stimulants, etc. - which can interact with each other and often cause problems (ineffective or harmful effects on the plant) if the mix is not in the right proportions. By monitoring and recording the properties of the tank mix, it is easier to identify the causes of any effects that may have been caused by retrieving them.

[0006] It should be noted that crop damage is also caused by the application of an unwanted active substance of an unwanted product to an unwanted target area, which may not only be caused by misdirection of the target area, but also by residues left in the sprayer system from previous work. This can be detected by sensor monitoring of the machine cleaning.

[0007] A solution to control the composition of the spray liquid can be found in patent

[0008] US2021321603A1, where the concentration of the tank mix is judged by the optical

[0009] property of the spray liquid, mainly its transparency. The disadvantage of this solution is that it is only suitable for testing the concentration of formulations with adequate transparency characteristics. In the case of a formulation with no or little influence on the transmittance, the formulation must be coloured before mixing, which implies a separate operational step and may result in increased costs and additional potential for error. In addition, this solution does not give a complete picture of other very important properties of the tank mix, therefore the monitoring objectives are not really met.

[0010] In the solution disclosed in patent specification US4121767A, the concentration of the spray liquid PPP’s is estimated based on the electrical conductivity. Here too, however, the problem described above arises that only certain PPPs with ionic solubility, which influence the electrical conductivity sufficiently, give satisfactory results, so that the spray agent monitoring objectives cannot be fully achieved either, only partial results are obtained.

[0011] The aim of the invention is to develop a universal spray agent monitoring system that

[0012] is able to monitor a given crop protection and / or nutrient application work throughout the whole workflow, so from the beginning to the end of the workflow. The workflow is consist of replenishment of the carrier (water), tank mixing with the prescribed formulation (recipe), homogeneity testing and application to the target area and its control.

[0013] During the development of the invention, we recognized that any combination of currently available pesticides and nutrients can be fully monitored by measuring the three parameters simultaneously.

[0014] The concentration of the formulations in the spray liquid can be set as reference values for the current prescription. If the same tank mix is used, the deviations can then be monitored by measuring the deviations from the reference values.

[0015] In line with our insights, the above objective is achieved by the following invention:

[0016] A continuous sensor-based spray liquid monitoring system for sprayers, having a sensor array capable of simultaneously measuring the chemical and physical properties of the solution in contact with the spray liquid at at least one point during the entire operation to determine the concentration of the component(s) dissolved in the spray liquid, and a central unit in data communication with the sensor array. The novelty of our solution lies in the fact that the sensor array comprises at least: a pH probe, a transmittance measuring unit and a temperature compensated electrical conductivity measuring sensor.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system also includes a flow meter.

[0018] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is where the system includes a display for visualizing data, connected to the central processing unit.

[0019] It is also advantageous to provide an embodiment wherein the central processing unit is provided with a communication means for transmitting data.

[0020] A further preferred embodiment is where the central processing unit includes a data recording and / or evaluation unit.

[0021] In a further preferred embodiment, the system also includes a GPS transmitter.

[0022] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a level sensor probe integrated in the spray liquid tank and in data communication with the central unit.

[0023] In the following, embodiments illustrating the scope of the invention are described by means of drawings, where:

[0024] - [Fig.l] is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a spray agent monitoring system according to the invention;

[0025] - [Fig.2] is also a schematic representation of the main structural elements of a spraying machine, with the most preferred placement of the sensor array.

[0026] The sensor array 1 shown in [Fig.l] consists of pH probes 2, electrical conductivity sensors 3 and light transmittance sensors 4.

[0027] The pH probes 2 and electrical conductivity sensors 3 are designed for in-line

[0028] installation and are designed to withstand the physical and chemical effects of agricultural spraying, with sufficient accuracy to measure within the typical range of use.

[0029] As a pH probe 2, for example, a glass membrane pH sensor with a silver / silver chloride, iodine / iodide or mercury / calomel reference sensor can be used.

[0030] The pH probes 2 can also be of combined design. In a combined probe, the pH sensor (glass sensor) and the reference sensor are designed as two concentric tubes / chambers. The pH electrode encapsulates the reference electrode and they are connected by a ceramic junction. These two electrodes, although combined, work separately, however, the undoubted advantage of combined sensors is that instead of two sensors, only one sensor needs to be handled.

[0031] A pH probe 2 can also be designed to accommodate a temperature sensor in the same body as the pH and reference element. This allows temperature compensated measurements to be made.

[0032] The transmittance measuring units 4 provide information on the amount of substances dissolved in the spray liquid, using their optical properties. The transmittance measuring units 4 can be designed in several ways. According to a preferred embodiment, the two opposite sides of the tube 10 carrying the spray liquid are made transparent by the installation of inspection glasses, controlled light sources 4a are directed to the transparent part of one side, and the intensity of the light transmitted is evaluated from the other side by light intensity sensors 5. It is

[0033] understood that the greater the amount of substance in the solution that can influence its light transmission, the less light is filtered through, which can provide accurate and useful information on the concentration of the substance that influences the light transmission of the solution, even on a very small scale.

[0034] The pH probes 2, the electrical conductivity sensors 3 and the transmittance sensors 4 are connected to the central units 7 for data transmission.

[0035] The central units 7 process the electrical signals generated by the elements of sensor array 1 and translate them into the commonly used units of measurement for calibration. The central units 7 record and average the signals received at regular intervals during a preset measurement interval and transmit and store them for future use.

[0036] Note here that the central processing 7 units receive and process signals from sensor array 1 much more often than the result suggests. The reason is that with an output based on more input data, the effect of instantaneous transients misrepresenting the quantity to be measured can be eliminated. The frequency of the measurement depends on several factors, including the transmission rate of the GPS transmitters 11, and can be adapted to the ad hoc demand on the system operation. The data analysis required to define alarms due to deviations from predefined values can be carried out in software at a later stage.

[0037] In addition to the data processing, the central units 7 supply the pH probes 2, the electrical conductivity sensors 3 and the transmittance sensors 4 with the low current needed for their operation.

[0038] The central units 7 can preferably be connected to a display 9, allowing the operator to monitor the instantaneous composition of the spray liquid. The central unit 7 may transmit the data representing the spray mixture composition via a communication device 8, for example for display on a mobile application or for integration into agricultural software and for geo-spatial analysis and logging. For this purpose, it is advisable to have a spray agent monitoring system equipped with GPS transmitters 11 or to integrate it into an existing system.

[0039] The system can also include flow meters 6, which give an indication of the active status of the sprayer for automatic data processing later. To illustrate the operation of the spray agent monitoring system according to the invention, the schematic of a conventional flow system of a sprayer is shown in [Fig.2].

[0040] From the spray liquid tank 21, the spray liquid is pumped through the sensor array 1 to the pump 23 via filter 22. This is the suction side. From the pump 23 driven by the external power source 28 to the spray boom 24 is the pressure side, from which the spray liguid is returned to the tank via the agitator line 26 until the spray nozzles 25 on the spray boom 24 are switched on. This is necessary both for the operation of the

[0041] pump 23 and the pipework to avoid excessive pressure and to ensure the mixing and homogenisation of the spray mixture. This mixing work is improved by the hydraulic agitator 31. Shut-off valves 32, 33 at the inlet and outlet of the complete hydraulic system ensure that the spray liquid path is closed until mixing and work is started.

[0042] When spraying is started, the shut-off valve 33 opens, freeing the spray liquid to flow towards the spray boom 24. At the same time, the pressure in the hydraulic system is reduced. When the system pressure falls below a certain value, the pressure governing valve 27 cuts off the flow in the bypass line 30. In this case, the liquid delivered by the pump 23 leaves the system partly through the spray nozzles 25 and partly through the mixing line 26 and returns to the spray liquid tank 21.

[0043] If the amount of liquid delivered by the pump 23 exceeds the amount of liquid to be delivered through thespray nozzles 25 and throttle valve 29 through the mixing line 26, the system pressure will increase and the pressure governing valve 27 will reopen, returning excess spray liquid to the spray agent tank 21.

[0044] In this way, to compensate for the continuous overpressure generated during spraying, part of the spray liquid is returned to the hydraulic agitator 31 via the mixing line 26, while another part is returned to the spray agent tank 21 via the pressure governing valve 27 and the bypass line 30. The adjustment of the pressure governing valve 27 and the mixing line 26 allows mixing on the move, keeping the spray liquid homogeneous in solution. The on-the-run back-mixing is controlled by the described pressure control, depending on the pump 23 power and the specific volume of spray liquid per area to be sprayed.

[0045] In the invention, the arrangement of 1 sensor array for the spray agent monitoring system had to take into account the joint fulfilment of several conditions. On the one hand, it is important that the data measured by sensor array 1 are directly representative of the composition of the spray mixture before application, and on the other hand, the system must be capable of providing a continuous picture of the concentration of the individual components and the homogeneity of the tank mixture during the mixing process.

[0046] The above criteria are met by practically installing sensor array 1 in the suction pipe between the spray agent tanks 21 and the pumps 23. This arrangement ensures that the spray flows through the sensor array 1 during both the active and the mixing phases of the sprayer, thus allowing its physical and chemical properties to be analysed.

[0047] Thus, during the operation of the spray agent monitoring system, the spray liquid flows through sensor array 1, both during the active state of the sprayer and during the mixing phase, and comes into contact with pH probe 2, electrical conductivity sensor 3 and transmittance sensor 4.

[0048] During this time, the pH probes 2 provide direct information on the basic chemical properties of the spray mixture. The chemistry of the spray liquid is itself an important characteristic of the composition of the spray mixture, but its ionic soluble (saline) components are measured by the electrical conductivity sensor 3. In addition, the transmittance measuring unit 4 provides continuous information about the optical properties of the spray liquid by measuring the concentration of components affecting the transparency.

[0049] The values measured by the 2 pH probes are not only useful for determining the concentration per se, because some preparations are not effective only at certain chemical values. In the case of multi-component sprays, the pH may be pushed outside the tolerable range by another component, or added to the spray mixture to adjust the limits.

[0050] The signals provided by pH probes 2, electrical conductivity sensors 3 and transmittance measuring units 4 are processed by the central units 7 into a data series characterising the composition of the spray liquid. The resulting data can be displayed on the screen 9 and / or transmitted via the communication device 8 for further use. The central unit 7 of the spray agent monitoring system according to the invention may be provided with a data recording and / or evaluation unit in order to be able to store the data obtained with a timestamp.

[0051] The information value of the stored data can be further enhanced by the use of GPS transmitter 11, which can be used to pair the location data with the parameters measured there. Further information on the effectiveness of the treatment can be obtained by subsequent analysis of the stored data and by comparing the development and health of the crop.

[0052] It should be noted that, although there are examples in the literature for the measurement of all three parameters alone, pH has not, to the best of our knowledge, been used for automated, mechanized analysis of the concentration of spray ingredients. Monitoring of spray agent concentrations using electrical conductivity or transmittance is known for single-component spray agent concentrations. The invention is suitable for the simultaneous analysis of the concentration of multicomponent spray liquids, and its complex analysis of the three characteristic parameters. The system according to the invention that makes this possible cannot be established from other literature precedents.

[0053] In our view, examining each parameter separately, for a given purpose and for a given formulation, does not provide sufficient information for the person skilled in the art for carrying out the invention, because neither of them provides a direction for the development of a complex, multicomponent solution for monitoring spray agent.

[0054] Furthermore, none of them provide a guidance for the development of a spray agent monitoring solution that takes into account the interaction of the components.

[0055] Of course, the system according to the invention can also be used to monitor singlecomponent or less complex spray mixtures, in which case the sensors may provide redundant data to improve the accuracy of the measurement or to detect possible sensor errors.

[0056] It should be mentioned here that the spray liquid monitoring system according to the

[0057] invention is not only applicable to newly designed and built sprayers, but also suitable to the older designs. It can be retrofitted to essentially any spraying machine in use today by simply disassembling the 10 spray liquid delivery tubes.

[0058] Testing the monitoring system according to the invention under laboratory condition has led to the following results which support the validity of the patent.

[0059] Measurements in the laboratory conditions showed that the values measured in the solo dosage line typically fluctuate as expected, depending on the physical and chemical properties of the preparation itself and the carrier (water). So naturally, ionic, high- salt preparations would change electrical conductivity in line with increasing dose.

[0060] The pH levels were typically affected to some extent by all preparations. The difference in relation to the carrier is the relevant factor, as well as the target dose of the preparation. When working with low doses, because the target dose of the preparation is also low, the variations in the dilution series are smaller. In this case, there is typically a larger jump at the first mixing and less variation as the dose is increased.

[0061] The same is observed for preparations that significantly affect electrical conductivity. There are cases where both pH and electrical conductivity are affected, but there are also cases where only one or the other varies with concentration. The latter case has been verified by experimental measurements.

[0062] The transmittance shows the colour variations resulting from the natural appearance of the formulation, which in some cases only adds to the data already measured by up to two parameters, or complements them if, for example, the electrical conductivity is not a variable parameter of the formulation. Also, in some cases, where so-called gram preparations are to be measured (a few grams or at most deca of preparation per hectare), we have found that the transmittance has saved the whole measurement, because although the pH and the electrical conductivity change slightly, the transmittance is much more spectacular and precise.

[0063] We have had relatively fewer opportunities to test tank mixes under non-laboratory conditions. However, it is certain that the above observations will apply in real-world practice. Typically, there will always be a dominant formulation that dominates all

[0064] the properties of the spray liquid and there will be others that modify the values only slightly.

[0065] It is even more important that all three parameters are measured with high accuracy. A good practical example is that there is a total herbicide (one of the most commonly used active substances) which, depending on the brand, has a dark version, but also a transparent version.

[0066] When applying these preparations, it is often necessary to adjust the pH of the tank mix. There is a pH adjuster that is also colourless, but the pH goes down spectacularly (this is its function), so if both are colourless then the transmittance meters 4 will show very little of its presence and the pH probes 2 and electrical conductivity sensors 3 will show a high reading. However, there is coloured pH control material, which will have an effect on the transmittance.

[0067] However, if you use a coloured herbicide and a transparent pH regulator, the acidic environment will lighten the spray liquid and evidently the values will be corresponding. This latter effect occurs with all tank mixes.

[0068] In addition to the above example, several commonly used preparations were tested that behave quite differently from the previous example. Synthetic fungicides generally show no variation in electrical conductivity at any dose and relatively small variations in pH. We have also encountered cases where no change was observed. In this case the role of the third parameter increases, because these preparations are usually dense, highly staining substances, and the light transmission changes significantly. This has been observed with several selective herbicides.

[0069] Another typical phenomenon was when an insecticide that was otherwise accurately monitored for all three parameters was tested in a tank-mix with another product - in this case a foliar fertiliser product - that had a significant effect on the baseline values. The foliar fertiliser already dominated the tank-mix values at the prescribed dose, and the insecticide dose range added to this mixture, which produced values in sync with the dilution rate when set alone, has less ability to change the properties of the mixture.

[0070] In this case, electrical conductivity and light transmission were the two primary values used to monitor the dose without any doubt in dilution. pH also varied proportionally, but to a lesser extent. In the mixture of foliar fertilizer + insecticide, pH also changed proportionally, but to a more negligible extent, the rate of change in electrical conductivity also decreased, but the light transmission clearly indicated the dose of insecticide.

[0071] This example illustrates that while the dilution rate of the insecticide alone can be well represented by all three measured values, only the transparency of the tank mix with the addition of foliar fertilizer is effective in representing the insecticideconcentration. Of course, it is also possible that the concentration of a component is represented by the pH value or by a combination of several measured parameters.

[0072] As can be seen from the above, there are cases where all three values are relevant, and there are cases where only one or two of the three are relevant for a given component. Sometimes all three are very exact, and sometimes only the very small scale data of the three parameters together allow us to infer the concentration of each component. Because of the extremely large number of variations possible, blind spots can only be filtered out with certainty by measuring all three parameters together.

[0073] The infinite number of combinations cannot all be characterized in advance, but the fundamental observation on which the whole concept is based is always valid, namely that the doses affecting efficacy can always be represented by one of the parameters measured, and that the effects of the preparations in the tank mix on each other can only be represented by the combined and accurate measurement of the three parameters.

[0074] In practice, the use of a multi-component blend is very common. A wide range of combinations of fungicides, insecticides, nutrient solutions, herbicides, adjuvants can be considered. A unique set of values can be assigned to these combinations based on the data of the 3 parameters. This value set will represent the specific mixture

[0075] The most important practical advantage of the spray agent monitoring system according to the invention is that it is able to indicate to the user, based on real-time data, any deviation of the spray mixture composition from the preset values, thus helping to prevent - even significant - damage caused by poor quality spray liquid.

[0076] For professionals in the field, it can provide important information in real time on the effectiveness of their actions to improve the efficiency of the pesticides and liquid fertilisers they use, by relying on continuous and accurate measurements to adjust spray liquid chemistry and maximum concentrations. They can take measures to further adjust the chemistry and increase or decrease concentrations by varying dilution rates.

[0077] The invention will also help professionals to set the desired parameters. The system according to the invention makes it possible to monitor the quantities of the components of the tank mix recipes one by one during the filling, as well as to check the composition and homogeneity of the finished tank mix.

[0078] By storing and logging the measured data, any damage or reduction in effect on the crop after treatment can be traced back, and the correlation with the amount of chemical applied can be interpreted retrospectively.

Claims

Claims

1. A continuous sensor-based spray agent monitoring system for agricultural sprayers, comprising a sensor array (1) capable of simultaneously measuring the chemical and physical properties of the solution at at least one point of contact with the spray liquid throughout the entire operation to determine the concentration of the component(s) dissolved in the spray liquid, and a central unit (7) in data communication with the sensor array (1), characterized by the sensor array (1) comprises at least a pH probe (2), a transmittance measuring unit (4) and an electrical conductivity measuring sensor (3), which is suitably temperature compensated.

2. The spray agent monitoring system according to claim 1 characterized in that the system also includes a flow meter (6).

3. A spray agent monitoring system according to claims 1 or 2 characterized in that it shall include a data display (9) connected to its central unit (7).

4. A spray agent monitoring system according to any of claims 1 to 3 characterised by comprising a communication device (8) for transmitting data to a central processing unit (7).

5. A spray agent monitoring system according to any of claims 1 to 4 characterised by the central unit (7) is equipped with a data recording and / or evaluation unit.

6. A spray agent monitoring system according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterised by comprising a GPS transmitter (11).

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