Cyclone Mixer for Direct-Injection Spraying Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Direct-injection spraying devices for agricultural vehicles face issues with inconsistent dosing of active substances due to changes in vehicle speed, leading to over- or under-dosing of plants, caused by inertia in the liquid flow through long booms and varying distances from the point of incorporation.
Innovation Solution
A direct-injection spraying device equipped with a cyclone mixer that ensures homogenous mixing of active substances with the sprayed liquid, featuring tangential inlet and outlet ports, a metering pump, and a bypass system connected to a regulating valve, which maintains consistent dosing independent of vehicle speed, and includes features like continuous circulation to prevent clogging and sedimentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a direct-injection spraying device with long booms is used, then the spraying coverage area is increased, but the liquid flow inertia causes inconsistent dosing of active substances
Solution Approach 1:
The cyclone mixer performs preliminary mixing of the active substance with the sprayed liquid before the mixture reaches the nozzles. By pre-mixing the substances in a cyclone configuration, the system ensures homogeneous distribution of the active substance throughout the liquid flow, eliminating dosing inconsistencies that would otherwise occur during travel through long booms to distant nozzles
Solution Approach 2:
The cyclone mixer acts as an intermediary device between the active substance injection point and the spray nozzles. It receives the active substance and the sprayed liquid separately, mixes them thoroughly using cyclonic motion, and then delivers the homogeneous mixture to the booms, ensuring consistent dosing regardless of the distance to individual nozzles
2Productivity
If the vehicle speed changes, then the productivity is improved, but the injection rate of active substance becomes inconsistent leading to over- or under-dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a flow meter that continuously measures the flow rate of the sprayed liquid and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit processes this information and adjusts the metering pump's operation accordingly, ensuring that the active substance injection rate remains proportional to the actual liquid flow rate even when vehicle speed changes, thereby maintaining consistent dosing across varying productivity conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the metering pump's injection rate based on real-time flow conditions. Rather than using a fixed injection rate, the metering pump responds to changing vehicle speeds and liquid flow rates, continuously adapting the active substance delivery to match the actual spraying conditions and prevent over- or under-dosing
3Area of stationary object
If a metering pump with long ducts is used, then the spraying system can cover large areas, but the liquid with varying active substance concentration takes time to reach all nozzles causing dosing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The cyclone mixer performs preliminary mixing of the active substance with the sprayed liquid before the mixture reaches the nozzles. By pre-mixing the substances in a cyclone configuration, the system ensures homogeneous distribution of the active substance throughout the liquid flow, eliminating dosing inconsistencies that would otherwise occur during travel through long booms to distant nozzles
Solution Approach 2:
The cyclone mixer acts as an intermediary device between the active substance injection point and the spray nozzles. It receives the active substance and the sprayed liquid separately, mixes them thoroughly using cyclonic motion, and then delivers the homogeneous mixture to the booms, ensuring consistent dosing regardless of the distance to individual nozzles
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cyclone mixer ensures rapid and consistent homogenization of active substances, eliminating over- or under-dosing issues by maintaining proportional injection based on the actual liquid sprayed, reducing water usage, and allowing quick adjustment of active substances during operation.
Implementation Method 1
a cyclone mixer whereof a first (e.g., upper) portion comprises at least first and second substantially tangential inlet ports, and whereof a second (e.g., lower) portion comprises an outlet port
Data Source
AI summary
The direct-injection spraying device, in particular for an agricultural vehicle, according to the invention includes a main tank, at least one spray boom, and a circuit connecting the tank to the boom. comprises:The circuit includes a main pump and a bypass for controlling the flow rate in the boom in accordance with the traveling speed of the vehicle.At least one active substance store is connected to the circuit by a metering pump.The device further includes a cyclone mixer capable of receiving, as input, the liquid from the main tank, and the pressurized liquids coming from the active substance store, and capable of eliminating the boom as output.