Nozzle Groups for Strip Application in Agricultural Spraying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural spraying devices discharge plant protection agents over the entire surface in row crops, making it difficult to switch between strip and surface applications, especially in irregular field structures, leading to inefficient use and potential misapplication.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural spraying device with individually controllable groups of spray nozzles, allowing for precise strip application by selecting and positioning nozzles to match row distances and configurations, enabling seamless switching between strip and surface applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If plant protection agents are discharged over the whole surface in row crops, then complete coverage is achieved, but the amount of spray liquid used increases and precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The spray device is divided into multiple independently controllable nozzle groups arranged in rows. Each nozzle group can be individually activated or deactivated based on the actual row configuration, allowing selective application only where plants are present rather than blanket coverage of the entire surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies plant protection agents with different characteristics to different locations: strip application (targeted rows) versus surface application (entire area). The control unit enables dynamic selection of application mode and individual nozzle activation based on local field conditions, plant row configurations, and crop requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If the spraying device is converted to a strip sprayer with fixed row distance, then strip application is achieved, but adaptability to irregular field structures is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, fixed row distance configurations to dynamic, adaptive control. The control unit receives signals about actual row positions and distances and dynamically adjusts which nozzles are activated, allowing the device to adapt to varying row configurations throughout the field while maintaining precise strip application.
Solution Approach 2:
The spraying device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate in strip application mode with selective nozzle activation for regular row structures, switch to surface application mode for irregular fields, and adjust to different row distances without physical conversions. This multi-functionality is achieved through individual nozzle controllability and programmable control logic.
3Reliability
If mechanical weed control is combined with strip spraying, then weed control effectiveness is improved, but the different operational requirements create conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous, coordinated operation of strip spraying and mechanical weed control by maintaining the ability to switch between application modes. The control unit can coordinate nozzle activation with the operational state of mechanical weed control equipment, ensuring that spray application occurs at optimal times and locations without interrupting either process.
4Adaptability or versatility
If swift conversion between strip and surface application is required, then operational flexibility is improved, but the complexity of switching mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical conversion mechanisms with an electronic control system. Instead of physically reconfiguring the device for different application modes, the control unit electronically activates or deactivates individual nozzles based on the desired application mode, achieving swift conversion without mechanical complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for the application of spray liquid containing plant protection agents onto rows of plants with an agricultural spraying device comprising groups of spray nozzles, wherein the groups of spray nozzles and the spray nozzles of each group are spaced apart from one another perpendicular to a travel path of the agricultural spraying device that extends parallel to the rows of plants. The method comprises the following steps: selecting at least one spray nozzle each from at least some of the groups of spray nozzles by means of control signals of a control unit to control the spray nozzles; applying spray liquid with the selected spray nozzles onto one row of plants each; the spray liquid being applied from the selected spray nozzles as strip application in the form of respective strips in which the application of the spray liquid does not overlap within a nominal spray angle of directly adjacent spray nozzles of the selected spray nozzles. The invention furthermore relates to an agricultural spraying device embodied to carry out the method according to the invention and a corresponding computer-readable medium.