Oil-Based Suspension Concentrates for Spray Drift Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pesticide spray drift during agricultural applications leads to environmental concerns and reduced biological efficacy due to the formation of small droplets that drift away from the target area, and existing drift control agents often increase viscosity, making formulations difficult to use and reducing overall efficacy.
Innovation Solution
The use of oil-based suspension concentrates containing agrochemical active compounds, penetration enhancers, vegetable or mineral oils, and non-ionic or anionic surfactants, which increase droplet size without increasing viscosity, thereby reducing drift while maintaining biological performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If drift control agents are added to pesticide formulations to increase droplet size, then spray drift is reduced, but the formulation viscosity becomes extremely high making it difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the spray liquid by using oil-based suspension concentrates instead of water-based formulations. This allows the formulation to achieve larger droplet sizes and reduced drift without the excessive viscosity problems that occur when traditional drift control agents are added to aqueous pesticide formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite formulation system combining oil-based suspension concentrate with specific surfactants and penetration enhancers. This composite approach creates a stable emulsion that produces larger droplets during spraying while maintaining manageable viscosity and ease of application, resolving the contradiction between drift control and usability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If tank-mix adjuvants are used as drift reduction additives, then spray drift is controlled, but the dosing accuracy and operator safety are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the drift control function directly into the pesticide formulation itself by using oil-based suspension concentrates. This eliminates the need for separate tank-mix adjuvants and ensures precise dosing since the drift-control mechanism is already incorporated at the formulation stage, removing the dosing accuracy problems associated with separate additive applications.
3Area of stationary object
If smaller droplets are used in spray application, then better coverage is achieved, but drift increases and biological efficacy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the droplet size parameter by utilizing the unique atomization properties of oil-based suspension concentrates. These formulations naturally produce larger droplets during spraying due to their physical-chemical properties, thereby reducing drift while still achieving adequate coverage through the droplet size distribution characteristic of this formulation type.
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
Significantly reduces spray drift and maintains excellent biological performance by shifting droplet size spectra to larger droplets, even with high surfactant and penetration enhancer content, as demonstrated in various examples.
Implementation Method 1
d) 2.5 - 30 wt.-% of at least one non-ionic surfactant or dispersing agent and / or at least one anionic surfactant or dispersing agent
Implementation Method 2
The spray liquid so obtained is then sprayed and is especially applicable for spraying using conventional hydraulic nozzles
Implementation Method 3
b) at least one penetration enhancer
Implementation Method 4
The use of oil based suspension concentrates containing a) 5 - 30 wt.-% of at least one agrochemical active compound which is solid at room temperature, b) 10 - 55 wt.-% of at least one penetration enhancer, c) 15 - 55 wt.-% of at least one vegetable oil or mineral oil or paraffin oil
Implementation Method 5
The drift effect can be minimized significantly by adding suitable drift control agents to pesticide formulations that increase the size of the droplets in the spray cloud
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to the use of oil based suspension concentrates containing a) at least one agrochemical active compound which is solid at room temperature, b)at least one penetration enhancer, c) at least one vegetable or mineral or paraffin oil, d) at least one non-ionic surfactant or dispersing agent and / or at least one anionic surfactant or dispersing agent and e) optionally one or more other additives for the reduction of the drift of a spray liquid containing the oil-based suspension concentrate during spray application.