Pipeline Valve Assembly for Sequential Transitory Pesticide Spraying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural spraying technologies face challenges in efficiently and safely applying pesticides to foliage, particularly in ensuring consistent coverage and minimizing human exposure to potential toxicity.
Innovation Solution
The development of a system comprising a series of valve assemblies deployed along a pipeline, each equipped with a spray valve that releases a transitory spray in response to a threshold pressure, and an outlet valve that opens after the spray to allow the pressurized liquid to flow downstream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high pressure spraying is used to improve pesticide application efficiency, then productivity is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential toxicity exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline is divided into multiple segments with individual valve assemblies at different locations. Each valve assembly can independently control spraying at its specific location, allowing the system to maintain high productivity through continuous operation while minimizing human exposure by automating the spraying process at multiple distributed points along the pipeline.
2Manufacturing precision
If continuous spraying is used to ensure consistent foliage coverage, then manufacturing precision is improved, but harmful factors increase due to prolonged exposure risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic, sequential activation of valve assemblies along the pipeline rather than continuous spraying. Each valve assembly operates for a predetermined duration or until a predetermined amount of liquid is dispensed, then automatically closes and allows the liquid to pass to the next valve assembly. This periodic action ensures consistent foliage coverage through repeated application cycles while minimizing prolonged exposure risk by limiting the active spraying time at each location.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If automated valve control is implemented to reduce human exposure, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each valve assembly is equipped with automatic control mechanisms that operate without human intervention. The spray valve automatically opens in response to liquid flow at predetermined pressure, remains open for a predetermined duration or until a predetermined amount of liquid is dispensed, then automatically closes. The outlet valve subsequently opens to allow liquid passage to the next valve assembly. This self-service automation reduces human exposure to pesticides while managing device complexity through standardized, self-regulating valve assemblies.
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
This system enables sequential, transitory spraying along the pipeline, ensuring efficient coverage of foliage while minimizing human exposure to pesticides, as the spray valves automatically control the release and cessation of the spray based on pressure thresholds.
Implementation Method 1
a spray valve configured to release a transitory spray through a spray port when the spray valve is subjected to a pressurized liquid in the pipeline
Implementation Method 2
an outlet valve configured to open after the release of the transitory spray so as to enable passage of the pressurized liquid through an outlet port to a subsequent valve assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly for sequential, transitory high-pressure spraying in a pipeline conveying pressurized liquid in which the pressurized liquid drives a spray valve into a momentary open position to enable a transitory spray of pressurized liquid and then open an outlet valve to enable throughput of the pressurized liquid to the next valve assembly deployed in the pressurized pipeline.