Resilient Orifice Spray Nozzle for Variable Flow Rate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spray nozzle assemblies for agricultural chemicals face limitations in varying flow rates without changing spray tips, requiring complex and costly solutions to adjust liquid distribution according to different spraying needs.
Innovation Solution
A spray nozzle assembly with a resilient orifice member that deforms in response to pressure changes, allowing for a significant increase in flow rate without replacing the spray tip, utilizing an elastomeric material that can alter the orifice dimensions to achieve a wider range of flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If spray tip is changed to increase flow rate, then flow rate is improved, but device complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spray tip incorporates a resilient orifice member that dynamically changes its flow characteristics in response to pressure variations. This dynamic element allows a single spray tip to provide multiple flow rates by deforming under different pressure conditions, eliminating the need for multiple static spray tips with different orifice sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the orifice member from rigid to resilient, allowing it to deform and change its effective orifice area based on operating pressure. This parameter change enables the same physical component to deliver different flow rates without physical replacement, resolving the contradiction between flow rate adjustment and device complexity.
2Productivity
If spray tip is changed to increase flow rate, then flow rate is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic resilient orifice member automatically adjusts to different flow rate requirements through pressure-induced deformation, eliminating the manual intervention required for tip replacement. The system transitions from a static component requiring human replacement to a dynamic component that self-adjusts, directly addressing the time loss issue.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex flow rate control system is used, then flow rate control range is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient orifice member serves itself by using the operating pressure of the liquid stream to automatically adjust its deformation and corresponding flow rate. The system eliminates external control mechanisms by making the orifice member responsive to the natural pressure variations in the fluid flow, achieving adaptability without added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the material property of the orifice from rigid to resilient, the system gains automatic adaptability to flow rate requirements through pressure-dependent deformation, achieving versatility without complex control systems.
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
Enables a substantial increase in flow rate by up to 130% with pressure changes, allowing for precise control of liquid distribution without the need for multiple spray tips, reducing operational complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient orifice member that deforms in response to pressure changes, allowing for a significant increase in flow rate without replacing the spray tip, utilizing an elastomeric material that can alter the orifice dimensions
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural sprayer having a liquid supply conduit for directing selectively controllable pressurized liquid to a plurality of spray nozzle assemblies. Each nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body having a respective orifice member having an inwardly tapered conical section communicating with a smaller diameter discharge orifice. Each respective orifice member is made of a resilient and pressure responsive deformable material such that upon an increase in the pressure of the liquid supply said liquid flow passage and discharge orifice thereof can be altered to increase the rate through said orifice member and nozzle body by at least 75 percent and upon interruption of the supply of pressurized liquid to the orifice member the orifice member liquid flow passage and discharge orifice return to their original shape.