Rotating Atomizer Drop Size Control for Agricultural Spraying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current land sprayer technologies are inefficient in applying phytosanitary chemicals due to inadequate control of drop size, leading to excessive waste, environmental pollution, and reduced effectiveness, as they fail to maintain uniform drop distribution and are prone to drift and evaporation, resulting in only 40% of the chemical reaching the target crop.
Innovation Solution
A rotating atomizer device powered by a variable speed electric engine, which measures instantaneous temperature and flow to adjust rotation speed in real-time, ensuring consistent drop sizes between 170-270 microns, minimizing drift and waste by optimizing drop distribution and concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If hydraulic pickaxes are used to apply phytosanitary chemicals, then the application process is simple and widely available, but the drop size control is deficient and heterogeneity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid chemical product is segmented into discrete drops of controlled size through the rotating atomizer device. The atomizer breaks the continuous liquid flow into individual droplets with diameters between 170-270 microns, achieving uniform segmentation that resolves the heterogeneity problem of conventional hydraulic sprayers.
Solution Approach 2:
The atomizer device incorporates a rotating mechanism that dynamically controls drop formation. The rotation speed is adjusted based on instantaneous temperature and flow measurements, allowing the system to adaptively maintain consistent drop sizes despite varying operating conditions, thereby improving manufacturing precision.
2Area of stationary object
If large drops are applied to reach the bottom part of plants, then coverage is improved, but product waste on ground increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the critical parameter of drop size to an optimized range (170-270 microns) that balances coverage and retention. This parameter optimization ensures drops are large enough to reach plant foliage effectively but small enough to adhere properly, reducing ground deposition waste from the typical 80% down to minimal levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that measure instantaneous temperature and flow, providing feedback to the control unit. This feedback loop adjusts the atomizer rotation speed in real-time to maintain optimal drop sizes, ensuring consistent performance that maximizes coverage while minimizing waste.
3Quantity of substance
If small drops are used to increase chemical concentration efficiency, then water consumption is reduced, but drift and evaporation losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the drop size parameter to a specific range (170-270 microns) that prevents excessive drift and evaporation. Drops in this size range have sufficient mass to resist wind drift and evaporation losses while maintaining high chemical concentration efficiency, unlike smaller drops that are too susceptible to environmental losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustment of atomizer rotation speed based on real-time temperature and flow measurements ensures drop sizes remain within the optimal 170-270 micron range under varying conditions. This dynamic control prevents drops from becoming too small under high temperature or high flow conditions, thereby preventing drift and evaporation losses.
4Device complexity
If conventional spraying methods are used, then equipment complexity is low, but only 40% of chemical reaches the target crop
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating atomizer device segments the chemical product into uniform drops, improving application efficiency to 60-70% delivery to target. This segmentation approach achieves better productivity than conventional methods while adding only moderate complexity through the atomizer mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature and flow sensors with a control unit to dynamically adjust atomizer operation, achieving 60-70% application efficiency. This feedback-controlled approach improves productivity significantly compared to conventional open-loop systems, with the added complexity being justified by the substantial efficiency gains.
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 solution significantly increases the efficiency of chemical application, reducing water consumption and environmental impact by ensuring 60-70% of the chemical reaches the target, minimizing drift and waste, and extending the operational cycle of spraying machines.
Implementation Method 1
the drops shall fall downwards in the form of fog over the crops due to the action of the force caused by its mass and gravity, in addition to the eventual momentum that centrifugal effect of the rotating parties that generate the drops may provide
Implementation Method 2
the drops shall fall downwards in the form of fog over the crops due to the action of the force caused by its mass and gravity
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method for application of products in liquid or semiliquid state, such as chemicals for agricultural use and the like, using a rotating atomizer device, in such a way that the drops shall fall downwards in the form of fog over the crops due to the action of the force caused by its mass and gravity, in addition to the eventual momentum that centrifugal effect of the rotating parties that generate the drops may provide, wherein the method includes the following steps: individually regulate the voltage for the speed of the engines of each rotating atomizer device, modifying the parameter of the power supply of the engine to ensure that the speed of each rotating atomizer device is the correct one, measure the speed of the engine under its control and correct any deviation or separation from the programmed operating values.