Smart Nozzle Flow Control for Agricultural Sprayer Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural sprayers face challenges in achieving even distribution of agricultural products across irregularly shaped fields due to contour changes and sprayer configuration, leading to waste and unpredictable application patterns.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle control system that uses smart nozzles with electronic control units (ECUs) and a master node to regulate nozzle flow rates based on environmental conditions, field characteristics, and user preferences, maintaining constant system pressure to achieve desired droplet sizes and optimizing product distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional sprayer configuration is used, then the sprayer can cover large areas, but the distribution of agricultural products becomes unpredictable and uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The sprayer system is divided into multiple independently controllable nozzle sections along the boom. Each nozzle or group of nozzles can be controlled individually through electronic control units (ECUs) that receive signals from a master controller, allowing precise adjustment of flow rates to compensate for field irregularities while maintaining large coverage area
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic flow rate adjustment for each nozzle based on real-time conditions. ECUs modulate the flow rate of individual nozzles in response to GPS location data and terrain information, enabling the sprayer to adapt to contour changes, hillsides, and irregular field shapes while maintaining uniform application across the entire coverage area
2Productivity
If flow rate is increased to improve productivity, then more product is applied, but pressure variability causes unpredictable droplet sizes
Solution Approach 1:
Pressure sensors are installed in each nozzle section to provide real-time feedback on pressure conditions. The ECUs receive this pressure data and dynamically adjust the flow rate of individual nozzles to maintain consistent pressure, thereby ensuring uniform droplet size even when overall application rates are increased for productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system independently controls multiple parameters for each nozzle including flow rate, pressure, and duty cycle. By adjusting these parameters dynamically based on real-time sensor data, the system can increase overall productivity while maintaining consistent droplet size through coordinated parameter changes at each nozzle
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual control is used to adjust application patterns, then flexibility is reduced, but complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses GPS receivers and onboard sensors to automatically detect the sprayer's location, speed, and operating conditions. The master controller and ECUs automatically adjust flow rates based on this data without requiring manual intervention, providing adaptability to field conditions while keeping the control system manageable through automation rather than complex manual controls
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling nozzle flow rate includes a master node having an expected overall flow rate module configured to generate an expected overall flow rate of an agricultural product based on one or more sprayer characteristics, and an adjustment module configured to generate an error correction based on a difference between the expected overall flow rate and an actual overall flow rate of the agricultural product. A plurality of smart nozzles are in communication with the master node, each of the smart nozzles includes an electronic control unit in communication with one or more control valves and one or more nozzle assemblies. Each of the smart nozzles includes a target smart nozzle flow rate module configured to generate a target smart nozzle flow rate of the agricultural product based on the one or more sprayer characteristics. The target smart nozzle flow rate is adjusted according to the error correction.