Agricultural Spray System with Real-Time Feedback Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural spray systems face challenges in maintaining consistent spray quality due to various factors such as airflow, nozzle tip size, application rate, weather conditions, and boom movement, which can lead to uneven application of agricultural products on the field.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a sensing system to capture data on spray quality parameters, an input device to receive commands for altering application parameters, and a computing system to determine deviations from defined conditions, generating corrective commands to adjust nozzle assemblies and other components to maintain optimal spray operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the boom assembly is moved to adjust spray coverage, then the application area is improved, but spray quality consistency deteriorates due to boom movement affecting spray patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The boom assembly is made dynamically adjustable through hydraulic cylinders that allow real-time height and position changes. This enables the system to adapt the application area while maintaining spray quality through active control, resolving the contradiction between area coverage and spray consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors monitor spray quality parameters and boom position in real-time, providing feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect deviations in spray quality caused by boom movement and automatically adjust parameters to maintain consistency, solving the contradiction between area coverage and spray uniformity.
2Productivity
If nozzle parameters are altered to improve application rate, then productivity is improved, but spray quality may deviate from optimal conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes multiple parameters including nozzle flow rate, boom height, and vehicle speed in a coordinated manner. By adjusting these parameters together rather than isolating single parameter changes, the system maintains spray quality within optimal ranges while achieving desired application rates and productivity levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle assembly incorporates dynamically adjustable components that can modify spray parameters in real-time based on operational conditions. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to optimize both productivity and spray quality simultaneously by adapting to changing field conditions and application requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If real-time monitoring and adjustment systems are added, then spray quality control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with multi-functional components that perform multiple tasks. For example, the same sensors and control units monitor spray quality, adjust nozzle parameters, and coordinate boom movement. This universal approach reduces overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive spray quality control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges monitoring and control functions into an integrated platform where sensors, processors, and actuators work as a unified system. By combining these functions rather than implementing separate independent systems, the patent reduces complexity while achieving effective real-time spray quality control through coordinated operation of all components.
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural system can include a product application system including one or more nozzle assemblies. A sensing system can be configured to capture data indicative of a condition of a spray operation. An input device can be configured to receive a first command to alter an application parameter for an agricultural product to be exhausted from a nozzle assembly. A computing system can be communicatively coupled to the product application system, the sensing system, and the input device. The computing system can be configured to receive the first command to alter the parameter, alter a first component based on the first command, determine whether the condition of the spray operation deviates from a defined condition range in response to altering the first component, and generate a second command to alter a second component based on the first command.