Sprayer Boom Charging System Reverse Flow Air Purging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Longer sprayer boom lengths in self-propelled agricultural sprayers lead to air trapping in liquid product-carrying lines, causing pressure issues and application anomalies, with existing purging methods being wasteful or compromising delivery accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A sprayer boom charging system that pre-loads the boom with liquid product in a reverse flow direction to purge air, using a dual flow path system with electronically actuated valves to direct purged air back into the product tank, reducing waste and pressure drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If longer sprayer boom lengths are used to increase coverage, then productivity is improved, but air trapping in liquid product-carrying lines increases causing pressure issues and application anomalies
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary air purging by reversing the flow direction of liquid product through the boom sections before normal spraying begins. This preliminary action removes trapped air from the extended boom lines, preventing pressure issues and application anomalies that would occur during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system temporarily reverses the normal flow direction of liquid product through the boom sections. Instead of flowing from upstream to downstream during spraying, the liquid flows in reverse during the charging phase to effectively push air pockets out of the boom sections and into the product tank.
2Reliability
If product-spray air purging is used to remove air from the boom, then air trapping is reduced, but product waste increases due to leakage or spraying onto the ground
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of spraying product forward to purge air, the system reverses the flow direction temporarily. Liquid product flows backward through the boom sections, pushing air out through the same path, and both the air and purging liquid return to the product tank for reuse, eliminating waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers both the purged air and the liquid product used for purging by directing them back into the product tank. This prevents loss of expensive liquid product that would otherwise be wasted during traditional air purging operations.
3Reliability
If continuous circulation systems are used to purge air from the boom, then air trapping is reduced, but activation delays and pressure drops occur compromising delivery accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs air purging as a preliminary action before normal spraying begins. By completing the air removal process during the charging phase with reversed flow, the system eliminates delays that would occur during activation and ensures immediate delivery accuracy when spraying starts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic or sequential activation of boom sections with reversed flow to purge air from each section individually before normal operation. This staged approach prevents system-wide pressure drops and activation delays by isolating the purging action to specific sections and times.
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 system effectively eliminates product waste and pressure drops during initial application, ensuring consistent delivery accuracy by pre-loading the boom with liquid product and directing purged air back into the tank for reuse.
Implementation Method 1
The boom charging system pumps liquid product into the boom sections, which may be done in a reverse flow direction compared to the spray delivery flow direction to purge air from the boom sections into the product tank.
Implementation Method 2
The sprayer boom charging system includes a pump that delivers liquid product from the product tank to the boom sections during charging sessions.
Implementation Method 3
The boom charging system provides automatic boom charging by controlling electronically actuated valves to establish a sequence of liquid product flow direction changes through the boom sections.
Data Source
AI summary
A sprayer boom charging system for an agricultural sprayer is provided that allows a wet boom to be pre-loaded or charged during a charging session with liquid product before starting a spraying session. The boom charging system may deliver liquid product into the boom sections at their downstream ends to flow in a charge-flow or reverse flow direction that is opposite a normal spray delivery flow direction. This purges air from the boom sections and pushes it into the product tank that also collects the purging liquid product so that no liquid product is released onto the ground during the charging session.