Variable Flow Spray System With Reduced Volume Chamber
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current spraying systems face challenges in maintaining a stable and controlled spray flow, leading to pressure drops and irregular droplet sizes, which degrade the effectiveness of localized spraying in agricultural and viticultural applications.
Innovation Solution
A variable flow spraying system with a reduced volume pressure regulation chamber and a PWM control unit that intermittently closes the inlet during the nozzle's opening cycle, ensuring constant pressure and optimal droplet size without transition times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a conventional spray nozzle with a large chamber volume is used, then the chamber can store sufficient liquid, but pressure drops occur during nozzle opening/closing cycles causing transition times and unstable spray flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the chamber volume adaptable to the operating conditions. The chamber volume is dynamically adjusted based on the nozzle's opening/closing frequency and duty cycle, allowing the system to optimize between liquid storage capacity and pressure stability for each specific operating scenario. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by preventing both pressure drops (when volume is too large) and liquid depletion (when volume is too small).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of chamber volume from a fixed value to a variable parameter that is optimized based on operating conditions. By calculating and adjusting the chamber volume according to the nozzle's opening/closing frequency and duty cycle, the system maintains optimal pressure stability and spray flow characteristics across different operating modes, resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and flow stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the chamber volume is reduced to eliminate pressure drops, then spray flow stability improves, but the chamber may not store enough liquid for the required duty cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by making the chamber volume dynamic rather than fixed. The chamber volume is calculated and adjusted based on the specific operating conditions (opening/closing frequency and duty cycle), allowing the system to have sufficient liquid storage capacity when needed while maintaining pressure stability. This dynamic approach ensures that the chamber always has the appropriate volume for the current operating mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating the optimal chamber volume based on the expected operating conditions (duty cycle and frequency) before the nozzle operates. This allows the system to be configured with the correct chamber volume in advance, ensuring both sufficient liquid storage and pressure stability from the start of operation without needing to adjust during operation.
3Measurement precision
If localized spraying is implemented by controlling individual nozzles, then spraying accuracy and cost optimization improve, but pressure drops and transition times occur when controlling single or few nozzles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing each nozzle with its own independently optimized chamber volume. This allows each nozzle to be tailored for localized spraying operations, ensuring that even when controlling a single nozzle or a few nozzles, each has sufficient liquid storage capacity and maintains stable spray flow. This resolves the contradiction by making the system locally optimized rather than relying on centralized liquid supply that causes pressure drops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the liquid supply system by providing each nozzle with its own dedicated chamber. This segmentation isolates each nozzle's liquid supply from others, eliminating the pressure drops that occur when multiple nozzles share a common supply line. Each segmented chamber maintains stable pressure and spray flow independently, enabling accurate localized spraying without the instability problems of shared supply 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
The system achieves a perfect jet with constant droplet size and optimized treatment by minimizing pressure drops and eliminating transition times, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of spraying processes.
Implementation Method 1
the chamber has a reduced volume so as to limit the pressure drop of the liquid passing through the nozzle during the nozzle's opening and closing cycle
Implementation Method 2
a control unit which is adapted to vary the flow rate of the nozzle by intermittently closing the inlet of the chamber during a nozzle opening and closing cycle
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a variable flow rate spraying system (10) comprising at least one spray nozzle (24), a nozzle holder (12) comprising a body (16) defining a chamber (20) adapted to convey the liquid to be sprayed to the nozzle (24), said chamber (20) extending from an inlet (40) connected to a liquid supply circuit (18) to an outlet (42) communicating with an inlet orifice (26) of the nozzle (24), and a control unit (14) adapted to vary the flow rate of the nozzle (24) by intermittently closing the inlet (40) of the chamber (20) during an opening-closing cycle of the nozzle (24), characterized in that the chamber (20) has a reduced volume, so as to limit the pressure drop of the liquid passing through the nozzle (24) during of the nozzle opening and closing cycle (24).