Variable Pressure Control for Agricultural Spraying Drift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural spraying systems face inefficiencies due to spray material drift, overspray, and inaccurate application, exacerbated by wind, terrain irregularities, and variations in ambient conditions, leading to crop damage, environmental contamination, and human exposure to toxic materials.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling pressure and flow in agricultural spraying systems, utilizing a valve with a nozzle and actuator assembly, a pressure sensor, and a pressure controller to maintain a predetermined pressure, combined with a square wave generator to modulate flow resistance, allowing for precise droplet size control and application rate adjustment based on field position, weather, and other factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If spray liquid pressure is increased to improve application rate and coverage speed, then productivity increases, but droplet size increases causing more spray drift and off-target movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the spray boom into multiple independently controllable sections, each with its own pressure control valve. This allows different pressure levels to be applied to different segments, enabling high pressure for productivity where needed and low pressure for drift reduction in sensitive areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts spray pressure in real-time based on GPS location, wind conditions, and field boundaries. Pressure control valves modulate flow rates continuously, allowing the system to transition between high productivity modes and drift reduction modes as the sprayer moves through different zones.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If larger droplets are used to reduce spray drift, then harmful factors decrease, but coverage uniformity and penetration into plant canopies deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different droplet sizes to different locations within the spray path. Small droplets are directed toward dense plant canopies for uniform coverage and penetration, while larger droplets are used in open areas where drift reduction is the priority. This is achieved through independently controlled nozzles or nozzle groups along the spray boom.
3Productivity
If high speed vehicles and wide-swath equipment are used to cover larger areas rapidly, then productivity increases, but accuracy of spray material placement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses GPS receivers and geographic information systems to provide real-time feedback on sprayer location, orientation, and speed. This feedback is processed by a control system that automatically adjusts spray application rates and pressure to maintain precise placement accuracy even at high speeds and wide swath widths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual control and mechanical alignment methods with electronic and computational systems. GPS-based positioning, electronic pressure control, and computerized flow modulation enable precise spray placement without requiring mechanical adjustments or operator intervention, allowing high-speed operation with maintained accuracy.
4Device complexity
If conventional spray systems are used to reduce equipment complexity, then device complexity remains low, but spray material misapplication and environmental contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors its own operation and adjusts spray parameters without external intervention. GPS receivers continuously track location, flow sensors monitor material delivery, and control systems automatically modulate pressure and flow rates to prevent misapplication and environmental contamination, making the system self-regulating.
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
This solution enhances the precision and efficiency of agricultural spraying by reducing spray drift, ensuring uniform coverage, and minimizing off-target application, thereby reducing waste and environmental impact while improving crop yields and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor connected to the pipe for sensing a pressure in the pipe
Implementation Method 2
a valve having a nozzle and an actuator assembly, the nozzle having an orifice defined therethrough, the actuator assembly being configured to control an emission of an agrochemical from the orifice
Implementation Method 3
a pressure controller in communication with the pressure sensor, the pressure controller being configured to change a flow resistance based on the sensed pressure to maintain a predetermined pressure in the pipe
Data Source
AI summary
An electrically-actuated variable pressure control system for use with flow-controlled liquid application systems. Direct acting solenoid valves are pulsed at varying frequencies and duty cycles0000change the resistance to flow encountered by the flow-controlled liquid application system. This pulsing solenoid valve technique preserves a high degree of accuracy and uniformity through a wide range of pressure control. This wide range of pressure control indirectly allows the flow-controlled liquid application system to operate over a wider range of flow control, yielding indirect benefits to performance and productivity. When the solenoid valves are attached to pressure-atomization spray nozzles, control over spray pattern and droplet size is further achieved.