Sprayer Drift Agricultural Technology Field Day August 9

Sprayer Drift Agricultural Technology Field Day August 9, 2007 Chickasha, OK Robert E. Wolf Associate Professor - Extension Specialist Application Technology, Bio & Ag Engineering, Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering

ü August 5, 2008 ü Airport & Expo Grounds ü Great Bend, KS

For more information contact: rewolf@ksu. edu www. bae. ksu. edu/faculty/wolf/

Improving Coverage?

Important Droplet Statistics: Operational Area

Relative Span RS = (Vd. 9 – Vd. 1)/VMD Vd. 9 = 400, VMD = 300, Vd. 1 = 100 Vd. 9 = 625, VMD = 300, Vd. 1 = 25

Calibration!!!! The next phase! Ensuring that the spray droplet spectrum is what it is supposed to be to maximize efficacy while minimizing drift!

Droplet Selection/Calibration:

Droplet Spectra Classification*

Greenleaf Droplet chart:

What is the ‘Real’ difference ? ……Medium droplet at 225 microns ……Coarse droplet at 300 microns How much heavier? Or is it? ? ? 300 = 1. 33 225 1. 33 bigger 1. 333 = 1. 33 * 1. 33 = 2. 35 * 100 = 235% heavier

Nozzle Technology…… ü Nozzles designed to reduce drift ü Improved drop size control ü Emphasis on ‘Spray Quality’

Nozzles Types?

Extended Range Flat-fan: ü Tapered edge pattern ü 80 and 110 degree fan ü Requires overlap - 50 to 60% ü 15 -60 psi range

Chamber - Pre-orifice Nozzles: l l l l Turbulence chamber as in the Turbo Flood Tapered edge, wide angle flat pattern Designed to work in flat-fan nozzle holder Uniform spray distribution, 50 -60% overlap Wide pressure range, 15 – 90 psi Large, drift resistant droplets Plastic with superior wear characteristics Pre-orifice Exit orifice

Air-Induction/Venturi Nozzles Where air is drawn into the nozzle cavity and exits with the fluid.

Pre-orifice Air Induction Nozzles: Pre-orifice Air induction Mixing Chamber Exit orifice

Ultra Lo Drift: ü Double inlet preorifice ü Large drift resistant droplets ü Low profile

Driftable Droplets: Nozzle Type (0. 5 GPM Flow) Spraying Systems-2000 Approximate % of Spray Volume < 200 Microns 15 PSI 40 PSI XR 11005 14% 22% XR 8005 6% 12% DG 11005 N/A 11% DG 8005 N/A 7% TT 11005 <1% <6% TF-2. 5 <1% AI 11005 N/A <1%

Wind Tunnel Drift Results: LSD = 12. 7

Volume Median Diameter (VMD) % less than 210 Microns 37 51 36 35 45 40 psi Bob Klein, U of Nebraska 23 30 14 15 26 40 psi 19 22 14 13 22 40 psi 10 17 29 29 15 70 psi

Desired Effect from Additives

Actual Effect from Additives

Next Generation Air Induction Nozzles: ü ü More compact Larger drops Operates at lower pressures Percentage of fines do not increase with pressure Turbo Injection - TTI

Next Generation Air Induction Nozzles: ü More consistent droplet ü All-in-one cap and screen ü Wide angle with 20 degree incline ü Aim forward or backword Guardian

New release in 2007: ü XR outlet with venturi air aspirator design ü More compact than AI style ü 2 -piece with removable preorifice AI XR Tee. Jet

Vari. Target: ü ü ü Speed variations from 2 -20 MPH Application rates of 5 -40 GPA Variable area pre orifice Variable area spray orifice Optimize spray droplet size Maintain efficacy and minimize drift

www. spraytarget. com