Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Comparison of Off-Target Deposits for Conventional Spray Nozzles and Venturi Nozzles Robert Wolf Biological and Agricultural Engineering Dept. Dallas Peterson and Cathy Minihan Department of Agronomy

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department New Technology for the Spray Industry

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Nozzle is still an important part of the application process! l Determines the application rate l Determines the uniformity l Determines the coverage l Determines the drift potential

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department What’s new in nozzle technology? l Nozzles designed to reduce drift l Improved drop size control

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Air-Induction/Venturi Nozzles Where air is drawn into the nozzle cavity and exits with the fluid.

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Example Design -TurboDrop l Dual Air inlet/venturi l Mixing Chamber - air and spray solution blended l Pattern contains large air-bubble drops l Better Penetration???? l Reduced run-off????? l Improved coverage?????

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department 1/2 of spray volume = larger droplets VMD 1/2 of spray volume = smaller droplets

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department What to Expect in the Future? l Match the crop protection product to the target l Adhere to label guidelines based on an industry standard –ASAE X-572 l Maximize Efficacy and Minimize drift

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department

Objectives of this study: l Compare drift characteristics of conventional vs. air induction - venturi style nozzles l Determine if the DropletScan  software will provide quick and useful information regarding drift for various nozzle types.

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department What is DropletScan  ? l A software program that will allow accurate and rapid measure of spray droplet impressions on water-sensitive paper. l Developed at K-State by Devore Systems - modeled after ‘Crumbscan’, a software program to determine hole sizes in slices of bread. l Marketed by WRK for specific use in aerial applications spray analysis concentrating on spray droplet characterization.

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department DropletScan  is Field Ready & Simple! System Components

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Procedures Involved: l Use the spot cards during spray run to collect spray that travels out of target area –horizontal and vertical l Scan cards and analyze by software l Droplet stains are measured l Spread factors are used for material sprayed l Equivalent droplet diameter is calculated –% target area being covered –application rate

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Basic system processes: l Acquiring an image from water sensitive paper or other color contrasting material. l 2-step process –Low resolution –High resolution l Select report options

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Sample Printout

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Sample Printout

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Sample Printout

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department

Spray Characteristics are Important to Understand: Click on spray to see video Demonstrates Turbo Flat vs TurboDrop-5 MPH Wind

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Drop Data Descriptions: l D v0.1 (µm) - 10% of the spray volume in drops < number reported l D v0.5 (µm) - 50% of the spray volume in drops < number reported (also is VMD- volume median diameter) l D v0.9 (µm) - 90% of the spray volume in drops < number reported

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Study With 3-Parts involving Air Induction Venturi Nozzles and Droplet Scan Analysis: l Comparing On Target(under the boom) Droplet Characteristics – Reported at 1999 ASAE Summer Meeting – paper # l Field Efficacy/Drift Study – Reported in Successful Farming Magazine, Nov. 99 vol. 97, #12 pp l Drift Comparison Analysis – NCWSS ‘99

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Materials and Methods for all 3 parts: l 3 conventional nozzles l 4 air-induction/venturi l 138, 276, 551 kPa l 76 L/A, 76cm, 51cm

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Part #1 - Sample of an under boom collection: l Passed sprayer over a collector board with five equally spaced water-sensitve cards attached. l 5 cards were collected for each of the 7 nozzles at each pressure.

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Part #2 - Air-Induction/Venturi Nozzle Efficacy Study May 1999

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Part #2 – Plot Layout l 3 reps, 7 nozzles, 3 psi’s l 20 GPA, Gromoxone, 10’ boom l 5’ buffer

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Part #3 – Drift Collector Study: 2 ft. Center Line of Spray Tower Vertical Collector Horizontal Collector 8 ft. 3 ft. 4 ft. 9 ft.10 ft. 1 ft. Card Holder 8 ft. 4 ft. Wind direction

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Example of a collection: l Sprayed past a collector board and tower with six equally spaced water-sensitve cards attached. l 3 cards were collected horizontal and 3 cards were collected vertical for each nozzle at 138, 276, and 551 kPa pressure. l 2 passes per collection HorizontalVertical

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department XR kPa Turbodrop kPa

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Results and Discussion

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Findings for Part #3: l DropletScan  does appear to be a software program that will provide quick and useful information regarding drift for various nozzle types. l Data supports that drift potential is less with the venturi nozzles compared to the conventional nozzles. l The collection technique needs to be fine- tuned to make better use of the data collection possibilities.

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department l May be advantages to analyzing the spray droplet at the target site rather than as it leaves the spray tip. l Will measure stains as small as 50 microns. l Good analysis of lower application rates and driftable size fines. Important to note that:

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Important to note that: l Humid/moist conditions currently will not allow system to be effective. l Even though the wind confused the data in this study, wind does have a major affect on deposition and drift and must be factored in for each application scenario.

Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Thanks