1. Sprayer Calibration

2. How important is Calibrating your sprayer on a regular basis?
If you spend $50, dollars per year on chemical!
We divide that cost by the number of nozzles on your sprayer. For instance: $50,000.00/26=$ dollars per nozzle.
If we allow for 10% wear factor it means you are wasting $ (Or $ per year wasted per season).
That said a $10.00 nozzle purchase is pretty cheap insurance!!!

3. What is the most important piece of equipment for calibration?

4. “YOU” the Operator!

5. Calibration is not just about the math
or Choosing nozzles

6. These are all of the areas that you must be aware of to do a “Calibration”.

7. Let’s review the theory behind the Math!

8. What does the Calibration Formula actually represent?
Row width x Gallons per Acre x Ground Speed
Constant
=Results in Gallons per minute per side.

9. The Colored square represents the calculated spray area of the formula application rate or GPM PER SIDE!

10. A lot of spray problems can be linked to:
Simply trying to do too much!
More is not always better
A lot are missing the target!
Not enough carrier (water) volume for canopy (or too much!) i.e., Too low of a volume for canopy area.
Spraying multi rows with same rate as the single half row rate.
Too much wind for the spray canopy
Air in the wrong place and not were it is needed
High travel or ground speed which does not allow the sprayer to displace the volume of air within the canopy.
Everyone’s favorite “drift”.

11. How do I determine the right amount of air for my application?
Place flagging tape on the opposite side of the tree from the sprayer
How do I know what is enough air?

12. *Full Cone *Hollow Cone *Air induction
Let’s talk nozzles
*Full Cone
*Hollow Cone
*Air induction

13. How do I know which nozzle to use?

14. If you’re Choosing a nozzle by Droplet Size, to avoid Drift, do you still get great coverage?

15. Super, I have to guess again
Super, I have to guess again! The Optimum water particle size was discussed in tests done in the 60 and 70’s. The optimum water particle size was determined to be “150 micron”

16. How do I know if I have made the right choice????
What do we use for test media?
Water sensitive paper is our test media to get a representation of what a 150 micron water droplet should look like in a tree

17. Does this ever stop! More questions!
That’s Great but How do I determine particle size when choosing nozzles?
Does this ever stop! More questions!

18. All nozzle manufacturers can supply micron nozzle charts to provide you with the required information

19. Does my sprayer have an effect on particle size?
Does nozzle location effect particle size?
Yes! Air Velocity from a sprayer can reduce particle size!
420 micron water entering an airstream at 90 degrees
Produces a water droplet of 280 micron
Which is a 33% reduction in size

20. What is the Effect of Water particle size in relationship to the nozzle position in the air stream?
In both pictures below the sprayer nozzles are the same size and in the same location on both booms
(Information supplied by Air Blast 101)
Durand Wyland Turbomist
Nozzle location of sprayers
Rears, Durand Wyland,
Air o fan Turbomist

21. How do I know what Spraying pressure I should use to achieve 150 micron?

22. Every Nozzle manufacturer has this information.

23. Remember, we learned that 150 micron was optimum
Remember, we learned that 150 micron was optimum! Now remember air shear!!!!
Spray Pressure at 100 PSI
Spray Pressure at 200 psi

24. As a General rule of thumb a good place to start with pressure on air blast sprayers is:
100 psi

25. Lets RECAP! Question Answer The actual drive row! 150 Micron!
Operator/you!
Method, Weather, Target, Product, Operator
The actual drive row!
Flagging tap on the opposite side of the tree to the sprayer drive row!
150 Micron!
All nozzle manufacture can provide them, I will give you copies!!!
Yes, general rule of thumb reduce the water particle by 33%
100psi
What is the most important piece of equipment in calibration?
There a 6 areas of concern in a good calibration.
Calibration formula only solve for what area?
How do I test for correct coverage?
What size water particle is optimum?
How do I know what nozzles give what size microns?
Does the air of my sprayer effect the particle size?
What spraying pressure should I start at?

26. Have we solved the fear of “Calibration”?
Calibration program

27. Are there any questions so FAR?

28. Decision tools available to you to avoid “Drift”

29. Drift reduction is all about targeting spray where you need it!

30. Step #1 Target your “AIR”
We set our deflectors or outlets to get the desired coverage area.

31. Step #2 How do we know if we have enough air flow thru the tree?

32. Can there Really be too much air???

33. Yes! There is a scenario of too much air which Slimline calls “Push Back”
What is Push Back
Lines indicate the wind flow around and limited flow thru the tree.
As the target gets closer to the blower
Trees ability to allow air to travel thru the canopy becomes evident.
Sprayer’s blower supplies 10,000 cfm but the tree’s ability to allow the air to pass thru is only 5,000 cfm. Then we get “Push Back”

34. Step #4 Focusing the Air to avoid Drift and improve Coverage

35. How to use new nozzle technology in high density planting
Tan area Air induction
Purple area TXVK if rows are less 15’
Different tree design: same rules

36. New Nozzle Technology with Towers
Top of Tower Air induction or Swirls
Moving down to TXVK or 25 Swirls
Concept here is the greater the distance from target to tower the larger the water particle to avoid drift
Different planting same rules

37. When it comes to reducing drift follow the illustrations below
Wrong Way
Right Way

38. What have we learned so far about control drift?
Avoid using nozzles that produce water droplets smaller than 100 Micron
100 PSI is the “SWEET SPOT” TO AVOID DRIFT
In the canopy areas that are prone to drift increase water particle size.
Target air!
All Drift Data Provided by Ohio State University

39. Gear Up Throttle Down By simply reducing tractor RPM &
Shifting up a gear to achieve the same ground speed

40. How do I use the throttle without having to recalibrate?
Applying Gear Up Throttle Down
Row 15’ Wide
100 Gallons Per Acre
Ground is 2.5 Mph 3 gear in “A” range
But PTO SPEED is Now 450 RPM
My Present Calibration is:
15’ wide Row
100 Gallon per acre
Ground speed of 2.5 in Second “B” Range
Tractor PTO at 540 RPM

41. Has there been any research done on the “Gear Up Throttle Down” Concept?

42. 100 GPA with D4/25 & D6/25 Test Pads 25’,50’,75’,100’,200’
Yes. University of Davis Tested Gear Up Throttle Down and Drift Reduction
100 GPA with D4/25 & D6/25
Test Pads 25’,50’,75’,100’,200’

43. Results of testing done by the University of Davis Drift Reduction by 50%
Distance from sprayer to sample pad
PTO RPM
Number of Trails
25'
50'
75'
100'
200'
Fuel Consumption
450
Test 1
1.99
0.28
No Sample
1.19
Test 2
2.42
0.11
540
9.42
1.56
1.06
0.45
2.44
9.76
1.95
1.11
0.36
2.75

44. Let’s Recap what we have learned so far!
Recap the Facts
Visual Goal
No droplets less 100 micron
Use flagging tape to determine enough blow thru.
If needed use the throttle to achieve enough penetration

45. Remarks from customers about Gear Up Throttle Down!

46. What is New Sprayer Technology?

47. Hooray!!!!

48. Nozzles Technology Full Cone Hollow Cone Examples: FL, TG, & Disc-Core
Examples: TX, TXA, TXB, AITX, TXR, & Disc-Core
HIDE

49. TX & TXA & TXB Applications: Features and Benefits:
Air Blast for orchards, vineyards, & specialty crops
Features and Benefits:
Maximum operating pressure 300 psi
Small droplets = great coverage
80° Spray pattern angle
017 – 04 capacities

50. TXR-VK ConeJet Tips Applications Features and Benefits Air Blast
12 Capacities
Ceramic orifice & core plate
Direct replacement for Albuz ATR
Maximum 360 PSI / 25 Bar rating
Meaningful part numbers
Flow rated at 40 psi
80 Degree cone pattern
Easy cleaning & inspection
2 more sizes than Albuz offers.
Albuz’ ATR – color – conveys no performance information to the distribution channel or the end user.

51. AITX Air Induction Hollow Cone TeeJet
Applications
Air Blast
Features and Benefits
Air induction combined with hollow cone design
Great penetration
Drift control
Increased droplet size

52. What the new technology means to you!
More consistent particle size
Easier to Clean
Color Coded
Less Drift
Better Coverage
Lower Purchase price per nozzle!!!!

53. Here are our Recommendations
1) Avoid Nozzle or Pressure the produce droplet size less than 100 Micron (when Target are more than 15’ away!. 2) Calibrate for a spraying pressure of 100 psi to avoid drift! 3) Use Flagging Tape to prove penetration of canopy and manage drift! 4) Reduce Fan Speed Or Air Volumes to match canopy size thru “Gear Up Throttle Down”. * Improve Coverage * Reduce Fuel Consumption * Reduce Noise 5) Use new Nozzle technology to improve coverage and reduce capital costs. * TXVK use on rows “less” than 15’ * Standard Swirl and Cores on rows 15’ or more On high targets that are susceptible to drift * AITX Air Induction Hollow Cone Nozzles Avoid Drift with the use of “Gear Up Throttle Down” *Reduce air speeds to save fuel and chemical waste 6) Good resource for material is “Air Blast 101” available on the internet. FREE!!!

54. Electro Static Spraying

55. Why is Turbomist “NOT” Researching Electro-static Sprayers?

56. Electrostatic Spraying or not!
Ohio State University States: Avoid particle Sizes less than 50 Micron due to drift and drying out before reaching target.
Advertising Brochure from Popular Electro static Sprayer
High velocity air, moving at speeds over 200 mph, passes by unique air-shear nozzles where chemical-laden liquid is pulled into the air stream. Small, fine droplets, (approximately 50 micron in size) are created and take on a charge as they pass by patented electrostatic electro

58. OSU University Sprayer Comparison Report (www.ipmnet.org)

59. OSU University Sprayer Coverage

60. Turbomist Conclusions on Electrostatic Sprayers
I cannot find any third party test that conclusively states that electro static sprayers provide better coverage than a correctly calibrated traditional air blast sprayer. Therefore I cannot find a return on investment to warrant the research and development capital costs.

61. That concludes our presentation
That concludes our presentation. At this time we will open up the floor for any questions or comments you may have. Thank you