ID 324

Performance Change in Agricultural Spray Nozzles After One Year

 

Abstract:

As farmers are faced with low market prices for crops it is imperative for them to make sound economic decisions of where to allocate funds for the year pertaining to crop input products. Replacing worn nozzles is commonly dismissed as an unnecessary expense rather than a budget saving practice. This study investigates what changes in nozzle performance were seen after one year of product application. A commercial sprayer was outfitted with new AIXR 11005 nozzles, a highly popular nozzle in the spray market. A subsection of nozzles was analyzed before and after one spray season collecting data in the parameters of droplet size and distribution using laser diffraction measurements within the WinField United Spray Analysis Wind Tunnel, flow rate of liquid through the nozzle using a graduated pitcher and stop watch, and orifice imaging using a Dyno-Lite microscope. Significant changes were seen in all areas of analysis. The portion of droplets considered to be subject to drifting was reduced, the volume median diameter (VMD) of the droplets shifted towards a coarser droplet size category, the rate product flowed through the nozzle increased, and images of the nozzle showed roughing of the exit orifice. These changes in nozzle performance are important to be recognized as they impact the predictability of spray application performance assumed by the applicator, can create an over application of product that has several environmental implications, as well as a financial impact to the grower needing to purchase more product for the application.