Nozzle flowrate and spray pressure are two of the most important factors influencing on droplet characteristics. With the aim to develop prediction models for air-induction nozzles (AINs), a series of Billericay Farm Services (BFS) AINs with different orifice diameters in combination with tap water were tested. 0.2 MPa, 0.3 MPa, 0.4 MPa, 0.5 MPa, 0.6 MPa and 0.7 MPa of spray pressures and 2 m/s, 3 m/s, 4 m/s and 5 m/s of air speeds were setup. Based on the wind tunnel tests data, prediction models with input variables of nozzle flowrate and spray pressure and output variables of D v0.1 , D v0.5 , D v0.9 , %<150 µm (proportion of spray volume contained in droplets with diameter below 150 µm), relative span (RS) and coefficient of variation (CV) of D v0.5 were developed. The developed models were validated based on wind tunnel experimental data. Results showed that: for D v0.1 , D v0.5 , D v0.9 and %<150 µm, R 2 were equal to 0.768, 0.823, 0.868 and 0.811, indicating that the predictive ability for these four parameters is strong. For RS and CV, R 2 were equal to 0.100 and 0.113, respectively, indicating that the predictive ability for these two parameters is poor. The models developed in the present study are helpful for facilitating the use of AIN in agricultural spray application. et al. Development of droplet characteristics prediction models for air induction nozzles based on wind tunnel tests. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2019; 12(6): 1-6.
Droplet characteristics are identified as essential factors in agricultural spray application. The aims of this study were to analyse the influence of spray parameters on droplet characteristics and to determine possible candidate sprays that would produce the same droplet size categorizations as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) standard S-572.1 for air induction nozzles (AINs). Six different orifice sizes of the Billericay Farm Services (BFS) air induction (AI) flat fan hydraulic nozzles (the air bubblejet) were examined at different spray pressures (200 kPa, 300 kPa, 400 kPa, 500 kPa, 600 kPa and 700 kPa) and concurrent air velocities (2 m/s, 3 m/s, 4 m/s and 5 m/s). The influences of spray parameters on the droplet characteristics were analysed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that: (1) The values of droplet characteristics and the results of ANOVA were significantly different before and after eliminate the influence of dynamic surface tension (DST) on droplet characteristics by ANCOVA; (2) (a) the reduction rates of the droplet diameter sizes decreased with increasing spray pressure; (b) air velocities of 2 m/s and 5 m/s resulted in smaller droplets reports, and air velocities of 3 m/s and 4 m/s are more suitable for agricultural spray applications; (c) a larger nozzle orifice size not always result in a larger droplet size and (3) Fine, Medium, Coarse, Very Coarse and Extremely Coarse droplet classification categories as the ASABE S-572.1 standard categorizations were determined to classify AINs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.