The use of a vertical patternator for the adjustment of vertical spray distribution profile of air-assisted sprayers is a useful practice in order to improve the quality of pesticide application. The use of the vertical patternator is currently limited when there is the need to adjust sprayers used to apply pesticides on trees featured by a large canopy volume (e.g. hazelnut) or when tunnel sprayers are used. In presence of trees with large canopy volume the positioning of the patternator at a half row-distance from the sprayer does not provide optimal results because part of the vegetation to be treated could be out of the spray liquid cloud intercepted by the patternator. To provide solutions to the problem mentioned above experimental tests were carried out with a patternator ad hoc modified by AAMS-Salvarani company. In the modified patternator the line of the collector was inclined of 45° to the sprayer direction from a height of 1.5 m. The spray profiles obtained with the traditional and with the modified patternators were compared when operating with different sprayer adjustments (liquid flow rate, air speed and direction of the air stream). Comparision was made in terms of spray liquid recovery efficiency and of profiles similitude (patternator diagram and canopy profile). The results showed a reduction in the patternator efficiency with the modified patternator, but an improvement in the profile similitude. To allow the use of vertical patternator with vineyard tunnel sprayers AAMS-Salvarani company built a new patternator with opposing elements and a maximum height limited to 2.5 m. The profiles obtained using a vineyard tunnel sprayer and different liquid flow rates and air fan outlet velocities were determined. The results showed the possibility to use the opposing collectors patternator for tunnel sprayer adjustment.
Improvements on vertical patternator
ALLOCHIS, DAVIDE;BALSARI, Paolo;OGGERO, Gianluca;MARUCCO, Paolo;TAMAGNONE, Mario
2017-01-01
Abstract
The use of a vertical patternator for the adjustment of vertical spray distribution profile of air-assisted sprayers is a useful practice in order to improve the quality of pesticide application. The use of the vertical patternator is currently limited when there is the need to adjust sprayers used to apply pesticides on trees featured by a large canopy volume (e.g. hazelnut) or when tunnel sprayers are used. In presence of trees with large canopy volume the positioning of the patternator at a half row-distance from the sprayer does not provide optimal results because part of the vegetation to be treated could be out of the spray liquid cloud intercepted by the patternator. To provide solutions to the problem mentioned above experimental tests were carried out with a patternator ad hoc modified by AAMS-Salvarani company. In the modified patternator the line of the collector was inclined of 45° to the sprayer direction from a height of 1.5 m. The spray profiles obtained with the traditional and with the modified patternators were compared when operating with different sprayer adjustments (liquid flow rate, air speed and direction of the air stream). Comparision was made in terms of spray liquid recovery efficiency and of profiles similitude (patternator diagram and canopy profile). The results showed a reduction in the patternator efficiency with the modified patternator, but an improvement in the profile similitude. To allow the use of vertical patternator with vineyard tunnel sprayers AAMS-Salvarani company built a new patternator with opposing elements and a maximum height limited to 2.5 m. The profiles obtained using a vineyard tunnel sprayer and different liquid flow rates and air fan outlet velocities were determined. The results showed the possibility to use the opposing collectors patternator for tunnel sprayer adjustment.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.