Understanding the main processes occurring when spraying the working fluid will help to work better on the sprayer. This article contains useful facts that you should know and take into account.
1 The smaller the drop size, the slower it flies to the target
With a drop size of 100 microns (diameter of a human hair), it will drop 3 meters in 11 seconds. With a size of 50 microns, the same path will take 40 seconds due to a reduction in weight and increased air resistance. The smaller the drop size, the longer it will fly to the leaf and the higher the likelihood that it will be blown away or evaporated.
2 The size of the drop depends on the pressure in the working system
The higher the pressure in the working fluid supply system, the smaller the size of the droplets emerging from the nozzles. If you decide to finish the field treatment with a herbicide faster, keep it in mind. After all, the higher the speed of movement of technology, the faster you need to pour the liquid out of the tank. For what the spraying computer increases the pressure in the main line. And the size of the drops is reduced.
3 A little drop dries quickly
With a size of 150 microns, a drop can completely evaporate in 5-10 seconds. From the very moment when it flew out of the spray nozzle, evaporation began. And if the drop has not reached the leaf, it may simply disappear. Thus, the optimum size will be 200-400 microns.
4 Spray nozzle generates droplets of different sizes
Even if the manufacturer promises that the size of the droplets emerging from this nozzle will be 300 microns, always remember that their size will be multispectral. During processing, the largest will simply roll off the sheet, and small ones will drift away because of the wind. Their appearance means loss of working fluid. The longer you operate the sprayers, the more they wear and therefore even more the spectrum of droplets stray from the original. Change spray nozzles regularly.
5 Weather affects dropping losses
Demolition drops increases with increasing speed, boom height and temperature. For example, losses at a temperature of 27° C and a wind speed of 10 km/h are comparable to those at 10° C and a speed of 15 km/h. Also, the lower the bar is placed, the less loss of herbicide.
6 The size of the droplets affects their number
If your goal is a systemic pesticide treatment, then a 400 micron droplet size will do. With a spill rate of 140 l/ha, about 40 drops per cm² are formed. And this is quite enough. But if we are talking about the use of contact pesticide, then you need twice as many drops to the same area. Therefore, the droplet size should be about 300 microns. But we always keep in mind that very small drops behave like an aerosol and quickly evaporate.
7 Read the information on the label
Before the release of the drug on sale, the manufacturer tests its work in different modes and creates recommendations, which are better to follow.
8 Venturi nozzles can be much more efficient
Spray nozzles of older models worked without taking air into the spray chamber. In modern spray nozzles a stream of air is added to the jet of fluid that is supplied to the chamber, for which there are special openings on the nozzle. These spray nozzles create droplets with air bubbles inside, which increases their size and reduces wind drift.
9 Control driving speed
In order to generate th needed droplet size, the sprayer must operate under a limited pressure range. This means that the technique should move no faster than a certain value. This may require the help of electronics, because the driver may be distracted, especially when handling a large area.
10 The result is up to you
All this new equipment, latest generation of ceramic sprayers, computers and GPS systems are just the tools. You and only you can guarantee yourself the quality during work, for which you need to properly use all these tools.
