Automated Spray Patternator
Project 99.14
Design Team Members:
Kevin Agnew
[email protected]
209 Pencader Hall C, Newark DE 19717
(302) 837-1116
Greg Barber
[email protected]
45 Elkton Rd., Newark DE 19717
(302) 292-1065
Dave Rubin
[email protected]
207 Sharp Hall, Newark DE 19717
(302) 837-8638
Sponsor:
Larry Gaultney
DuPont Agricultural Research
1090 Elkton Rd.
Box 40
Newark, De 19717
(302) 366- 6587
DuPont’s Agricultural Research Division has requested the University of
Delaware to develop or modify an Automated Spray Patternator for their use at the
research center. A spray patternator is used to determine the volume distribution of a
sprayed fluid from a nozzle. The data from this piece of test equipment is used by the
nozzle manufacturers to recommend spacing of their nozzles on the booms that farmers
use to treat their fields.
Team 14, comprising of Kevin Agnew, Greg Barber, and David Rubin, agreed to
undertake the project.
The initial step for this process was to identify a Code of
Cooperation to which all team members would be expected to adhere. After the initial
team meeting, Dave Rubin became ill with mononucleosis. Consequently, the team’s
schedule (Appendix 2) at present is limited to that already given to us for the course.
Team 14 believes it can still fulfill the needs of DuPont in the completion of the spray
patternator project, and we will update the schedule as a better view of the situation is
presented.
Motivation:
Presently, DuPont purchases and tests spray nozzles to be used with their
chemicals in agricultural applications using a standard spray patternator. They would
like to provide better information to users of their products so they may know how best to
distribute their chemicals.
A variety of nozzle types is used to distribute DuPont
chemicals and DuPont would like to test all types of these nozzles. Often, the nozzles
2
used to distribute the chemicals are used in line and pulled across a field while spraying
the fertilizer or insecticide from a large portable reservoir. The person spreading the
chemicals wants to ensure proper coverage and minimize waste of the chemicals being
sprayed. Suppliers of the spray nozzles offer information to do this, but it is too often
inaccurate. Too much chemical application may result in stressing of a crop, while
insufficient application of a chemical may result in a continued infestation or stunted
growth of the crop. In addition, excess chemicals often wash off the crop to which they
are applied; this may result in contamination of water supplies and other natural
resources.
A new test method is desired; improved test data may be used to better specify
spacing and flow-rate of specific nozzles.
By improving the quality of the data
returned by the spray patternator, DuPont will be able to improve the information they
provide to their customers. This would result in less excess chemicals in the environment
and lower chemical costs incurred by farmers. There is also a possibility of using the
swath data for automation of spraying techniques in several other industries (ie.
composite manufacturing, paint application, and other coating applications). Automation
of these industries would result in reduced skilled labor costs, less exposure time to
hazardous materials, and reduce the amount of materials used.
Method of Development:
Team 14 will either develop a new design for a spray patternator or improve the
current design that is used by DuPont. The American Standard Testing Method (ASTM)
E 641-85 (1991) e1, Standard Methods for Testing Agricultural Hydraulic Spray Nozzles,
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provides basic guidelines for the testing of these nozzles. The standard also describes the
construction of a spray patternator similar to that described in patent # 4,539,842, Spray
Pattern Analyzer. Currently a major portion of the errors associated with pattern testing
comes from errors in transcribing the data collected manually. The width of the channels
and the accuracy of the volume sprayed are both insufficient to facilitate accurate
calculation of the variation of spray. To improve this, Team 14 will attempt to:
1. Automate the test process
1.1. Remove errors from having to log and transfer data manually during testing by
electronically measuring values
1.2. Improve accuracy of volume measuring equipment
1.3. Improve resolution of the test process
1.4. Automatically control spray volume and time
2. Provide desired output
2.1. Coefficient of Spray Variability
2.2. Volume sprayed
2.3. Pressure of sprayed medium
2.4. Both graphical and tabular representation of spray profile
2.5. Nozzle Used
2.6. Time sprayed
Team 14 will investigate alternative designs as well as possible improvements to the
current spray patternator test process. Designs considered will be judged based on:

Accuracy of data provided
4

Cost effectiveness

Allowance for modular expandability

Compliance to DuPont Standards

Resolution of Data provided

Degree of automation
Customer Wants/Constraints:
DuPont has expressed a desire that certain improvements be made to the test
procedure and equipment. They wanted the amount of human error possible during the
test procedure to be minimized, but for the operator to still be able to specify certain
parameters. It is also desired to narrow the gaps between the channels monitored and
improve the accuracy of the volume measurement. These improvements are to be done
in such a way that the new test procedure will use test systems similar to those already
used by DuPont. The amount of funds to be used for these improvements is not of
significant importance but is to be limited to “several” dollars.
While researching the use of spray patternators several additional customers were
identified and investigated. The additional customers and their wants are listed and
prioritized in Appendix 3.
Benchmarks:
In addition to the patent and ASTM standard already mentioned, other
benchmarks have been noted.
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Currently portable spray patternators are available through nozzle companies such as
Spray Systems Co. The TeeJet Pattern Check (part #37685) can be used in the field to
check the distribution of the nozzles of a boom (figure 1).
Figure 1: Spray Systems Co. Pattern Check
This tool is insufficient because it has channels that are over 2” wide and only very
gross measurements are allowed. Spray Systems also sells water and oil sensitive paper
(figure 2). This paper is placed on the ground and the sprayer is run over the paper. In
places where water is exposed to the paper, a color change takes place. The water
sensitive paper does not allow measurement of the volume that has been sprayed on the
area. In their developmental laboratories, Spray Systems measures droplet size and drift
Figure 2: Spray Systems Co. Water Sensitive Paper
information using a state of the art, but expensive, system that utilizes a laser beam to
measure the size of droplets as well as their path. This system requires highly skilled
operators and a controlled environment to ensure accurate data. Figures 3 and 4 show a
typical spray patternator and the data typically produced.
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Figure 3: Typical Output Data
Figure 4: Laboratory Spray Patternator
Hardi Inc., a Denmark spray nozzle company, has it’s own spray patternator but
the channel width is 1” and it is a unit that is not mobile as desired by DuPont. Another
state of the art technique being used is the Phase-Doppler particle analyzer. This
simultaneously analyzes the individual droplet size and velocity while an experiment is
taking place.
This process is very expensive to setup and requires highly skilled
technicians to operate.
There is an assortment of other products, which could facilitate better monitoring
of the spray pattern. National Instruments Inc. provides an image acquisition package
that could easily be adapted to acquire and analyze images of the spray pattern, or the
images could be exported to other packaged software as seen in figure 5.
Figure 5: Example of a possible output image from LabView software
In addition to this, other National Instruments hardware can be used to control the
pressure and flow of the water.
LabView can be used to monitor the majority of
parameters required to control the experiment. Additional Software that may be used is
the Image-Pro Plus line that is supplied by Media Cybernetics. This software analyzes
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images taken under strictly controlled conditions that may not be possible for this
application.
Liquid Controls, a composite manufacturing equipment company, makes pressure
control equipment that could be used to control the pressure of the liquid being sprayed to
very close tolerances. This would minimize the variation of one of the most important
parameters in chemical distribution.
Companies that manufacture paint sprayers test the proper distribution of the paint
by spraying onto a plain white paper for a specified period. After the paint has dried,
sections are cut and weighed to measure the local increase in mass. These sections can
also be scanned into a digital image and analyzed using a common flatbed scanner.
These visual images are studied using photo-imaging programs to examine the uniformity
of the spray distribution.
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Appendix 1: Team 14 - Code of Cooperation
1. There will be NO insulting made of any ideas, remarks or views discussed
2. Disruptive conduct will not be accepted during team meetings
3. Try to be as flexible as possible with respect to team scheduling
4. All criticism must be constructive criticism
5. All ideas will be considered, none will be dismissed as out of hand
6. Have Fun
7. All decisions will be agreeable to all
8. Show up to all meetings on time
9. Promptly deal with team/personal issues
10. Schedule meetings weekly, but be ready to meet more often as required
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Appendix 2: Team 14 Tentative Project Schedule
ID
Ta sk N a me
1
C u s to mer N ig h t
2
Pro je c t Se le c tio n
3
Proje c t R es e a rc h
4
C u s to mer Wa n t Ide n tific atio n
5
B e nchma rk ide ntific a tion
6
W
T
F
S
Se p 20 , '9 8
S
M
T
W
T
F
Be nc h ma rk s Spe c ifi ca ti on
7
Pro b le m id e n tifi ca ti on
8
me tr ic id e ntific a tio n
9
Se p 13 , '9 8
S
M
T
Me tr ic C o mpa r is on s
10
Pro p o sa l Pr e se n ta tio n
11
Pre li min ar y D e si gn
12
Pro g re s s re v ie w
13
C o n su ltin g
14
Pre li min ar y D e si gn R e p o rt
15
D e s ig n Pr e se n ta tio n
9 /2 4
10
S
Se p 27 , '9 8
S M
T
W
T
F
S
Oc t 4 , '9 8
S
M
T
W
T
Appendix 3:Customers considered in Automated Spray Patternator
Name
Organization Rank 1st Want 2nd Want
Larry
Gaultney
DuPont
(Agricultural
Research
Team)
1
Ted Lang
DuPont
(Agricultural
Research
Team)
2
James
Davis
DuPont
(Agricultural
Research
Team)
3
Jim
Powers
EFD Precision
Spray Nozzles
4
George
Wicks
Farmer
5
Dr
Leonard
Schwartz
University of
Delaware
6
Occupational
Health and
Safety
Administration
7
Chemical
Spraying
Companies
8
Automated to
narrower
minimize
channels to
human error
maximize
resolution of
data
3rd
Want
4th Want 5th Want
be able to
test a two
nozzle
setup
be able to
be able to
handle
move the
nozzles with patternator
up to 110 within lab or
degree
possibly
spread
outside
Comply with
be able to output data
provide
have user
DuPont
calculate in graphical electronic
friendly
software and coefficient of as well as
output
interface
hardware
variability
tabular directly to PC
standards
form
be able to run be of modular be able to cost effective be able to
on pure water design for
locate
calculate
future
nozzles
optimal
expansion
with an
spacing for
indexed
nozzles
system
from test
data
nozzle
be able to
narrower Automated to output data
attachment test nozzles channels to minimize
in graphical
can be
at a variety of maximize human error as well as
adapted to
test
resolution
tabular form
accept most
pressures
of data
types of
nozzles
minimize
minimize allow better minimize
chemicals
contamina(more
adverse
needed to
tion of crops
even)
effects of
treat crops
in adjacent distribution windage and
fields
of
overspray
chemicals
three
more
verify
able to be
be able to
dimensional accurate data existing
operated by work for a
output
output
computer
typical
variety of
simulations undergradfluids with
uate
different
viscosities
minimize
minimize
worker
excess
exposure to
chemicals
hazardous
released to
materials
environment
optimize
number of
passes
needed to
treat fields
Adaptability
to a vertical
spray
patternator
design
11
Dan
Coppens
Anholt
Technologies
Inc.
9
Joe
Buckley
Cherry Hill
Mercedes Benz
10
use swath
data from
selected
Minimize
nozzles to
exposure of
program
workers to
automated
resin vapors
resin
spraying
system
reduce skilled
labor cost by
automating
painting
process
12
minimize
excess
resin
materials
used