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Measuring Spray Droplet Size from Agricultural Nozzles Using Laser Diffraction
Published on: September 16, 2016
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Droplet spatial distribution of oil-based emulsion spray
Chen Gong1, Fujun Chen1, Bingbo Cui1
1School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|June 26, 2023
Summary
Oil-based emulsion sprays show increased droplet size and density due to perforation atomization. Nozzle configuration and concentration significantly impact spray characteristics, aiding pesticide technology improvement.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Engineering
- Fluid Dynamics
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Oil-based emulsions are common pesticide formulations with distinct spray characteristics compared to water.
- Understanding these spray properties is crucial for advancing pesticide application technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spray characteristics of oil-based emulsions.
- To analyze droplet size, distribution density, and the influence of nozzle configuration and emulsion concentration.
Main Methods:
- High-speed photomicrography to capture spray droplet spatial distribution.
- Image processing for quantitative analysis of droplet size and distribution density.
- Evaluation of nozzle configurations (ST110-01, ST110-03, ST110-05) and emulsion concentrations (0.02%, 0.1%, 0.5%).
Main Results:
- Oil-based emulsions exhibit perforation atomization, leading to larger droplet sizes and higher distribution density than water sprays.
- Nozzle configuration significantly affected spray sheet length and volumetric median diameter.
- Increased emulsion concentration led to a notable increase in volumetric median diameters.
Conclusions:
- Spray droplet size can be scaled using nozzle orifice diameter.
- The product of volumetric median diameter and surface tension remained relatively constant across different concentrations.
- Findings provide theoretical support for optimizing oil-based emulsion spraying technology and pesticide utilization.
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