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The pulse width modulation (PWM) spray system is the most advanced technology to obtain variable rate spray application without varying the operative sprayer parameters (e.g. spray pressure, nozzle size). According to the precision agriculture principles, PWM is the prime technology that allows to spray the required amount where needed without varying the droplet size spectra which benefits both the uniformity of spray quality and the spray drift reduction. However, some concerns related to the effect of on–off solenoid valves and the alternating on/off action of adjacent nozzles on final uneven spray coverage (SC) have arisen. Further evaluations of PWM systems used for spraying 3D crops under field conditions are welcomed. A tower-shaped airblast sprayer equipped with a PWM was tested in a vineyard. Twelve configurations, combining duty cycles (DC: 30, 50, 70, 100%) and forward speeds (FS: 4, 6, 8 km h−1), were tested. Two methodologies, namely field-standardized and real field conditions, were adopted to evaluate the effect of DC and FS on (1) SC variability (CV%) along both the sprayer travel direction and the vertical spray profile using long water sensitive papers (WSP), and (2) SC uniformity (IU, index value) within the canopy at different depths and heights, respectively. Furthermore, the SC (%) and deposit density (Nst, no stains cm−2), determined using short WSP, were used to evaluate the spray application performances taking into account the spray volumes applied. Under field-controlled conditions, the pulsing of the PWM system affects both the SC variability measured along the sprayer travel direction and along the vertical spray profile. In contrast, under real field conditions, the PWM system does not affect the uniformity of SC measured within the canopy. The relationship between SC and Nst allowed identification of the ranges of 200–250 and 300–370 l ha−1 as the most suitable spray volumes to be applied for insecticide and fungicide plant protection products, respectively.

Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden die Wirbelschichtsprühgranulation und das Sprühtrocknungsverfahren zur skalierbaren Herstellung von bioinspirierten Kompositmaterialien untersucht. Ziel war es, Primärpartikel möglichst kleiner Partikelgröße mit Polymer zu beschichten, anschließend durch Warmkompaktierung zu Kompositpellets zu verpressen und deren mechanische Eigenschaften zu untersuchen. Zur Optimierung der Eigenschaften wurden sowohl unterschiedliche Materialien als auch unterschiedliche Partikelgrößen und -formen untersucht. Zur Grenzflächenoptimierung wurden außerdem Oberflächenfunktionalisierungen durchgeführt, um kovalente Bindungen zwischen den Partikeln und dem Polymeren zu ermöglichen.In this work, fluidized bed spray granulation and the spray drying process were investigated for the scalable production of bioinspired composite materials. The aim was to coat primary particles of the smallest possible particle size with polymer, then compress them to composite pellets by warm compaction and investigate their mechanical properties. To optimize the properties, different materials as well as different particle sizes and shapes were investigated. For interfacial optimization, surface functionalization was also performed to enable covalent bonds between particles and polymers.

To eliminate the shortcomings of serial fan sprayers, the JV “Agrikhim” developed a universal sprayer that treats crops based on controlled airborne flows introduced simultaneously within ± 90 0 from the sprayer’s symmetry axis (a total of 180 0 ) around the entire perimeter of the treatment area the entire width of the machine. The obtained dependences and the nomogram built on their basis allow setting the required rate of application of the working solution at a given speed and diameter of the spray tip of the sprayer by adjusting the pressure when the working solution enters the spray tip.

This paper aims to determine the actual loss of the liquid due to the inadequate adjustment and to provide guidelines on how to reduce the loss of the liquid in the same treatment conditions. It also aims to determine the optimal work mode that allows you to reduce both spray drift, in air and on soil, and with that to minimize the loss of protective material outside the treatment zone. In less norm loss in the form of spray drift on soil come to only 8,56% and 14,71% of spray drift in air, which means that the coverage of the plate, which measures the losses, is considerably reduced. The test results indicate losses that occur due to the spray drift in air and on soil. The test results show that despite the use of modern and expensive sprayer, due to incorrectly settings, comes to significant losses in the form of spray drift.

Air-assisted spraying technology is widely used in orchard sprayers to disturb canopy leaves and force droplets into the plant canopy to reduce droplet drift and increase spray penetration. A low-flow air-assisted sprayer was developed based on a self-designed air-assisted nozzle. The effects of the sprayer speed, spray distance, and nozzle arrangement angle on the deposit coverage, spray penetration, and deposit distribution were investigated in a vineyard by means of orthogonal tests. The optimal working conditions for the low-flow air-assisted sprayer working in the vineyard were determined as a sprayer speed of 0.65m/s, a spray distance of 0.9m, and a nozzle arrangement angle of 20°. The deposit coverages of the proximal canopy and intermediate canopy were 23.67% and 14.52%, respectively. The spray penetration was 0.3574. The variation coefficients of the deposit coverage of the proximal canopy and intermediate canopy, which indicate the uniformity of the deposition distribution, were 8.56% and 12.33%, respectively.

Research into efficient internal combustion (IC) engines need to continue as the majority of vehicles will still be powered by IC or hybrid powertrains in the foreseeable future. Recently, lean-burn gasoline compression ignition (GCI) with high-pressure direct injection has been receiving considerable attention among the research community due to its ability to improve thermal efficiency and reduce emissions. To maximize GCI benefits in engine efficiency and emissions tradeoff, co-optimization of the combustion system and fuel formation is required. Thus, it is essential to study the spray characteristics of different fuels under engine-like operating conditions. In this work, high-pressure spray characteristics are experimentally studied for three blends of gasoline, namely, Naphtha, E30, and research octane number (RON) 98. A single-hole custom-built injector was used to inject fuel into a constant volume chamber with injection pressure varying from 40 MPa to 100 MPa. The chamber pressure was varied from 4 MPa to 7 MPa. The spray parameters measured were liquid and vapor penetration, liquid and vapor spray plume angle, and spray and flame luminosity area for reacting and non-reacting sprays. The measurement techniques used were shadowgraphy, Schlieren method, and flame luminosity area measurement. Liquid penetration followed the fuel density pattern and was shortest for Naphtha, followed by RON 98 and E30. The increase in injection pressure did not significantly affect liquid penetration, but improved atomization as well as reduced soot intensity. In addition, vapor penetration was increased on account of higher injection velocity and vaporized mass. The higher chamber pressure drastically reduced liquid and vapor penetration on account of increased drag. Compared to non-reacting sprays, vapor penetration and spray plume angle for reacting sprays deviated according to the fuel type. Ignition of the fuel increased vapor penetration and spray plume angle due to the expansion of hot gases. Naphtha ignited the earliest on account of its low RON and high volatility. It had the highest deviation from the corresponding non-reacting case for vapor penetration. RON 98 fuel only showed a slight increase in vapor plume angle indicating the start of reaction, whereas E30 did not show any deviation.

Pesticide spray drift has been a worldwide concern in terms of potential environmental pollution and ecosystem damage. This study defined the main drift reduction agent (DRA) characteristics that help to understand the drift formation process in agricultural spraying. Seven various DRAs and water were evaluated. Three solutions were created based on the following materials: calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, benzenesulfonic acid, C10-13-alkyl derivatives, and calcium salt. Drift measurements were performed by means of the open circuit-type wind tunnel and in the field under conditionally controlled conditions. Air-injector flat spray nozzles and standard flat spray nozzles were used during trials. The spray pressure was 4.0 bar. Solutions were sprayed at different wind speeds (from 2 m s−1 to 10 m s−1, increasing every 2 m s−1). Studies have shown that wind speed and nozzle design have the greatest influence on spray drift. For all DRA solutions studied, the standard flat spray nozzles resulted in ground spray drift, both in the wind tunnel and in the field, which was about two times higher than that of air-injector flat spray nozzles. The spraying of water and all DRA solutions with the air-injector flat spray nozzle showed that all new solutions statistically significantly reduced the drift both in the tunnel and in the field. Ground-drift studies in the wind tunnel showed a trend towards a less intense drift reduction in DRA droplets with increasing wind speed. With DRA7e, the drift can be reduced by up to 56% (at a wind speed of 4 m s−1) and up to 30% (at 10 m s−1). The effect of the solutions on the reduction in spray drift is significantly lower when spraying with standard flat spray nozzles. Spray drift can then be reduced by up to 30% (at a wind speed of 4 m s−1) and up to 12% (at 10 m s−1) for DRA7e.