Application of an acoustic doppler velocimeter to analyse the performance of the hydraulic agitation system of an agricultural sprayer

García-Ramos, F. Javier (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Badules, Jorge ; Boné, Antonio (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Gil, Emilio ; Aguirre, A. Javier ; Vidal, Mariano (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: An acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) was used to analyse the impact of an agricultural sprayer’s agitation system settings on fluid velocities inside the tank. A 3000 L capacity sprayer equipped with a 4-nozzle hydraulic agitation system was used. ADV measurements were carried at 32 points inside the tank under the following settings: circuit pressures of 8, 10, or 12 bar; water level in the tank of 1000, 2000, or 3000 L; 2 or 4 active nozzles. An agitation test with a concentration of 0.4% copper oxychloride was employed to analyse the concentration of active matter as a function of tank fill level and number of active nozzles. All parameters significantly affected the fluid velocity, which increased with increasing pressure, but decreased with increasing water level in the tank and an increased number of active nozzles. Concentration tests showed greater active matter concentrations when higher velocities were recorded by the ADV. The ADV was shown to be a useful tool for the rapid assessment of fluid velocities; in the future, it could be used to validate the design of agitation systems, and to estimate their capacity to ensure an adequate level of active matter concentration in the fluid.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/s18113715

Año: 2018

Publicado en: Sensors (Switzerland) 18, 11 (2018), 3715 [13 pp]
ISSN: 1424-8220

Factor impacto JCR: 3.031 (2018)

Categ. JCR: INSTRUMENTS & INSTRUMENTATION rank: 15 / 61 = 0.246 (2018) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL rank: 23 / 84 = 0.274 (2018) - Q2 - T1
Categ. JCR: ELECTROCHEMISTRY rank: 12 / 26 = 0.462 (2018) - Q2 - T2

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.592 - Analytical Chemistry (Q2) - Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics (Q2) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q2) - Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Q2) - Instrumentation (Q2) - Biochemistry (Q2)

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Area Ingeniería Agroforestal (Dpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural)
Área (Departamento): Área Ingeniería Mecánica (Dpto. Ingeniería Mecánica)
Área (Departamento): Área Expresión Gráfica en Ing. (Dpto. Ingeniería Diseño Fabri.)