Evaluation of hydraulic energy nozzles suitable for orchard spraying

Abstract

Manually operated sprayers are mostly used at present for orchard spraying. In a spray nozzle, is an important component which determines its performance. In manually operated sprayers, generally hydraulic energy nozzles are used. This evaluation was done to identify the suitable energy nozzle for orchard spraying. Commercially available hydraulic energy nozzles (NMD/S, BAN, Broad cone, NMM, NTM) used for orchard spraying were selected for the study. The discharge rate, droplet size and density and height of reach of all the types of nozzles were measured with a pressure range of 1.5 to 3 ksc at an interval of 0.5 ksc, 0, 30, 45 and 60 degree orientation and 50, 100 and 150 cm horizontal distances using experimental setup. The discharge rate of nozzles increased with increasing pressure. The NTM nozzle recorded a maximum discharge rate of 81.8 lit/hr at 3 ksc operating pressure followed by a broad cone nozzle (74 lit/hr). The broad cone and NTM nozzles at horizontal distances of 150 cm and 45 degree orientation gave maximum height of reach and uniform spray of droplets within 113 um among the nozzles tested. Basedon the volume distribution of droplets, a broad cone nozzle at 45 degree orientation with 100 cm horizontal distance resulted maximum height of 105 cm at which 50 % volume of spray was deposited. At this height droplet size was 150 μm.