Air and liquid volumetric distribution in vertical in a hydro-pneumatic sprayer

The objective of this research was to evaluate the air flow and spray vertical distribution produced by a hydro-pneumatic sprayer. The sprayer was attached to a John Deere tractor, model 5705. The rotation of the fan was set at 226.19 rad s-1 (2.160 rpm). The study was performed on both sides of the sprayer, with the intent of identifying possible asymmetries in the air flow distribution. Measurements of air speed were taken at three positions along the fan periphery. The uniformity of liquid vertical distribution was analyzed at pressures of 633, 844 and 1.055 kPa using a vertical collector placed two meters from the center of the fan impeller. The experiment was arranged in a randomized blocks design, with three replications. The air average speed, taken at the ventilation outlet was of 35.5 m s-1 and the average vertical speed taken at 0.5 meters from the bar was of 5.9 and 5.1 m s-1 to the left and right side, respectively. Variation coefficients for the vertical distribution volume were 136, 136 and 141% for the working pressures of 633, 844 and 1055 kPa, respectively.