Device and method for detecting blockages in an agricultural sprayer

A method for detecting a blockage in an agricultural sprayer, comprising the steps of:

• providing a sprayer that includes a chassis, at least one ground engaging traction member carried by the chassis, a liquid tank carried by the chassis, a boom carried by the chassis, a fluid conduit associated with the boom in fluid communication with the liquid tank and configured as a flow fluid path, a pump configured to produce a liquid flow through at least a portion of the fluid conduit from the liquid tank, a nozzle having an inlet that is fluidly connected to the liquid flow in the fluid conduit, a first flow sensor in the liquid flow upstream of the inlet, and a second flow sensor in the liquid flow downstream of the inlet, and an electric processing circuit having a multiplexer coupled to the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor, a frequency converter coupled to the multiplexer, an amplifying filter coupled to the frequency converter, a de-multiplexer coupled to the amplifying filter, and a subtractor coupled to the de-multiplexer;
• receiving a first signal from the first flow sensor into the multiplexer, converting the first signal via the frequency converter, amplifying the first signal via the amplifying filter, outputting the amplified first signal to the de-multiplexor, and outputting the first signal from the de-multiplexor to the subtractor;
• receiving a second signal from the second flow sensor into the multiplexer, converting the second signal via the frequency converter, amplifying the second signal via the amplifying filter, outputting the amplified second signal to the de-multiplexor, and outputting the second signal from the de-multiplexor to the subtractor;
• outputting a differential signal based upon the first signal and the second signal from the subtractor, and sending the differential signal to a display;
• and
• reporting an alarm on the display as a result of the differential signal when the differential signal falls below a predetermined threshold level to indicate a blockage.