# US 10,871,418 B2 · Method of analyzing spray particulates through a transparent sidewall > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,418 B2 - Document ID: US10871418B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/571,325 - Filed: 2016-05-09 - Published: 2018-05-24 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-12 - Assignees: Croda, Inc. - Applicants: Croda, Inc. - Inventors: Gregory James Lindner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871418B2 ## CPC - G01M 9/04: Details - G01N 15/0205: by optical means - G01N 15/0227: using imaging; using holography - G01N 15/1433: using image recognition - G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream} - G01N 2015/1029: {Particle size} - G01N 2015/1493: {Particle size} - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A wind tunnel and method of use thereof. The wind tunnel has an airflow system which is capable of delivering air vertically down through, and optionally horizontally across, a spray chamber having transparent sidewalls, wherein spray particulates produced in the spray chamber can be analyzed through the transparent sidewalls, preferably by use of a laser. The dimensions of the spray chamber are preferably greater than that of the airflow system. The use of the wind tunnel enables a wider range and more accurate spray particle measurements, especially for an agrochemical composition, to be made in a single test environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of analyzing spray particulates in a wind tunnel comprising an airflow system and a spray chamber comprising a transparent sidewall, wherein the airflow system is capable of delivering air vertically down through the spray chamber, said method comprising: spraying the spray particulates from a spray tip; and analyzing the spray particulates through the transparent sidewall, wherein the cross-sectional area of the spray chamber is greater than the cross-sectional area of the airflow system, and wherein the wind tunnel is capable of switching from a spatial particle size measurement technique to a temporal particle size measurement technique with no change in configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one dimension of the spray chamber, preferably the width, is at least 2 times greater than that of the airflow system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein any spatial measurements are made using a laser by a diffraction technique, and/or any temporal measurements are made using a laser by an image analysis and/or phase doppler technique. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3 wherein the spatial measurements comprise spray particle size and/or spray particle distribution measurements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3 wherein the temporal measurements comprise (i) spray particle size and/or spray particle size distribution measurements, and/or (ii) spray particle velocity and/or spray particle velocity distribution measurements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the spray composition comprises a spray drift reducing material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6 wherein the spray drift reducing material provides a percentage reduction of droplets, (i) having a size of less than 150 μm of at least 20% at a spray pressure of 30 psi, and/or (ii) having a size of less than 105 μm of at least 10% at a spray pressure of 30 psi. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the spray composition comprises an agrochemical active selected from the group consisting of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according claim 8 wherein the agrochemical active is a herbicide selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), atrazine, dicamba as benzoic acid, glyphosate, glufosinate, imazapic as imidazolinone, metolachlor as chloroacetamide, picloram, clopyralid, triclopyr as pyridinecarboxylic acids or synthetic auxins, the respective water soluble salts and esters thereof, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the spray composition comprises an alkoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the spray composition comprises at least one vegetable oil, preferably canola oil. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the spray composition comprises at least one modified vegetable oil, preferably modified canola oil. ### Claim 13 A wind tunnel comprising an airflow system and a spray chamber, wherein the airflow system is capable of delivering air vertically down through the spray chamber, and the spray chamber comprises at least one transparent sidewall and an arm adapted to receive a spray tip which is capable of spraying particulates vertically down into the spray chamber, wherein the cross-sectional area of the spray chamber is greater than the cross-sectional area of the airflow system, and wherein the wind tunnel is capable of switching from a spatial particle size measurement technique to a temporal particle size measurement technique with no change in configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The wind tunnel according to claim 13 wherein a laser is positioned on the outside of the at least one transparent sidewall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The wind tunnel according to claim 13 wherein the width of the spray chamber is greater than the width of the airflow system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The wind tunnel according to claim 15 wherein the width of the spray chamber is at least 2 times greater than the width of the airflow system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The wind tunnel according to claim 13 wherein the spray chamber comprises at least two internal partial side walls containing a gap through which the spray arm is capable of passing through. ### Claim 18 The wind tunnel according to claim to 17 wherein the internal partial side walls are removable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The wind tunnel according to claim 13 wherein the airflow system is capable of delivering air horizontally across the spray chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The wind tunnel according to claim 13 wherein the arm comprising the spray tip is capable of traversing the spray chamber.