Electrostatic spraying system and methods for same
AssigneeRaven Industries, Inc.
InventorJared Ernest Kocer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatic nozzle system for agricultural spraying comprising at least one additive fluid source configured to contain an additive fluid and an electrostatic nozzle assembly in communication with the at least one additive fluid source. The electrostatic nozzle assembly includes an electrostatic charging element configured to electrostatically charge the additive fluid. An agricultural product source containing an agricultural product and an agricultural product nozzle assembly in communication with the agricultural product source, the agricultural product nozzle assembly configured to dispense the agricultural product from an agricultural product nozzle orifice.
Claims37
An electrostatic nozzle system for agricultural spraying comprising:
- at least one additive fluid source configured to contain an additive fluid;
- and
- an electrostatic nozzle assembly in communication with the at least one additive fluid source, the electrostatic nozzle assembly configured to dispense an electrostatically charged additive fluid, the electrostatic nozzle assembly including:
- an electrostatic charging element configured to electrostatically charge the additive fluid, the electrostatic charging element configured to form an electrostatically charged additive fluid within the electrostatic nozzle assembly;
- at least one modulating element configured to control at least one of a flow rate or a pressure of the additive fluid flowing toward the electrostatic charging element;
- a nozzle orifice in communication with the at least one modulating element, the nozzle orifice configured to dispense the electrostatically charged additive fluid;
- an orifice plate proximate to the nozzle orifice, the orifice plate configured to form droplets of electrostatically charged additive fluid and the orifice plate is configured to regulate a profile of the electrostatically charged additive fluid;
- and
- wherein the electrostatically charged additive fluid is formed upstream of the nozzle orifice.
A composite nozzle system for agricultural spraying comprising:
- an agricultural product assembly including:
- an agricultural product source configured to contain an agricultural product;
- an agricultural product nozzle assembly in communication with the agricultural product source, the agricultural product nozzle assembly configured to dispense the agricultural product from an agricultural product nozzle orifice;
- and
- an electrostatic additive fluid assembly including:
- at least one additive fluid source configured to contain an additive fluid;
- an electrostatic charging element configured to electrostatically charge the additive fluid;
- at least one electrostatic nozzle assembly in communication with the at least one additive fluid source, the at least one electrostatic nozzle assembly including:
- at least one modulating element configured to control application of the additive;
- and
- a nozzle in communication with the at least one modulating element, the nozzle configured to dispense the additive fluid, the additive fluid dispensed from the nozzle having an electrostatic charge;
- wherein the additive fluid dispensed from the nozzle having the electrostatic charge is dispensed from the nozzle proximate to the agricultural product nozzle;
- wherein the additive fluid dispensed from the nozzle having the electrostatic charge is configured to adhere with the agricultural product according to the electrostatic charge.
A method of treating one or more agricultural targets with an additive fluid comprising:
- delivering the additive fluid from an additive source to an electrostatic nozzle assembly;
- electrostatically charging the additive fluid, including:
- charging the additive fluid to an electrostatic charging mechanism within the nozzle assembly;
- and
- generating an electrostatically charged additive;
- delivering the electrostatically charged additive fluid through a modulating element including:
- reducing a profile of the electrostatically charged additive fluid as it passes through the modulating element;
- wherein reducing a profile includes forming droplets of electrostatically charged additive fluid;
- dispensing the droplets of electrostatically charged additive fluid from the electrostatic nozzle assembly;
- and
- adhering the droplets of electrostatically charged additive fluid with the one or more agricultural targets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.