Cross-flow spray assembly
AssigneeDRW Engineering Pty. Ltd.
InventorDarryl R. Whitford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cross-flow spraying method comprising creating an air stream by a fan, spraying a crop with a spray liquid injected into the air stream and passing the spray airborne by the air stream across the crop, receiving some at least of airborne overspray in a suction hood located at the lee side of the crop and recirculating the spray liquid. The air outlet from the suction hood may be redirected to the inlet side of the fan, or the suction hood may have its own exhaust fan, and surfaces which precipitate the spray liquid. By utilizing suction as well as pressure, the leaves of vegetation flutter and become more fully covered with the spray liquid. Loss of liquid due to overspray is reduced.
Claims15
A cross-flow spraying method for spraying a crop comprising creating an air stream with a fan, injecting an agricultural liquid spray into the air stream, passing the spray airborne by the air stream across the crop in such a manner that some of the spray adheres to the crop, establishing a low pressure in a suction hood at the lee side of the sprayed crop by recirculating some at least of the air stream to the fan, receiving some at least of airborne overspray in that suction hood, precipitating some of that received overspray liquid in the hood, and also recirculating that liquid to injection into the air stream.
A cross-flow spraying method for spraying a crop comprising creating two air streams with at least one fan and directing those air streams towards one another, injecting liquid agricultural spray into each air stream, passing the spray airborne by the air stream upwardly through the crop in such manner that some of the spray adheres to the crop, establishing a low pressure in a suction hood above the sprayed crop by recirculating some at least of the air stream to said at least one fan, receiving some at least of airborne overspray in that suction hood, precipitating some of that overspray in that suction hood, and recirculating that liquid to injection into the air streams.
A cross-flow spray assembly comprising a support frame, fan drive means and a fan coupled for drive thereto both on the support frame, air flow directing means between an outlet side of the fan and a discharge end in a position to discharge an air stream created by the fan over a crop, at least one spray jet in a position to inject spray into the air stream, a reservoir, a pump, and conduit means between the reservoir and spray jet,
- a suction hood, support means supporting the suction hood from the support frame in a position to receive overspray which does not adhere to foliage of the crop, a recirculating duct between the suction hood and the fan arranged to recirculate air flow into the suction hood back to the fan, a sump in the suction hood, and pump and conduit means arranged to recirculate spray liquid from the hood to the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.