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Variability of the Performance of Lever Operated Knapsack Sprayer

Murshed Alam
Professor
Department offarm Power & Machinery Banqladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, BANGLADESH

Daulat Hussaln
Professor
Department offarm Power & Machinery Bangladesh Agricultural UniversityMymensingh 2202, BANGLADESH

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

More than 5 million Lever Operated Knapsack (LOK) Sprayers are sold annually in the world and most of them are sold in Southeast Asia. A research was conducted to find the variability of performance of LOK sprayer. Different sources contributing ro variability in spraying from a LOK sprayer were investigated in the laboratory and in field conditions. The pressure and discharge was recorded by a digital pressure gauge and a flow meter. respectively. and varied in every second. An experiment was conducted in the field using three video cameras. which were placed in the front. top and side of the sprayers during operation for finding the variation in spray swaths, nozzle heights, and movement ofgrip. lance and nozzle. and the potential consequences. The performance of LOK sprayers were poor due to variation of parameters such as spraying pressure (CV = 20 o/o), flow rate (CY : ll %o), nozzle heights (CV : 60 %"), forward speed of the operators (CY = 28 YA, and application rate of aclive ingredient. Thus, the spraying pressure. discharge, swath, spray angle and spray coverage o[ LOK sprayer varied significantly and all ofthe above factors influenced an uneven spray distribution, off-target deposition, and drift.

Keywords: Lever Operated Knapsack (LOK), Sprayer, Swaths, Nozzle Heights, Movement of Grip. Lance and Nozzle, Potential Consequences

Location: Department offarm Power & Machinery Banqladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Performance evaluation

Objectives:

To find the variability of LOK sprayer

Methodology:

Laboratory experiment was conducted to find the variability of performance of a LOK sprayer. A digital flow meter (Macnaught flow meter. model M2RRPI with Contrec, flow computer 405) and a digital pressure gauge (HHP 4100. Omega Engineering) were attached at the end of the lance. The instruments (flow meter and pressure gauge) were calibrated before starting the experiments. The spray angle and swath from different distances (10 cm to 60 cm) of Lozzle lip were determined using a patternator. Field experiment to tetermine the variability from LOK Sprayer. During operation in the field for finding the variation in spray swaths, nozzle heights, movement of grip, lance and nozzle by using three video cameras that were placed in the front, top and side of the sprayers. In this experiment. operators were aware of recording. In another experiment, one video camera was used to capture the spraying operation from different angles without informing the operator. After recording, the cassette was replayed and data were collected by manual and visual methods. In the visual method, the video cassette was attached to a personal computer and images were captured and stored by Ulead Media Studio software. The file was reloaded in "Corel Photo Paint" and the data were analysed. The variations of lever strokes per minute and operator speed were recorded from the field experiment.

Source of Information: AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION IN ASIA, AFRICA, AND LATIN AMERICA 2O1O VOL.41 NO.3,pp. 64-69

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

A number of factors were identified and presented in that affected spray coverage, spray deposition. and efficiency of LOK spraying. The changes of stroke length. grip and lance movements contributed to uneven distribution of spray. Due to variation of total rotation of the lance, forward speed of the operator and height of the lance, spray concentration varied in every moment of swing of the lance. In addition, pressure, flow rate, stroke per minute, nozzle heights, operator speed, time per swing, lance angle and spray width all varied in the use of the LOK sprayer. which contributed lo uneven spray deposition. The largest sources of variation were lance angle, time per swing, spray pressure, and operator speed. Pressure varied from 1.5 to 3.6 bars. As a result the spray was deposited on off-target (soil/drift). The mean forward speed of the operators varied considerably (e.g. 0.37 ms^-1 and 0.54 ms^-1, leading to direct differences in spray delivery of up to 46 %o. In this study, it was found and quantified that 13 % of total sprayed area could be overlapped and 8 % missed. The CV of the forward speed of the least experienced operator was 29 %o and was 14 %o for the operator with the greatest experience. This result indicated that training/experience was essential for efficient spraying. T-tests also showed that the means of different spraying parameters varied significantly among operators.

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