Droplet characteristics for air induction nozzles: single and twin flat fan nozzles
Caractéristiques des gouttes issues des buses à injection d'air : buses à fente simples et doubles
Résumé
Spray drift from pesticide application has been of increasing social concern. Air induction nozzles have been manufactured in order to create large drops filled with air bubbles, leading to spray drift mitigation and droplet deposit increase. The purpose of this study was to investigate droplet diameter and droplet axial velocity from sprays generated by air induction nozzles namely two flat fan nozzles and a twin flat fan nozzle. Phase Doppler nemometry (PDA) measurements were carried out at several distances from the nozzle exit and at various distances from the spray axis. PDA measurements consist in measuring simultaneously droplet diameter and droplet axial velocity. The aim was to compare three sheets at the same pressure injection and two values of flow rate. We chose a twin fluid with a flow rate Q and two single flat fan nozzles, one which delivered Q, the other one Q/2. Measurements have shown that spray generated by the twin nozzle consisted in large fast droplets with a narrow size spectrum, which slowed very little, comparing to single nozzles. Moreover, the flat fan nozzles with the Q flow rate generated more droplets (and faster droplets) than the nozzle with the Q/2 flow rate, although both nozzles showed approximately the same droplet sizes.