Turf and Ornamental Pest Control
Understanding Application Equipment,
Drift, and Calibration
Robert E. Wolf
Biological and Agricultural Engineering Dept.
Kansas State University
Understanding Sprayers, Calibration,
Drift, and Nozzle Selection Outline:
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Basic Application Equipment
Components of a Sprayer
Discuss Misapplication
Calibration and Nozzle Selection
Define Drift
What Affects Drift
Dropsize Discussion
Drift Minimization Techniques
Application Equipment:

Two basic types of application
systems:
 Liquid
(sprayers)
 Granular
Basic application devices:
Hand can pump sprayers
 Backpack sprayers
 Boom sprayers
 High pressure sprayers
 Air-assist sprayers
 Aerial (spray and granular)
 Granular

Equipment cost today?
How much do these machines cost?
Equipment cost today?
How much do these machines cost?
Application Equipment
Manual Sprayers
 Compressed
air
Easy Spray Valve
 Knapsack
CF Valve
Spray Management Valve
Powered Boom Srayers
Sprayer Components:
Tanks (contamination issues)
 Pump, Strainers, Agitation
 Pressure gauge
 Hoses, Flow control assemblies
 Electronics: monitors-computerscontrollers (GPS/GIS)
 Distribution system
 Nozzles!!!!!!!!!

Types of Pumps:





Roller Pump
Centrifugal Pump
Diaphragm Pump
Piston Pump
Peristaltic Pump (Squeeze
or hose pump – chemical
injection)
Plumbing Diagram:
Plumbing Diagram:
Misapplication:

Without proper attention to the
nozzle, you may end up with a ……
Misapplication
Why is the Nozzle Important?
 Amount
of spray applied
 Uniformity of the spray
 Coverage on the target
 Amount of off-target drift
1. Control the
Amount applied:
Nozzle Flow
Rate is
affected by:



Orifice size
Pressure
Solution
characteristics
Page 9
Nomenclature: Extended Range
Trade Name
(S,H,P,K,SS)
Stainless Steel Insert Orifice
VisiFlo Color Coding
Fan angle and flow rateorifice size
Rated Pressure =
40 psi for most nozzle types
10 psi for turbo flood nozzles
Typical nozzle numbering system:
Extended-range
flat-fan
Even flat-fan –
XR 11004
XR
Extended-range
110
110 degree fan angle
04
0.4 GPM @ 40 psi
E
Even spray pattern
80
80 degree fan angle
02
0.2 GPM @ 40 psi
TF-4
TTJ- 04
TF-TTJ
Turbo Turf Flood
4
.4 GPM @ 10 psi
.4 GPM @ 40 psi
QCTF - 40
QCTF
Quick attach turbo flood
40
4.0 GPM @ 10 psi
8002E
(Band
applications)
Turbo flood –
Turf Turf flood
(small capacity)
Turbo flood –
(Floater capacity)
#$!@&%!
GPA=
5940
Calculations
Calibration/Nozzle Selection:
What is the first step?
 Use label to select the

 application
volume
 product rate
Choose an appropriate travel speed
 Effective width of application

 nozzle
spacing
Calculate GPM – Flow rate per nozzle
 Select the correct size of nozzle!

Ok, now I
remember!
GPA=
5940
Calculations
Page 14
Flow Rate Equation:
GPA x MPH x W
GPM 
5940
Equation # 2
 Calculates
for amount of flow
from one nozzle
 Represents the size of nozzle to
put on the sprayer
GPM Example Solution:
GPA x MPH x W
GPM 
5940
GPM 
60
Answer
x
3.5 x
5940
.71
20
MEASURE SPEED
Distance(ft) x 60
Speed(MPH) 
Time(seconds) x 88
(1 MPH = 88 Feet traveled in 60 seconds)
Measure the ground speed in an area
similar to the conditions of the area to
be sprayed!
Selecting the
proper nozzle….





Calculate GPM (formula)
Look under GPM column
Match to pressure-psi
Choose the size needed
Operate at given pressure
and speed used in formula
to achieve GPA
.71
Page 9
Electronics/Rate Controllers
 How
does your system
work when speed changes?
 Is it pressure based?
 What is the effect of
going slower?
 What is the effect of
going faster?
Checking for accuracy!!!
Hand Sprayer Calibration
Spraying to the point of runoff
“Dilute”
 product
added to each gal. or 100 gal.
 uniform coverage-dripping from leaves
 time and gallons per tree/1000 sq. ft.
Technique
important!!
Calibration For Hand Spray Guns
A spray gun has a swath of 10 ft. For
uniform distribution of spray use 100%
overlap. This creates an effective
width of 5 ft.
Step 1:
Mark off a calibration course of 1000 sq. ft.
Hand Spray Guns, cont.
Step 2:
Accurately measure the time required to spray
the calibration course using a proper
technique. Remember only record the amount
of time the gun is actually spraying.
Step 3:
Measure the flow rate from the gun. Using
the time recorded in Step 2 collect the
output from the gun in a graduated
container for the period of time in Step 2.
Hand Spray Guns: cont.
Example:
It took 50 seconds for an applicator to spray the
1000 sq. ft. calibration course. The amount of
spray collected from the gun in the 50 seconds
was 1.4 gallons.
The application rate for this example is:
1.4 gallons per 1000 sq. ft.
or
61 gallons per acre (43.56 x 1.4)
MATERIALS AND WEAR
0.4
Thermoplastic
1.2
Hard Stainless
2.1
Kematal
6.1
Stainless
7.5
Zytel
11.4
Brass
0
2
4
6
8 10 12 14 16
Percent increase in nozzle flow rate
Flat-fan spray nozzles after 40 hour test
2. Set up for Uniformity
Goal is to put the material on evenly from
nozzle to nozzle, end of boom to end of
boom, and across the entire area.
20-inch spacing requires 17-19” above
target for 50-60% overlap.
3. Will determine coverage:

Need knowledge of the product being
used.
 Systemic
 Contact

What is the target?
 Soil
 Grass
 Broadleaf
(smooth, hairy, waxy)
 Leaf orientation – time of day
4. Will affect drift:
Movement of spray
particles off-target.
 Creating smaller spray
drops will result in
increased drift.


Is it Coverage vs Drift?
$64,000 Question?

What is the answer?
Why Interest in Drift?

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
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

Spotty pest control
Wasted chemicals
Off-target damage
Litigious Society ????
Result - higher costs - $$$
More wind?? (Timing)
Environmental impact (Water and Air Quality)
Definition of Drift:
Movement of spray particles and
vapors off-target causing less
effective control and possible injury to
susceptible vegetation, wildlife, and
people.
Adapted from National Coalition on Drift Minimization 1997 as
adopted from the AAPCO Pesticide Drift Enforcement Policy March 1991
Types of Drift:
Vapor Drift - associated with
volatilization (gas, fumes)
Particle Drift - movement of spray
particles during or after the spray
application
Technical Aspects
of Spray Drift
Drift & Dropsize Relationship:
 Particle
drift will result from the
smaller drops created during the
spray process. The size of the
droplets created is critical.
 Dropsizes are measured in microns
using laser beams.
Dropsize Facts:
 One
micron = 1/25,000 inch
 Expressed as (VMD)
Volume Median Diameter
 Example - VMD = 500 microns
Comparison of Micron Sizes for
Various Items: (approximate values)
 pencil
lead
 paper
clip
2000 (m)
150
850 (m)
 toothbrush
bristle
 sewing thread
420 (m)
300 (m)
150 (m)
 human
100 (m)
 staple
hair
1/2 of spray volume = smaller droplets
VMD
1/2 of spray volume = larger droplets
Cutting Droplet Size in Half
Results in Eight Times the Number of Droplets
250
Microns
250
Microns
500
Microns
250
Microns
250
Microns
250
250
250
250
Microns Microns Microns Microns
Nozzle Technology?
Nozzles designed to reduce drift
 Improved drop size control
 Emphasis on ‘Spray Quality’

What’s New - Turf?
Turbo Turf Flood Nozzle

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Flat Spray Pattern
Uniform spray distribution
Tapered edge
50% overlap
Turbulation chamber
Pre-orifice design
Large-drift resistant droplets
Raindrop at 40 psi and 10 mph, 1 pass
% Area Coverage-21.8
% Area Coverage-0.5
Turbo Turf Flood at 40 psi and 10 mph, 1 pass
% Area Coverage-6.1
Area represented is between 4 & 8 ft. from end of boom
% Area Coverage-0.7
Area represented is between 2 & 4 ft. from above boom
Strategies to Reduce Drift:

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Select nozzle to increase drop size
Increase flow rates - higher application volumes
Use lower pressures
Use lower spray (boom) heights
Avoid adverse weather conditions
Consider using buffer zones
Consider using new technologies:



drift reduction nozzles
drift reduction additives
shields
Drift Reduction Additives:

Many available!
Not EPA regulated
Long chain polymers

New-soluble powders




50 - 80% reduction in
off-target movement
Pump shear problems
What to Expect in the Future?

Match the crop
protection product
to the target
Adhere to label
guidelines based on
an industry
standard 

ASAE X-572
To minimize drift
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Utilizing technology to enhance the application precision of chemicals
Thank You!