Choosing a new set of nozzles for a sprayer can cause anxiety for producers.
Making the right nozzle choice is more than an investment in hardware, it’s an investment in the success of the crop.
“Over the years I’ve gotten lots of calls from farmers about choosing nozzles. Let’s face it, there are a lot to choose from and there are few perfectly right answers.
“Luckily, there are plenty of great choices that will satisfy the needs of almost everybody,” said Brian Storozynsky.
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Storozynsky manages a project at the Alberta Agriculture Agtech Centre in Lethbridge that could help farmers decide.
“The Agtech Nozzle Selector was built as a research tool so we could make comparisons of all these choices in nozzles,” he said.
There is little independent testing of farm equipment and technology and the Agtech Centre provides engineering research to the farm community and to the farm equipment industry.
“We had 15 years of testing data and information piled up on sprayer nozzles – hundreds of pages when printed out. We had to be able to sort and use it and so we created the Nozzle Selector for our own use,” he said.
As internet bandwidth in rural areas improved, the centre decided to provide the tool to farmers.
“We figured they could access it online now, at least quite a few could. So we are working towards making it fully available as soon as we get some producer feedback (from our trial release),” he said.
The need for the tool was obvious to Storozynsky.
“We have the research and producers have the need for it,” he said.
The Agtech Centre collected the data both visually and statistically. From pictures of the spray nozzles themselves to the use of droplet coverage cards, producers can see what the data is telling them.
The online tool offers a choice of nozzles from manufacturers such as Wilger, Spraymaster, Greenleaf, Spray-Air, Hypro and Hardi.
Next, models are chosen; sizes, application rates and pressure are all factored into the choice.
In the end, an image of the nozzle in profile and an end-on view show up on the screen along with droplet patterns and spray swath width charting.
The cards provide a visual representation of the spray quality and density of coverage.
“Density is critical these days because of the different types of nozzles out there and (their) orientation,” he said.
In some cases, there is video available of the nozzles in action.
The distribution of the spray pattern is collected on a six metre wide patternator that looks at 10 to 12 nozzles at a time.
There is a sprayer test track that propels six nozzles across spray sensors and water sensitive cards that are used to represent both broadleaf weeds and the fore and aft coverage of grasses. The test track provides passes at between four and 30 kilometres per hour.
A wind tunnel provides a drift simulation that measures drift downwind from two nozzles under breezy conditions up to 45 km-h.
“Our tests are done to simulate the way prairie farmers use their equipment, (which is) important to decision making,” he said.
The tests were conducted at typical nozzle heights, 23 inches and spacing, 20 inches apart.
In addition to the Selector feature, there are four other aspects of the offering.
Reports, aimed at the research community, provide a comprehensive look at the whole 15 years of information on the tested products.
The calculator is a handy tool for producers that allows the users to select a nozzle based on the intended application rate and speed of travel. Or a specific nozzle can be chosen and the application rates and speed range examined.
The nozzle check provides sprayer calibration figures.
There is also a glossary that gives background on the terminology found in the program.
The centre hopes to make the tool available later this year.
For more information, contact: 403-329-1212.
