ARS | Publication request: TEMPERATURE AND SPRAY ADJUVANT EFFECTS ON DROPLET VELOCITY AND SIZE

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 1, 2005
Publication Date: July 20, 2005
Citation: Hoffmann, W.C. 2005. Temperature and spray adjuvant effects on droplet velocity and size [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the ASAE Annual International Meeting, July 17-20, 2005, Tampa, Florida. Paper No. 051151.

Technical Abstract: There has been considerable interest in the effects of solution and air temperature on droplet atomization and droplet velocity. Studies were conducted that measured the solution temperature and air temperature during atomization tests using a flat fan nozzle and a CP03 nozzle at aerial application airspeeds. Several test solutions containing different spray adjuvants were also evaluated for each nozzle. The studies were designed to determine the effects of adjuvant and solution temperature combinations on droplet velocities. The tests showed that solution temperature, air temperature, or the difference between the two temperatures (delta T) did not have a significant effect on droplet velocity for several droplet sizes within the spray cloud. Droplet size was affected by the changes in surface tension and viscosity of the spray solution caused by the addition of the various spray adjuvants. The different spray adjuvants also had a significant effect on droplet velocities. These results will help researchers better understand the atomization process from agricultural spray nozzles.