SEDL / STP / STP795-EB / STP31793S

Spray Characteristics of Rotary Atomizers

Bode, LE
Associate professor and professor, University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.

Butler, BJ
Associate professor and professor, University of Illinois, Urbana, Ill.

Pages: 16    Published: Jan 1983

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Abstract

Evaluations of the spray characteristics of a new atomizer (Micromax) indicate that rotary atomizers used on tractor-mounted sprayers have the potential to apply agricultural pesticides effectively. Operating the units at the spacing, height, and tilt angle that provides double to triple overlap of the spray output results in acceptable distribution patterns over a range of disk speeds and flow rates. The droplet spectrum produced by the Micromax is much narrower than the spectrum produced by conventional hydraulic nozzles, and the median size generated is related to the speed of the disk. Spray droplets from the Micromax tend to move off the swath and deposit in the first few metres downwind much more than those from flat fan sprays. At distances greater than 10 to 20 m downwind, the deposits were no different from those from a flat fan spray.