AU2005293967A1

AU2005293967A1 - Method for the mixing and spraying of treatment agents and for rapid generation of a persistent aerosol and device for carrying out said method

Info

Publication number: AU2005293967A1
Application number: AU2005293967A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernd Pfalz; Thomas Pfalz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-10-15
Filing date: 2005-10-15
Publication date: 2006-04-20
Also published as: CA2603632A1; EG26243A; EP1846169A2; BRPI0516343A2; WO2006039918A3; MX2007004283A; JP2008520405A; WO2006039918A2; IL182486A0

Description

w-s-P11004Ringdase -7 flat, rectangular nozzle register (107), which widen laterally towards the outside, each forming a widened slot opening (108), being arrayed in front of slot openings (101, 102). Process for the rapid generation of a stable aerosol and the associated 5 nozzles for implementing the process A process for the rapid generation of a stable aerosol having greatly varying proportions of water ranging up to a water-free aerosol having a long suspension time and the associated nozzles in the form of ring nozzles or flat slot nozzles for 10 implementing the process using liquid dispersions or powdered substances, particularly for pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection, air humidification and for fertilisation. A nozzle for rapid cold atomisation was already proposed in DE 100 33274 C2; the is said nozzle has an inner ring nozzle with a central opening and an additional outer ring nozzle, the central opening and the outer ring nozzle being connected to a common compressed air receiver tank and the inner ring nozzle being the point of injection of the medium to be nebulised. 2o The task underlying the invention is to create a process for the rapid generation of a very stable aerosol having greatly varying proportions of water ranging up to a water-free aerosol having a long suspension time along with the associated nozzles for implementing the process, particularly for pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection, air humidification and for fertilisation, by which process a 25 wide variety of aerosol media in powdered or liquid form can be dispersed in finest aerosol particles of nearly equal size with a long suspension time. The advantage of this invention is, first and foremost, that that a very stable aerosol with a long suspension time and a high active substance concentration 30 can be generated very quickly. This is desirable in such applications as crop w-s-P11004Ringdase protection against viral and fungal disease, pest control and crop invigoration, and for fertilisation in greenhouses and in outdoor cultivation. Since it takes only a short time to achieve the required active substance concentration, the invention can be used in combating fungal diseases. Low dilutions are used to achieve high 5 concentrations of active substance in the aerosol medium and in the aerosol. Agricultural pesticides can be nebulised using extremely high dilutions or in concentrated forms using little or no water at all. This can be an important advantage in battling locust plagues and in regions where there is little water. The rapid rate of aerosol generation makes it possible to achieve substantial savings in 10 working time. Moreover, aerosol medium is used very economically, which in most cases means enormous savings in energy and costs. Nozzles according to the present invention can also be used very effectively for atomising liquids and hence for humidifying air. Since the aerosol has a very high stability and long suspension time, ventilators can be used to enhance its 15 distribution over large areas. Expedient process steps are described in claims 2 and 3. In the process according to claim 2, a sufficient active substance concentration is generated in a specified time T1 by discharging the active substance in the form of an aerosol and then 20 kept almost constant up to the beginning of degradation of the active substance T2 by discharging additional aerosol. In the process according to claim 3, a sufficient concentration of active substance is produced only in a specified time T1 by discharging the active substance in the form of an aerosol. Thereupon the discharge of the active substance is 25 discontinued and only through the generation of a very fine aerosol this active substance concentration remains almost constant up to the beginning of the active substance degradation T2. A ring nozzle according to the present invention and the expedient construction of 30 said ring nozzle for generating aerosol, also referred to as rapid cold atomisation, w-s-P11004Ringdfise -9 are presented in claims 4 to 15. A flat slot nozzle according to the present invention and the expedient construction of said flat slot nozzle are presented in claims 16 to 19. 5 A shiftable or turnable sleeve is mounted on the outer circumference of the outer air ring nozzle as a variant of the ring nozzle according to claim 5. Said sleeve can be attached to the outer air ring nozzle, for instance, by means of a screw thread, making it possible to attach sleeves of different shapes. For instance, the sleeve can taper or widen from the outlet plane. In this way, the distribution and size of 10 the aerosol droplets can be influenced. According to claim 6, the sleeve can also be at a distance from outlet plane A, i.e., there is a gap of variable size between the sleeve and the ring nozzle. In this way, special eddy effects are produced. In the variant according to claim 7, the inner air ring nozzle is provided with auxiliaries for bringing about air rotation or an eddy. These auxiliaries can be in the 15 form of air guides arranged in the shape of a screw thread, projections or other air guides. The air outlet speed at the outlet plane A is increased through the air rotation, and at the same time the aerosol outside the ring nozzle is twirled. The fineness of the aerosol particles being nebulised is enhanced thanks to the special form of the inner diameter of the inner air ring nozzle according to claim 8. The 20 same applies to the variant according to claim 9. Just as in the case of claim 7, design auxiliaries are also provided in the case of claim 10 to achieve eddying outside the nozzle. The radial arrangement of the air intake brings about a rotation of the air current within the outer air ring nozzle. The inner air ring nozzle and the aerosol ring nozzle are joined to form an air/aerosol nozzle according to claim 11. 25 In this way, the size of the nozzle can be reduced and the use of material minimised. The purpose of the design details of variants according to claims 12 and 13 is, in turn, to generate improved and finer aerosol. According to claim 14, the nozzle opening can have a circular hole sequence instead of a ring slot at the outlet plane A. In the case of the variant according to claim 15, the ring nozzle may 30 consist of more than three nozzle openings, the allocation of air and aerosol medium may be variable and/or interchangeable, each nozzle opening may have its own pressure and flow volume and the nozzle openings may be situated at w-s-P11004Ringd~se - 10 different outlet planes. In this way it is possible, among other things, to increase the air humidity without changing the nozzle. In the case of the variant according to claim 17 as a variation of the flat slot nozzle 5 according to claim 16, the top side or all sides are each provided with a slide or all sides are each formed as a slide in the first place or as fixed diaphragms. Aerosol formation is affected by shifting these sides or slides. In the case of the variant according to claim 18, the flat slot nozzle consists of a multitude of slot openings, a slot opening for compressed air being followed by a slot opening for aerosol 10 medium. This design solution makes it possible to generate a very large quantity of aerosol in a very short time. In the case of the flat slot nozzle according to claim 19, flat, rectangular nozzle registers are arranged in front of the slot openings, which widen laterally towards the outside, each forming a widened slot opening. In this way, special aerosol distribution effects are produced. 15 A more detailed explanation of the invention is given in the following with the aid of the drawing. The following is shown in the figures: Fig. 1 a section of the complete ring nozzle showing the three nozzle components: inner air ring nozzle, aerosol ring nozzle and outer air ring nozzle, 20 Fig. 2 a section of a ring nozzle with a combined air/aerosol nozzle having a conic outer diameter and a matching air ring nozzle, Fig. 3 a section of a ring nozzle with a conic outer diameter having an inner air ring nozzle, aerosol ring nozzle and an outer air ring nozzle, Fig. 4 a section and a front view of a ring nozzle with a radial air inlet and a single 25 jet nozzle, Fig. 5 front view and the pertinent side view section of a flat slot nozzle, with one slot each for the medium outlet and the air outlet, w-s-P11004Ringd~ise - 11. Fig. 6 front view and the pertinent side view section of a flat slot nozzle with three slot openings for air, medium, air, in that order, Fig. 7 front view and the pertinent side view section of a flat slot nozzle with five slot openings for air, medium, air, medium, air, in that order, 5 Fig. 8 front view of a flat slot nozzle with three slot openings and outlets widening from the front per slot shown in top view, and Fig. 9 an active substance concentration time diagram (K1) according to the process of the present invention and an active substance concentration time diagram (K2) according to prior art. 10 The process according to the present invention, made possible by the nozzles according to the present invention, is characterised by the fact that an active substance concentration sufficient for pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection or for fertilisation discharged by means of a nozzle over a specified area in the form of a very stable aerosol in liquid or powdered form having a long 15 suspension time is generated before the active substance of the aerosol begins to degrade. In this way, a sufficient active substance concentration can be produced either by discharging the active substance in the form of an aerosol in a specified time T1, said active substance concentration being maintained at an almost constant level up to the beginning of degradation of the active substance at T2 by 20 continuing to generate aerosol up to time point T2 or producing a sufficient active substance concentration by discharging the active substance in the form of an aerosol only in the specified time T1 and then discontinuing the process of discharging of the active substance, the said active substance concentration being kept almost constant solely through the generation of the very fine aerosol. The 25 differences between the process according to the prior art K2 and the one according to the invention K1 are clearly illustrated by the characteristics shown in Figure 9. Unlike the process according to the present invention, prior art processes do not achieve the very high active substance concentration in a short time. All process variants operate with compressed air at pressures greater than 0.8 bar, 30 the compressed air being discharged from the ring nozzle via a separate air ring nozzle beside the aerosol ring nozzle 3. In the case of several sequences of air w-s-P11004Ringdfse - 12 ring nozzle 1, aerosol ring nozzle 3 and air ring nozzle 6, aerosol ring nozzle 3, air ring nozzle 6, etc., the last outer nozzle can also operate with an air pressure lower than 0.8 bar. Thanks to the very high stability of the aerosol and the long suspension time, distribution of the aerosol over large areas can be enhanced with 5 the aid of ventilators. Two different nozzle design variants, i.e., a ring nozzle and a flat slot nozzle, are proposed for generating the very stable aerosol with a long suspension time. 10 The structure of the complete ring nozzle, consisting of an inner air ring nozzle 1, an encircling aerosol ring nozzle 3, which in turn is encircled by an outer air ring nozzle 6, is characterised by the following details. The inner air ring nozzle 1 is in the form of a hollow cylinder with a collar 2. The collar 2 is situated on the side of the compressed air inlet 8 and carries the aerosol ring nozzle 3. The inner is diameter of the inner air ring nozzle 1 tapers behind the collar 2 at least twice. A short distance before the outlet plane A, the inner diameter widens again. This widening also forms the slot for the ring-shaped outlet slot for the aerosol medium of the aerosol ring nozzle 3. The slot opening in the embodiment of the invention is approx. 1 mm, but a considerably bigger slot can be used. This will be the case 20 especially if the aerosol to be spayed is expected to clog the nozzle slots. The aerosol ring nozzle 3 is held in place by the collar 2 of the inner air ring nozzle 1 and an adjoining thick-walled component in the shape of a hollow cylinder of the inner air ring nozzle 1. There is an inflow opening 5 for the aerosol medium in the 25 rear section of the aerosol ring nozzle 3 at the end of the bearing section of the inner air ring nozzle 1. The inner diameter of the aerosol ring nozzle 3 tapers behind the inflow opening 5. The inner diameter of the aerosol ring nozzle 3 remains unchanged up to the outlet plane A. As stated in the foregoing, the slot shaped opening of the aerosol ring nozzle 3 is formed by the shape of the inner w-s-P11004RingdCise - 13 air ring nozzle 1. The outer air ring nozzle 6, which is shaped like a hollow cylinder and held in place by the collar 4 of the aerosol ring nozzle 3, lies over part of the aerosol ring nozzle 3. The inner diameter of the outer air ring nozzle 6 remains unchanged up to the outlet plane A area. Only at this point is the outer wall bent in 5 the direction of the aerosol ring nozzle 3, thereby forming a ring-shaped nozzle opening. The outer air ring nozzle 6 is provided with a thread on its outer circumference near the outlet plane A, which thread carries a sleeve 9. An air inlet 7 is provided at the other end of the outer circumference. Thanks to the screw thread, said sleeve 9 is adjustable and exchangeable. The sleeve 9 can have a 10 wide variety of opening sizes, e.g., in the form of a widening or narrowing cone or only of a straight hollow cylinder. A wide range of different aerosol generation effects such as a concentrated jet, eddying, etc., are achieved though different opening widths. A distance between the sleeve 9 and the outlet plane A can also be maintained by suitable fixtures. In this case, there is a gap between the sleeve 15 9 and the outlet plane A. The intensity of aerosol generation is influenced also by this measure. The division of the ring nozzle into three sections, i.e., the inner air ring nozzle 1, the aerosol ring nozzle 3 and the outer air ring nozzle 6, is recognisable also on 20 the outer circumference. Normally, the outlet openings of all three nozzle components lie on a plane referred to as the outlet plane A. However, it is also possible to deviate from this. Apart from that, it is conceivable that the functions of the individual nozzles are switched around, with the aerosol nozzle 3 taking over the function of an air ring nozzle 1 or 6 and vice versa. Moreover, also the number 25 of the outlet rings and/or the sequence air ring nozzle 1, aerosol ring nozzle 3, and air ring nozzle 6 can be increased as required.

w-s-P11004Ringdse - 14 The inner air ring nozzle 1 and/or the outer air ring nozzle 6 are provided with auxiliaries in their inner spaces for rotating the air and/or for generating an eddy. They can be in the form of air guide vanes in screw-thread-like arrangement, projections or in the form of a spiral pipe fitted in the outer air ring nozzle 6. The air 5 inlet 7 can also be positioned radially. In this way, a rotation of the air takes place already inside the outer air ring nozzle 6, which continues to act as the air exits the air ring nozzle 6. In one variant, the inner air ring nozzle 1 and the aerosol ring nozzle 3 can be 10 joined to form an air/aerosol nozzle 10. The inflow opening 5 for the aerosol medium is situated on the outer circumference and the air inlet 8 at the opposite end of the nozzle outlet. An injector nozzle 13 can be positioned between the air inlet 8 and the inflow opening 5. The injector action is enhanced through this array. The outer circumference of the air/aerosol nozzle 10 tapers conically in the 15 direction of the nozzle outlet. The outer air ring nozzle 6 is adapted to this shape. The distance between the outer wall of the air/aerosol nozzle 10 and the inner wall of the outer air ring nozzle 6, apart from the air outlet slot 11, is almost constant over the entire length of the nozzle and can also contain auxiliaries for inducing air rotation and/or eddying as described in the foregoing. 20 The design of the flat slot nozzle is characterised by horizontal slot openings for compressed air 102 and for the aerosol medium 101. At least one slot opening is provided for compressed air 102 and one slot opening for aerosol medium in the flat slot nozzle. However, it is expedient to use nozzle bodies 103 having three slot 25 openings, with two slot openings for compressed air 102 encircling one slot opening for the aerosol medium 101. The top side 104 and the bottom side 105 project beyond the web between the two slot openings 101 and 102. The top side 104 and the bottom side 105 can be arrayed as shiftable slides 104 in order to w-s-P11004Ringdase - 15 render this projection beyond the web between slot openings 101 and 102 variable. This affects the discharge of the aerosol. Instead of the shiftable top side 104 and bottom side 105, all sides or only the top side 104 and the bottom side 105 can be provided with additional slides 104. However, fixed diaphragms 106 5 can also be provided on the outer sides. This, too, affects the discharge of the aerosol. The number of slot openings 101 and 102 can also be increased, i.e., several slot openings for compressed air 102 alternate with slot openings for aerosol medium 10 101. In addition, flat, rectangular nozzle registers 107, which widen laterally outwards, each forming a widened slot opening 108, can be arrayed in front of the slot openings 101 and 102. Hence, the nozzle register 107 has a flat trumpet-like is shape. 20 25 w-s-P11004Ringdase - 16 5 List of reference numbers 1 - inner air ring nozzle 2 - collar 3 - aerosol ring nozzle 10 4 - collar 5 - inflow opening 6 - outer air ring nozzle 7 - air inlet 8 - air inlet 15 9 - sleeve 10 - air/aerosol ring nozzles 11 - air outlet ring 12 - single-jet nozzle 13 - injector nozzle 2o A - outlet plane A 101 - slot opening for aerosol medium 102 - slot opening for air pressure 103 - nozzle body 104 - top side of nozzle body, slide 25 105 - bottom side of the nozzle body 106 - Diaphragm on the nozzle body 107 - Nozzle register 108 - widened slot opening

Claims

2. Process according to claim 1, being characterised by the production of a sufficient concentration of active substance in a specified time T1 in the form of an aerosol having greatly varying proportions of water ranging up 20 to water-free aerosol and a long suspension time by discharging the active substance and said active substance concentration remaining almost constant up to the beginning of degradation of the active substance T2.
3. Process according to claim 1, 25 being characterised by the production of a sufficient active substance concentration only in a specified time T1 by discharging the active substance in the form of an aerosol having greatly varying proportions of water ranging up to a water-free aerosol and having a long suspension time, whereupon the discharge of the active is discontinued and 30 said concentration remains almost constant until the beginning of degradation of the active substance T2 only through the very fine aerosol or mist generated. w-s-P11004Ringd~se -3
4. Ring nozzle for the rapid generation of an aerosol, particularly for purposes of pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection, air humidification and 5 fertilisation, being characterised by an inner air ring nozzle (1) in the form of a hollow cylinder with a collar (2), which has on its outer circumference an aerosol ring nozzle (3) with a collar (4) and an inflow opening (5) for the aerosol medium, which, in turn, has on its outer 1o circumference an outer air ring nozzle (6) with an air inlet (7), all nozzles (1, 3 and 6) terminating at an outlet plane A.
5. Ring nozzle according to claim 4, being characterised by 15 a shiftable or turnable and exchangeable sleeve (9) mounted on the outer circumference of the outer air ring nozzle (6), which individually have the most varied opening widths, e.g., in the form of a widening or tapering cone or only in the form of a hollow cylinder. 20 6. Ring nozzle according to one of the preceding claims 4 and 5, being characterised by the sleeve (9) in front of the outlet plane A that is kept at a distance from the ring nozzle by suitable spacers in such a way that a slot is formed between the outlet plane A and the sleeve (9) whose size is variable. 25
7. Ring nozzle according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 6, being characterised by w-s-P11004Ringdase -4 the inner air ring nozzle (1) at the opposite end of the outlet plane A having an air inlet (8) and, still in front of the inflow opening (5), an injector nozzle (13) and, in the inner space, auxiliaries, e.g., air guides arranged in the shape of a screw thread or projections for bringing about air rotation or an eddy. 5
8. Ring nozzle according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 7, being characterised by the internal diameter of the inner air ring nozzle (1) tapering several times towards the outlet plane A and widening in the outlet plane A area. 10
9. Ring nozzle according to claims 4 to 8, being characterised by the inner diameter of the aerosol ring nozzle (3) tapering a short distance behind the inflow opening (5), then the said nozzle's inner diameter remaining unchanged 15 up to a short distance before the outlet plane A and then tapering into a slot.
10. Ring nozzle according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 9, being characterised by the fact that, apart from the air outlet ring (11) between the aerosol ring nozzle (3) 20 and the outer air ring nozzle (6), the inner diameter of the outer air ring nozzle (6) is constant in the outlet plane A and is provided with auxiliaries in the inner space, e.g., air guides in screw-thread-shaped arrangement, projections or a spiral shaped pipe for bringing about air rotation or an eddy and the fact that the radial air inlet (7) has a single-jet nozzle (12). 25
11. Ring nozzle according to claim 4, being characterised by w-s-P11004Ringdse -5 the inner air ring nozzle (1) and the aerosol nozzle (3) being joined to form a common air/aerosol ring nozzle (10), and the inflow opening (5) for the aerosol medium on the outer circumference and the air inlet (8) being situated at the opposite end of the nozzle outlet. 5
12. Ring nozzle according to claim 11, being characterised by the outer circumference of the air/aerosol ring nozzle (10) tapering conically towards the nozzle outlet, the outer air ring nozzle (6) being adapted to this form, 10 and the distance between the outer wall of the air/aerosol ring nozzle (10) and the inner wall of the outer air ring nozzle (6), apart form the air outlet slot (11), being almost constant over the entire length of the nozzle.
13. Ring nozzle according to claims 11 and 12, 15 being characterised by the means for bringing about air rotation or an eddy such as vanes in screw thread-like arrangement, projections or a spiral-shaped pipe being provided in the inner space of the air/aerosol nozzle (10) and/or of the outer air ring nozzle (6). 20 14. Ring nozzle according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 13, being characterised by the nozzle openings in outlet plane A consisting of a sequence of holes arranged in a circular array. 25 15. Ring nozzle according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 14, being characterised by the number of nozzle openings being greater than three, the medium outlet of each nozzle opening being variable and each nozzle opening having its own w-s-P11004Ringdase -6 pressure and flow rate, and by the fact that the pressure in the last outer nozzle opening can also be lower than 0.8 bar and that the nozzle openings lie in different outlet planes. 5 16. Flat slot nozzle for the rapid generation of an aerosol, especially for use in pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection, air humidification and fertilisation, being characterised by a horizontal slot opening for compressed air (102) situated above a horizontal slot 1o opening for the aerosol medium (101) being situated within the nozzle body (103), the top side (104) and bottom side (105) projecting beyond the web between the two slot openings (101 and 102).
17. Flat slot nozzle according to claim 14, 15 being characterised by the top side (104) or all sides being in the form of slides (104) or all sides having slides (104) or fixed diaphragms (106) on their outer surface.
18. Flat slot nozzle according to claims 14 and 15, 20 being characterised by several slot openings for compressed air (102) and slot opening for aerosol medium (101) being alternately arranged between the top side (104) and the bottom side (105). 25 19. Flat slot nozzle according to claims 14 to 16, being characterised by w-s-P11004Ringdase -7 flat, rectangular nozzle register (107), which widen laterally towards the outside, each forming a widened slot opening (108), being arrayed in front of slot openings (101, 102). Process for the rapid generation of a stable aerosol and the associated 5 nozzles for implementing the process A process for the rapid generation of a stable aerosol having greatly varying proportions of water ranging up to a water-free aerosol having a long suspension time and the associated nozzles in the form of ring nozzles or flat slot nozzles for 10 implementing the process using liquid dispersions or powdered substances, particularly for pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection, air humidification and for fertilisation. A nozzle for rapid cold atomisation was already proposed in DE 100 33274 C2; the is said nozzle has an inner ring nozzle with a central opening and an additional outer ring nozzle, the central opening and the outer ring nozzle being connected to a common compressed air receiver tank and the inner ring nozzle being the point of injection of the medium to be nebulised. 2o The task underlying the invention is to create a process for the rapid generation of a very stable aerosol having greatly varying proportions of water ranging up to a water-free aerosol having a long suspension time along with the associated nozzles for implementing the process, particularly for pest control, crop protection, fungi control, disinfection, air humidification and for fertilisation, by which process a 25 wide variety of aerosol media in powdered or liquid form can be dispersed in finest aerosol particles of nearly equal size with a long suspension time. The advantage of this invention is, first and foremost, that that a very stable aerosol with a long suspension time and a high active substance concentration 30 can be generated very quickly. This is desirable in such applications as crop