JP2007167809A - Liquid spraying apparatus and liquid spraying method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid spraying apparatus and a liquid spraying method with preferable work efficiency and eliminating loss of spray solution. <P>SOLUTION: By operation of a spraying pump 2, solvent C of a solvent source 4 and solute S of a solute source 5 are sucked into the spraying pump 2, and discharged from the spraying pump 2 as a spay solution in a mixed state of the solvent C and solute S. The flow rate of the spray solution is detected by a flow sensor 6. A delivery amount of the solute S from the solute source 5 is controlled by a control device 7 to obtain a given concentration of the spray solution, according to the flow rate of the spray solution detected by the flow sensor 6. Spraying of the solvent C and solute S in a mixed state dispenses with preparation of the spray solution by mixing the solvent C with the solute S in advance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid spraying apparatus and a liquid spraying method.

  For example, agricultural boom sprayers, speed sprayers, and the like, which are examples of liquid spraying devices, have a large chemical tank mounted on a traveling machine body. In the chemical tank, water as a solvent and chemical as a solute are previously provided. The stock solution is injected at a predetermined rate and stirred in the chemical solution tank to form a spray solution.

  However, in the above method, when the spray liquid becomes insufficient during the spraying work, the spraying work must be interrupted and the spray liquid must be prepared again in the chemical solution tank. Further, when the spray liquid remains in the chemical liquid tank, the spray liquid is wasted and there is a problem that the spray liquid is troublesome. Furthermore, since the said chemical | medical solution tank is large sized, the labor for washing | cleaning of the said chemical | medical solution tank after use also required a great effort.

As a technique for solving such a problem, a technique described in the following Patent Document 1 is proposed, and a technique described in the following Patent Document 2 is proposed as a technique that eliminates the drawbacks of the one described in Patent Document 1. ing. In either case, the water and the chemical solution are stored in separate tanks, and the water and the chemical solution are merged and sprayed at the time of spraying.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-76906 JP 2001-190208 A

  However, the thing of the said patent document 1 has the problem that the density | concentration of a sprayed liquid will change by the change of orifice passage resistance, when the flow volume of a sprayed liquid changes.

  Moreover, the thing of the said patent document 2 is a system by which the orifice of a water absorption amount adjustment part and a liquid absorption amount adjustment part is selected from several types determined beforehand by switching a some cock manually. Therefore, there are problems such as complicated operation and complicated piping.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above. The liquid spraying apparatus and the liquid spraying have no drawbacks as seen in the prior art, have good workability, and can eliminate waste of sprayed liquid. We are going to propose a method.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a liquid spraying apparatus according to the present invention includes a spraying pump that pumps spraying liquid, a solvent source and a solute source that are respectively communicated to the suction side of the spraying pump, and a flow rate of the spraying liquid. And a control for automatically controlling the delivery amount of the solute from the solute source according to the flow rate of the spray liquid detected by the flow sensor so that the concentration of the spray liquid becomes a predetermined concentration. The apparatus is provided (claim 1).

  In the present invention, when the spraying pump is operated, the solvent of the solvent source and the solute of the solute source are sucked into the spraying pump, and the spraying pump is mixed with the solvent and the solute. It is discharged as spray liquid from the pump. The flow rate of the spray liquid is detected by the flow rate sensor. The amount of the solute delivered from the solute source is controlled by the control device so that the concentration of the spray liquid becomes a predetermined concentration according to the flow rate of the spray liquid detected by the flow sensor. .

  According to the present invention, since the solvent and the solute are dispersed while being mixed, it is not necessary to prepare the spray liquid by previously mixing the solvent and the solute. Accordingly, the spraying workability is improved and the spray liquid is not wasted. Further, even if the flow rate of the spray liquid is changed, the concentration is kept constant, the operability is good, and the piping system can be simplified.

  In the present invention, the flow rate sensor may detect the flow rate of the sprayed liquid that is actually sprayed, and is returned to the suction side of the spraying pump as residual water via a metering valve. The flow rate of the sprayed liquid may be detected.

  As a preferred embodiment, the control device may include a solute pump that feeds a solute from the solute source, and a solute feed amount control unit that controls the operation of the solute pump. ).

  Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, a check valve for preventing the solute from mixing into the solvent source is interposed between the solvent source and the spray pump, and communicated with the discharge port of the solute pump. The discharge line, the total return line of the three-way valve interposed on the discharge side of the spray pump, and the spillway connected to the metering valve for adjusting the flow rate of the spray liquid It is also possible to communicate with a mixing conduit that communicates the stop valve and the suction port of the spraying pump (claim 3). In this way, since the check valve prevents the spray liquid returning to the mixing pipe through the total return line and the spillway from flowing into the solvent source, the spray liquid Can always be kept constant.

  In the present invention, the solute of the solute source may be, for example, a stock solution such as a chemical solution, or the raw solute such as a chemical solution stock solution or a granular drug is previously stored in a solvent so as to have a higher concentration than the spray solution. It may be a diluted prediluted solution (claim 4).

  As another preferred embodiment, a spray width element sensor for detecting an element necessary for directly or indirectly knowing the spray width, and a spray movement speed sensor, the control device includes the flow sensor, Based on the detection result of the spreading width element sensor and the spreading movement speed sensor, the flow rate of the spreading liquid so that the spraying according to the target spreading amount per unit area is performed regardless of which of the spreading width and the spreading movement speed changes. May also be controlled (Claim 5).

  In the embodiment, as the spray width element sensor, a sensor that can directly detect the spray width can be used, or an operating nozzle number sensor that detects the number of nozzles that actually spray the spray liquid is used. You can also In the latter case, in the control device, the spraying width can be calculated by multiplying the number of working nozzles detected by the working nozzle number sensor by the inter-nozzle distance.

  Further, as the spreading width element sensor, a sensor that provides information capable of calculating the spreading width in the control device in combination with information obtained from the flow rate sensor can be used. A pressure sensor can also be used.

  On the other hand, in the liquid spraying method according to the present invention, the solvent source and the solute source are communicated with the suction port of the spray pump, and the concentration of the spray liquid is always constant so that the concentration of the spray liquid is always constant. It distributes, automatically controlling the supply amount of the solute from the source (Claim 6).

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a piping diagram including a control circuit of a liquid spraying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  A boom sprayer 1 that is a liquid spraying device of FIG. 1 is an agricultural boom sprayer that is mounted on a traveling machine body such as an agricultural tractor (not shown) and sprays control liquid, liquid fertilizer, and the like while traveling in a farm field. This is an example in which the present invention is applied to a boom sprayer having a telescopic boom called a slide boom. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a so-called anchoring spraying device having a folding boom. Further, the application range of the present invention is not limited to the boom sprayer, and can be widely applied to a liquid spraying device that may change the flow rate of sprayed liquid during spraying work.

  The boom sprayer 1 includes a spray pump 2 for pumping spray liquid, a solvent source 4 and a solute source 5 respectively connected to the suction port 3 of the spray pump 2, and a flow sensor for detecting the flow rate of the spray liquid. 6 and a control device 7 for controlling the feeding amount of the solute S from the solute source 5 in accordance with the flow rate of the spray liquid detected by the flow sensor 6 so that the concentration of the spray liquid becomes a predetermined concentration. It has. The control device 7 includes a solute pump 8 that feeds the solute S from the solute source 5 and a solute feed amount control unit 9 that controls the operation of the solute pump 8.

  The boom sprayer 1 further includes a spreading width element sensor 12 that detects elements necessary for directly or indirectly knowing the spreading width W and a spreading movement speed sensor 13. And the said control apparatus 7 is provided with the calculating part 14, the metering valve 15 as a flow volume adjustment means of a dispersion liquid, and the flow control part 16 which controls the action | operation of this metering valve 15, The said flow sensor 6, Based on the detection results of the spreading width element sensor 12 and the spreading movement speed sensor 13, regardless of which of the spreading width W and the spreading movement speed V changes, the target quantity q of spraying per unit area is applied. The flow rate of the spray liquid is also controlled.

  According to the boom sprayer 1, spraying is performed while moving with the discharge amount (rotation speed) of the spraying pump 2 being constant, but the spraying width W and the spraying movement speed V have changed during the spraying operation. In such a case, the flow rate of the spray liquid is automatically controlled in accordance with the change, so that the target spray amount q per unit area is always sprayed. In addition, the amount of the solute S fed out is automatically controlled in response to the change in the flow rate of the spray liquid, so that the concentration of the spray liquid is maintained at a predetermined concentration regardless of the change in the flow rate of the spray liquid. .

  Hereinafter, the boom sprayer 1 will be described in detail.

  In the present embodiment, the solvent source 4 is a fresh water tank that stores water C as a solvent. The fresh water tank 4 communicates with the suction port 3 of the spray pump 2 such as a high-pressure plunger type through a water suction pipe 18 having a check valve 17 and a mixing pipe 19.

  Moreover, the said solute source 5 is made into the chemical | medical solution tank which stores the chemical | medical solution S for control as a solute in this Embodiment. The chemical liquid tank 5 is connected to a liquid suction pipe 21 communicated with a suction port 20 of a chemical liquid pump 8 serving as the solute pump, and a liquid discharge pipe 23 communicated with a discharge port 22 of the chemical liquid pump 8. The mixing line 19 communicates with the mixing line 19. The chemical liquid tank 5 contains the chemical liquid S which is mixed and diluted with water C in the fresh water tank 4 at a predetermined ratio to become a spray liquid. The chemical solution S may be, for example, a stock solution of the chemical solution, or may be a solution obtained by diluting the stock solution with water at a higher concentration than the spray solution. Furthermore, the powdery chemical | medical agent may be melt | dissolved in water and the density | concentration setting may be carried out so that it may become a higher density | concentration than a spraying liquid. Therefore, a stirring blade 24 as a stirring means is disposed in the chemical liquid tank 5. As the chemical solution, when using a prediluted solution obtained by diluting a raw solute, such as a chemical solution stock solution or a granular drug, with a solvent in advance so as to have a higher concentration than the spray solution, homogeneous mixing with water becomes more reliable, The chemical pump 8 is suitable because it can employ a pump with a large minimum feed amount and hence an inexpensive price.

  As the chemical liquid pump 8, a pump capable of delivering a liquid little by little with quantitative accuracy is used. For example, a tube pump known per se, in particular, a roller tube pump that pushes out the liquid in the tube by rolling while the roller crushes the wall portion of the elastic tube having one side wall. Can do. According to the roller tube pump, the supply amount of the chemical solution S to the mixing pipe line 19 can be controlled by controlling the rolling speed of the roller. The operation of the chemical liquid pump 8 is automatically controlled by the solute feed amount control unit 9 so that the concentration of the spray liquid is maintained at a predetermined concentration input in advance.

  The chemical liquid S in the chemical liquid tank 5 is supplied to the mixing pipe line 19 by the chemical liquid pump 8 and mixed in the mixing pipe line 19 with the water C sucked from the fresh water tank 4 by the spray pump 2. And becomes the spray liquid. In the mixing line 19, the water C and the chemical S are inevitably subjected to a forced mixing and stirring action due to the large suction pressure of the spray pump 2. Therefore, there is no bias in the concentration of the spray liquid.

  The capacity ratio between the chemical liquid tank 5 and the fresh water tank 4 may be determined as appropriate according to the dilution ratio of the chemical liquid S. However, the capacity of the chemical liquid tank 5 is far greater than the capacity of the fresh water tank 4. Can be small. For this reason, as a first advantage, the operation of injecting the chemical S into the chemical tank 5 is facilitated. As a second advantage, even if the chemical solution remains in the chemical solution tank 5 at the end of the spraying operation, it is easy to handle because it is small. As a third advantage, the cleaning operation of the chemical solution tank 5 after use becomes easy.

  The discharge port 25 of the spray pump 2 communicates with a liquid distribution housing 28 via a discharge line 27 in which a manually operated three-way valve 26 is interposed. One of the two switching outlets 26 a, 26 b of the three-way valve 26 communicates with the liquid distribution housing 28, and the other 26 b communicates with the mixing line 19 via a total return line 31. is doing. Accordingly, when it is desired to temporarily stop spraying during spraying work, etc., the operator of the boom sprayer 1 operates the three-way valve 26 to switch the flow path to the mixing pipe line 19 side. The spray pump 2 can be operated without load.

  From the liquid distribution casing 28, a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) hose and the like corresponding to the number of divisions of the booms 10a and 10b extend. Each of the liquid pipes 11 and 11 communicates with a nozzle pipe 29 having a large number of spray nozzles n along the length direction thereof. The nozzle tubes 29, 29 are attached along the lower surfaces of the pair of booms 10a, 10b, which are connected to each other along a length direction thereof so as to be relatively expandable and contractable by a known configuration.

  The spray nozzles n have the same specifications as each other, and the same amount of spray liquid is discharged from each spray nozzle n in the same manner.

  According to the boom sprayer 1, the pair of booms 10a and 10b are extended to the outside in the left-right direction with respect to the traveling direction of the traveling machine body and travel in the field while the multiple spray nozzles n. Can spread a wide liquid. In addition, by changing the boom overall length (spreading width W) by expanding and contracting the pair of booms 10a and 10b as necessary, spraying can be performed while appropriately responding to changes in the outer shape of the field.

  In the boom sprayer 1, for example, a cock (not shown) is attached to each of the spray nozzles n on one fixed boom 10a side of the pair of booms 10a and 10b, and these cocks are connected to the other moving boom. The opening and closing operation is automatically performed in accordance with the relative expansion and contraction of 10b, and even if the position of the spray nozzle n is overlapped by the two booms due to the contraction of the moving boom 10b, the liquid discharge is not overlapped. ing. That is, in the present embodiment, when the pair of booms 10a and 10b are relatively expanded and contracted, the number K of spray nozzles (operating nozzles) n that actually discharge the spray liquid changes, and the spray width W changes. It will be.

  In the boom sprayer 1, regardless of which of the spraying width W and the spraying movement speed V is changed, the target spraying amount q per unit area can be sprayed. That is, in the calculation unit 14 of the control device 7, the spraying width W and the moving speed V based on the detection results of the spraying flow sensor 6 as the flow sensor, the spraying width element sensor 12, and the spraying movement speed sensor 13. The flow rate control unit 16 calculates the liquid flow rate Q per unit time necessary for realizing the target spray amount q by multiplication with the target spray amount q, and the flow rate control unit 16 realizes the calculation result. The operation of the metering valve 15 is controlled.

  In the present embodiment, the spray flow rate sensor 6 is interposed in the discharge pipe 27 on the downstream side of the three-way valve 26. The spray flow rate sensor 6 detects the flow rate of spray liquid that is pumped by the spray pump 2 to the liquid distribution housing 28 at a predetermined pressure value, that is, the flow rate of spray liquid that is actually sprayed from the working nozzle n. To do.

  For example, the spreading width element sensor 12 may directly detect the spreading width W (extension width of the boom as a whole) by measuring the extension amount of the moving boom 10b. Other appropriate sensors that provide information that allows the calculation unit 14 including a microcomputer to calculate the distribution width W in combination with information obtained from the distribution flow rate sensor 6 may be used. In the present embodiment, a boom length measurement distance sensor 12a is used as a sensor (spreading width detecting means) that can directly detect the spreading width W. As the distance sensor 12a, it is possible to use a beam sensor, a bar code sensor, or the like having an appropriate other configuration known per se.

  The spray movement speed sensor 13 is a sensor that detects a movement speed of the spray nozzle n with respect to the ground (travel speed of the traveling machine body). The spray movement speed sensor 13 may detect the rotational speed of the axle of the traveling machine body, or may detect the speed of another rotating element that is proportional to the rotational speed of the axle. .

  The boom sprayer 1 is provided with a metering pipe 30 upstream of the spray flow rate sensor 6 in the discharge pipe 27, and the metering pipe 30 includes the electric metering valve. 15 is connected to a spillage pipe 32. The spillage pipe 32 communicates with the mixing pipe 19. The metering value of the metering valve 15 is automatically controlled by the flow control unit 16 including a microcomputer.

  In addition, since the check valve 17 for preventing liquid from flowing into the fresh water tank 4 is interposed between the fresh water tank 4 and the mixing pipe 19, the spillage pipe 32 and the total amount Even if the spray liquid is returned to the mixing pipe line 19 via the return pipe line 31, the spray liquid is not mixed into the fresh water tank 4. Therefore, the chemical liquid is not mixed with the fresh water in the fresh water tank, and the concentration of the spray liquid can always be kept constant.

  In the above configuration, signals from the spray flow rate sensor 6, the boom length measurement distance sensor 12 a and the spray movement speed sensor 13 are sent to the calculation unit 14 of the control device 7. In the calculation unit 14, based on the information signals from the sensors 6, 12a, 13, the liquid flow rate Q per unit time necessary to realize the target spray rate q is calculated using the following formula. Are continuously calculated.

Formula: Liquid flow rate Q (L / min) per unit time required to realize the target spray rate per unit area = spray width W (m) × target spray rate q (L / 10a) per unit area × Movement speed V (km / h) × 1/60
And the said flow control part 16 of the said control apparatus 7 carries out automatic control of the metering value of the said metering valve 15 continuously so that the target application quantity q is implement | achieved based on the said calculation result. As a result, the flow rate of the spilled water returned from the spraying pump 2 to the mixing pipeline 19 through the metering pipeline 30 and the spill pipeline 32 changes, so that it is sent to the liquid distribution housing 28. The flow rate of the sprayed liquid, that is, the actual spraying amount from each operating nozzle n is also automatically adjusted. Therefore, regardless of either the spraying width W or the spraying movement speed V, spraying with the target spraying amount q per unit area becomes possible. Since the flow rate of the spray liquid is continuously output from the spray flow sensor 6 to the control device 7, it is always checked by the control device 7 whether or not a uniform amount spraying as calculated is performed. , Improve reliability.

  Further, the calculation unit 14 calculates a solute feed amount necessary to maintain the concentration of the spray liquid at a predetermined concentration that is input in advance, corresponding to the flow rate of the spray liquid, and realizes the calculation result. As described above, the operation of the chemical pump 8 is controlled by the solute feed amount control unit 9 including a microcomputer. Thereby, the density | concentration of a spray liquid is hold | maintained at a predetermined density | concentration irrespective of the change of the flow volume of a spray liquid.

  By the way, when the calculation formula is used, the target application amount q per unit area is set in advance according to the type of chemical solution to be applied, the type of cultivated crop, and the like, and the application speed V Since a specific numerical value is determined by the information from the moving speed sensor 13, the specific numerical value of the spreading width W may be determined thereafter. The present embodiment is an example in which the distance sensor 12a that directly detects the spreading width W as the boom length is used as the spreading width element sensor 12. However, the spreading width W has a certain correlation with each other. It is also possible to calculate by a combination calculation of two or more elements.

  For example, in FIG. 1, instead of the boom length measurement distance sensor 12a, an operating nozzle number sensor 12b that detects the number K of liquid discharge nozzles (operating nozzles) n that actually discharge the spray liquid is used as the spray width. It can also be provided as the element sensor 12. The operating nozzle number sensor 12b includes a nozzle counter that obtains opening / closing signals from the cocks of the spray nozzles n and counts the number K, and the spray nozzles in the booms 10a and 10b that are relatively expanded and contracted. It is possible to employ one including a limit switch that detects whether n has passed a predetermined cock opening / closing position.

  In this case, the calculation unit 14 of the control device 7 calculates the spray width W by multiplying the number K of operating nozzles obtained from the nozzle number sensor 12b and the inter-nozzle distance inputted in advance. be able to. If the spray width W is calculated, the liquid flow rate Q per unit time necessary for realizing the target spray amount q per unit area can be calculated by the calculation unit 14 using the calculation formula. What is necessary is just to automatically control the metering value of the metering valve 15 in the flow control unit 16 of the control device 7 so that the flow rate Q is realized.

  As another embodiment, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1, instead of the boom length measurement distance sensor 12b, a pressure sensor (spraying pressure sensor) 12c for detecting the pressure in the discharge pipe 27 is provided. It can also be used as the spreading width element detection sensor 12. In this case, the spraying pressure sensor 12c and the spraying flow rate sensor 6 serve as spraying width detecting means.

  For example, for various values of the number K of the operating nozzles n, there is a constant between the spray pressure detected by the spray pressure sensor 12c and the spray flow rate detected by the spray flow sensor 6. There is a correlation (the flow value is proportional to the square root of the pressure value). For this reason, from the combination of the spray flow value detected by the spray flow sensor 6 and the spray pressure value detected by the spray pressure sensor 12c, the calculation unit 14 of the control device 7 determines the operating nozzle n. The number K can be determined. Therefore, the calculation unit 14 can calculate the spreading width W by multiplying the obtained number K of operating nozzles and the inter-nozzle distance input in advance. If the spraying width W is calculated, the liquid flow rate Q per unit time necessary for realizing the target spraying amount q per unit area can be calculated by the calculation unit in the calculation unit. What is necessary is just to control automatically by the said control apparatus 7 so that Q may be implement | achieved.

  As another embodiment, in the case of a so-called stop-type spreader having a folding boom, the boom is folded as the spread width element sensor 12 for detecting an element necessary to know the spread width W. It is also possible to use a limit switch that detects the operation, a sensor that detects the opening and closing of the spray cock for opening and closing the liquid supply conduit connected to the nozzle tube of the folded boom, and the like.

It is a piping diagram including the control circuit of the liquid spraying apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Spraying pump 4 Solvent source 5 Solute source 6 Flow sensor 7 Control apparatus 8 Solute pump 9 Solute feed amount control part 12 Spreading width element sensor 13 Spreading movement speed sensor 15 Metering valve 16 Flow control part 17 Check valve 19 Mixing pipe Line 23 Discharge line 26 Three-way valve 31 Total return line 32 Spilled water line q Target application amount S Solute V Application speed W Application width

Claims (6)

  A spray pump (2) for pumping spray liquid, a solvent source (4) and a solute source (5) respectively connected to the suction side of the spray pump (2), and a flow rate for detecting the flow rate of the spray liquid The solute (S) from the solute source (5) according to the flow rate of the spray liquid detected by the flow rate sensor (6) so that the concentration of the spray liquid becomes a predetermined concentration with the sensor (6). A liquid spraying device provided with a control device (7) for automatically controlling the amount of feed.   The control device (7) includes a solute pump (8) for feeding the solute (S) from the solute source (5), and a solute feed amount control unit (9) for controlling the operation of the solute pump (8). The liquid spraying device according to claim 1.   Between the solvent source (4) and the spray pump (2), a check valve (17) for preventing the solute (S) from being mixed into the solvent source (4) is interposed, and the solute pump ( 8) a discharge line (23) communicated with the discharge port (22), and a total return line (31) of the three-way valve (26) interposed on the discharge side of the spray pump (2). A spill pipe (32) communicated with a metering valve (15) for adjusting the flow rate of the spray liquid communicates the check valve (17) and the suction port (3) of the spray pump (2). The liquid spraying device according to claim 2, wherein the liquid spraying device communicates with a mixing pipe line (19).   The solute (S) in the solute source (5) is a prediluted solution obtained by diluting the original solute with a solvent in advance so as to have a higher concentration than the concentration of the spray solution. The liquid spraying device described.   A spray width element sensor (12) for detecting elements necessary for directly or indirectly knowing the spray width (W) and a spray movement speed sensor (13) are provided, and the control device (7) includes the flow rate sensor. (6) Based on the detection results of the spreading width element sensor (12) and the spreading movement speed sensor (13), no matter which of the spreading width (W) or the spreading movement speed (V) changes, per unit area The liquid spraying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flow rate of the sprayed liquid is also controlled so that spraying is performed in accordance with the target spraying amount (q).   The solvent source (4) and the solute source (5) are communicated with the suction port (3) of the spray pump (2) so that the spray liquid has a predetermined concentration according to the flow rate of the spray liquid. A liquid spraying method for spraying while automatically controlling the supply amount of the solute (S) from the solute source (5).

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