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Electrosol Spraying for
Agricultural Applications
By W.M. Zadorsky (zadorsky@hotmail.com)
1. Introduction
Electrostatic spraying uses high voltage to produce an ultrafine spray and to apply it
directly to plant foliage. This dramatically cuts down pesticide consumption and
eliminates soil contamination with pesticides.
Electrostatic sprayers, however, tend to being clogged when the spray and/or ambient air
contains suspended particles like mud, sand or dust. Furthermore, conventional sprayers
are bulky and require high-voltage cables. This makes them unsuited for small plots of
land, unsafe and expensive.
More reliable, compact and safe and less expensive sprayers and spraying methods are thus
desired.
The project is aimed at developing electrosol technology that provides such improvements.
2. Project Description
2.1. Improvements in the Method and Apparatus
Instead of a normal liquid spray, the method may use a pretreated liquid-gas mixture. No
precipitation of sand, dust and mud then occurs in or on the sprayer. Its clogging is thus
ruled out.
Self-excited oscillations generated during electrosol formation, and forced pesticide
electroprecipitation contribute to high performance.
Special sprayers have been developed for these purposes.
A high-voltage device (HVD) is used that consists of a control block and a high-voltage
converter connected to it with a common electric cord. The control block supplies low
voltage which is then converted to high voltage. The converter is placed near the sprayer
for improved safety and reduced cost.
2.2. Characteristics and Specifications of High-Voltage Device
2.2.1. Safety
(i) No high-voltage cables are used, for the high voltage is generated in the immediate
neighborhood of the sprayer.
(ii) A spark suppression system is provided that uses stabilization current and also
switches HVD off as the sprayer approaches the ground.
2.2.2. Optimum operation due to current stabilization.
2.2.3. Compactness, light weight and reliable design.
2.2.4. Self-contained power supply is possible.
Specifications
Target voltage 40 kV
Target current 150 A
Control block input voltage DC 12V Max.
Input power 10 VA
Weight 0.3 kg Min.
2.3. Performance
The development was tested and partly implemented in farming in some of the Newly
Independent States (NIS). The consumption of pesticides was found to drop 2- to 5-fold. No
loss of spray from the foliage was observed at wind velocities up to 5 m/s. Soil
contamination during spraying was practically eliminated.
The foliage was found to be covered with spray on both sides, which enhanced the pesticide
effects.
Apparently, cleaner food can thus be produced without sacrifice of the intensity of
farming. The number of spray treatments may be minimized, resulting in a minimum exposure
of operators.
3. Novelty
The method and devices for it are believed to patentable.
4. Marketing
The method and equipment need adjustments for each of the following application
categories: (1) indoor and soil-free growing, (2) large-area and (3) small-area outdoor
farming.
Among other things, electrosol sprayers with compact electric chargers were conceived for
small private gardens. They offer 5 to 6 times lower pesticide consumption rates and
therefore cleaner food, reduced pollution and material savings. Their pilot tests were
successful.
The NIS offer a vast market for electrosol sprayers. Ukraine alone has about 15,000,000
small private gardens while no sprayers of Western make are suited to conditions
prevailing anywhere in the NIS.
China and other countries with very small plots of farming land, and arid regions with
their typical high contents of dust in the air, like Middle East and parts of Africa and
North America, also may be potential markets.
5. Applications
In farming, the development may be used for spraying with pesticides, growth stimulants or
fertilizers and for watering.
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