Turbulence = Trouble

This is one of the worst cases of turbulence that I have found. After installing a set of Pattern Masters on this customers sprayer I had seen enough and decided it was time to show people what the net effect is if your going to spray at high speed. Just because the sprayer can go across the field at top speed and deliver x gals per acre does not mean you are doing yourself any justice. This droplet is supposed to drop 24 to 30 inches and end up on the target not end up on the boom structure above the Nozzle tip. The Chemical buildup is created by vortexes and turbulence. All the testing that is done to help applicators apply chemicals in a safe controlled manner become worthless under these conditions. This is why controlling the airflow over the boom structure is so important. Anybody care to guess what the VMD was that ended up coming out of that chaos?

This is not an isolated case. I have seen this repeatedly and yet the industry continues to encourage spraying at faster speeds and maintains that spray drift is caused by the formulation in the tank and the spray tip being used. If you go out and buy a $400,000 sprayer and probably run that much though the sprayer in chemical costs each year I would think you would want to do a better job than that!

The fact that the boom frame has a washed down pattern is a very visual indicator that something is wrong! Certain boom structures appear to be more prone to this issue than others. That said it is something that should be addressed by the operator.

With the tighter labeling restrictions on when you can spray and when you can't these operators are under extreme pressure to get over the acres. We are now putting calendar deadlines on applications and and also restricting hours during the day that you can apply. Im guessing the industry is going to need more sprayers if this is going to be the status quo.