ASTM E641-85(2000)
(Test Method)Standard Methods for Testing Hydraulic Spray Nozzles Used in Agriculture
Standard Methods for Testing Hydraulic Spray Nozzles Used in Agriculture
SCOPE
1.1 These methods cover procedures for testing hydraulic spray nozzles used in agriculture. The methods herein cover the following performance parameters: nozzle flow rate, nozzle spray angle, liquid distribution, spray droplet size, and nozzle wearability.
1.2 These methods are applicable to hydraulic spray nozzles which produce the following spray patterns: flat-fan, hollow cone, and full cone.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: E 641 – 85 (Reapproved 2000)
Standard Methods for Testing
Agricultural Hydraulic Spray Nozzles
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 641; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope atomization and relatively uniform distribution. It is used
primarily on field-type sprayers when broad coverage at lower
1.1 These methods cover procedures for testing agricultural
pressures is desired.
spray nozzles. The procedures covered herein include the
2.1.2.4 conventional hollow cone nozzle and full cone
following performance parameters: nozzle flow rate, nozzle
nozzle—the conventional hollow cone nozzle normally pro-
spray angle, liquid distribution, spray droplet size, and nozzle
vides fine atomization throughout a hollow cone pattern area.
wearability.
The full cone nozzle, on the other hand, normally provides
1.2 The types of hydraulic nozzles covered in these methods
relatively uniform distribution throughout its full cone pattern.
are those producing patterns of the fan, hollow cone, and full
Both types are used extensively for the spraying of fruits and
cone type.
vegetables and of some row crops with pesticides and for aerial
1.3 This standard does not purport to address the safety
applications.
problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the
user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health
3. Significance and Use
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita-
3.1 The purpose of these methods is to provide uniform
tions prior to use.
testing procedures for evaluating the performance criteria of
2. Terminology hydraulic spray nozzles used for various purposes.
2.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
4. Apparatus
2.1.1 The procedures set forth in these methods are for spray
4.1 This section covers equipment used in testing hydraulic
nozzles of the hydraulic energy type in which the spray
spray nozzles. The equipment and apparatus listed are suffi-
material is forced through an orifice under pressure, providing
cient to cover optional procedures and methods for examining
fluid break-up into droplets. Droplet-producing elements that
each of the nozzles’ spray characteristics.
operate by means other than hydraulic energy are not a part of
4.2 Fundamental equipment common to all of the testing
these methods.
methods and procedures for evaluating spray performance are
2.1.2 The types of hydraulic spray nozzles considered are
as follows:
categorized according to spray characteristics, as follows:
4.2.1 Water Reservoir or Retaining Vessel—A water reser-
2.1.2.1 fan-type spray nozzle—this nozzle provides a range
voir or vessel sufficiently large to provide smooth continuous
of atomization throughout the pattern area. Its edges are
flow to the nozzles throughout the duration of a particular test.
tapered to permit the overlapping of spray patterns from
4.2.2 Pump or Source of Water Pressure— A pump or
adjacent nozzles, thereby providing relatively uniform overall
source of water pressure available and sufficient to conduct the
distribution. These nozzles are popular on field-type crop
performance tests at the required pressures, with no more than
sprayers where uniform coverage is desired across the swath.
10 % pulse deviations from nominal pressure as measured on a
2.1.2.2 fan-type spray nozzle with even spray distribution—
Bourdon-type gage.
this nozzle provides fine atomization and comparatively uni-
4.2.3 Pressure Gage:
form distribution throughout where there is no requirement for
4.2.3.1 A pressure gage with an accuracy of 62 % at the
overlap of adjacent spray patterns. It is used primarily to spray
actual working pressure to be of a quality Bourdon-tube type
uniform strips or bands in fields.
with a minimum dial face diameter of 150 cm (6 in.). It should
2.1.2.3 flooding or deflector-fan type spray nozzle—this
have a maximum pressure reading on the dial face such that the
nozzle produces a wide-angle flat spray pattern with coarse
test pressure can be as near the midrange of the gage as
possible.
4.2.3.2 The pressure gage should be calibrated prior to use
These methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-35 on
at each of the required test pressures by using a Certified Dead
Pesticides, and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E35.22 on Pesticide
Weight Gage calibrator or a suitable manometer capable of
Formulations and Application Systems.
Current edition approved Feb. 22, 1985. Published June 1985. Originally
gage calibration.
e1
published as E 641 – 78. Last previous edition E 641 – 85 (1991) .
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E 641
4.3 General equipment and arrangement schematics used in
testing each of the performance criteria are as follows. All
equipment shall be kept clean and in good condition.
4.3.1 Discharge Rate:
4.3.1.1 Apparatus Schematic—See Fig. 1.
4.3.1.2 Cylinders, Accurately calibrated, laboratory gradu-
ated.
4.3.1.3 Stop Watch, readable in 0.5-s increments.
4.3.1.4 Collecting Vessel.
4.3.1.5 Laboratory Beakers, calibrated.
4.3.1.6 Flowmeter, calibrated.
4.3.1.7 Weight Scale, certified.
4.3.2 Spray angle:
4.3.2.1 Apparatus Schematic—See Fig. 2.
4.3.2.2 Spray Pattern Distribution Testing Table.
4.3.2.3 Spray Protractor, calibrated, with 300-mm (12-in.)
long arms.
4.3.3 Distribution:
4.3.3.1 Apparatus Schematic—See Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.
4.3.3.2 Spray Pattern Distribution Testing Table.
4.3.3.3 Spray Pattern Distribution Testing Racks, Troughs,
and Beakers.
4.3.3.4 Weight Scale, certified.
4.3.3.5 Stop Watch, as in 4.3.1.3.
4.3.4 Particle Size—Since there is no agreement on meth-
ods of sampling and measurement, this section is omitted at
this time. (Note the section on reporting of measurements, 6.4.)
FIG. 2 Spray Angle Test Equipment
FIG. 3 Distribution Table
4.3.5 Wearability:
4.3.5.1 Apparatus Schematic—See Fig. 5.
4.3.5.2 Pressure Tank, with agitator and air regulator.
4.3.5.3 Wear Media.
4.3.5.4 Imhoff Settling Cone, 1000-ml.
4.3.5.5 Spray Pattern Distribution Testing Table.
4.3.5.6 Containers, water-collecting.
FIG. 1 Discharge Rate Test Equipment 4.3.5.7 Weight Scale, certified.
E 641
6.1.2 The discharge rate can be determined by a method
such as an actual volume-time measurement, an actual weight-
time measurement, or a volume-time measurement observed
directly from an accurately calibrated flow meter, usually of the
rotometer type. The discharge rate of the nozzle may determine
what method of measurement is practical. (See Fig. 1.)
6.1.3 Volume-Time Measurement Method— Pass water
through the nozzle at the desired test pressure, as determined
by the specific spray application, and collect it in a clean,
accurately graduated cylinder for an interval of at least 1 min,
as measured by a stop watch. The nozzle discharge during the
time interval should fill at least 75 % of the cylinder graduated
volume. Read the amount of water collected directly from the
graduated cylinder in the units denoted, thereby providing the
volume-time discharge rate. Repeat this procedure three sepa-
rate times and use an average of the three observations as the
measured discharge rate.
FIG. 4 Distribution Rack
6.1.4 Weight-Time Method—Spray clean, clear water into a
clean container at the desired test pressure for an interval of at
least 1 min, as timed by a stop watch. Establish the net weight
of the discharged water by weighing on a weight scale. The
scale should be sensitive enough to weigh the discharged
quantity within 61 %. The result is a weight-time discharge
rate that is mathematically converted to the volume-time values
normally used to denote discharge rate.
L kg
5 3 1
min min
gal lb 1
5 3
S D
min min 8.32
Repeat this procedure three separate times and use an
average of the three observations as the measured discharge
rate.
6.1.5 The discharge rate of a nozzle may also be observed
by passing clean water directly through a flowmeter calibrated
with various volume-time units of measurement to provide
“direct” discharge rate readings at the desired test pressure. It
is suggested that the average of two meter readings be used for
determining the discharge rate. Observe the first meter reading
FIG. 5 Wearability Test Equipment
by slowly increasing the pressure up to the desired test pressure
and observe the second reading by going beyond the test
pressure and slowly lowering to the required pressure. Exercise
4.3.5.8 Stop Watch, as in 4.3.1.3.
4.3.5.9 Cylinder, accurately calibrated, laboratory gradu- caution when using flowmeters since water temperature,
build-up of mineral deposits on glass tube walls, and age of
ated.
4.3.5.10 Flowmeter, calibrated. meters can seriously alter accuracy. If a flowmeter is to be
used, carefully calibrate it by an actual volume-time procedure
5. Spray Medium
as described in 6.1.3.
6.2 Spray Angle:
5.1 It has been accepted practice to use clean, clear water as
a standard. However, testing procedures do not preclude using 6.2.1 The spray angle of a nozzle is normally denoted in
these methods for other liquids. terms of degrees and is a measure of the angular segment
5.2 Unless otherwise indicated, references to water shall be formed by the nozzle orifice and the outermost edges of its
understood to mean clean, clear, filtered water at a temperature generated spray.
of 21°C (70°F). 6.2.2 The spray angle of the four different types of spray
nozzles can be determined by an angular measure using a
6. Procedure
calibrated protractor or on a spray distribution testing table by
6.1 Discharge Rate: measuring the effective pattern width and using the spray
6.1.1 The discharge rate of a nozzle is normally denoted in height to calculate the angle. The size of the nozzle may
volume-time units such as litres per minute, litres per second, determine which method of measuring is practical. (See Fig.
or gallons per minute. 2.)
...
Questions, Comments and Discussion
Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.