METHOD FOR MONITORING AND/OR MODIFYING AN ACTIVE AGENT CONCENTRATION IN A SPRAY LIQUID OF A SPRAY DEVICE

Abstract

A method for monitoring and/or modifying an active agent concentration in a spray liquid of a spray device including a plurality of spray nozzle units for deploying the spray liquid for agricultural purposes. The method includes receiving one property signal each including a piece of property information of the spray liquid detected with the aid of a sensor unit of the spray device in a through-flow area of one each of the spray nozzle units, an active agent concentration in the spray liquid being ascertainable using the piece of property information; and outputting an information signal to a display unit and/or a control signal to an intermixing unit and/or a delivery unit of the spray device as a function of the received piece of property information of the spray liquid and/or of an active agent concentration in the spray liquid ascertained using the piece of property information.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A method for monitoring and/or modifying an active agent concentration in a spray liquid of a spray device, the spray device including a plurality of spray nozzle units for deploying the spray liquid for agricultural purposes, the method comprising the following steps: receiving property signals, each of which includes a piece of property information of the spray liquid detected using a respective sensor unit situated in a through-flow area of a different respective one of the spray nozzle units of the spray device, an active agent concentration in the spray liquid being ascertainable using the piece of property information; and outputting (i) an information signal to a display unit, and/or (ii) a control signal to an intermixing unit of the spray device and/or a delivery unit of the spray device, the outputting of the information signal and/or the control signal being a function of (i) the received pieces of property information of the spray liquid, and/or (ii) an active agent concentration in the spray liquid ascertained using the piece of property information, in order to monitor and/or to modify the active agent concentration in the spray liquid in the spray nozzle units.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the following step: comparing values of the pieces of property information and/or of the active agent concentrations in the spray liquid in the spray nozzle units with one another, wherein the information signal is output, as a function of the comparison, to the display unit and/or the control signal is output, as a function of the comparison, to the intermixing unit and/or to the delivery unit.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the following step: comparing values of the pieces of property information and/or of the active agent concentrations in the spray liquid with a predefinable reference value and/or a predefinable reference value range of the property information and/or of the active agent concentration, wherein the information signal is output, as a function of the comparison, to the display unit, and/or the control signal is output, as a function of the comparison, to the intermixing unit and/or to the delivery unit.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the following step: comparing reference gradient values of the pieces of property information and/or of the active agent concentrations in the spray liquid, with a predefinable reference gradient of the property information and/or of the active agent concentration, wherein the information signal is output, as function of the comparison, to the display unit, and/or the control signal is output, as a function of the comparison, to the intermixing unit and/or to the delivery unit.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the values of the pieces of the property information and/or of the active agent concentration, are ascertained using property information of a carrier liquid of the spray liquid detected using an additional sensor unit.

26. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the values of the pieces of the property information and/or of the active agent concentration are ascertained using a temperature of the spray liquid and/or of the carrier liquid detected using the sensor units.

27. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein (i) the information signal is output to the display unit, and/or (ii) the control signal is output to the intermixing unit and/or to the delivery unit, if the values of the pieces of property information and/or of the active agent concentrations in the spray liquid are the same, and/or with a defined deviation of the values of at least two pieces of property information and/or active agent concentrations in the spray liquid.

28. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein (i) the information signal is output to the display unit, and/or (ii) the control signal is output to the intermixing unit and/or to the delivery unit, if at least the value of one of the pieces of property information and/or of an active agent concentration in the spray liquid has reached a reference value and/or a reference value range and/or a reference gradient value and/or with a defined deviation.

29. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the control signal is output: (i) with a defined deviation of the values at least of two pieces of property information and/or active agent concentrations, and/or (ii) if at least the value of one piece of property information and/or the active agent concentration in the spray liquid has reached a first reference value and/or a first reference value range and/or a first reference gradient value and/or with a defined deviation, to activate the intermixing unit and/or the delivery unit and to modify the acting agent concentration in the spray liquid.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the control signal is output if: as a first condition, the values of the pieces of property information and/or of the acting agent concentrations are the same, and/or as a second condition, at least the value of one of the pieces of property information and/or of the acting agent concentration in the spray liquid has reached a second reference value and/or a second reference value range and/or a second reference gradient value and/or with a defined deviation, to deactivate the intermixing unit and/or the delivery unit.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein if neither the first condition nor the second condition occurs, the intermixing unit is prematurely deactivated and the delivery unit is subsequently activated after a defined duration following activation of the intermixing unit.

32. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein if neither the first condition nor the second condition occurs, the intermixing unit and/or the delivery unit is prematurely deactivated and the information signal is output after a defined duration following activation of the intermixing unit and/or of the delivery unit.

33. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein (i) the intermixing unit is configured to intermix the spray liquid with the aid of a circulation line and/or of an agitator element situated in a spray liquid tank of the spray device, to uniformly distribute the active agent in the spray liquid, and/or (ii) the delivery unit is configured to increase the active agent concentration in the spray liquid using a delivery pump and a metering pump.

34. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the information signal includes values of the pieces of property information and/or of the active agent concentrations in the spray liquid, to be displayed on the display unit.

35. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the detected pieces of property information includes one or more of the following: electrical property, electrical conductivity or permittivity, visual property, absorption property, emission property, fluorescence, sound velocity.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the detected pieces of property information further includes a volume flow of the spray liquid so that a quantity of the deployed spray liquid is ascertainable.

37. A control unit configured to monitor and/or modify an active agent concentration in a spray liquid of a spray device, the spray device including a plurality of spray nozzle units for deploying the spray liquid for agricultural purposes, the control unit configured to: receive property signals, each of which includes a piece of property information of the spray liquid detected using a respective sensor unit situated in a through-flow area of a different respective one of the spray nozzle units of the spray device, an active agent concentration in the spray liquid being ascertainable using the piece of property information; and output (i) an information signal to a display unit, and/or (ii) a control signal to an intermixing unit of the spray device and/or a delivery unit of the spray device, the outputting of the information signal and/or the control signal being a function of (i) the received pieces of property information of the spray liquid, and/or (ii) an active agent concentration in the spray liquid ascertained using the piece of property information, in order to monitor and/or to modify the active agent concentration in the spray liquid in the spray nozzle units.

38. A spray device including a plurality of spray nozzle units for deploying a spray liquid that includes an active agent for agricultural purposes, the spray device comprising: (i) an intermixing unit configured to intermix the spray liquid, and/or (ii) a delivery unit configured to adjust an active agent concentration in the spray liquid; sensor units, each of the respective sensor units configured to detect, in each case a piece of property information of the spray liquid in a through-flow area of a different one of the spray nozzle units, an active agent concentration in the spray liquid being ascertainable using the piece of property information; and a control unit configured to monitor and/or for modify the active agent concentration in the spray nozzle unit, the control unit configured to receive property signals, each of which includes one of the pieces of the property information; and output (i) an information signal to a display unit, and/or (ii) a control signal to the intermixing unit and/or the delivery unit, the outputting of the information signal and/or the control signal being a function of (i) the received pieces of property information of the spray liquid, and/or (ii) an active agent concentration in the spray liquid ascertained using the piece of property information, in order to monitor and/or to modify the active agent concentration in the spray liquid in the spray nozzle units.

39. A non-transitory machine-readable memory medium on which is stored a computer program for monitoring and/or modifying an active agent concentration in a spray liquid of a spray device, the spray device including a plurality of spray nozzle units for deploying the spray liquid for agricultural purposes, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform the following steps: receiving property signals, each of which includes a piece of property information of the spray liquid detected using a respective sensor unit situated in a through-flow area of a different respective one of the spray nozzle units of the spray device, an active agent concentration in the spray liquid being ascertainable using the piece of property information; and outputting (i) an information signal to a display unit, and/or (ii) a control signal to an intermixing unit of the spray device and/or a delivery unit of the spray device, the outputting of the information signal and/or the control signal being a function of (i) the received pieces of property information of the spray liquid, and/or (ii) an active agent concentration in the spray liquid ascertained using the piece of property information, in order to monitor and/or to modify the active agent concentration in the spray liquid in the spray nozzle units.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The present invention is explained by way of example in greater detail below with reference to the figures.

[0050] FIG. 1 schematically shows a representation of one exemplary embodiment of the spray device.

[0051] FIG. 2 schematically shows a representation of the example control unit.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of an example method for monitoring and/or modifying the active agent concentration.

[0053] In the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention, identical or similar reference numerals are used for elements which are represented in the various figures and act similarly, a repeated description of the elements being omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0054] A schematic representation of a spray device is depicted in FIG. 1, which is provided in its entirety with reference numeral 10.

[0055] Spray device 10 includes a liquid tank 12 including a liquid 14 and an active agent tank 16 including an active agent 18. Liquid 14 is a carrier liquid 14 or water 14.

[0056] Spray device 10 further includes a static mixing unit 20. Static mixing unit 20 is fluidically connected to liquid tank 12 via a liquid line 22. A liquid delivery unit 24 is situated in liquid line 22 in order to be able to feed or conduct liquid 22 to static mixing unit 20. Liquid delivery unit 24 in this case includes a delivery pump 26 and a volumetric flow meter 28. Similarly, static mixing unit 20 is further connected to active agent tank 16 via an active agent line 30. In turn, an active agent delivery unit 32 is situated in active agent line 30, in order to be able to feed or conduct active agent 18 to static mixing unit 20. Acting agent delivery unit 32 in this case includes a metering pump 34.

[0057] Accordingly, active agent 18 is intermixed with carrier liquid 14 with the aid of static mixing unit 20 to form a spray liquid 36.

[0058] In order to achieve a greater metering bandwidth with a higher dosing accuracy, a spray liquid tank 40 is situated in a spray liquid line 38 downstream from static mixing unit 20. Spray liquid tank 40 in this case is designed as a buffer tank 40. Spray liquid tank 40 or buffer tank 40 is situated and designed in such a way that spray liquid 36 is poured from static mixing unit 20 into spray liquid tank 40, in order to then be conducted from spray liquid tank 40 to a nozzle system 42 including spray nozzle units 44. Each of spray nozzle units 44 includes a spray nozzle 46 for deploying spray liquid 36 and a valve 48 for controlling or regulating the deployed quantity of spray liquid.

[0059] To adjust the spray pressure at the spray nozzle units 44, spray device 10 further includes a spray liquid delivery unit 50, which is designed to feed spray liquid 36 from spray liquid tank 40 under pressure or under a defined pressure to nozzle system 42, or spray nozzle units 44. Spray liquid delivery unit 50 in this case include a constant pressure source including a pump 52.

[0060] In order to then be able to monitor and/or modify the active agent concentration in spray liquid 36 in spray nozzle devices 44, spray device 10 further includes sensor units 54, an intermixing unit 56 for intermixing spray liquid 36, and a control unit 58 for controlling intermixing unit 56. One sensor unit 58 each is situated in one through-flow area 56 each of spray nozzle units 44 or spray nozzle 46. Sensor units 54 are each designed to detect a piece of property information of spray liquid 36 in through-flow area 60 of the corresponding spray nozzle unit, an active agent concentration being ascertainable in spray liquid 36 using the property information. Intermixing unit 56 includes a circulation line 61, in order to be able to conduct, or to pump with the aid of spray liquid delivery unit 50, spray liquid 36 back into spray liquid tank 40. In FIG. 2, it is subsequently explained how the monitoring and/or modifying of the active agent concentration takes place with the aid of control unit 58.

[0061] As is more readily apparent from FIG. 2, control unit 58 is configured to receive property signals 62 including one piece of property information 64 of spray liquid 36 detected with the aid of sensor units 54 of spray device 10 in corresponding through-flow area 60 of spray nozzle units 44. The pieces of property information 64 in this case include in each case an electrical conductivity and a temperature of spray liquid 36 and a volume flow of deployed spray liquid 36. Accordingly, sensor units 54 each include a sensor for detecting the electrical conductivity and a sensor for detecting the temperature as well as a through-flow sensor or volumetric flow meter for detecting the quantity of deployed spray liquid. Control unit 58 is also configured to output an information signal 66 to a display unit 68 and/or a control signal 70 to intermixing unit 56 and/or a control signal 72 to delivery unit 24, 32 as a function of at least one of the pieces of property information 64 of spray liquid 36 and/or of an active agent concentration in spray liquid 36 ascertained using property information 64, in order to monitor and/or to modify the active agent concentration in spray liquid 36.

[0062] Control unit 58 in this case is configured to compare the values of pieces of property information 64 and/or the active agent concentrations in spray liquid 36 in spray nozzle units 44 with one another with the aid of a processing unit 74, in order as a function thereof to output information signal 66 to display unit 38 and/or control signal 70, 72 to intermixing unit 56 and/or to delivery unit 24, 32. Processing unit 74 is further designed to ascertain an active agent concentration in spray liquid 36 using pieces of property information 64. On the one hand, control signal 70, 72 is output with a defined deviation of the values of at least two pieces of property information 64 and/or active agent concentrations. In this case, control signal 70, 72 is designed to activate intermixing unit 54 and/or delivery unit 24, 32, in order to modify or increase the active agent concentration in spray liquid 36. On the other hand, control signal 70, 72 is then output if the values of the pieces of property information 64 and/or active agent concentrations are the same. Control signal 70, 72 in this case is designed to deactivate intermixing unit 54 and/or delivery unit 24, 32. Control unit 58 further includes a memory unit 76 for storing pieces of property information 64 and the ascertained values.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of an example method 100 for monitoring and/or modifying an active agent concentration in a spray liquid 36 of a spray device 10 including a plurality of spray nozzle units 44 for deploying spray liquid 36, in particular, for agricultural purposes. Method 100 includes a step 102 of receiving one property signal 63 each that includes a piece of property information 64 of spray liquid 36 ascertained with the aid of a sensor unit 54 of spray device 10 in a through-flow area 60 of one of spray nozzle units 44 each, an active agent concentration in spray liquid 36 being ascertainable using property information 64. Finally, method 100 includes a step 106 of outputting an information signal 66 to a display unit 68 and/or a control signal 70, 72 to an intermixing unit 56 and/or to a delivery unit 24, 32 of spray device 10 as a function of received property information 64 of spray liquid 36 and/or of an active agent concentration in spray liquid 36 ascertained using property information 64, in order to monitor and/or to modify the active agent concentration in spray liquid 36 in spray nozzle unit 44. Method 100 optionally also includes a step 104 of comparing the values of pieces of property information 64 and/or the active agent concentrations in spray liquid 36 in spray nozzle units 44 with one another, in order as a function thereof to output information signal 66 to display unit 68 and/or control signal 70, 72 to intermixing unit 56 and/or to delivery unit 24, 32.

[0064] If an exemplary embodiment includes an and/or linkage between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read in the sense that the exemplary embodiment according to one specific embodiment includes both the first feature and the second feature, and according to another specific embodiment, either only the first feature or only the second feature.