Fogging Apparatus

Abstract

A fogging apparatus for atomizing a medium includes an atomizer chamber defined by an atomizer chamber wall extending substantially from a supply side to a distal outlet side, at least one supply located at the supply side of the atomizer chamber for dispensing the medium to be atomized and an air supply duct extending from an air flow source to an air supply opening on the supply side of the atomizer chamber, the air flow source being adapted to, in operation, generate an air flow, such that the air flow is fed through an air heating unit into the air supply duct and wherein at least a portion of the air supply duct is configured to be in a heat exchange contact with the atomizer chamber wall.

Claims

1. Fogging apparatus for atomizing a medium comprising: an atomizer chamber defined by an atomizer chamber wall extending substantially from a supply side to a distal outlet side, at least one supply located at the supply side of the atomizer chamber for dispensing the medium to be atomized, an air supply duct extending from an air flow source to an air supply opening on the supply side of the atomizer chamber, the air flow source being adapted to, in operation, generate an air flow, and an air heating unit in the air supply duct, wherein the air flow is fed through the air heating unit into the air supply duct and wherein at least a portion of the air supply duct is configured to be in a heat exchange contact with the atomizer chamber wall.

2. Fogging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air supply duct comprises a secondary chamber, which secondary chamber extends substantially from the supply side of the atomizer chamber in a direction of the outlet side of the atomizer chamber.

3. Fogging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the secondary chamber at least partially encloses the atomizer chamber.

4. Fogging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an inner wall of the secondary chamber is formed by the atomizing atomizer chamber wall of the atomizer chamber.

5. Fogging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the atomizer chamber and the secondary chamber are formed substantially cylindrical and are positioned substantially concentrically with respect to each other.

6. Fogging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply side comprises a sealing body in which a receiving device is provided for detachable receipt of the at least one supply for dosing of the medium to be atomized.

7. Fogging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one supply comprises a nozzle.

8. Fogging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet side comprises at least one aperture which is connected to a substantially cylindrically extending fog outlet.

9. Fogging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the fog outlet is tapered at least once.

10. Fogging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one supply is connected via a supply channel to a supply unit, and further comprising a pump device whereby a quantity of medium to be atomized can be supplied to the atomizer chamber.

11. Fogging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the supply unit comprises a quantity of medium to be atomized, wherein the medium is chosen from the group consisting of an anti-sprout agent, a plant protection agent, a disinfectant and a pesticide.

12. Fogging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit which generates a control signal based on at least a temperature signal, to control at least one of an air flow velocity, an air flow temperature and a supply velocity of the medium to be atomized.

13. Fogging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit is configured such that during initialization of the fogging apparatus, the air heating unit is switched on to substantially maximum power, the air flow source is switched on to a sub maximum power, wherein the air flow velocity is increased during the warmup of the fogging apparatus and wherein the supply of the medium to be atomized is switched on before the maximum temperature is reached within the atomizer chamber.

14. A storage facility for agricultural products, comprising: a floor for receiving a quantity of agricultural products, which floor is provided with a ventilation grid having openings for passing a cooled airflow through the storage and which defines a storage space, the storage space being provided with a fogging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium to be atomized comprises an anti-sprout agent.

15. A crop nursery for agricultural crops, comprising a culture space including at least one fogging apparatus according to claim 1.

Description

[0025] The invention will now be further elucidated on the basis of exemplary embodiments and accompanying figures. In the figures:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a fogging apparatus according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a storage facility for agricultural products according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a crop nursery for agricultural crops, in accordance with the present invention.

[0029] The figures are schematic in nature and are not drawn to scale. In particular, for the sake of clarity, some dimensions are exaggerated to a greater or lesser extent. Corresponding parts are designated in the figures as far as possible designated by the same reference numeral.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1 in an exemplary embodiment, the atomizer 1 comprises an air supply duct 5, in which an air pump 30 is provided. In an alternative embodiment, the air flow source is provided with a compressed air system with an air flow controller. The air pump 30 pumps ambient air (arrow A) through the air supply duct 5 in the direction of the atomizing chamber 10. The air supply pipe is provided with an air-heating unit 35, in this case, an electrical heating element. In an alternative embodiment, combustion-based heating elements are provided.

[0031] Depending on the application, availability of electricity, air volume heating, etc a heating principle can be selected for air heating unit 35.

[0032] The air heated by the air heating unit 35 is fed into the air supply duct 5 via secondary chamber 40 to the cylindrical shaped atomizer chamber 10.

[0033] The secondary chamber 40 has been provided concentrically around the atomizing chamber 10, wherein the outer wall of the atomizing chamber 10 forms the inner wall for the secondary chamber 40.

[0034] Secondary chamber 40 extends until behind the rear wall of the atomizing chamber 10. An air supply opening is provided in the rear wall of the atomizer chamber 10, such that the heated air from the air supply duct 5, is pumped into the atomizing chamber 10 as indicated by arrow B.

[0035] The back wall is provided with a supply 45 for supplying a medium to be atomized 55. The supply inlet 45 is at the side of the atomizing chamber 10 provided with a nozzle from which the medium 55 to be atomized is sprayed. The inlet 45 receives the medium to be atomized 55 via a supply hose 65 from a bulk storage keg 60 in which a controllable fluid pump device (not shown) is provided.

[0036] By switching on the medium pump device, a volume of medium to be atomized 55 is pumped from the storage tank 60 and via the supply hose 65 through the inlet 45 into the atomizing chamber and is injected in the form of a spray of medium 55. The atomizing chamber 10 and the walls of the atomizer have been provided on the highly elevated temperature by the heated air supply, such that the spray of the atomization medium 55 is carried along in the heated air stream (arrow B) by the atomizer, and an atomization takes place. This atomizes the atomizing medium 55 to a fog 99 which is entrained by the air stream along the arrow C via a tapered fog outlet 15 to the outlet 25 of the fog outlet 20.

[0037] Because the fog-generating device 1 is suitable for the atomization of different types of medium to be atomized 55, such as oil-borne or water-based types of carrier liquids to be atomized, and a variety of active ingredients and concentrations thereof, which are dissolved, dispersed or otherwise incorporated in the carrier liquid, the densities and specific atomization characteristics of the fluids to be sprayed may vary considerably. To this end, different nozzle configurations are provided for the supply 45. The supply 45 is, therefore, releasably incorporated in the rear wall of the atomizer 1 by means of screw thread 50. As a result, the desired or required supply 45 can be inserted, and the inlet supply is easily interchangeable.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 (Examples of active substances for use in medium to be atomized) Example Sector Application Active substance product name Potato sprout Chloorprofam Tuberprop inhibiting Gro-stop Neonet Nogerma 1,4- Miscellaneous dimethylnaftaleen Post-harvest sprout Pirimifos-methyl Actellic crop protection inhibiting Storage of crops, Carvon Talent cereals, flower bulbs Greenhouse Crop protection Pyrethrinen Spruzit Abamectin Vertimec Beauveria bassiana Botaniguard stam GHA Deltamethrin Decis Greenhouse Disinfection hydrogen peroxide Desbest 400 Veterinary sector Disinfection hydrogen peroxide Desbest 300 Glutaraldehyde aldekol des FF Quats aldekol des FF Healthcare Disinfection Hydrogen peroxide Oxyl pro

[0038] Table 1 shows a non-exhaustive number of examples of active substances which can be atomized with a carrier liquid in the fogging device according to the invention in various applications in various sectors.

[0039] The inlet 45 is arranged centrally in the rear wall of the atomizing chamber 10 containing several air supply channels through which the heated air flow from the secondary chamber 40 in the direction of arrow B, into the atomizing chamber 10. In an alternative embodiment the apparatus comprises a plurality of supply units 45 provided in the rear wall of the atomizing device 1.

[0040] The device is provided with a first temperature sensor T1 near the air supply in the atomizing chamber 1 and a second temperature sensor T2 near the exit of the fog outlet. By utilization of the first temperature sensor T1 it can be verified that the heated air is not hotter than a predetermined maximum, for example, in the case of a highly flammable medium. With the aid of temperature sensor T2, the outgoing flow of fog can be measured such that it conforms to a minimum or maximum temperature. In general, T1 is particularly used to control the air-heating unit 35, and T2 is, inter alia, used for the control of the pump for the supply of the medium to be atomized 55.

[0041] Moreover, the fog-generating device is on the outside provided with an insulation package, with the exception of the area immediately around the outlet of the spray outlet. This complete isolation of the system increases the efficiency of the atomizing device (volume to be atomized medium per consumed amount of input power) significantly. Alternatively, it is otherwise also possible to provide the insulation of the device only partially such as around the atomizer chamber and/or the spray outlet.

[0042] Electronic control unit 70 is connected with various controllable elements and measurement devices such as temperature sensors and a user interface (not shown) on which multiple setpoints can be inputted. The control unit 70 is arranged such that, during the start-up of the fogging device, the air heating unit is switched on at substantially the maximum power such that the device heats up as rapidly as possible and the air flow source is switched on at a sub maximum power. This prevents convectional cooling during the start-up phase and increases the heat transfer from the air to the walls of the atomizing chamber. Subsequently, the air flow speed is increased during the heating up of the fogging apparatus while the supply of medium to be atomized is already turned on prior to reaching the maximum temperature in the atomizing chamber. This makes it possible, shortly after the start of the warm-up phase of the device to already produce a high quality fog, i.e. a fog can be produced with a homogeneous droplet size distribution and a homogeneous distribution of the active substance.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a storage facility 100 for agricultural products according to the invention, in particular tuberous crop products such as potatoes 120. The storage area 100 includes a wall 110 and a floor 101 for accommodating a quantity of agricultural products 120, which floor is provided with an aerating grid with openings 105 for the passage of a cooled stream of air (arrow A) through the storage space. An air conditioning system 150 circulates and cools the air in such a way that the agricultural products 120 to be cooled. The cooled air stream (arrow A) is pumped through the aeration grid 101, 105 so that the flow of air penetrating into the entire stock of agricultural products.

[0044] The atomizing device 1 is provided with an anti-sprout agent in the storage tank 60. Depending on the environmental factors, the atomizing device, as described above, is switched on at a certain time interval. As a result, the cooled air stream is provided with each time interval of a mist through which the anti-nucleating agent is distributed throughout the stack of potatoes.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a crop nurture or culture apparatus 200 for agricultural crops, in particular glass horticulture. The culturing space is provided with a fog generator 1 as described above. The greenhouse is provided with a support structure in which or on which sheets of glass are arranged. There are some provided with shutters which can be opened or closed. In the greenhouse are planted or sown crops 210.

[0046] The atomizer device is connected to a central storage keg (not shown) with a medium containing a plant protection product. It will be understood that other active substances may also be used successfully in this embodiment. A central control system comprises an electronic control unit 70 as described above. This control unit is connected to all atomizers fitted in the greenhouses. The central control system is also connected to the irrigation system and measures, among other things, the temperature in the greenhouses, the soil moisture, observes the growth phase of the crops and also receives information about the temperature in the atomizer chamber 10 of atomizer devices 1. As a result, the atomizer 1 is an integral part of the cultivation device 200 influencing system.

[0047] Although the invention has been explained in more detail with reference to some embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the contrary, within the scope of the invention, many variations and appearances are possible for one of ordinary skill in the art.