OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Spray Nozzle Selection

and Calibration
 OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Sprayer Nozzle Selection and Calibration

Author: Tom Reed, Northeast Regional
Manager, TeeJet Mid-Tech
For more information, contact:
Dean Slates, Ohio State University Extension, Holmes County,
(330) 674-3015, slates.1@osu.edu

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Nozzle Functions
1. Regulate Flow

2. Form Droplets

3. Disperse Specific Patterns

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Nozzle Capacity and Pressure are Related

gpm1 psi1
=
gpm2 psi2

If the nozzle delivers 0.2 gpm at 25 psi, it will deliver 0.4 gpm at 100 psi
This means that to double the flow, increase the pressure 4 times.

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The Nozzle Compromise

• Increase in pressure gives more nozzle GPM
BUT
• Increase in pressure gives more driftable fine
drops

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Defining Spray Droplets

• For a given pressure, a spray tip will produce a range of droplet sizes
• Droplets form the pattern
• Droplet size is measured in microns (micrometers)

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Comparison of Micron Sizes (approximate)

• 2000m = #2 Pencil lead
• 850m = paper clip
• 420m = staple 150m
• 300m = toothbrush bristle
• 150m = sewing thread
• 100m = human hair

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1/2x Droplet diameter = 8x Number of droplets

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Total Volume
Volume Median Diameter of Liquid
• 50% of the volume of liquid in all the
droplets is less than the VMD and, 50% 50%
• 50% of the total volume is in droplets of less greater
size greater than the VMD than than
• (VMD also known as Dv0.5) VMD VMD

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Droplet Size Categories

• Initiated by BCPC (British Crop Protection Council)
• ASAE (American Society of Agricultural Engineers) Standard 572
currently used
• Assigns droplet size category to a spray tip based on spray characteristics
• Allows for comparison of droplet size between various tips and
manufacturers
• Most chemical labels in the future will feature droplet size category
recommendations

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Droplet Size Categories

Category Symbol Color Approximate
Code VMD Range
Very Fine VF Red < 150

Fine F Orange 150 – 250

Medium M Yellow 250 – 350

Coarse C Blue 350 – 450

Very Coarse VC Green 450 – 550

Extremely Coarse XC White > 550

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Nozzle Classification System

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AI TeeJet™ (Air Induction)

Pressure (psi)
29 36 44 51 58 65 73 80 87 94 102 116
AI 110015 VC VC VC VC VC C C C C M M M
AI 11002 XC VC VC VC VC VC C C C C M M
AI 110025 XC XC VC VC VC VC VC C C C C M
AI 11003 XC XC XC XC VC VC VC C C C C M
AI 11004 XC XC XC XC VC VC VC C C C C C
AI 11005 XC XC XC XC XC VC VC VC C C C C

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Mode of action is a major factor in nozzle

selection

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Types of Spray Patterns

Hollow Cone Flat Fan Full Cone

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Objective is to obtain the lowest CV (Coefficient

of Variation) along the boom

30% minimum overlap for uniformity along boom

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Set the Boom Height using the Manufacturer’s

Specifications
• The boom height is measured from the top of the plant
canopy to the nozzle and is specific for the nozzle spray
pattern

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Std. Flat Spray Tip

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Std. TeeJet® 80° flat spray at low pressure

Narrow angle
and heavy
center

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XR TeeJet® flat spray tip

Driftable Fine % at 40 psi: XR8004 = 5%

(<150 Microns) XR11004 = 14%

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XR TeeJet® flat spray at low pressure

Wider angle,
large droplets
fill pattern

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Drift Reduction Nozzle Technology

Pre-orifice to create
pressure drop, turbulence
to slow liquid velocity

Venturi effect to produce air-induced,

larger droplets

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Turbo TeeJet® flat spray tip

Driftable Fine % at 40 psi: TT11004 = < 2%

(<150 Microns)

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Turbo TeeJet®

15-60 psi

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AI TeeJet™ flat spray tip

Driftable Fine % at 40 psi: AI11004VS = < 1%

(<150 Microns)

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AI TeeJet™

30-90 psi

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Std. FloodJet Spray Tip

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Std. FloodJet®

Heavy Edges

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Standard FloodJet
with heavy edges

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Turbo FloodJet flat spray tip

Driftable Fine % at 40 psi: TF-4 = < 1%

(<150 Microns)

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Turbo FloodJet with

smoothly tapered
pattern

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Turbo FloodJet®

15-30 psi

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Turbo TurfJet™ flat spray tip

Driftable Fine % at 40 psi: 1/4TTJ04-VS = < 1%

(<150 Microns)

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Turbo TurfJet™

30-60 psi

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XP BoomJet

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XP BoomJet

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Benefits
• Distribution quality is exceptional

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Droplet Size Comparison

1200
XR11006
1000 XR8006
TT11006
800 AI11006
TF-3
Dv0.5
600 1/4TTJ-06
400

200

0
40 psi Pressure

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Nozzle Wear
• When do I need to replace my tips?
• Wear rates depend on:
• Tip material (stainless, polymer, ceramic)
• Chemicals used
• Operating pressure
• Care used when cleaning
• When measured flow rates are 10% over nominal flow rate it’s
time to replace them.

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Common Spray Tip Materials

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Spray Tip Wear

New Flat-Fan Nozzle

Worn Nozzle

Improperly Cleaned

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The Nozzle Compromise

Damaged
New Nozzles Worn Nozzles Nozzles

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Calibrate!!!

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Calibration Formulas

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Priority Steps for Calibration

1. Set Nozzle Spacing (Usually fixed)

2. Select Gallons per acre

3. Select Travel Speed

4. Compute Gallons per nozzle.

5. Determine pressure required to obtain GPM

6. Check Droplet Size resulting from pressure and Nozzle GPM.

7. If droplet size too small, then change nozzle and lower pressure to the appropriate
pressure.

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Example: 25 GPA at 5 MPH, for contact

chemicals (flat fan nozzle)
GPA x mph x Nozzle Spacing (inches)
GPM per Nozzle =
5940

GPM per Nozzle = (25 x 5 x 20 inches ) / 5940 = 0.421 GPM

XR11004 will give .421 GPM at 41 psi.

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Nozzle Choices that will do the Job

At 5 MPH and 25 GPA and 20” spacing

•XR11004 will give .421 GPM at 41 psi.

• TT11004 will give .421 GPM at 41 psi

• AI11004 will give .421 GPM at 41 psi

• TF-VS2 will give .421 GPM at 41 psi

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Setting the Sprayer Pressure to Desired Level

• Add water to sprayer and engage pump
• Adjust pressure regulator to desired pressure.
• Collect liquid in container for one minute and divide the ounces
collected by 128 to get gallons per minute flow from the nozzle.
• Readjust pressure to get correct gpm for nozzle.

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Adjusting Pressure On-The-Go to Maintain

Constant Application
Automatic pressure control,
Manual Pressure Controller using radar-based speed.

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A Tool to Control Drift!

Nozzle
Bodies

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Use of Nozzle Bodies for Drift Reduction

Turbo FloodJet -TF
Air Injection-AI

Turbo TeeJet- TT

Fertilizer- Extended
QJ Range -XR

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Nozzle Strategy
Nozzle GPM Pressure psi Drop Size Wind
Condition

XR11004 .420 41 psi Medium Low/none

TT11004 .420 41 psi Coarse Low/Med

AI11004 .420 41 psi Very Coarse Moderate to 5

mph

1/4TTJ-04 .420 41 psi Extremely >5 mph, but

Coarse must spray

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Once the sprayer is calibrated and the rate

is controlled… The next step is guidance
for swathing control to eliminate skips and
overlap.

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GPS
For Spray Guidance

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Cultiva Single Module Outback Guidance System

Guidance System

Courtesy of Cultiva, Inc.

Courtesy of RMS, Inc.

Courtesy of Midtech/TeeJet Courtesy of Midtech/TeeJet

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Screen Shots of
Guidance System in
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“On Swath”

Typical Lightbar
Installation
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As day turns to dusk spraying continues

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Spraying at night
•Less wind – less
spray droplet drift
•Higher humidity –
less vapor drift

Hazards are marked for avoidance

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Questions?

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