Spray system with speed-based pressure controller and method of controlling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9635848-B2
Application number	US-201514798635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

Spray systems and control systems for use with spray systems are provided. A spray system generally includes a tank configured to hold a product, a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, a pump in fluid communication with the conduit, a flow controller, a plurality of electrically actuated nozzle assemblies in fluid communication with the conduit, and a pressure controller. The flow controller is configured to regulate a flow rate of product through the conduit based on a travel speed of the system. The plurality of nozzle assemblies is configured to dispense the product such that an upstream nozzle pressure is established within the conduit. The pressure controller is configured to control at least one operating parameter of at least one of the nozzle assemblies based at least in part on speed information indicative of the travel speed of the system to maintain a substantially constant upstream nozzle pressure.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A spray system configured to dispense a product as the system is moved at a travel speed, the system comprising:
a tank configured to hold a quantity of the product;
a conduit in fluid communication with the tank for transporting the product;
a pump in fluid communication with the conduit for generating a pressure in the conduit and a flow of the product through the conduit;
a flow controller configured to regulate a flow rate of the product through the conduit based at least in part on the travel speed of the system;
a plurality of electrically actuated nozzle assemblies in fluid communication with the conduit and configured to dispense the product such that an upstream nozzle pressure is established within the conduit; and
a pressure controller configured to receive speed information indicative of the travel speed of the system and control at least one operating parameter of at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based at least in part on the received speed information to maintain a substantially constant upstream nozzle pressure, wherein the pressure controller is configured to determine an anticipated change in the flow rate of the product through the system based on the speed information received by the pressure controller, and to control the at least one operating parameter of the at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based on the anticipated change in the flow rate of the product.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one operating parameter includes a pulse frequency and a duty cycle of the plurality of nozzle assemblies.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a pulse width modulation controlled pump and the flow controller is configured to control a duty cycle and pulse frequency of the pump.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the flow controller increases or decreases the flow rate of the product through the conduit based at least in part on an increase or decrease in the travel speed of the system.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the substantially constant upstream nozzle pressure is a target upstream nozzle pressure, and wherein the pressure controller is configured to control the at least one operating parameter of the at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based at least in part on a duty cycle/system travel speed relationship associated with the target upstream nozzle pressure.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the duty cycle/system travel speed relationship is provided by a user input.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the pressure controller is configured to determine the duty cycle/system travel speed relationship based on the travel speed of the system and a duty cycle at which the plurality of nozzle assemblies is operating during a steady state condition of the system.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the pressure controller is configured to determine the duty cycle/system travel speed relationship based on the flow rate of the product through the system and a duty cycle at which the plurality of nozzle assemblies is operating during a steady state condition of the system.

9. A method of dispensing a product from a spray system moving at a travel speed, the system including a tank, a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, and a pump in fluid communication with the conduit, the method comprising:
directing the product from the tank through the conduit to a plurality of electrically actuated nozzle assemblies;
regulating, using a flow controller, a flow rate of the product through the conduit based at least in part on the travel speed of the system;
dispensing the product from the plurality of nozzle assemblies such that an upstream nozzle pressure is established within the conduit;
receiving, at a pressure controller, speed information indicative of the travel speed of the system;
determining an anticipated change in the flow rate of the product based on the speed information received by the pressure controller; and
controlling, using the pressure controller, at least one operating parameter of at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based on the anticipated change in the flow rate of the product such that the upstream nozzle pressure is maintained at a substantially constant pressure.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the substantially constant pressure is a target upstream nozzle pressure, and wherein controlling the at least one operating parameter of the at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies includes controlling the at least one operating parameter of the at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based at least in part on a duty cycle/system travel speed relationship associated with the target upstream nozzle pressure.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining the duty cycle/system travel speed relationship based on the travel speed of the system and a duty cycle at which the plurality of nozzle assemblies is operating during a steady state condition of the system.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operating parameter includes a pulse frequency and a duty cycle of the plurality of nozzle assemblies.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pump is a pulse width modulated pump, the method further comprising controlling the flow rate of the product through the conduit by controlling at least one of a duty cycle and a pulse frequency of the pump.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising at least one of increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the product through the conduit based on a corresponding increase or decrease in the travel speed of the system.

15. A control system for use with a spray system, the control system comprising:
at least one speed input device configured to measure a travel speed of at least one of the control system and the spray system;
a flow controller operatively connected to the at least one speed input device, the flow controller configured to regulate a flow rate of product through a conduit of the spray system based at least in part on the travel speed; and
a pressure controller configured to receive speed information indicative of the travel speed and to control at least one operating parameter of at least one of a plurality of electrically actuated nozzle assemblies in fluid communication with the conduit based at least in part on the received speed information such that a substantially constant upstream nozzle pressure is maintained within the spray system, wherein the pressure controller is configured to determine an anticipated change in the flow rate of the product through the system based on the speed information received by the pressure controller, and to control the at least one operating parameter of the at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based on the anticipated change in the flow rate of the product.

16. The control system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one operating parameter includes a pulse frequency and a duty cycle of the plurality of nozzle assemblies.

17. The control system of claim 15 , wherein the substantially constant upstream nozzle pressure is a target upstream nozzle pressure, and wherein the pressure controller is configured to control the at least one operating parameter of the at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies based at least in part on a duty cycle/system travel speed relationship associated with the target upstream nozzle pressure.

18. The control system of claim 17 , wherein the pressure controller is configured to determine the duty cycle/system travel speed relationship

Assignees

• Capstan Ag Systems Inc

Inventors

• Needham Duane
• Kolb Troy C
• Hooper Gordon

Classifications

• A01M7/0089 Primary

  Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06) · CPC title