• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 2000.11c
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• pp.707-714
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• 2000

For self-guiding track-type orchard sprayer, a low-cost steering controller was developed using two ultrasonic sensors, two DC motors and 80196kc microprocessor. The operating principle of controller was to travel the sprayer between artificial targets such as wood stick placed every 1 m along both sides of the demanded path of speed sprayer. Measuring distances to both targets ahead with the ultrasonic sensors mounted on the front end of sprayer, the controller could determine how much offset the position of sprayer was laterally. Then the steering angle was calculated to actuate DC motors connected to the steering clutches, where the fuzzy control algorithm was used. Equipped with the controller developed in this research, the sprayer could be traveled along demanded path, the centerline between targets, at speeds of up to 0.4m/sec with an accuracy of ${\pm}$20cm.

• Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.50-58
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• 2001

Chemical application is very hazardous in confined spaces under the canopy ceiling in Korean vineyard. For a small orchard sprayer adaptable to such a working condition, a low-cost autonomous steering control system was developed using two ultrasonic sensors, two electrically-operated cylinders and 80196kc microprocessor. A distance ranging system timed the round-trip for each ultrasonic wave to travel against parallel targets, placed every 1.5m spacing along both sides of a desired path. A steering control algorithm of the autonomous operation began with ranging left and right targets and the heading was decided using difference between the distances. Electrically-operated cylinders actuated steering clutches to guide the sprayer. Evaluation tests showed that the orchard sprayer could travel within RMS value of 5cm along the desired path. Ground speed did not affect the performance of the autonomous guidance system at the speed ranges of 0.29~0.52m/sec.

• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.269-279
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• 2020

This paper presents the design and implementation of embedded systems and autonomous path generation for autonomous speed sprayer. Autonomous Orchard Systems can be divided into embedded controller and path generation module. Embedded controller receives analog sensor data, on/off switch data and control linear actuator, break, clutch and steering module. In path generation part, we get 3D cloud point using Velodyne VLP16 LIDAR sensor and process the point cloud to generate maps, do localization, generate driving path. Then, it finally generates velocity and rotation angle in real time, and sends the data to embedded controller. Embedded controller controls steering wheel based on the received data. The developed autonomous speed sprayer is verified in test-bed with apple tree-shaped artworks.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2007

Uniformity of spray deposit is one of the important factors in spray performance affecting efficacy of pest management. Distributions of spray deposit on artificial targets were measured and analyzed to enhance the efficiency of spray application. The research was studied to understand the deposition characteristics of spray droplets and to determine the optimum conditions of chemical application. The deposit and its pattern by the lower fan speed was more uniform and higher than that by the higher fan speed. The upward blasting distance was limited within 3 m, but the limit to the ground level was expanded the distance more than 3.5 m because of the accumulated droplets. When the fan speed was higher at the distance of 2.5 m, deposit reached to maximum. When the distance increased, deposit was getting lower. At the both fan speeds, the deposit was concentrated below $30^{\circ}$ because of the gravitation and the resistance of wind. This research can be useful in designing an orchard sprayer and its operation for various tree canopies. To achieve a uniform distribution of deposit using the air-blast type orchard sprayer, the application rate from the middle boom should be increased as the air velocity to the upward increased. The spray rate to the side boom should be limited in a minimal level.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.355-362
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• 2001

Uniform application of agri-chemicals will improve orchard pest management. An air-blast(orchard) sprayer designed for vineyards has been used: however, few research on the uniformity and coverage of the sprays has been reported. Distributions of spray coverage were measured with artificial targets and analyzed to enhance the efficiency of spray application. A structure was built to place water sensitive papers, sampling spray droplets blasted from the orchard sprayer. The sampling cards were collected from five directions at three distances (2.5, 3.0 and 3.5m) for two fan speeds (2,075 and 3,031 rpm), and analyzed using an image analysis system. The distribution of the coverage percent area did not follow the wind velocity pattern. The coverage by the low fan speed was more uniform and higher than that by the higher fan speed. The coverage percent area decreased with an increase of distance. The distribution of droplet density was similar to that of coverage. However, the coverage contribution by smaller droplets became more significant as the distance increased. The upward blasting distance was limited within 3m, but the limit to the ground level was expanded the distance more than 3.5m because of the concentrated droplets.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.407-415
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• 2011

Damage to agricultural production caused by insects and diseases affects farming yields. The orchard sprayer is mainly used in the country to protect the fruit in a large area, with less effort and at minimum cost. The excellent performance of the air blast spray increases the fruit protection. Chemical application in orchards has been accomplished by the orchard sprayers with air assist nozzles and a axial fan in Korea. However, the orchard sprayers without ROPS resulted in severe injury or death when operators drive the sprayers improperly on hilly orchard or farming road. This study was to develop a ROPS for the orchard sprayers improving farmer's safety. In this study, the accident case was used in analysing the design and building TOP structure of the orchard sprayer. The maximum impact, body torsion frame structures including the driver's protection are also analysed for adherence to safety regulations. The ROPS safety regulations according to the strength test results were established.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.27-36
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• 2018

Effective pesticide applications are needed to assure the quality and economic competitiveness of fruit production and lower the risk of spray drift. Experimental studies have shown that better spray coverage and less driftability require an understanding of the transport of spray droplets within turbulent airflows in the orchard and the interaction between droplet dynamics and tree canopies. This study developed a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to predict pesticide flows in the orchard and spray drift discharged from an air-assisted orchard sprayer. The model represented the transport of spray droplets as well as droplets captured by tree canopies, which were modeled as a conical porous model and branched tree model. Validation of the CFD model was accomplished by comparing the CFD results with field measurements. Spray depositions inside tree canopies and at off-target locations were in good agreement with the measurements. The resulting data presented that 38.6%~42.3% of the sprayed droplets were delivered to the tree canopies while 13.6%~20.1% were drifted out of the orchard, part of them reached farther than 200 m from the orchard. The study demonstrates that CFD model can be used to evaluate spray application performance and spray drift potential.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2004

Spraying is one of the most efficient methods for pesticide and insecticide control. Generally, orchard sprayers(aircarrier sprayer) are used for such applications. However, when an orchard sprayer is used, only 20% of total amount of spray deposits on the target. The rest of spray are not only wasted but are also potential sources of environmental pollution. The research far the development of electrostatic spraying system for orchard sprayer was conducted to develop the new pesticide application technology for the reduction of environmental pollution and f3r the production of safe agricultural products. The spray characteristics for nozzles with the different charging methods were tested and the effect of electrostatic charge was analyzed, in the laboratory experiments. The results of this study indicate that the capacitive type of electrostatic spraying nozzle exhibits a large current deposition of water sprays on the sample target. The covering area ratio by conventional spraying system was 10.2%, while that of electrostatic sprays with pulse induction charging method gave the increased covering area ratio by 4.3 times.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.479-491
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• 2023

The automation of agricultural machines is an irreversible trend considering the demand for improved productivity and lack of labor in handling agricultural tasks. Unstructured working environments and weather often inhibit a seemingly simple task from being fully autonomously performed. In this context, we propose a remote driving system (RDS) to aid agricultural machines designed to operate autonomously. Particularly, we modify a commercial speed sprayer for orchard environments into a robotic speed sprayer to evaluate the proposed RDS's usability and test three sensor configurations in terms of human performance. Furthermore, we propose a confidence error ellipsebased task performance measure to evaluate human performance. In addition, we present field experimental results describing how the sensor configurations affect human performance. We find that a combination of a semiautonomous line tracking device and a wide-angle camera is the most effective for spraying. Finally, we discuss how to improve the proposed RDS in terms of usability and obtain a more accurate measure of human performance.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.431-440
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• 2001

Generated agri-chemical droplets by orchard sprayers are evaporated regenerated and transported along wind streams. The droplets are deposited to targets after changing their sizes, affecting the retention of droplets. An orchard sprayer, designed for spraying grapevines was studied on the spatial distribution of droplet size. The experimental variables were spray direction (0, 22.5, 45, 67.5 and 90˚), distance(2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 m) and fan speed (2,075 and 3,031 rpm). Droplet sizes were converted and analyzed from spray stains, sampled using water sensitive papers. The number median diameter (NMD) increased with an increase of the distance due to disappeared fine droplets (<50 ㎛): however, the volume median diameter (VMD) decreased due to shrunken large droplets (>100 ㎛). Fast fan speed delivered large droplets to 3.5 m, but the spatial distributions of NMD and VMD were not uniform. Slower fan speed decreased the possibility of evaporation and drift; therefore, plenty of droplets were maintained up to 3.0 m. The upward blasting distance was limited within 3 m, but the limit to the ground level was extended to 3.5 m. Concentrated wind and droplets to the ground level should be redistributed to upper canopy direction, leading more uniform deposits. High speed wind and system pressure should be avoided because of generating fine droplets, which would be disappeared and drifted away.