Fritzmeier introduces sensor-based nozzle fertilizer dosing system at Agritechnica

At Agritechnica, Fritzmeier Umwelttechnik GmbH & Co.KG and Herbert Dammann GmbH jointly announced an their product innovation: the sensor-based nozzle control system, called S-D-S for short. Special features: an innovative system which varies the quantity delivered by each section of the boom according to the plant growth. This is particularly advantageous for large field sprayer widths, which today can have as much as a 36 to 42 meter span. This enables the farmer to determine precisely the quantity delivered by each section when applying plant protection media or fertilizers.

Precise dosing guaranteed

With the technology previously available, the farmer had no option but to spray the medium at a uniform rate of delivery. Farmers who took a very progressive approach did use sensors to vary the spray rate, but only for the entire width of the spray boom.

The consequence was uniform application, which meant too much application medium sprayed in some areas and too little in other areas. Even with sensor-based variation, the application rate remained the same across the entire width of the boom; so the wider the boom the less the control accuracy, resulting in some overdosing and some underdosing within the overall width.

The S-D-S system allows the overall working width to be divided into sections and the delivery rate of plant protection media or fertilizer adjusted to suit the actual plant growth within these small working widths. The maximum number of sections depends on the number of sensors on the boom.

The measuring unit on the boom sends the measured value to a terminal in the cab. Based on the characteristic curves saved in it or taught to it, this terminal calculates the precise rate to be delivered to that section, and sends the signal to the ISOBUS job computer for the field sprayer. The ISOBUS job computer controls the application rates for the individual sections, reports them to the sensor terminal and documents them for subsequent evaluation. The delivery rate for each section is regulated by switching the nozzle circuits in the multi-jet nozzles, by regulating the spray pressure for the section, or by a combination of the two. The various delivery rates are shown in the ISOBUS terminal by a color code for each of the width sections on the boom.

One system - many benefits

The sensor-based nozzle control system brings many benefits to the farmer.

Firstly it ensures the right quantities of plant protection media and fertilizer are applied, appropriate to the actual stage of plant growth. This leads to optimum use of the plant protection media and fertilizer. Overdosing is a thing of the past. This protects the environment and watercourses. At the same time it reduces operating costs.

When used the Fritzmeier Umwelttechnik online with map overlay principle, the system takes into account not only the actual information about the crop but also information about the soil productivity, which it then uses when calculating the application rate. 

Of course the farmer can also still use the field sprayer as a conventional device with a uniform spray rate when delivering plant protection media.