Development of Battery Operated Knapsack Sprayer for Effective Weed Control in Nigeria

Abstract: Small-scale farmers and other applicators employ the lever-operated knapsack because of its versatility, cost and design. Apart from drudgery, lack of pressure control is the single biggest limitation in the use of these sprayers as it leads to variable flow rates (dosages) of chemical preparations, inconsistent spray pattern and spray droplet size, all of which affects spray coverage and chemical performance. A steady pumping rate cannot be maintained by the human hand. The result is misapplication of chemicals and ineffective control of the target pest. This study has evolved a novel innovation that operates at constant pressure thereby offering uniform deposition of herbicide leading to better weed control and improved agricultural productivity in Nigeria. It is conceived to reduce drudgery encountered in using the conventional lever operated knapsack sprayer, through discarding the manually operated piston and diaphragm pumps. The design and installation of a matching rechargeable battery and DC pump proposes to reduce operator’s task to only carrying the tank and spraying with either of the hands. The steady pumping powered by a DC rechargeable battery ensures constant pumping pressure and uniformity of spray droplet deposition. This project is anchored on improving agricultural productivity and food security in Nigeria through appropriate technology provision. It is intended to offer a cost effective machine to effectively address crop protection in Nigeria and other developing countries.

Keywords: Knapsack, Sprayer, Pressure, Battery, DC pump.

Title: Development of Battery Operated Knapsack Sprayer for Effective Weed Control in Nigeria

Author: Michael C. Amonye, Samuel T. Anjorin, Patricia U. Chukwu, Aminu Saleh, Arinze W. Nwosu, Abubakar A. Surah

International Journal of Novel Research in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

ISSN 2394-9678

Vol. 10, Issue 1, September 2022 - August 2023

Page No: 68-73

Novelty Journals

Website: www.noveltyjournals.com

Published Date: 07-February-2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7615531

Paper Download Link (Source)

https://www.noveltyjournals.com/upload/paper/Development%20of%20Battery%20Operated-07022023-2.pdf