Modelling the Effect of Tree Foliage on Sprayer Airflow in Orchards |
| |
Authors: | Ayenew Melese Endalew Christof Debaer Nick Rutten Jef Vercammen Mulugeta Admasu Delele Herman Ramon Bart M Nicolaï Pieter Verboven |
| |
Institution: | 1.BIOSYST—MeBioS,Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,Leuven,Belgium;2.Fruit Growing Research Station (pcfruit),Sint-Truiden,Belgium |
| |
Abstract: | The effect of tree foliage on sprayer airflow through pear trees in a fruit orchard was studied and modelled in detail. A
new three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics model that integrates the 3-D canopy architecture with a local closure
model to simulate the effect of the stem and branches and leaves of trees separately on airflow was developed. The model was
validated with field observations made in an experimental orchard (pcfruit, Sint-Truiden, Belgium) in spring and summer 2008
and was used to investigate the airflow from three air-assisted orchard sprayers (Condor V, Duoprop and AirJet quatt). Velocity
magnitudes were measured before and behind leafless and fully-leafed pear canopies across the row while the operating sprayers
are passing along the row, and were compared with the simulations. The simulation results predicted the measured values well
with all the local relative errors within 20%. The effect of foliar density on airflow from the three air assisted sprayers
was manifested by changing the magnitude and direction of the sprayers’ air velocity behind the canopy, especially at the
denser regions of the canopy and by changing the pattern of velocity decay horizontally along the jet. The developed methodology
will also allow a thorough investigation of atmospheric airflow in canopy structures. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|