Adjustable orifice valve and calibration method for ammonia applicator system

摘要

An ammonia applicator system is provided that has adjustable orifices with openings having variable sizes that can be changed remotely, without having to disassemble exit lines from a distribution manifold. In this way, the restriction of the exit lines and, thus, line flow rate can be adjusted remotely and/or automatically, even during ammonia application use. Each adjustable orifice may include a valve and an actuator that controls the valve for changing the size of the opening of the adjustable orifice. The actuator may be a rotary actuator, such as a stepper motor, and the valve may include an adjustment knob and a screw that can rotate to allow a needle to advance or regress through an opening of a valve body of the valve.

主权项

1. A method of using an ammonia applicator for fertilizing an agricultural field, the method comprising:
directing ammonia from a pressurized tank along a delivery path that extends through a manifold and multiple exit lines that extend from the manifold and are arranged for delivering ammonia onto an agricultural field; adjusting a pump pressure to establish a target flow rate of the ammonia at a location along the delivery path; changing the size of an opening of an adjustable orifice that is arranged downstream of the manifold for controlling a flow characteristic of the ammonia that is directed through a respective one of the multiple exit lines so as to maintain a target manifold pressure while the target flow rate of ammonia is maintained.