Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer Apparatus Monitor

摘要

An anhydrous ammonia fertilizer injector includes a tool bar frame with multiple knife injectors. Vapor pressure of the fertilizer forces liquid from a tank through hoses and a vapor separator to a pump. The pump increases pressure above the vapor pressure. Liquid fertilizer passes from the pump through a flow rate sensor, a servo controller and to a manifold. Discharge fittings on the manifold hold orifices. Discharge hoses convey fertilizer from each discharge fitting to each knife. A pressure transducer in each fitting downstream from the orifice sends current pressure readings to a monitor console. The console identifies the largest number of transducer pressures that have readings within a set pressure difference from each reading. The average of the maximum and minimum pressures identified is the center of an acceptable pressure band. A selected deviation sets band limits. The console displays discharge hoses with pressures outside the band limits.

主权项

1. An anhydrous ammonia fertilizer applicator comprising:
a toolbar frame attachable to a tractor, a plurality of injection knives attached to the toolbar frame and movable into engagement with soil to form slits in soil when the toolbar frame moves forward; an anhydrous ammonia storage tank connected to the toolbar; a vapor separation device mounted on the toolbar frame and connected to the anhydrous ammonia storage tank by a main delivery hose; a pressure boosting pump mounted on the toolbar frame and connected to the vapor separation device to receive liquid anhydrous ammonia from the vapor separation device; a flow sensor mounted on the toolbar frame and operable to measure flow rate of anhydrous ammonia received from the pressure boosting pump; a servo control valve mounted on the toolbar frame and operable to control flow rate of anhydrous ammonia received from the flow sensor; a distribution manifold mounted on the toolbar frame, connected to the servo control valve to receive anhydrous ammonia from the servo control valve, a plurality of fittings on the distribution manifold each of which has an orifice with a selected size for the passage of anhydrous ammonia from the distribution manifold, a plurality of flexible hoses each of which is connected to one of the plurality of fittings and to one of the plurality of injection knives, and a pressure transducer in each of the plurality of fittings downstream from the orifice; and a monitor console that receives pressures from each of the pressure transducers and identifies each of the plurality of flexible hoses that has an abnormal pressure downstream from the orifice.