Calibration Without Math

Transcription

1 NCSTATE UNIVERSITY Calibration Without Math Casey Reynolds NCSU Turfgrass Research Technician and NC Certified Turfgrass Professional Dr. Grady Miller NCSU Turfgrass Professor

2 Introduction Can you calibrate a sprayer or spreader without using some type of math??

3 Introduction To find this out, let s see exactly what the definition of calibration is

4 Introduction According to Webster s dictionary, calibration is defined as;

5 Introduction According to Webster s dictionary, calibration is defined as; to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of any instrument giving quantitative measurements.

6 Introduction According to Webster s dictionary, calibration is defined as; to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of any instrument giving quantitative measurements. to standardize (as a measuring instrument) by determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors

7 Introduction According to Webster s dictionary, calibration is defined as; to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of any instrument giving quantitative measurements. to standardize (as a measuring instrument) by determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors To adjust precisely for a particular function

8 Introduction According to Webster s dictionary, calibration is defined as; to determine, check, or rectify the graduation of any instrument giving quantitative measurements. to standardize (as a measuring instrument) by determining the deviation from a standard so as to ascertain the proper correction factors To adjust precisely for a particular function To measure precisely; especially: to measure against a standard

9 Introduction So, knowing this, is it feasible to have calibration without math?

10 Introduction So, knowing this, is it feasible to have calibration without math? Absolutely NOT!!!

11 Introduction So, knowing this, is it feasible to have calibration without math? Absolutely NOT!!! However, there are several ways to calibrate, some of which involve less math than others.

12 Introduction With that being said, the title of this talk should actually be,, Calibration Without (Much) Math

13 Introduction I like to break calibration down into two methods: Traditional methods of calibration Alternative methods of calibration

14 Introduction Traditional method of calibration Advantages Most precise Recommended for fine turf like putting greens Recommended when applying expensive products due to cost-control (Ex: Heritage) Definitely the best way to go if you have the time, manpower, and expertise to do so

15 Introduction Traditional method of calibration Disadvantages Time-consuming Very math-oriented Can be overkill in certain settings Can be hard to relay down the chain of command

16 Introduction Alternative method of calibration Advantages Easy to comprehend and relay to employees Good for quick and easy determination in the field Will get you very close without cumbersome math In many situations, is more than adequate to meet turfgrass needs

17 Introduction Alternative method of calibration Disadvantages Not recommended for use on fine turf like putting greens Not recommended when using products likely to damage turf from improper application rates (Pendulum v/s MSMA) Not recommended for expensive products due to costcontrol

18 Introduction No matter which approach you use, calibration will have to be broken down into two further categories:

19 Introduction Calibration of equipment that applies granular products

20 Introduction Calibration of equipment that applies liquid products

21 Granular products Granular products The most common product applied in granular form is fertilizer.

22 Brief History behind N-P-K analysis

23 Brief History behind N-P-K analysis Colonel Leonidas Lafayette Polk ( ) An orphan from Anson County who grew up to become the 1 st Commissioner of Agriculture in NC. Founder of Progressive Farmer Magazine Founder of The Watauga Club Namesake of Polk County Namesake of Polk Hall on NCSU s campus

24 Brief History behind N-P-K analysis Colonel Leonidas Lafayette Polk ( ) Polk did many important things in his tenure as ag commissioner. However, two major accomplishments stand out in my mind:

25 Brief History behind N-P-K analysis Colonel Leonidas Lafayette Polk ( ) 1 st At the time, the only products available as fertilizer were animal by-products such as bone meal and manure. When rail cars of these products came in from out of state, the only way to know the nutrient analysis was by taking the word of the person selling it.

26 Brief History behind N-P-K analysis Colonel Leonidas Lafayette Polk ( ) 1 st So, he came up with the idea of the N-P-K analysis and passed it as state law. No person could sell any fertilizer product without proper documentation of its actual N-P-K analysis. The rest of the nation, as well as world, followed suit and the N-P-K analysis you see on fertilizer bags today is a direct result of our state being the 1 st to pass this law.

27 Brief History behind N-P-K analysis Colonel Leonidas Lafayette Polk ( ) 2 nd History tells us that the first college of agriculture in NC was originally a part of UNC at Chapel Hill. Polk was infuriated that the good folks over at UNC were not placing any emphasis at all on the importance of agriculture, and through a series of scathing letters he wrote as editor of Progressive Farmer, he gained enough support to pull away from UNC and begin a real college of agriculture we now know as NC State.

28 Granular products 2 things you need to know to apply the proper amount of fertilizer:

29 Granular products 2 things you need to know to apply the proper amount of fertilizer: Square footage or acreage of area being fertilized

30 Granular products 2 things you need to know to apply the proper amount of fertilizer: Square footage or acreage of area being fertilized Analysis of product being applied.

31 Granular products 2 things you need to know to apply the proper amount of fertilizer: Square footage or acreage of area being fertilized Analysis of product being applied. This is true for both the traditional as well as alternative methods.

32 Example: Calibration Without Math Granular products Let s say you want to apply a complete fertilizer two weeks after spring green-up to a bermudagrass football field.

33 Example: Calibration Without Math Granular products Let s say you want to apply a complete fertilizer two weeks after spring green-up to your bermudagrass football field. How much fertilizer do you need to buy if you are applying 1 lb of N per 1000 ft 2 using a product with an analysis of ?

34 Granular products Traditional Method 1 Step 1: Measure the football field This can be done by stepping it off, using a tape measure, or shooting it with a transit.

35 Granular products Traditional Method 1 Step 1: Measure the football field This can be done by stepping it off, using a tape measure, or shooting it with a transit. You have done this using one of the above methods and found your area to be 90,000 ft 2.

36 Granular products Traditional Method 1 Step 2: Calculate how many lbs of N you need to apply to achieve the desired rate. Proportional Method : If this, then that 1 lb N = x lbs N 1,000 ft 2 90,000 ft 2 1 lb N (90,000 ft 2 ) = x lbs N (1,000 ft 2 ) x = 90 lbs N

37 Granular products Traditional Method 1 Step 3: Calculate how many lbs of fertilizer you need to buy to get 90 lbs N lbs N = 90 lbs N 1 lb fertilizer x lbs fertilizer 0.28 lbs N (x lbs fertilizer) = 90 lbs N (1 lb fertilizer) x = 321 lbs fertilizer 321 lbs fert / 50 lb bags = 6.4 bags of

38 Granular products Traditional Method 2 Step 1: Measure the football field This can be done by stepping it off, using a tape measure, or shooting it with a transit. You have done this using one of the above methods and found your area to be 90,000 ft 2.

39 Granular products Traditional Method 2 Step 2: Plug given information into the following equation: Stoichometry Method Area x Rate x Analysis 90,000 ft 2 x 1 lb N x 1 lb fertilizer = 321 lbs fertilizer 1,000 ft lbs N 321 lbs fert / 50 lb bags = 6.4 bags of

40 Granular products Alternative Method (Common sense approach) Step 1: Measure the football field This can be done by stepping it off, using a tape measure, or shooting it with a transit. You have done this using one of the above methods and found your area to be 90,000 ft 2. Same as traditional method *This method only works when applying a rate of 1 lb nutrient per 1000 ft 2!

41 Granular products Alternative Method (Common sense approach) Step 2: Most fertilizer products come in 50 lb bags. Divide the first number in the fertilizer analysis by 2. This number represents how many lbs N are in the bag and thus how many1000 ft 2 this bag will cover. 28 = 14 lbs N or 14,000ft 2 2

42 Granular products Alternative Method (Common sense approach) Step 3: Divide the total square footage by the square footage each bag will cover 90,000 ft 2 = 6.4 bags of ,000 ft 2

43 Granular products Alternative Method (Common sense approach) Review 28 = 14 lbs N or 14,000ft ,000 ft 2 = 6.4 bags 14,000 ft 2 Even though this is still 2 steps, it is a much more common sense and intuitive approach, especially to those of us who despise algebra.

44 Granular products Alternative Method (Common sense approach) Review 28 = 14 lbs N or 14,000ft ,000 ft 2 = 6.4 bags 14,000 ft 2 Instead of proportions or stoichometry, its 2 divisions!

45 Granular products Alternative Method (Common sense approach) This method is particularly useful for small areas like you will find in the lawn care industry. The average home lawn in Raleigh is 5,000 ft 2. For small lawns like this, its actually just 1 division! No calculator required 1/3 of this bag will cover the average customer s lawn

46 Liquid products Liquid products There are many products that are best applied in liquid as opposed to granular form. These include: Most fungicides Many herbicides and insecticides Spoon feeding of liquid fertilizers Etc

47 Liquid products Liquid products As with granular calibration, there is a traditional as well as alternative method of approaching sprayer calibration.

48 Liquid products Liquid products As with granular calibration, there is a traditional as well as alternative method of approaching sprayer calibration. The two methods are: Traditional (5940 method) Alternative (1/128 th acre method)

49 Liquid products Traditional Method (5940 equation) GPA = GPM x 5940 or MPH x NSI GPM = Gallons per minute GPA = Gallons per acre NSI = Nozzle spacing in inches 5940 is a constant GPM = GPA x MPH x NSI 5940

50 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) The alternative method requires much of the same equipment as the 5940 method, but only requires one math step.

51 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) Equipment needed Stopwatch Something to catch water in (Graduated cylinder) Tape measure Flags to mark course

52 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) 1. Check the Nozzles for evenness 2. Measure nozzle spacing in feet 3. Divide 340 by nozzle spacing in feet (Only math step) 4. Measure out distance from step 3 5. Drive that distance forward at spraying speed and record time 6. Catch one nozzle for time in step 5 7. Ounces caught = gallons per acre

53 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) In order for this method to work, there are 4 things that need to be held constant: Sprayer speed Boom pressure Nozzle volume Viscosity of material

54 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) Sprayer speed and boom pressure can both be held constant by monitoring the gauges on your sprayer.

55 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) Sprayer speed and boom pressure can both be held constant by monitoring the gauges on your sprayer. Nozzle volume can be held constant by always using similar nozzles Etc,,

56 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) Sprayer speed and boom pressure can both be held constant by monitoring the gauges on your sprayer. Nozzle volume can be held constant by always using similar nozzles. Viscosity is almost always consistent.

57 Liquid products Step 1: Check nozzles for evenness If nozzles are not evenly distributing, they may need to be cleaned or replaced.

58 Liquid products Step 2: Measure nozzle spacing in feet. In this example, the nozzle spacing is 1.7 ft.

59 Liquid products Step 3:Divide 340 by nozzle spacing in feet 340 / 1.7 = 200 ft *Note: This is the only step requiring math in the 1/128 th acre method

60 Liquid products Step 4: Measure out distance from step 3. From step 3: 340 / 1.7 = 200 ft

61 Liquid products Step 5: Drive that distance forward at spraying speed and record time. Ex: Taking 34 seconds to travel the 200 ft course is equivalent to 4 mph.

62 Liquid products Step 6: Catch one nozzle for the time it took to travel 200 ft from step 5. Ex: Catching water for 34 seconds using an 8004 nozzle at 40psi yields 29 ounces.

63 Liquid products Step 7: Ounces you catch is equal to gallons per acre 29 ounces caught = 29 Gallons per acre.

64 Liquid products One benefit to this method is if you decide to change nozzles, all you need to do is catch the new nozzle for the same amount of time.

65 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) After this point, the rest of the work is the same as the 5940 equation.

66 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) After this point, the rest of the work is the same as the 5940 equation. If you are applying 29 gallons per acre and have a 150 gallon tank, you can spray 5.1 acres per tank. 150 gallon tank = 5.1 Acres 29 gallons/acre

67 Liquid products Alternative Method (1/128 th acre method) A product such as 2,4-D that is applied at 3 quarts per acre means you need to put 15.3 quarts 2,4-D per tank. 3 quarts x 5.1 acres = 15.3 quarts 2,4-D Acre

68 Casey Reynolds NCSU Turfgrass Research Technician and NC Certified Turfgrass Professional Any questions?