Simulating spray droplet impaction outcomes: comparison with experimental data

BACKGROUND A suite of plant retention spray models has been developed to simulate spray retention using virtual surfaces (either single leaves or whole plants) and their outputs compared with experimental data for the equivalent spray scenarios. RESULTS The results for a single formulation (0.1% v/v lecithin mixture in water) and difficult to wet plant species Chenopodium album L (common lambsquarters) are presented. They include experimental observations with single leaves, as well as simulations of virtual impaction events, conducted to provide for the first time estimates of f (the proportion of theoretical impact drop diameter at shatter). With this factor prescribed, multi‐plant simulations using a range of nozzle types and droplet sizes (volume mean diameter (VMD) range 241 to 530 μm) are compared with equivalent experimentally determined spray retention by real plants. The simulations demonstrated that impaction resulted predominantly in shatter with the production of daughter droplets, and that retention is mainly due to re‐capture of these droplets. Overall the simulations show the same trends as experimental retention results from different nozzle applications, but at best predicted retention results were 68% to 79% of experimental percentage retention, depending on plant spacing. CONCLUSIONS Retention is the result of some primary drop capture but predominantly by recapture of shatter droplets as the modelling illustrates. The value of f affects the droplet shatter outcome and can result in fewer, more energetic daughter droplets, or more droplets but with lower energies. However, this effect alone cannot explain the discrepancy between actual and simulated results. Possible operational influences are discussed. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry Plant retention spray model software simulated virtual spray/plant retention, which was 79% to 44% of experimental, depending on parameters f (shatter spread factor) and p (pinning proportion), as well as plant spacing. The simulations showed clearly that > 90% retention was from recapture of bouncing or shatter droplets.