Design and Development of Fertilizer Metering System for Tractor drawn Liquid Fertilizer Applicator

Interaction of Root and microbes

Abstract

A pressurized fertilizer metering system was developed for Tractor drawn Liquid Fertilizer Applicator. The liquid fertilizer metering system constituted a pump, control valve and a distributor unit. A circular distributer with an inner and outer diameter of 52 mm and 72 mm, respectively and a thickness of 10 mm was fabricated. Nine holes, each of 8 mm size were drilled around the periphery of the distributor at a spacing of 10 mm for connecting delivery pipes. A setup was fabricated to measure the discharge pattern and discharge uniformity among delivery pipes. The distribution uniformity was in the range of 96.7 to 99.1 %, 96.7 to 99.5 % and 92.8 to 99.1 %at pressure levels of 0, 1 and 2 kg/cm², respectively at different pump speeds. The pumping system used for metering liquid fertilizer was capable of giving a flow rate variation of 0.74 l min^-1 to 2.85l min^-1 for different pump rpm

KEYWORDS: Urea Ammonium Nitrate, liquid fertilizer, metering, fertilizer applicator