This paper deals with the investigation of the performance of a nozzle used for intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizers (LMF), determination of the range of spray angle, fall angle, droplet size, spray distribution characteristics, and substantiation of its dependence on the nozzle design parameters. The proposed nozzle has a jet-impact channel and deflector slot design with very compact overall dimensions. It can be mounted on a deep tillage knife (wing) with a height of 12–14 mm and provides flat fan spray with a high spraying angle. The following range of effective parameters has been determined: the feed channel diameter is 1–1.6 mm, the slot height is 0.35–0.7 mm, and impact surface diameter 5–8 mm. The resultant spray angle is 170–175°, and the fall angle diapason is 5–10°. These parameters contribute to determination of the tillage knife design parameters such as knife height and the height of spray window, as well as the nozzle installation parameters such as t , n and m in future studies. The results can be useful for nozzle industries, particularly in developing the flat fan nozzles with wide spray angle. Overall, the nozzle design is applicable to use for intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizes with deep tillage knives.

An original technical solution is proposed that permits the application of a main fertilizer dose once in 4-5 years at a depth of 6-25 cm with an inclined belt. The work aims to investigate the interaction between the proposed working tool (ripper-distributor) of the developed chisel-fertilizer with the soil, and to determine dependences that link its traction force with the design parameters. Studying the soil deformation pattern under the influence of working tool cutting parts based on classical mechanics made it possible to determine the dependence between the tractive force of the ripper-distributor and its design parameters. 3D modeling and C.F.D. analysis by using SolidWorks Flow Simulation® made it possible to define the fertilizer distributor parameters of the working body and flow characteristics of fertilizers. The distribution quality studies of fertilizer granules in compartments of the working tool distributor showed that the non-uniformity of distribution at different dosages (from 50 to 400 kg/ha) ranges from 7.8% for the application of granulated superphosphate up to 22.7% for the application of powdered superphosphate. The chisel-fertilizer enables soil-friendly and sloping site-specific fertilizer application at a depth from 5.6-9.8, 16-18, 23-25.8 cm, and a fertilizer distribution non-uniformity of 14-15% over the width of the spreader.

This paper deals with the problem of predetermining the spray angle and uniformity of the flat fan sprayer with a semicircular impact surface for the intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizers. The jet impact on a round splash plate and radial atomization properties are investigated theoretically, the formation features of the spray with an obtuse angle are studied in a geometrical way, and the design search of the nozzle shape and optimization calculations are performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and then verified experimentally. It was revealed that the spray rate and spray angle can be adjusted by changing the parameter s, and when the spray angle is within s = 0–0.2 mm, it forms spray angles with range of 140°–175°. The spraying angle, in turn, shows the potential length of the tillage knife in accordance with the undersoil cavity dimensions. A spray uniformity of up to 74% was achieved, which is sufficient for applied studies and for intra-soil application operations. According to the investigations and field experiments, it can be concluded that the designed nozzle is applicable for the intra-soil application of liquid mineral fertilizers. The use of flat fan nozzles that form a spraying band under the soil cavity and along the entire length of the tillage knife ensures a highly efficient mixing process, the liquid mineral fertilizers with treated soil (particles) positively contributing to plant maturation.

Liquid mineral fertilizers (LMF) have a high sorption ability, can be metered precisely, and the intra-soil application of LMF is relevant. However, the agricultural equipment for this process that introduces the liquid fertilizer under processed soil layer in the form of a wide band has not yet been proposed. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the performance of a 102 mm wide rectangular discharge microchannel of the proposed soil tillage knife designed for deep tillage and intra-soil application of liquid fertilizers and to study the influence of the microchannel length ( L ) and slot height ( h ) on the uniformity of discharge. Solidworks Flow Simulation ^® was used during investigations, and simulation results were compared with experiment results. It has been determined that the effective slot height for water discharge at V _i = 3–4 m·s ⁻¹ is 0.1 (±0.01) mm, an effective microchannel length is 20 (±2) mm, and the influence of L depends on h . Sheet thickness will not change at a distance of 10–15 mm ( b ). Fall angle is 0–5°. In conclusion, the proposed discharge microchannel with asymmetrical feed is applicable for intra-soil application of LMF, and the surface tension effect has to be considered. A way to enhancing the sheet uniformity is the geometrical modification of feed channel shape.

The development of restoration technology and meadows, improvement of run-down pastures, and productivity improvement of old crops of perennial grasses is an urgent problem in agriculture. The tillage traction force in seeder designing and manufacturing is an important indicator of energy efficiency. The objective of this work is to reduce traction force and ensure seeding depth uniformity by justifying the optimal chisel parameters of a grain–fertilizer–grass seeder for direct seeding in sod. The Box–Behnken method was applied to investigate the traction force dependence on the seeder velocity, seed embedding depth, chisel width, and mounting angle. The obtained optimal parameters of coulters were justified by the finite element method. Structural and technological parameters were checked using the smoothed-particle hydrodynamics method on the deformation and wear of the seeder working body. The revealed optimal coulter parameters were as follows: chisel width was 20–20.97 mm, chisel length was 145–148.9 mm, mounting angle was 75°–81.6°, and achieved minimum traction force was 720 N. These parameters ensure the quality of grass seed embedding in the sod. The theoretical data of traction force (8.27–8.39 kN) are in accordance with the experimental (8.28–8.63 kN) data under field conditions. These findings are efficient in agrotechnical and mechanical predictions regarding the occurrence of chisel residual stresses and the working lifetime of the part.

A universal conical spreader for uniform distribution of granular fertilizers and seeds of grain crops, grasses is proposed. The developed universal conical spreader is designed for subsurface application of above-mentioned granular materials using seed drills and can be used as a passive distributor in a wide variety of applications. The methods of theoretical mechanics and descriptive geometry, particularly the method of replacement of projection plane have been applied to arrive at the design of the cone – the shape of conical spreader. A parametric equation was derived for the truncated part of the cone, which is an ellipse. The unique design of the cone-shaped distributor has a truncating form in the direction transverse to the movement of the seeder. In order to determine the interval of variability of spreader parameters more precisely, an analysis was carried out using a Mathcad-15 software. The results of theoretical research were confirmed in the laboratory and field conditions. The width of seed distribution, uniformity, and stability of distribution were studied to arrive at the most effective cone distributor design. The smallest values of non-uniformity and instability of material distribution of experimental coulter are reached at the values of factors D = 117–119 mm, h = 17–18 mm, and H = 32–35 mm.