Design and construction of a solar powered chemical sprayer for small scale farmers: case study; Tororo District: Othieno, Francis

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................... i
DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................... ii
DEDICATION............................................................................................................................................. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................................ iv
APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................................. v
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................................. vi
LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................... ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................1
1.1. Background of the study ..............................................................................................................1
1.2. Problem statement ......................................................................................................................3
1.3. Purpose of the study ....................................................................................................................3
1.4. Objectives of the study ................................................................................................................3
1.4.1. Main objective.......................................................................................................................3
1.4.2. Specific objective..................................................................................................................3
1.5. Scope of the study........................................................................................................................4
1.6. Justification...................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW...............................................................................................5
2.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Pesticides and herbicides.............................................................................................................5
2.1.1 Types and forms of pesticides......................................................................................................5
Solid pesticides .....................................................................................................................................5
Liquid pesticides...................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Sprayers........................................................................................................................................6
Types of sprayers..................................................................................................................................6
a) Knapsack sprayers ........................................................................................................................6
 Hydraulic knapsack sprayers ........................................................................................................7
 Manual pneumatic sprayers ..........................................................................................................7
b) Motorized sprayer.........................................................................................................................7
c) Foot Sprayers / Pedal Pump Sprayers ......................................................................................8
d) Tractor mounted sprayers: ........................................................................................................9
vii
e) Aerial sprayers:...........................................................................................................................9
f) Solar sprayers..............................................................................................................................10
 Photovoltaic cell (Solar cell).......................................................................................................18
 Concentrated solar power (CSP).................................................................................................18
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................24
3.1. Method for data collection ........................................................................................................24
 Library research ..........................................................................................................................24
3.2. Specific objective one: To design a system that uses solar energy to run a pesticide sprayer24
3.2.1. Material selection for the different components of the sprayer ................................................24
3.2.2. Considerations for material selection for different component parts........................................25
3.2.3. Prototype drawing and process diagrams..................................................................................26
3.2.4. Process diagram ........................................................................................................................26
Design considerations for the different parts of the system................................................................26
3.3 Specific objective two: Fabricate the different parts of the system and assemble them.............31
3.4 Specific objective three: To test the assembled system on its purpose and making of
adjustments............................................................................................................................................31
3.5 Specific objective four: To carry out economic analysis of the system....................................32
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DEDUCTIONS. .................................................................................34
4.1. Fabrication and test results .............................................................................................................34
4.1.1. Fabrication results.....................................................................................................................34
4.1.2. Test procedure...........................................................................................................................35
4.1.3. System test results under different conditions ..........................................................................36
4.1.4. Application/discharge efficiency of the system ........................................................................37
4.1.5. Cost analysis .............................................................................................................................38
4.2. Deductions.......................................................................................................................................38
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION............................................................40
5.1. Conclusion........................................................................................................................................40
5.2. Recommendation.............................................................................................................................40
REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................................................41

Includes bibliographies