Fluid Dynamic Approaches for Prediction of Spray Drift from Ground Pesticide Applications: A Review

Abstract

Spray drifts have been studied by mathematical models and computer simulations as an essential complement to lab and field tests, among which are fluid dynamic approaches that help to understand the transport of spray droplets in a turbulent atmosphere and their potential impacts to the environment. From earlier fluid mechanical models to highly computational models, scientific advancement has led to a more realistic prediction of spray drift, but the current literature lacks reviews showing the trends and limitations of the existing approaches. This paper is to review the literature on fluid-mechanical-based modelling of spray drift resulting from ground spray applications. Consequently, it provides comprehensive understanding of the transition and development of fluid dynamic approaches and the future directions in this research field.

Keywords

• canopy flow
• ground sprayer
• particle tracking
• spray deposition
• droplet retention
• computational fluid dynamics (CFD)