Uniport 3030 EletroVortex: less volume, more efficiency

Equipped with different technologies, the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex, from Jacto, combines the vortex system with the electrostatic system, a combination that allows greater efficiency in the application of products.

The technological package that equips the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex makes this model a very complete sprayer, which combines cutting-edge technologies in all its systems, from the engine configurations, transmission, suspension, to the syrup movement and spray distribution components. product, the vortex and electrostatic systems, which are the main highlights of this model. The adoption of different application technologies, combined with on-board precision technology instruments, allows users of this model a greater chance of achieving maximum efficiency in the application of phytosanitary products to crops.

Our cover this month addresses a high-tech product, manufactured by Jacto, with the aim of increasing the effectiveness in the application of phytosanitary products. This is the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex. This equipment from the Jacto sprayer line, launched at the 2019 Rural Show, in Cascavel (PR), expands a product portfolio that already includes several other self-propelled equipment, known as the Uniport model. Without a doubt, it combines different advanced technologies and places itself at the forefront of the competitive Brazilian and global market in more than 100 countries where Jacto operates. 

With 72 years of history and extensive experience with spraying equipment, today machines such as coffee harvesters, fertilizer machines, portable equipment and other technological products such as spray tips, accessories, as well as products and software are also part of the company's product line. for precision agriculture. 

The Uniport 3030 EletroVortex, which we will present in this edition, concentrates all technological efforts to increase the quality in the application of liquid products, resulting in a reduction in operating costs and minimization of product losses. As one of the main effects of improving quality, it also results in less environmental contamination and a drastic reduction in the effect on the people involved in the application. 

One of the purposes of this technology package is to reduce the volume of syrup, without increasing the concentration of active ingredients, using means of increasing the quality of the operation. As an important secondary effect, the autonomy of the equipment increases significantly, covering more area in the same time and increasing the supply intervals.

This technological package that adds elements to improve the formation and conduction of droplets to the biological target, such as electrostatic charging of drops and the insertion of air current in conduction, is called EletroVortex technology. But other technologies are added to the equipment as a way to improve the quality of the operation, as we will describe. 

Therefore, this project accumulated a series of proven experiences from a company that is a world leader in the sector, combining air assistance technology and electrostatic spraying principles in the same equipment, with the aim of improving the penetration of droplets into the tree canopy. cultures.

300hp engine

The engine that equips the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex is from the Cummins brand, model QSC 8.3 diesel, with 300 hp of maximum power, which serves to drive both the vehicle's transmission system and the technological elements for forming and transporting the applied liquid. The engine has electronic injection and is configured to work at lower speeds, improving fuel consumption and pollutant emissions levels, complying with the Proconve MAR-I Standard and being compatible with fuels added with biodiesel up to the limit of B20 (20 % biodiesel in diesel).

Chassis and suspension

The Uniport 3030 EletroVortex has radial tires on all four wheels. The suspension is pneumatic with air pockets, sensors and an automatic control valve for the height of the ground level, during the product application work. 

As is common in equipment of this type, in which vibrations and torsions occur, the joining of the stringers and cross members is done using rivets and screws, providing flexibility and avoiding fatigue in the welding joints and probable rupture of the structure. 

The chassis elements that require articulation use sealed bushings and ball joints that optimize the lubrication operation. The braking system uses the ABS concept to operate integrated with the hydrostatic transmission system, preventing wheel locking.

The gauge of the wheels and the height of the equipment can be adjusted in order to meet measurements that serve a wide variety of conditions and needs of crops and their different stages of development, varying the gauge from 2,60m to 3,15m, reaching maximum height of 1,75m from ground level.

The Unitrack steering system provides different operating modes, the conventional one being the one in which the direction changes with the change in position of only the front wheels; and the coordinated, where the rear wheels help to reduce the turning radius, moving in opposition to the direction given to the front ones, and the curious crab mode, in which the front and rear wheels move to the same side, causing the vehicle moves diagonally, to one side or the other. Faster and more precise maneuvers with a 35% smaller turning radius, provide greater operational performance, reduce crushing during maneuvers by up to 40%, increasing the treated area. It performs maneuvers 2,5 times faster compared to machines without a directional system. Control is carried out by intelligence that uses several sensors to provide better machine performance.

Spray system 

The spraying system is based on a model JP 300 piston pump, with a maximum flow of 300 liters per minute and intelligent control of the working speed that feeds the spraying circuit. This rotation control allows you to optimize fuel consumption and guarantee the correct application of the desired liter per hectare. Together with the spray pump we have the reservoir that supplies the product for the system to operate. With an exclusive circuit design, the entire system is interconnected from the reservoir to the spraying branches in a continuous cycle, forming the pesticide circulating system. In this way, when the equipment starts operating, the entire pressure line fills, avoiding loss of quality in the application, especially when restarting and during the beginning of the journey and maneuvers.

Unlike other equipment, flow control is done by the spray pump, which makes flow measurement equipment and the flow opening and closing controller unnecessary.

The recirculating liquid reaches the individual electrostatic nozzles that are integrated into the nozzle-to-nozzle system. In this way, it is possible to cut sections in order to optimize the overlap, allowing gains in product savings of up to 10%. In each nozzle we have a high voltage source, which then causes electrostatic charging of the droplets formed by the spray tips. The droplets formed by the nozzles pass through the electrostatic charging nozzle and are guided to the biological target through the air assistance system. As a result, the charged droplets arrive precisely at the target, reducing drift losses.

The spray nozzles are placed in a bijet nozzle holder, where different configurations can be used in each of them, to facilitate the user's different needs. Two features maximize spray quality. The first is that the nozzles are integrated with each other on the bar and the second is that the air current occurs around the nozzle, qualifying the conduction phase of the drops to the target.

Regarding the air flow of the Vortex system, it is generated by two robust fans that can be regulated at five different air flow levels, each level is suitable for the application conditions according to the stage and size of the crop. For more precise direction of the air flow, cone-shaped canvases are placed, narrowing as the bar moves away from the center of the equipment. This construction provides uniformity in the flow and speed of the air that reaches the spray nozzles. In each section corresponding to a nozzle, there are individual ducts that allow the air flow to surround the nozzle and direct the jet to the target. The known advantages of the Vortex system are the reduction of product loss due to drift and the concentrated targeting of the location where the product is to be placed.

As for the electrostatic charging device, it is made up of sources that generate high voltage, but with low electrical current, having reduced effects on humans and the environment and are only directed to the nozzles when the application starts, protecting users. There is a blockage of current circulation in cases where the machine is stopped, traveling at speeds below 5km/h and with the air flow below level three, out of five possible.

Syrup reservoir

The main reservoir of the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex has a capacity of three thousand liters and is equipped with a mechanical agitator with automatic rotation control. The mechanical agitator is one of the differences in the application system, allowing homogenization of the syrup throughout the volume of the reservoir. It does not use the spray pump flow to agitate the syrup, keeping the pump exclusive to the application system. The reservoir can be filled through nozzles located at the front of the machine or through the optional centrifugal supply pump with a high flow capacity of up to 900 liters per minute. Also equipped as standard with a 3" size supply line, allowing operational gains of up to 7%.

Transmission of movement to the wheels

The equipment is primarily a wheeled vehicle that needs to receive the movement that comes from the engine and transmit it to other components, including the transmission. In this, the manufacturer has accumulated experience from many other models and uses cutting-edge technology to ensure the work is carried out efficiently. 

Power and torque transmission is hydrostatic, integral to all four wheels, with automatic independent traction control on each wheel. In each of them, the movement goes through a hydraulic motor with a planetary reducer, which increases the torque. 

With this configuration, the equipment can develop reduced speeds, but also reach transport speeds of up to 65km/h and work in application conditions with speeds of up to 35km/h. 

An intelligent transmission system that integrates the diesel engine and transmission, constantly searches for the best rotation point of the diesel engine to allow it to work with lower fuel consumption and maximizing the vehicle's speed and traction control; Through the exclusive skating control, it allows working in different agricultural soil conditions. This factor is important, especially when working with a variable rate, where maintaining speed is vital for practice efficiency. This integration is done through control modules that act on the hydraulic pump by controlling signals received from sensors. Hydraulic motors are also integrated into the transmission system to assist with equipment grip and traction balance. These modules also act on the vehicle's engine, adapting the rotation to the required torque.

Spray Bars

The spray bar of this equipment is 32 meters long and is articulated into sections that close and open at the operator's command from inside the cabin. Even though it seems like a simple operation, this closing and opening has a sequence that meets safety standards, designed to prevent shocks against electrical networks and inside pavilions, without the risk of shocks and impacts.

As expected in a technologically superior equipment such as the Uniport, the bar is integrated into the frame through an independent hydraulic suspension and equipped with electronic sensors working in conjunction with the suspension to maintain control of the height and stability of the bar, even on an uneven surface, as is common in agriculture. This way, the system will adjust to what was programmed, making adjustments to maintain height and stability on both sides of the bar.

Cab, access and ergonomics

Of excellent standard, the cabin is equipped with a digital temperature conditioning system and is pressurized to prevent internal contamination. To access the operating station, the equipment has a ladder that retracts when the equipment is in motion.

The operator's seat is equipped with pneumatic cushioning, which can be adjusted, adapting to the operator's ergonomics, as well as the steering column. To the operator's left, a passenger seat is arranged. 

On the right side, a multifunction control is placed on a console that provides speed control, direction of travel and all boom, spray system and autopilot control functions. Just above the console, two monitors provide information and command of the precision agriculture and autopilot systems. The operator is offered, via the monitor, a rear image of the machine when the bars are retracted. It is possible to adjust the angle of the cameras so that the operator has the most appropriate view for each type of situation.

OTMIS technology

Precision agriculture is another strong point of the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex; Jacto's Otmis brand is one of the equipment's differentiators.

It is an individual brand that offers Jacto technology solutions in the form of products, technical information and services that aim to increase the precision of operations, managing quality and efficiency in processes.

With it, it is possible to program the repetition of operations, so that the operator programs the equipment so that it repeats a previously recorded operation. One of the equipment available by Otmis is the Omni 700 display. In services, Otmis offers the user a connection to a network server, so that the user, manager or owner can receive information about the machine's performance via smartphone or on a remotely located computer. 

The equipment can be equipped with automatic steering devices such as the Omni 700 lightbar as standard or the LB 1200, which is optional, or the hydraulic autopilot Omni 700 as standard or HP 1200 (optional). In the case of the pilot, the user can choose to use the signal without correction, but can also opt for more accurate systems with Terra Star (Omni 700) and RTX and RTK correction methods. Furthermore, the spray nozzles can be electronically controlled one by one, opening and closing when necessary. 

Through the monitor, the operator can receive information regarding the operation, such as application width and displacement speed, as well as diagnostic information such as the instantaneous dose applied. 

The technological package that equips the Uniport 3030 EletroVortex makes this model a very complete sprayer, which combines cutting-edge technologies in all its systems, from the engine configurations, transmission, suspension, to the syrup movement and spray distribution components. product, the vortex and electrostatic systems, which are the main highlights of this model. The adoption of different application technologies, combined with on-board precision technology instruments, guarantees users of this model a greater chance of achieving maximum efficiency in the application of phytosanitary products to crops.

chip

EletroVortex technology allows you to work with another level of spraying, bringing a series of benefits to the application:

1) Better quality in spray tank
The increase in deposit occurs throughout the entire structure of the plant, with up to 2x in the middle third, when compared to conventional technology. It is generated due to the electrostatic effect, associated with air assistance.

2) Drift reduction
Reduction of airborne drift by up to 35%.

3) Gain in operational income of up to 35%
Resulting from fewer fuel stops, as it allows the machine to work for longer.

4) Potential to reduce the number of applications
Due to the higher quality of the spraying, we offer an effective deposit of pesticide on the target, enabling rapid action of the product and keeping the plant protected for longer.

5) Greater potential to increase the productivity of the harvested area
Better spray quality and greater deposit throughout the plant guarantee the crop's potential to remain free from pests and diseases for longer, responding positively to production capacity.

6) Lower application rate
Result of combining the electrostatic effect with air assistance.
In field tests, we have already made applications of 40 to 70 L/hectare;

7) Fewer fuel stops
It is possible because of the smaller volume applied, allowing the reservoir to remain full for longer.