Operating sprayers: from diagnosis to compulsary checking

Abstract

Before applying compulsory inspections of sprayers in used, the French Ministry of Agriculture need some preliminary studies. They have been conducted by Cemagref, during the years 2000 - 2002. The agricultural professional organizations have been questionned in order to summarize what have been done for sprayers voluntary inspections since 1980. Number of inspected sprayers, methodologies and organisations have been analysed. At the same time, the european situation is described to complete the overview of the subject. During the preparation a this new registration, the EN 13790 standard represented an important tool. It had to be fullfilled with the choice of the best adapted methods, the definition of strict acceptance limits for sprayers and the accuracy of measurments to be made. This have concluded this work, with the test of many equipments specially dedicated for sprayers inspections.