Spraydetermine

Spraydetermine is a term used in spray technology to describe a set of practices for determining the characteristics of a spray plume and its resulting deposition. It does not refer to a single standardized protocol, but to an approach that combines measurement and analysis to quantify parameters such as droplet size distribution, spray angle, total flux, and areal coverage. The concept is applied across sectors where precise spray performance matters, including agriculture, coating, and additive manufacturing.

Measurement methods typically integrate high-speed imaging, laser-based sizing (such as phase Doppler interferometry), and tracer deposition mapping. Analysts derive metrics such as the Sauter mean diameter, volume distribution, spray fullness, and deposition efficiency. Results are often compared with computational models or reference standards to guide adjustments in nozzle selection, operating pressure, and spray formulation.

Applications include optimizing pesticide or fertilizer application, improving industrial coating consistency, and controlling material deposition in processes like inkjet-inspired additive manufacturing. The term is most useful as a descriptive label for systematic spray-characterization work rather than a single protocol.

Limitations include the need for specialized equipment and expertise, sensitivity to ambient conditions and substrate properties, and the lack of universal standards governing spraydetermination methods. Because it is a relatively new or informal term, different organizations may use it to refer to slightly different measurement suites.

See also: spray characterization, atomization, droplet size analysis, deposition mapping.