Agricultural sprayer with warm water rinse system

Abstract

An agricultural crop sprayer includes a product tank for holding a solution of plant protection product, a product dispense system, and a rinse tank for holding a rinse fluid. A plumbing network fluidly connects the product tank, the product dispense system, and the rinse tank. A heat source is provided to heat the rinse fluid. The heat source may be a prime mover or a hydraulic pump, wherein waste heat is scavenged therefrom.

1 . An agricultural crop sprayer comprising:
 a product tank configured to hold a solution of a plant protection product;   a product dispense system;   a rinse tank for holding a rinse fluid;   a first heat exchanger configured to transfer waste heat from a heat source; and   a plumbing network fluidly connecting the product tank, the product dispense system, and the rinse tank, wherein the plumbing network comprises a closed fluid circuit including the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises a prime mover configured to drive the agricultural crop sprayer, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to extract waste heat from the prime mover. 
     
     
         3 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the closed fluid circuit includes a second heat exchanger located inside the rinse tank. 
     
     
         4 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is fluidly connected to the rinse tank, and wherein the rinse fluid serves as a heat exchange medium. 
     
     
         5 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermostat configured to regulate the temperature of the rinse fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , further comprising a flow control valve in communication with an electronic controller, wherein the flow control valve is controllable by the electronic controller to regulate a temperature of the rinse fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 2 , wherein the prime mover comprises an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         8 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural crop sprayer comprises a self-propelled crop sprayer. 
     
     
         9 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 2 , further comprising wheels that derive a driving torque from the prime mover. 
     
     
         10 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises a hydraulic system, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to transfer waste heat from the hydraulic system to the rinse fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a hydraulic pump configured to generate a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid, and wherein the hydraulic pump provides the heat source. 
     
     
         12 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 1 , further comprising a cold rinse tank connected to the plumbing network. 
     
     
         13 . The agricultural crop sprayer of  claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured to control the plumbing network, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate a rinse process in which the rinse tank is put into fluid communication with one of the product tank and the product dispense system before the cold rinse tank is put into fluid communication with said one of the product tank and the product dispense system. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating an agricultural crop sprayer, the crop sprayer comprising a product tank configured to hold a solution of plant protection product, a product dispense system, a rinse tank for holding a rinse fluid, a first heat exchanger configured to transfer waste heat from a heat source, and a plumbing network fluidly connecting the product tank, the product dispense system, and the rinse tank, wherein the plumbing network comprises a closed fluid circuit including the first heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 heating the rinse fluid with waste heat from the heat source to a temperature above an ambient temperature; and   conveying the heated rinse fluid from the rinse tank to at least one of the product tank and the product dispense system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the crop sprayer further comprises a cold rinse tank, and wherein the method further comprises, after conveying the heated rinse fluid, conveying fluid at approximately the ambient temperature from the cold rinse tank to at least one of the product tank and the product dispense system. 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating an agricultural crop sprayer comprising a product tank, a product dispense system, and a rinse tank, the method comprising:
 propelling the agricultural crop sprayer through a field;   heating a rinse fluid carried by the rinse tank with waste heat from a heat source to a temperature above an ambient temperature by circulating a heat exchange fluid in a closed fluid circuit including a first heat exchanger; and   conveying the heated rinse fluid through a plumbing network from the rinse tank to at least one of the product tank and the product dispense system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein heating a rinse fluid carried by the rinse tank comprises circulating the heat exchange fluid through an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein heating a rinse fluid carried by the rinse tank comprises circulating the rinse fluid as the heat exchange fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein heating a rinse fluid carried by the rinse tank comprises circulating the heat exchange fluid through the first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger is inside the rinse tank. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein heating a rinse fluid carried by the rinse tank comprises circulating the heat exchange fluid adjacent a hydraulic pump.