Design and fabrication of a wheelbarrow sprayer

Author

Ngulube Faggy

Title

Design and fabrication of a wheelbarrow sprayer

Abstract

Agriculture is a vital economic activity in Africa, employing around two-thirds of the continent's working population. Much of this agricultural work involves subsistence farming, where the available machinery requires significant manual labour. This leads to farmers accumulating health problems and experiencing low production capacity. Subsistence farmers who engage in crop spraying often rely on knapsack sprayers, which can cause back problems. High costs prevent the adoption of alternative solutions like drone sprayers. This study presents the design, fabrication, and testing of a low-cost wheelbarrow spraying device that reduces the manual labour required. The device features a single-wheel frame that the user pushes, carrying a tank. A gear-chain system automatically operates the pump's lever. Experimental testing of the prototype carried a 16-litre tank while requiring only 32% of the manual load effort under firm mud conditions, staying below the 50% load limit for loose sand. Appropriate gear sizing was confirmed to enable the desired flow rate of 0.5L/min while the user walks at a regular speed of 1.45 m/s.

Date

June 2024

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Wheelbarrow spraying device

Low-cost agricultural technology

Subsistence farming

Manual labour reduction

Supervisor

Professor Hernández, Luis. W.