Tank Sprayer Uses

Construction and Function

• A tank sprayer consists of a molded plastic or fiberglass tank or a welded metal one. A tube immersed in the tank solution passes outward through a seal. The hose continues to a valve mechanism which allows the operator to control the rate of release from the tank. Sizes range from a few gallons for a hand-held garden sprayer to hundreds of gallons in a larger-scale application.

Sprayer Variations

• Tank sprayers may have a threaded valve body mounted to the tank with a hose leading from there to a second nozzle valve. The top-mounted valve can be unscrewed to fill the tank. In these cases, the substance to be sprayed, such as paint, may be mixed into the air stream outside of the tank from a second container. Tank sprayers may use an electric motor, gasoline engine or an external compressed-air source to pressurize air flow. The air is pumped into the tank through a second inlet hose or valve. Some sprayer tanks will contain water instead of air or chemical mixes.

Herbicide or Pesticide

• Lawn-care businesses, farmers and homeowners alike use tank sprayers to dispense weed and bug killers or fertilizer. The compounds used require dilution so water is pre-mixed with the chemicals during tank filling. The hoses and valve materials used must withstand the solvent nature of the mix and be resistant to oil-based compounds. These units operate at fairly low pressures to maximize absorption and reduce wind drift. Large-scale agricultural units are more complex, with a series of valves, but the principle is the same.

Painting

• Paint sprayers mix the pressurized air downstream of the compressed air tank. A multi-port valve body allows air to flow in from one side and paint from the other. The paint and air are mixed together inside the mechanism. A small valve wheel or needle control allows the operator to regulate the air-to-paint ratio while a larger trigger valve regulates the spray rate of the mix to the target.

Power Washing

• The typical neighborhood car wash might use a soap reservoir with water pressure provided by a municipal water system boosted by a pump. A second version uses a large tank of pressurized water which flows into a valve where soap is added before traveling to the user control located on the end of a metal wand. A high-pressure version of the power wash is used to wash large vehicles and buildings.