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Droplets formation and diffusion simulation and test of microporous atomizer for robotic immunization spraying
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  • Published: 13 April 2026

Droplets formation and diffusion simulation and test of microporous atomizer for robotic immunization spraying

  • Zeting Ning1,2,
  • Qifeng Li3,
  • Yu Zhao2,
  • Qingchun Feng2,
  • Ronghua Gao3,
  • Xin Guo2 &
  • …
  • Za Kan1 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Engineering
  • Materials science
  • Physics

Abstract

To meet the precision spraying of poultry house immunization robots, an immunization sprayer based on microporous atomization is designed to ensure uniform and efficient atomization of immunological reagents. The optimal driving frequency is determined through modal analysis of the piezoelectric atomization plate, which is 113 kHz. Using the resonant frequency-driven droplet generation model, the simulation of single-pore droplet formation is realized, and the initial droplet velocity and diameter are extracted as boundary conditions for input into the droplet diffusion model. This reveals the diffusion and evolution rules of the atomization field, along with the distribution characteristics of velocity and particle size. The atomization diffusion distance in a dynamically stable state is 68.36 cm, with a diffusion range of 32°. Within 15–55 cm from the atomizer, over 90% of droplets have an adequate particle size of 30–200 μm. Practical testing with the VisiSize P15 droplet size measuring instrument showed that the diffusion angle of the stable atomization morphology is approximately 30°, with a diffusion distance of 65 cm. The simulation results show an absolute relative error of less than 7%, while the droplet size distribution has an absolute relative error of less than 10%. For the segmented characteristics of droplet velocity attenuation, the absolute relative error is less than 18%, with an absolute error of less than 0.15 m/s. These results demonstrate that the overall atomization and diffusion effect meet the requirements for immunization spraying.

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Data availability

All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its Supplementary Information.

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Funding

This work is supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2023YFD2000802).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China

    Zeting Ning & Za Kan

  2. Intelligent Equipment Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China

    Zeting Ning, Yu Zhao, Qingchun Feng & Xin Guo

  3. Information Technology Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100097, China

    Qifeng Li & Ronghua Gao

Authors
  1. Zeting Ning
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Contributions

Zeting Ning is responsible for the Investigation, Methodology, Formal Analysis, and Writing—Original Draft. Qifeng Li participates in Conceptualization and Visualization. Yu Zhao undertakes Data Curation. Qingchun Feng participated in the writing—review, Supervision and editing of the manuscript, as well as in funding acquisition. Ronghua Gao oversees Project Administration. Xin Guo contributed to the investigation, while Za Kan is responsible for Writing—Review & Editing and Supervision.

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Correspondence to Qingchun Feng or Za Kan.

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Ning, Z., Li, Q., Zhao, Y. et al. Droplets formation and diffusion simulation and test of microporous atomizer for robotic immunization spraying. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-48149-3

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  • Received: 30 December 2025

  • Accepted: 06 April 2026

  • Published: 13 April 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-48149-3

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Keywords

  • Microporous atomization
  • Immunization spraying
  • Modal analysis
  • Droplet generation simulation
  • Droplet diffusion simulation
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