Spray patterns
Flat Fan vs Full Cone vs Hollow Cone Nozzles
The three most common spray patterns behave very differently. Here is how to pick the right one for washing, cooling, scrubbing or crop spraying.
The short answer
- Use flat fan for washing, rinsing and anything on a conveyor or boom where nozzles sit in a row.
- Use full cone when the whole circular area must be wetted: cooling, scrubbing, dust control and tank washing.
- Use hollow cone when you want finer droplets: gas cooling, absorption and insecticide or fungicide spraying.
| Flat fan | Full cone | Hollow cone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Flat sheet, tapered edges | Solid round area | Ring of spray |
| Droplets | Medium | Medium to coarse | Fine to medium |
| Impact | High along a line | Moderate over an area | Low |
| Typical use | Washing, rinsing, pretreatment, booms | Cooling, scrubbing, dust control | Gas cooling, crop protection |
| Our products | Flat fan clip-on, boom tips | Ball-joint full cone, PP spiral | Crop spray nozzles, PP spiral |
Flat fan nozzles
A flat fan spreads liquid in a thin wedge. The edges carry less liquid than the centre, so when nozzles are spaced correctly the overlap evens out coverage. Tilt each nozzle slightly along the header so neighbouring fans do not collide. Flat fans give the strongest impact along a line, which is why they dominate degreasing, phosphating and rinsing.
Full cone nozzles
A full cone fills a circle with spray. It is the natural choice when every part of an area must be wetted, such as a scrubber cross-section, a cooling surface or a conveyor transfer point. Mounting it on a ball joint lets you aim it on site.
Hollow cone nozzles
A hollow cone concentrates spray in a ring and usually produces smaller droplets than a full cone at the same flow. Small droplets have more surface area, which helps gas cooling and absorption, and cover crop leaves more completely. The trade-off is more drift outdoors.
Where spiral nozzles fit
Spiral nozzles can produce full or hollow cone patterns but have an open flow path with no internal vanes. Choose them when the liquid contains solids or is recirculated.
Three checks before you buy
- Distance from nozzle to target and the width you must cover.
- Pressure at the nozzle and flow you need.
- Whether the liquid carries solids or chemicals.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Which spray pattern gives the most even coverage?
For a row of nozzles, flat fans with correct overlap give the most even coverage. For a single nozzle covering an area, a full cone is most even.
Which pattern makes the finest droplets?
At the same flow and pressure, hollow cone nozzles generally produce finer droplets than full cone or flat fan nozzles.
Can one nozzle produce different patterns?
Not usually. Each pattern needs its own nozzle design, but clip-on headers let you mix patterns on one pipe.
Not sure which nozzle fits your line?
Tell us the liquid, pressure and coverage you need. A nozzle engineer will recommend the right type, size and material.