Farmers Review Africa July/August 2020

Page 16

FEATURE

High pressure washing systems in Agriculture

also introduces the reality of adding petroleum products to the wastewater, which constrains wastewater disposal options. For instance, if it is only mud being washed from a tractor, the muddy water can generally be allowed to settle on and percolate through a graveled section of the customer’s site, although even this is becoming less of an option.) Agricultural equipment is cleaned to remove dirt, mud, and grease. It is also cleaned to prevent crop pests and diseases from being transported from field to field by machinery. If asked to apply pesticides or fungicides to equipment, be sure to be properly licensed for the jurisdiction and also fully versed in their use. And be ready to collect wastewater as required.

A

gricultural equipment needs to be cleaned all over the world, and the opportunity is limited more by the seasonality of each region than the region. Typically, equipment needs to be cleaned after harvest is completed and before it can be stored or transported to another harvest site. Typical Job Cleaning agricultural equipment requires a fully self-contained and portable pressure washing and soft water treatment system. For maximum efficiency, the pressure washing unit(s) should be capable of four to five gpm and 2000 to 3000 psi. Ideally, each crew would consist of two workers and have the ability to wash simultaneously, which would require two single pressure washers or one, dual-gun washing unit.

and disposed of in a manner that limits your liability and also meets applicable environmental guidelines. Once the equipment has been prepped and readied, the first step to cleaning the agricultural equipment is giving it a good hot water rinse and mud knock down. Using hot water for the pre-rinse will speed mud and grease emulsification and prep the surface for the chemical to be most effective. The chemical can then be applied through a low pressure, downstream injector, which will give greater control over the amount used, helping control cost and quality.

It is also highly recommended that soft-treated or reverse-osmosis water be used on agricultural equipment as it is gentler on high-finish coatings, boosts the cleaning power of detergents, and is less likely to leave a spotty film or residue. When it comes to cleaning chemicals, make sure to use products that are of a low pH. This will help minimize any exterior clouding to the coating.

While one gunner is applying the chemical, another crew member should be following behind with a specialty vehicle brush, working the chemical in and the greasy residue loose. Once the equipment has been thoroughly pre-soaked and brushed with chemical, both crew members should immediately commence detail rinsing. It is important to rinse quickly so that the soap does not dry, spotting the surface, but not too quickly as to miss key buildup areas. If the soap does happen to dry, wet the surface with water, brush, and detail rinse.

Techniques that Work Best Prior to beginning the cleaning process, make sure a pre-approved washing area has been identified and agreed upon so that the grease, oil, and wash water residue will be controlled

Exceptions Keep in mind that there are many places on agricultural equipment that may require special attention to detail, such as the engines, chassis, or combines. (Cleaning engines and chassis

14 | July - August 2020

When cleaning orchard equipment, test clean first to find the best temperature for the material (e.g., sap, fruit residue) that must be removed. Some substances flow off nicely with hot water; others simply become gummy. The testing is important because too hot water will bake the gooey residue onto the machine instead of dislodging it. Some orchard equipment must be cleaned with steam. Detergents and degreasers are sometimes no match for the fruit extracts, but powered, rotating brushes can be useful. Always test first to find a method that works. Equipment and Supplies A basic list of equipment and supplies includes the following: self-contained, portable pressure washing and soft-water treatment system capable of four to five gpm and 2000 to 3000 psi and hot water; wastewater containment system; brushes; wands; downstream injector; low pH chemicals. Steam may be needed for orchard equipment. Orchard spraying equipment and building exteriors are good add-ons for contractors washing equipment at a customer site. The farmer that owns small skid steers or loaders for use in the yard may be persuaded to add them to the list of equipment to be washed. Wastewater collection is becoming such a significant part of jobs involving use of water that contractors in regions where there is sufficient business in washing agricultural equipment may be able to consider setting up a collection system or washing bay with permitted drainage—akin to a fleet washing operation—that can serve several agricultural equipment owners off site. (In the future, the central-site operation for a cleaning contractor may become easier than carrying a collection system and transporting wastewater collected especially because the latter opens the need for additional permits to transport the wastewater when pesticide and herbicide chemical residues are in the mix.)


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

Articles inside

Farmers Review Africa July/August 2020

1min
pages 1-40

BMG variable speed drives improved efficiencies agriculture

7min
pages 22-24

VapourGuard™ - Water & Resource Saving Solution

10min
pages 35-37

Hyperspectral imaging sensors for agricultural applications

3min
pages 30-31

equipment needs

2min
page 34

Meyn Releases new Rapid Plus Deboner M4.2

3min
pages 32-33

Cover Story

1min
page 21

beverage plants reach sustainability goals

3min
pages 28-29

Poultry feed additives

3min
page 20

Fire management and safety on the farm

4min
pages 14-15

and budget

2min
page 12

High pressure washing systems in Agriculture

10min
pages 16-19

Potato farmers in Kenya suffer losses

3min
page 6

Adoption of precision agriculture to match fertilizer inputs in livestock farming

2min
page 13

Angola and IFAD to promote sustainable agriculture

3min
page 4

Commercial farmers in Zimbabwe receive compensation

4min
page 5

The AfDB enhances food security for nine million people

4min
page 7
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.