How do orchard wind machines work

View our privacy policy. Thank you for your submission! Orchard Frost - Protection with Wind Machines. Susceptibility to frost damage depends on a tree's stage of development, variety, and location, but certain preventative measures can be taken.

Robert Crassweller, Ph. Why do we need this? Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. Related Products. Variety Showcase Field Day Workshops. Growing Strawberries Articles. Figure 3. Neighbours hear wind machine sound as varying sinusoidally as blades sweep around the field. Sound is greatest when blades blow away from a receiver neighbour , next greatest when blowing at a receiver. If air is blowing perpendicularly, the sound is greatly reduced.

Slower blade speed reduces noise, but reduces airflow, so more machines are needed to cover the same area. Unfortunately, it is generally very quiet in rural areas at times when wind machines operate during the spring, fall or winter nights when there are few, if any, other noises, such as wind or cars, to mask the sound.

Conditions outside also complicate and affect sound movement from wind machines by:. Conditions inside homes that complicate and allow external sound waves to penetrate or be amplified include large rooms, large windows, hard floors and light construction. Wind machine sound is generally quieter and less offensive in small carpeted rooms with heavy thick walls and in house areas opposite to the side where a wind machine is, or in basements.

The sound is sometimes partially masked inside a house if there is white noise present, such as from a radio, television or ventilation fan. Wind machine blades produce low frequency infrasound waves that travel long distances and may penetrate building components of residential structures. Low frequency sound is like low bass music sounds you might hear in your home when someone next door is playing their stereo, even though you cannot hear the rest of the music. Farmers are protected from nuisance noise complaints by neighbours provided they follow normal farm practice.

Grape growers should employ the following best management practices for operating wind machines to use them more effectively and minimize nuisance noise. Last Modified:. Accessing this message means you do not have a JavaScript enabled browser. If you cannot enable JavaScript in your browser and would like to know the last modified date for this page, please contact the webmaster at - internet. Print Share. On cold, calm nights, the plant surfaces radiate their heat and actually become colder than surrounding air temperature.

Wind machines warm those surfaces by moving air across them every five minutes. Where bud charts do not apply, in some areas, the industry provides freezer testing of wood to determine critical temperature. When should supplemental heat be used with a wind machine? The wind machine will circulate the heat through the block and between machines to prevent the heat from dissipating into the air above the crop. Supplemental heat is most needed on the side of the block where cold air is infiltrating the protection zone, these areas include behind ditch banks, road beds, and in low areas.

Heat in this area will be carried into the block by the drift and will help the wind machine keep the temperature above critical on the edge. Without the supplemental heat, the temperature on the drift edge will decrease during the night and damage will occur as the machine struggles to keep the temperature above critical.

Supplemental heat can be placed in lines between the wind machines so the heat can be circulated back and forth to help improve conditions in the entire block. Many forms of supplemental heat are used, but the most common are under-tree sprinklers, diesel or propane heaters and wood- or coal-fired heaters.

Once started, should the wind machine ever be turned off during the night? This allows you to monitor wind machines remotely and react quickly without having to physically be in the field. Improves wind machine coverage on slopes, knolls, ridges or plateaus. The Contour Head can be custom designed to fit the needs of any terrain. Allows one machine to cover an area that normally requires two standard machines. Allows for a custom sweep area up to degrees. Prevents wasted coverage of unimportant areas.

The model , 3-blade wind machine was designed specifically to provide the highest degree of noise reduction found in the industry and ensure maximum frost protection. In addition, using our 3-blade wind machine in lieu of water to protect crops, saves precious water resources where drought is common and water protection is not cost effective. Menu Tree Shakers Overview. Wind Machines Overview. About History. Pure performance Wind Machines. Continuous and reliable Stationary Model Noise reducing Tri-Blade Stationary Model Crop protection on the go Portable Model Undisturbed views, maximized harvest Laydown Model.

Protection from any location Special Optional Features. Dependable protection Built solid Solid Fiberglass Blade. Consistent force Corrosion resistant Efficient power Sustained support Engine Options. What Makes Us Different? Stationary Models. Dependability on the go