DIY a frost protection wind machine

frostprotectbuilder

Member
Horticulture
Good afternoon everybody,

I'm looking into starting a project. I want to build a wind machine to protect my orchard fields from frost damage.
Those that are currently buyable are a lot-lot overpriced in my opinion.

I'm looking into building a small fixed electronic first, to make all the mistakes in small scale. I mean a really small one, like a demo one.
After that I want to build a real scaled (6-7 meters tall) fixed wind machine and a tractor powered towed one, to suck upper air into lower colder parts.

I want to make this topic to share ideas and to share the progress that I am making.

Anyone every tried doing something like this? Do anyone have documentations of already working wind machines?
 

manhill

Member
Good afternoon everybody,

I'm looking into starting a project. I want to build a wind machine to protect my orchard fields from frost damage.
Those that are currently buyable are a lot-lot overpriced in my opinion.

I'm looking into building a small fixed electronic first, to make all the mistakes in small scale. I mean a really small one, like a demo one.
After that I want to build a real scaled (6-7 meters tall) fixed wind machine and a tractor powered towed one, to suck upper air into lower colder parts.

I want to make this topic to share ideas and to share the progress that I am making.

Anyone every tried doing something like this? Do anyone have documentations of already working wind machines?


2nd hand Florida swamp boat then you have the added bonus of sailing it in the summer.
 

frostprotectbuilder

Member
Horticulture
As warmer air lifts up, and colder air lowers to the groups. Like its +3 celsius at 6-7 meters high, and - 1 at ground level.

The turbine mixes the higher warmer air with the lower colder, so the lower goes to 0 - plus 1 celsius. So the flowers won't frost.
 

frostprotectbuilder

Member
Horticulture
Often wondered if an orchard sprayer could be adapted in some way, even if it meant 7m of tubing feeding it from above.
There is something like that developed here in Hungary.

Here is the video

But it's also like 33 000 EUR here, which is crazy depending on how much the production cost could be on that..
 

pine_guy

Member
Location
North Cumbria
I have a blower/fan from my old haylage silo, it used to blow grass in and suck haylage out of an 80ft silo. Moves a lot of air and worked by the grass travelling in the air flow rather than physically throwing the grass.
Sounds like it might do what you want. Also have a one for spares/repair. And a load of pipe. Driven off a tractor pto. I don’t want a lot for it, just seems a shame to scrap it.
 

pine_guy

Member
Location
North Cumbria
That’s the pipe, the fan is buried in a shed. So can’t really photo it.
 

frostprotectbuilder

Member
Horticulture
Do you think it is possible to set 3-4 orchard sprayer turbine in a row to move air? Also reverse the way it is turning. So instead off pulling air in from the back and push it out, it would suck in air and push it out in the back.
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
Do you think it is possible to set 3-4 orchard sprayer turbine in a row to move air? Also reverse the way it is turning. So instead off pulling air in from the back and push it out, it would suck in air and push it out in the back.
It is probably possible but those fans take a fair bit of power, you would need 3-4 tractors. The fins on the fans are designed and shaped to blow the other way so reversing them would reduce efficiency.
 

Deutzdx3

Member
View attachment 958600

If you look at the size of the fan, crop sprayer ones aren’t large enough. Especially as previously said, turning it the opposite way will reduce efficiency. The blades are Male to be progressive for maximum airflow in a certain direction.



Some thing more refined than these will be your cheapest option.
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
View attachment 958600

If you look at the size of the fan, crop sprayer ones aren’t large enough. Especially as previously said, turning it the opposite way will reduce efficiency. The blades are Male to be progressive for maximum airflow in a certain direction.



Some thing more refined than these will be your cheapest option.
Would they be as effective at keeping frost off as they are at getting rid of your prunings?
They look a bit clutching at straws to me.
 

Deutzdx3

Member
Would they be as effective at keeping frost off as they are at getting rid of your prunings?
They look a bit clutching at straws to me.

I have little knowledge of them tbh, from a couple of vineyard dealers we we supply machines to say they are very popular in Europe, fogdragon being the biggest, they create a thermal barrier in the vineyard with smoke and heat which displaces the cold air at ground level. If wood chip is burnt they don’t smoke. Got to be better than candles they currently use, there is a huge shortage and the price has gone up to £20 plus per candle from what I’m told. My interest is that I’ve been asked to develop a mobile machine for a local vineyard. Seems to be a big problem this year due to the inclement weather we’re currently having.
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
I have little knowledge of them tbh, from a couple of vineyard dealers we we supply machines to say they are very popular in Europe, fogdragon being the biggest, they create a thermal barrier in the vineyard with smoke and heat which displaces the cold air at ground level. If wood chip is burnt they don’t smoke. Got to be better than candles they currently use, there is a huge shortage and the price has gone up to £20 plus per candle from what I’m told. My interest is that I’ve been asked to develop a mobile machine for a local vineyard. Seems to be a big problem this year due to the inclement weather we’re currently having.
I have heard of serious damage on the continent to vineyards this year. My orchards are not having a great time of things but too early to say what size crop there might be yet.
If I was using frost protection it would have been every night for more than 2 weeks, that would literally be exhausting.
 

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