Booms claimed to have edge over rain guns
Booms claimed to have edge over rain guns
Bauer opened its factory
doors last week to reveal
its latest range of
irrigation equipment.
Andy Moore reports from
the companys headquarters
in Voitsberg, Austria
STAND by your pumps… Austrian irrigation equipment manufacturer Bauer has introduced two new hose reel ranges.
Designated Rainstar, the T and E range comprises 10 models which cater for the needs of small to large-scale vegetable and root crop growers.
Pipe lengths for the smaller T and larger E range are from 190m to 450m, and 300m to 650m respectively.
Discharge capacities are rated at 14mm to 69mm for T models, with E machines capable of discharging 17mm to 118mm.
"The Rainstar range has been developed for growers seeking greater irrigating efficiency and accuracy to ensure maximum crop coverage," says Rob Heap of Bauer UK.
Several modifications
"This has been achieved by upgrading the hose reels with a number of modifications."
Both ranges now have TVR turbines with Varionozzles which can be adjusted to handle both large and small water flows.
Accurate flow adjustment, says Mr Heap, allows more efficient water use while another advantage of the turbines is said to be reduced connecting pressures.
The smaller T models require connecting pressures from 3.5 to 11bar, with the larger E models demanding 4.5 to 11bar.
Retraction speed of the spray guns and irrigation booms is adjusted through a manually operated four-speed gearbox.
Speeds of up to 90m/hour are monitored every 1m by magnet sensors which relay information to the companys Ecostar 4000S computer.
"Powered by solar power, this computer is the think-tank behind all hose reel operations," says Mr Heap. "The computer controls retraction speed and indicates remaining and outstanding run time."
The computer also has a pre/post irrigation facility which enables more or less water to be applied when the application apparatus starts and finishes its run.
To allow quicker and easier manoeuvrability at headlands, the spray gun or boom is lifted hydraulically off the ground by a rear pair of support legs.
The application apparatus, together with hose reel is then rotated hydraulically on a turntable through 90deg, allowing the single or tandem axle chassis to be towed to the next irrigation run.
Although both ranges are fully compatible with Bauers rain gun range, the company is at pains to point out the advantages of its latest irrigation AS boom range.
Less evaporation
"The irrigation booms require much less pressure to operate than the spray guns and can increase work rates by up to 10% due to faster retraction speeds," claims Mr Heap. "Evaporation is also significantly less with booms because the water drop height is much lower."
E models are designed to operate with the companys AS32 booms in 40m, 44m and 50m widths, while T models work with the AS50 boom in 58m, 62m and 72m widths.
For irrigating undulating fields, each half of the boom is equipped with hanging counter weights to ensure the entire section remains level with the ground.
For the future, Bauer says it intends to promote its hose reel range with the use of GSM and DGPS technology as part of a precision farming system.
"GSM technology will enable the operator to use a mobile phone to monitor operating conditions such as wind, temperature and machine progress," says Mr Heap. "This will allow the operator to monitor the progress of the hose reel from the comfort of the farm office or tractor cab."
DGPS technology, says Mr Heap, can also be utilised to produce an irrigation map based on climate and soil type.
Price of the T61, complete with rain gun, starts at £10,000 with the similarly equipped mid-range E41 starting from £16,000. *