Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes – Including heating or cooling
Patent
1998-09-18
2000-06-13
Shaver, Kevin
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
Including heating or cooling
239128, 239130, 239135, 239136, B05B 124
Patent
active
060738596
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
Process and apparatus for eliminating weeds and cleaning surfaces The invention concerns a process and an apparatus for eliminating weeds and destroying seeds thereof with spraying of the weeds and the surface of the ground covered thereby, with superheated steam issuing from at least one nozzle at a temperature of at least 115.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 7 bars. The process according to the invention and the apparatus according to the invention are also suitable for cleaning surfaces.
An apparatus is known (German utility model No 89 11 869) for eliminating weeds comprising a wheeled chassis with a frame which is held thereon at a predetermined height above the ground, with a gas burner which is carried on the frame and which is directed on to a metallic reflection surface. The reflection surface is heated by the gas burner to nearly 1000.degree. C. The reflection surface reflects the heat in the form of infra-red radiation downwardly towards the ground and the weeds growing therein. The plants are heated to about a maximum of 70.degree. by the infra-red radiation. The heat destroys the proteins in the plant cells and the plants wither. Destruction of the proteins in the plant cells cannot be immediately perceived by the eye. Some days can elapse until the weeds wither and decay. That time which elapses up to the moment of perceiving the result does not in any way alter the fact that the weeds are effectively destroyed and thus prevented from further growth. It can happen however that assistant workers operating with the known apparatus do not perceive that time factor. They observe the weeds prior to and after the treatment with the known apparatus and do not perceive any difference of substance in terms of their appearance. Therefore they set the gas burner or burners to a higher output. That can result in really burning the weeds. However it represents a wastage of energy. The burnt or singed weeds remain with their roots in the ground. That then has the result that they decay on the spot and fertilise the ground, which results in fresh vigorous growth with new weeds.
Effective operation of the known apparatus requires dry weather. In the case of damp weather or even rain the heat generated by the infra-red radiation at the surface of the weeds is used up by the latent heat to such an extent that the temperature required to destroy the proteins, of about 70.degree. C., is not reached. When the known apparatus is used in gardens or parks in which that use is planned at the earliest on the day before, rain and the resulting non-usability of the known apparatus do not represent any difficulty. The German railway authorities however use maintenance or working trains consisting of several carriages for eliminating the weeds from the track ballast and the adjoining embankment strips. On many sections those working trains can only be used at night during hours involving a low level of rail traffic. Ascertaining or arranging for those hours involving a low level of traffic and the allocation of personnel for night working require forward planning of some weeks. It is now an awkward and expensive undertaking if such a working train cannot be used because of damp weather or rain.
When the known apparatus is used in Summer or in hot countries as in Southern Europe, there is also the risk of grass and forest fires. When travelling along sections of rail track with the above-mentioned working train or when treating large areas with an apparatus connected to a truck the treated surface can scarcely be observed and in particular not over a prolonged period of time after a treatment. It then happens that dry leaves, dried grasses or paper between the weeds is set on fire and begins to burn.
A process and an apparatus of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification are known (WO 94/26102), in which hot water under pressure is discharged at a temperature of between 100.degree. C. and 110.degree. C. and under an increased pressure. That process and apparatus have not proven successful in a pract
REFERENCES:
patent: 1042688 (1912-10-01), Key
patent: 1195027 (1916-08-01), Jones
patent: 5020510 (1991-06-01), Jones
patent: 5366154 (1994-11-01), Thompson
Deal David
Shaver Kevin
Werner Gorgens Consulting and Trading
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