Wind Machine Research Project

Transcription

1 Wind Machine Research Project 1

2 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs Ken Slingerland, Tender Fruit and Grape Specialist Hugh Fraser, Agricultural Engineer Brock University Kevin Ker, Research Associate University of Guelph Research Team Dr. Helen Fisher, Department of Plant Agriculture 2

3 Thanks to our sponsors & funders Co-sponsors Grape Growers of Ontario & Wine Council of Ontario Funders Grape Growers of Ontario Wine Council of Ontario CanAdvance (Agricultural Adaptation Council) CRESTech (Ontario Centres of Excellence) Orchard-Rite Wind Machines Chinook Wind Machines NPF&VGA Ontario Tender Fruit Producers Agricorp KCMS 3

4 Broad objective of project Through applied field research, find the optimum timing for using wind machines so as to minimize their use, which is good for: Growers, as it saves them time and money, and Neighbours, as it reduces nuisance noise effects 4

5 What are wind machines? Large fans that pull warm air down from high above ground during strong thermal inversions, raising air temperatures around cold-sensitive grapes & tender fruits They can help protect crops from cold-injury affecting following crop & future plant health Now close to 500 in Ontario, mostly in grapes 5

6 Blades rotate, while also turning around the tower over a few minutes Warm air above mixes with cold air at vine level 6

7 When are wind machines used? To protect crops against cold injury at 3 times: Winter s cold temps (colder than about -15 o C) Late spring frosts Early autumn frosts 7

8 Wind machine hours of use Research shows Niagara s wind machines yearly use (winter/spring/fall) has been: Those operated 3 years: average 52 hours/year Wide range of 27 to 81 hours/year Those operated 2 years: average 43 hours/year Wide range of 29 to 75 hours/year Those operated 1 year: average 36 hours/year Wide range of 10 to 73 hours/year 8

9 Predicted hours of use We had predicted up to 75 to 100 h/year Now predict much less, but conservatively 25 to 75 h/year with long-term at 50 h/yr WM use goes down as. Experience goes up Temperature/wind monitoring improves Information on crop hardiness improves Wide range of use in same areas puzzling 9

10 Cold weather thermal inversions When air temp 2 ft above ground is < 0 o C and air temp 66 ft above ground is higher Noinversions if winds > 8 km/h Greatest cold weather inversion yet 11.2 o C Nov. 25, 2006 at 11:15 pm -0.8 o C at 2 feet, while balmy 10.4 o C at 66 feet 10

11 Less use less fuel cost Some growers using WM less based on our findings about the lack of thermal inversions when there is much wind If research means growers use WM just 10% less, or 5 h/yr, per machine, this is over $100,000 savings in fuel costs for industry & more sleep for neighbours (and growers ) 11

12 Recent cold weather Night of 15 Feb. 07 at research vineyards o C (Above Escarpment) at 7:15 am o C (Virgil) at 7:15 am Some growers reported colder temperatures Be certain your temperature sensors are properly calibrated, and you are monitoring at appropriate locations 12

13 2006 spring frosts WM ran 4 nights in late April/early May at our Virgil research vineyard Total of 29 hours Next 2 slides show how air temperatures at 2 ft level were affected on 28 April 2006 just before WM turned on at 1:45 am, then at 2:45 am after 1 hour of operation 13

14 1:45 am, wind machine idling Vineyard floor at base of graph shows temp sensor locations (feet on x & y-axis) Wind machine centre Bars up are temps at vines; -0.2 o C to 0.4 o C Dashed bar is temp 66 ft above ground, near 5 o C, so about a 5 o C thermal inversion

15 2:45 am, wind machine full on Note air temps in influence of WM have risen 1.2 to 3.7 o C (2.5 o C ave); higher near WM Air temp 66 ft above ground remains about the same, near 5 o C Influence area is being studied

16 Wind Machine Sound Level Study Most sound from blades speed, diameter, shape, # blades, tower design, airflow, any wind present even from adjacent WM Sound worse in homes with Large rooms/equal dimensions Squarish shape & corners Large windows Hard surfaces Light construction, less insulation 16

17 Sound is cyclical for receivers Generalized Sound Pressure Levels (dba) vs. Time for One Cycle of a Wind Machine With Respect to Receiver Blades Tower Airflow direction Rotation around vineyard 3-5 dba variance Airflow away from receiver dba Airflow at receiver Airflow 90 to receiver 8-11 dba variance Airflow 90 to receiver Time (4.5 to 6.5 minutes, depends on machine) 17

18 Please consider your neighbours More WM are coming so keep these in mind Give closest neighbours heads up on new ones Tell why needed & who to call if issues Try to place WM so homes out of airflow range Adjust temp sensors over winter season Never operate WM at wind speeds above 8 km/h 18

19 Bud Sampling Zones The grape growing areas of the Niagara Peninsula were divided into different climatic zones which closely resemble the Niagara Grape Climatic Zones, map originally published in 1976 and revised in 2001 by Fisher and Slingerland. 19

20 Bud Sampling Locations 28 vineyard locations - 18 vineyards W of canal & 10 vineyards E of canal 14 cultivars sampled total samples Sample Dates (8) Nov 20/06, Dec 18/06, Jan 15/07, Jan 26/07, Feb 12/07, Feb 26/07, Mar 12/07, Apr 16/07 20

21 Live vs. Dead Grape Buds 1 o 2 o 3 o 1 o, 2 o and 3 o Buds Alive 1 o Bud Dead 2 o and 3 o Buds Alive 1 o, 2 o and 3 o Buds Dead 21

22 % Live Buds (Merlot) Jan 29-31, 2007 West of Canal East of Canal Bench Central Lakeshore Parkway NS Vinemount 92 NS 22

23 Assessing Vine Cold Hardiness Predicting at which cold temperatures grape buds, xylem or phloem will die would be a great tool for growers to know when, or if, to turn on wind machines However, the temperatures at which bud mortality occurs changes depending on the variety, time of season & many other factors 23

24 Assessing Hardiness Use of precise, programmable freezers that lower air temps slowly over time When ice crystals form inside inside buds, xylem or phloem, a tiny amount of heat (exotherm) is released that can be measured with sensitive equipment Spikes on graph tell when killing temps occur 24

25 What is an exotherm? Definition The amount of heat given off by a chemical reaction As water freezes (ice nucleation) heat is released from the system (exotherm) HEAT H 2 O Liquid H 2 O Solid 25

26 Source Lynn Mills WSU

27 Estimating Cold Hardiness of Grapevines in Niagara 27

28 Freezer #1 Chiller Unit Custom Software (BudFreeze) Sample Chamber Modeled from California system (Wample) Sample Chamber Thermistor 28

29 Sample Chamber Cooled liquid travels from chiller, through insulated tubing, into the top of the sample chamber and back to chiller 29

30 Sample Preperation 30

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32 Sample Capacity Vinifera cultivars being sampled (10) Labrusca cultivars being sampled (2) Hybrid cultivars being sampled (3) # of daily samples Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot Concord, Niagara Baco Noir, Foch, Vidal Old Setup 10 wells x 5 buds/well -4 cultivars/day New Setup 8 wells x 5 buds/well -3 cultivars/day All listed cultivars are currently being sampled one time each week. 32

33 Problems Data is still inconsistent -- WORK IN PROGRESS -- 33

34 Tenney Freezer Modeled from WSU system 34

35 Thermistors and Trays 35

36 Data Acquisition System (DAS) 40 channel, high speed data scanning and logging system Scans and logs all data from freezer unit and organizes it into Excel THE BRAIN 36

37 In the near future W.S.U. Freezer, March

38 Summary Wind machines can modify vineyard temps Wind machines do not make vines hardier Be aware of wind machine sound & neighbours Monitor temperatures at your own vineyard Check bud viability throughout winter at your farm 38

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