Similar to tree nurseries, intensively used areas in grapevine nurseries may have damaged soil and plants. Cultures with long growing cycle have a considerable risk of loss on depleted and sick soil.
After yielding extraordinarily positive results for soil steaming in vegetable gardening last year, the Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) expects similar good effects for hotsteam in vine plants growing.
On the 14th of April 2011 a special steaming method came to use. The challenge was to reach temperatures of over 90°C in up to 40 cm depth within a short period of time. A special steaming hood was used which was equipped with twelve 40 cm long steaming spikes per sqm. This method allows the induction of 60 to 80 kg steam per hour per m³ soil which reduces steaming time down to 15 minutes.
Spike hood with steam connection openings Spike hood with steam connection
On the treated area as well as on the control area plant growth will be monitored in a long term study. Results are expected within the next 2-3 years.
In Altdorf, close to Bonn Germany, the Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) conducts another steaming trial. The regeneration of soil for tree and shrug cultures is in the focus. After the successful application of hot steam in growing vegetables in the last two years that reaped astonishing effects such as an increase of growth to up to 30% and the complete killing of weeds, the leading research institute is also convinced that steam can solve the most important issues in fruit and berry growing.
The problems which appear in such cultures are manifold. In particular harvests can be distroyed by soil fatigue and other soilborne pathogens such as nemathodes, fungi and bacteria which may cause the grower to close down.
Hence it is important that the soil is healthy and clean before planting. The use of pesticides becomes more and more problematic. Now steam shall be the alternative.
The DLR Rheinlandpfalz treated an area of altogether 200m² at the beginning of April 2011. The area was covered with heat resistant sheets. Through a special steam injector steam was induced underneath the sheets for 4 hours. During this time steam penetrated the soil down to 30-35 cm depth and heated it up to at least 85°C. Right after steaming new plants were planted on the area.
Sheet steaming in tree nurseries
In the upcoming months positive effects are expected in particular such as plant growth and increase of harvest.
The Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) has published the latest research results on steaming of field salad cultures in greenhouses.
In the end of 2010 an area of 600 sqm were treated down to 10 cm depth with the latest steaming system “Steam Mixer”, invented by Mobildampf. The output of the steaming system reaches up to 1000 kg steam per hour at about 180sqm / h.
All results are in favor of steaming. While the untreated control area only had a yield of merely 560gr sqm of fresh mass and was infested by weed, the area treated with hot steam was completely weed-free and yielded 700gr/sqm – an increase of about 25%.
Untreated control area with weeds yielding 560kg/m2 of fresh massSteamed area without weeds yielding 700gr/sqm
Hundreds of kilometers of shoreline of the Upper Rhine are protected with concrete panels which are joint with each other. In the course of time plants settle in the joints which weaken the structure of the damns. This is a big issue for flood control. Several years ago joints were kept weed free by using herbicides. Due to environmental reasons, herbicides were replaced with manual or mechanical weed control measures.
However on the French side of the Rhine new measures are being assessed.
Joint between two concrete panels
Due to high labor cost and relatively low effectivity, authorities started to look for new ways to control weeds. After several tests with hot steam yielded excellent results, concrete panels and joints will be treated with steam every year. This saves labor time and brings much better results.
For further information please get in touch with the company MSD Corp., Durbach; Email: info@msd-ag.de
As in 2009 the present winter 2010/2010 is extraordinarily snowy. Streets and paths need to be cleared, masses of snow pile up to big mountains. Where to put it?
On German roofs the situtation here and there gets serious. Snowslides become a threat. Snowloads of 30-60 kg per m² roofage are critical. Many flat roofs are in danger of imminent collapse. The result: Communities are forced to close down larger halls and buildings in order to avoid catastrophes.
Industrial plants also need to clear their flat roofs which causes high cost. Hot steam may be an appropriate solution to get rid of snow quickly and cost efficiently.
With steam it’s possible to kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand the roof gets cleared of snow quickly without high labour cost, on the other hand snow simply flows down the roof rail with a temperature of ~6°C at reduced volume as water and doesn’t need to be removed.
Energy cost for melting snow is rather low. In order to melt about 100kg (=~1m³) of snow about 33.500 kJ (=8.006,5 kcal) are needed – this is equivalent to the energy contained by less than one liter fuel oil.
When comparing the steaming method with conventional clearing methods the cost advantages gets obvious. One person clears about 8-10m³ (=800-1.000 kg) snow on average per hour. If an hourly rate of only 20EUR/h is used clearing cost (without snow removal) of about 2 EUR/m³ arise. Furthermore powerful steam generators are able to melt up to 16.000 kg of snow per h (=~16 people).
The use of hot steam is quite simple: Through perforated pipes or hoses, which can easily be layed out on the roof, steam is induced and penetrates the snow. Snow melts. In order to improve efficiency snow can be piled up on top of the steam pipes.
A small demonstration by MSD Corp. / Germany illustrates the method how bigger amounts of snow can be easily cleared:
Steam fork with perforated pipes underneath a pile of snow
1. Underneath a big pile of snow a steam fork gets installed. Steam is induced from a steam boiler through steaming hoses. In this example a steam output of 500kg / h is used.
Steam is induced underneath the snow.
2. Through the steam fork steam is induced underneath the snow and exits through holes in the perforated pipes.
Steam exits
3. Here and there steam finds its way to the surface. It is recommended to close such gaps with snow in order to increase efficiency until snow is completely melted.
Please request more information directly at MSD Corp. from Durbach using the email address : info@msd-ag.de .
As often as hardly before steaming against weeds and pathogens has been a popular topic among experts. On the 10th of November 2010 one speech called „steaming with new technologies“ was dedicated to steaming of open land areas at the speech conference for horticulture organized by the State Horticultural College and Research Institute in Heidelberg (LVG Heidelberg). In the speech in particular the „Daempfmobil“, a fully automated steaming system as well as the „Steam Mixer“ were presented.
Furthermore LVG Heidelberg introduced the research results of a study on steaming baby leaf salads which was prepared by the University Hohenheim in the summer of 2009.
With Steam increased yields without weeds
In the research report concise evidence was provided not only that hot steam as weed control measure is superior to herbicides and mechanical methods but also that steam increases yields significantly.
Fresh mass of salad in kg/ha in comparisson to soil steaming (Bodendämpfung), herbicide (Herbizid), hand hoe (Handhacke) and control area
Comparison of fresh mass of salad for several different weed control measures.
As yields hardly differ between the control area and the areas using herbicide and hoe as control weed measure the significant yield increase after steaming (almost 100%) is especially remarkable.
Fresh mass of weeds in kg/ha in comparisson to soil steaming (Bodendämpfung), herbicide (Herbizid), hand hoe (Handhacke) and control area
Comparison of fresh mass of weeds for several different weed control measures
Although the use of herbicide shows better results than the hoe, the superiority of steaming is obvious. In contrast to all other methods steaming almost eliminates all weeds.
Besides the conference in Heidelberg, the horticulture day of the Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) which took place on the 26th of November 2010, provided another platform to present the positive effects of steaming. Within one speech the amazing steaming success of the latest tests of this year against weeds were introduced.
Mid of September Mobildampf has introduced a new steaming system called Steam – Mixer. Mobildampf is one of the leading steam device rental companies in Germany which mainly offers sheet steaming.
The goal of the innovation was to provide a simple and continuous process for sheet steaming which can be used outdoors and in green houses for steaming depths at 10-25 cm.
At a field show of the Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rineland Palatinate) a fully functional prototype was presented which reaches about 10 cm of steaming depth. The device was simply attached to a narrow-track tractor which sterilized an area of about 200m²/h at a speed of 100m/h.
Continuous steaming with a Steam – Mixer
In the future the device will be extended to allow steaming depths to up to 25cm and that 3 tracks can be steamed simultaneously.
Please click on the following link to view a video that shows the use of the system: Steaming-mixer by Mobildampf
The Service Center for Rural Areas (DLR) Rheinlandpfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) has demonstrated the results of an extensive research series for weed control in beet cultures (in particular for arugula) at a field show on the 16th of September 2010. The research study compared the effectiveness of several herbicides and hot steam.
The tests were started in spring and repeated in summer 2010. The results were impressive and can be concluded as follows:
The use of herbicides decreased yield by up to 80%, depending on what kind of herbicide was used against what kind of weed. Steaming however lead to an increase of yield due to a significant growth projection of about 2-3 weeks. Thereby steam had a 100% effectiveness against all kinds of weed.
Arugula on steamed soil Arugula after herbicide treatmentBeetroot on steamed soilBeetroot after herbicide treatment
This positive effect was reconfirmed at a second research study during summer. The report was published on hortigate.de in September 2010. You may download the document as a PDF by clicking on the following link:
Swiss vegetable growers are facing major challenges as no permitted herbicides for weed control are available in particular for arugula cultures.
Therefore the company MSD Corp. from Germany, one of the leading soil steaming specialists, presented the advantages of steaming for weed control at the Horticulture Day of Wädenswil University in Switzerland. Mr. Seifert, the CEO of MSD Corp., demonstrated the effectiveness of steaming against all kinds of weeds to all of the 100 visitors. Present research results were introduced which confirm the positive effects of hot steam.
MSD Corp. was the only privately owned company which was invited by the university and its associated Agroscope-Institute to present their products and methods.
The production of environmental friendly paint strictly requires hygiene in order to guarantee high product quality. One of the leading producers of special paints in Germany, the company Schulz Ltd. located in the province Rhineland Palatinate, has discovered steam as means for sterilization in order to disinfect storage tanks after the production of organic paint. In particular, tanks need to be freed from bacteria of the family Pseudomonas.
In the mid of July 2010 first steaming tests took place under the supervision of the company Thor Ltd. located in Speyer. A steam generator manufactured by MSD Corp. with an output of 220 kg / h was used. Steam was induced into the tanks through a special pipe system. The tanks, having a volume of a bout ~8m³, were steamed for about half an hour. Steam was induced through customized injectors at the bottom of the tanks. Condensate ran off through outflow ports at the bottom.
The results were confirmed last week by the company Thor. Steaming lead to complete decontamination of storage tanks. After steaming no bacteria could be found. After the successful tests, the paint producer considers the installation of a stationary steaming system for their operations.
