2005-2008 Wind Machine Research Project 1
Research Team 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 – Dr. Helen Fisher , Department of Plant Agriculture 2
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
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
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
Blades rotate, while also turning around the tower over a few minutes Warm air above… …mixes with cold air at vine level 6
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
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
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
Cold weather thermal inversions • When air temp 2 ft above ground is < 0 o C and air temp 66 ft above ground is higher – No inversions 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
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
Recent cold weather • Night of 15 Feb. ‘07 at research vineyards – -22.1 o C (Above Escarpment) at 7:15 am – -17.5 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
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
1:45 am, wind machine idling • Vineyard ‘floor’ at 5.0 base of graph shows 4.5 temp sensor locations 4.0 (feet on x & y-axis) 3.5 • Wind machine centre 3.0 • Bars ‘up’ are temps at 2.5 vines; -0.2 o C to 0.4 o C 2.0 1.5 • Dashed bar is temp 1.0 66 ft above ground, 50 0.5 near 5 o C, so about a 250 0.0 5 o C ‘thermal inversion’ 0 -0.5 -265 500 353 250 50 -500 -125 -250 -375 14
2:45 am, wind machine full on • Note air temps in 5.0 influence of WM 4.5 have risen 1.2 to 4.0 3.7 o C (2.5 o C ave); 3.5 higher near WM 3.0 • Air temp 66 ft 2.5 above ground 2.0 remains about the same, near 5 o C 1.5 1.0 5 • Influence area is 250 0.5 being studied 0 0.0 -265 500 353 250 50 -500 -125 -250 375 15
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
Sound is cyclical for receivers Generalized Sound Pressure Levels (dBA) vs. Time for One Cycle of a Wind Machine With Respect to Receiver Rotation around vineyard Blades Airflow away Tower from receiver Airflow direction 3-5 dBA variance dBA Airflow at receiver 8-11 dBA variance Airflow 90° Airflow 90° to receiver to receiver 17 Time (4.5 to 6.5 minutes, depends on machine)
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
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
Bud Sampling Locations • 28 vineyard locations • 28 vineyard locations - - 18 vineyards W of canal & 10 vineyards E of 18 vineyards W of canal & 10 vineyards E of canal canal • 14 cultivars sampled • 14 cultivars sampled - - 117 total samples 117 total samples • Sample Dates (8) • Sample Dates (8) – – Nov 20/06, Dec 18/06, Jan 15/07, Jan 26/07, Nov 20/06, Dec 18/06, Jan 15/07, Jan 26/07, Feb 12/07, Feb 26/07, Mar 12/07, Apr 16/07 Feb 12/07, Feb 26/07, Mar 12/07, Apr 16/07 20
21 Live vs. Dead Grape Buds 1 o , 2 o and 3 o Buds Dead 1 o , 2 o and 3 o Buds Alive 2 o and 3 o Buds Alive 1 o Bud Dead 3 o 1 o 2 o
% Live Buds (Merlot) Jan 29-31, 2007 West of Canal East of Canal Bench 84-94 90-94 Central 93-96 96 Lakeshore 93 96 Parkway NS 85-91 22 Vinemount 92 NS
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
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
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 2006
Estimating Cold Hardiness of Grapevines in Niagara 27
Freezer #1 Chiller Unit Custom Software (BudFreeze) Sample Chamber Sample Chamber Thermistor Modeled from California system (Wample) 28
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
31
Sample Capacity Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Vinifera cultivars being Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, sampled (10) Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot Concord, Niagara Labrusca cultivars being sampled (2) Baco Noir, Foch, Vidal Hybrid cultivars being sampled (3) Old Setup – 10 wells x 5 buds/well # of daily samples - 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
Problems… 0.0016 0.0014 0.0012 0.001 0.0016 0.0008 0.0014 0.0006 0.0012 0.0004 0.001 0.0002 0.0008 0 0.0006 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 0.0004 0.0002 0 0.0012 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 0.001 0.0008 0.0006 0.0004 Data is still inconsistent 0.0002 -- WORK IN PROGRESS -- 0 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 33
34 Modeled from WSU system Modeled from WSU system Tenney Freezer
35 Thermistors and Trays
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 W.S.U. Freezer, March 2006 W.S.U. Freezer, March 2006 In the near future
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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