Lindsay develops solution that generates energy savings in pivots

One of the biggest bottlenecks in Brazilian agricultural production is the high cost of electricity, especially for farms that use pivots for irrigation. As in many cases it is unfeasible to cultivate without irrigation, the producer needs to find alternative times to be able to use their equipment more economically. To help solve this common problem in many properties, Lindsay América do Sul developed a solution that can generate savings of up to 50% in the cost of electricity when pumping the pivot.

According to Lindsay's engineering analyst, Flavio Luizari de Oliveira, electrical engineer and telecommunications specialist, the company managed to develop this new product that differentiates itself by being robust, viable, easy and that meets an increasingly growing demand from irrigators. and Lindsay clients. “We know how much more expensive electricity has become in Brazil, this is in addition to rumors that the benefit of the nightly tariff for irrigators will be eliminated in the coming years”, he says.

Lindsay's new feature allows you to save electrical energy when pumping new and old pivots and is mainly recommended for equipment that is in operation in areas with steep gradients. Every project has its pumping idealized for the highest point where the pivot can be on the ground. The system allows the use of a frequency inverter to vary the speed and consequently reduce energy consumption when the pivot is located in a lower position. “The energy savings provided are very large and will depend on how much unevenness there is in the field”, highlights Oliveira.

Unlike other systems on the market, Lindsay does not use wireless devices for communication between pivot and pumping, but rather the bipolar cable itself, already present in most pivots installed in Brazil. This allows for much more reliable and accurate communication of all pivot pressure, ultimately meaning that the customer's equipment will work at the right pressure throughout the entire route. “The challenge was to develop a reliable solution that would not be so expensive as to make the project unfeasible,” says the engineer.

Accessible technology

According to Lindsay's engineering analyst, with the proven results of this solution, the company expects great demand from customers. This is because it is estimated that around 30% of the pivots that are sold by the company are operating in areas where the terrain is steep. “This is a solution that does not depend on the culture but rather on the amount of slope the property has and what makes it viable is the amount of electricity savings it generates”, he says.

On the farm where this system was first implemented, which is located in the interior of São Paulo, in a region with large slopes, where irrigation is carried out on wheat crops, in addition to energy savings, a reduction in expenses with maintenance of equipment. As the water pressure was strong in the lower areas, it was common to lose the pivot hose, which in turn was ripped from the nozzles. A problem that will probably never occur again.

The solution is available to producers throughout Brazil. Simply contact the company and the technicians will carry out a personalized study of the property to demonstrate to the client the potential savings that can be achieved, whether it is viable or not and what return this will provide. “By analyzing the property map we were able to identify how much you could save. From there, we install the inverters in this system that takes all the pressure readings on the pivots that already have them, without having to make major modifications. This is the great difference of this system. We were able to install it in new projects and we were also able to install it in equipment that is already in the field”, concludes the engineer.