Prepare for the cold season

Managing the livestock production and plant growth in a profitable manner is not an easy task, especially through the winter time, with unpredictable and fierce weather conditions. Farmers and growers know that animals and plants that are kept warm during extreme and cold weather conditions perform and produce enough to support the profitability.

On the other hand, financial losses await those who fail to prepare. Replacing dead livestock animals or plants when exposed to freezing temperatures is extremely costly, and, that is not all. Additional costs are building up through consequent lost production while waiting for replacement livestock to mature. Production losses are yet another scenario, which comes from underperforming livestock growth due to low temperature and rough conditions. Last but not least, inadequate or inefficient heating equipment can be also an additional cost building up.

The key to avoid financial losses, unnecessary costs and underperforming livestock lies within the preparation. A foreseeing farmer looks first on having the right type of heating equipment, which enables proper heating for all animals or plants. Second of all, he/she makes sure that the heating equipment is functioning properly and efficiently.

The process of deciding upon a certain heating application usually starts with the availability of various fuels and their relative costs. In such cases, a decision is made between gaseous or oil fuels, both of which produce combustion gases. Gaseous fuel is a clean burning fuel, producing mostly water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Besides water vapor and CO₂, the oil fuels also produce nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and carbon monoxide (CO).

In mechanically ventilated buildings, such as livestock housings, the released combustion gases (water vapor and
CO₂ in the air), will not harm the animals. Therefore, direct fired air heating equipment, is ideally suited for such application. The main advantage of direct fired air heating applications is that all the heat is released in the air stream enabling the heater to give 100% thermal efficiency.

When oil fuels are used, the harmful combustion gases should be released outside the building in order to assure a healthy climate for animals and plants. This is referred to as indirect fired air heating equipment.  The main advantage of indirect fired air heating applications is that only clean and dry heat is released in the airstream, enabling the combustion  gases to be released separately from the air stream.

 

Munters’ air heating equipment is designed to assure the optimal degree of climate control needed for specific application. Distinguished by robustness and reliability, Munters’ air heaters represent cost-effective quality heating solutions for complete horticultural and agricultural applications.

So don’t be surprised by winter this year, stay ahead of the game and surprise winter by making sure your customers have the right heating equipment installed and that it has been serviced for uninterrupted function during the harshest time of the year.