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Irish-made effluent tankers, with capacity of 25,000 litres, are heading to mid-Canterbury.
Believed to be two of the largest effluent tankers built in Ireland, Conor Engineering of County Clare has recently shipped a duo of 30 cubic metre units, destined for the large paddocks of Mid Canterbury.
With capacities of 6,000 gallons or 25,000 litres, most of the statistics on the pair are plus-sized, as will be the contractor’s prime movers that will be tasked with hauling these heavy loads.
With liquid effluent typically 1,000kg per cubic metre, the 30 tonne load will be added to the tanker’s tare weight of around 7 tonnes, plus the prime movers weight, meaning they will only be destined for off-road applications when fully loaded.
Alongside their impressive physical statistics, the standard equipment hits some big numbers too, with a fast turnaround assured by a vacuum pump capable of 18,000l/min. This is augmented by an additional centrifugal pump mounted on top of the filler arm.
The company notes that high capacity pumps of this type, used in rapid-fill situations over short bursts, are prone to overheating, so the configuration includes an air/water cooling system with a radiator bank mounted next to the vacuum pump.
Up at the front end, the drawbar is fitted with a spring-damped hydraulic system, ball and spoon coupling, air brakes and complemented by a hand operated parking jack or easy attachment and removal.
Loading on one unit is via a direct-fill system, featuring an 8-inch pipe dropped directly into a holding, with a hydraulic bleed valve incorporated to drain the pipe when it is raised.
The second tanker is filled via a loading pipe that couples to a ground-based loading hopper, carried under the tanker body when not in use or during transit between jobs.
Equipped with a tri-axle system, using forced steering on the front and rear assemblies, the configuration is said to allow tight turns in confined spaces.
The tankers also incorporate a clever tank balance system, meaning the operator can empty from the rear of the tanker during downhill sections and return to front end emptying on level ground.
At the business end of the tankers, a four-section, the 12-metre boom and dribble bar assembly is carried on a three-point linkage system that allows the contractor to attach a separate shallow disc cultivator if the effluent needs to be incorporated. A clever boom unfold system works sequentially from the transport position, out into the full 12m working width.
The tankers are also pre-equipped with variable application technology, which the owner is considering for the future.
Taking around 3 months to build, followed by an estimated 10-week journey time to New Zealand, the purchaser is obviously keen to exploit the fertiliser value of effluent, having invested €360,000 ($615,000) in the machines – of course with an all-black colour scheme.
www.cochranes.co.nz
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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