REGINA – Brandt’s grain vac engineers were faced with a problem. Customers were satisfied with their grain vac’s capacity using shorter lengths of hose, but found that capacity dropped as more hose was added using the full-bin nozzles of the day.
Arnie Josephson, Canadian and international sales and marketing manager with Brandt Agricultural Products in Regina, said customers were satisfied with seven feet, but problems began once lengths reached more than 20 feet.
“What we found was, the longer they played with it, the happier they got, which meant there was a bit of a technique to it,” Josephson said.
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“The technique was ensuring the fan had enough air at all times to carry the grain.”
Grain would settle in the hose as soon as air speed or volume has slowed.
“So now you may have a seven-inch hose, but it’s half full of grain that’s not moving; your capacity is at least cut in half.”
Brandt felt its customers were still doing too much work by using the vacuum like a shovel: pushing it in the grain and constantly feeding it, but not allowing air. Brandt originally considered making a video to educate customers.
Customers who used the grain vac properly really liked it. They would move the hose slowly and let the grain come to them, never giving it more than 50 percent air and 50 percent grain.
“But that’s tricky and it takes more work,” Josephson said.
“People buy grain vacs to eliminate work, save their back, have less dust. They want it to be safe and fast. If it gets to the point where the nozzle isn’t letting enough air in and the grain isn’t flowing fast enough, they don’t want to own a vac.”
While Brandt was developing its model 5000 grain vac, it made an interesting discovery. The company knew that the amount of air intake was critical, but they found the amount needed when they added hoses exceeded the ability of current nozzle technology.
“The nozzles worked fine with one or two lengths of hose, but when the hose got to 25 or 30 feet, there wasn’t enough air,” Josephson said.
“The machine uses a centrifugal fan and the only source of air into the machine is the end of the nozzle. If you choke that off by giving it too much grain, the fan freewheels. It runs without air to feed it and your capacity drops.”
This discovery resulted in the MaxFlo nozzle, which Brandt designed to eliminate the guesswork of allowing the right mixture of air and grain to enter the hose.
Louvres along the length of the nozzle are designed to allow the proper amount of air into the hose, at all times.
“We have a ‘grain zone’ marked area on the end of the nozzle, about a foot, that can be stuck in the grain. You don’t have to worry about how far in it is. As long as it’s in the grain zone, it’s good to go,” said Josephson.
Users slide the proper amount of bands in place, corresponding to the length of hose being used. If they have 21 feet or more of hose, all of the stainless steel bands should be slid all the way up, uncovering all the louvres in the tube. Producers who use one length of hose may remove only one clip. As they add hose they slide clips back until all the clips are removed.
Josephson said grain may even enter through the louvres, but most importantly, when the end of the nozzle is covered in grain, there is still additional area that allows the proper amount of air to get in.
The MaxFlo nozzle is designed for any Brandt grain vac, going back to the 4000 models built in the mid-1990s.
Josephson said as long as producers have the right amount of nozzle exposed, they will get maximum capacity.
“What you find is, you set up at the bin, add a length of hose on, slide a clip back, jam it in the grain and go. In the past, you were constantly adjusting the nozzle end to make sure it wasn’t covering itself.”
Josephson said the MaxFlo eliminates grain buildup in the hose, which prevents restriction to the diameter of the column of air and grain moving through it. It keeps the grain in suspension, rather than letting it settle out.
“We have, in testing, consistently reached increases of up to 40 percent, with 21 feet of hose in place, over a standard nozzle,” Josephson said.
“People recognize this is something that will make operating their vac easier and faster.”
He said temperature also affects grain vacs, with -40 C being better than 40 C because the air is denser.
Josephson said the MaxFlo nozzle should also improve the capacity of other centrifugal fan units.
“I can’t comment on the positive displacement pump units, because they use different air flow. Centrifugal fan uses wind speed generated inside the machine, whereas a positive displacement pump displaces atmosphere.
“For other centrifugal fan vacs, we’re confident our nozzle would improve their performance, as well.”
He said the nozzle doesn’t require any more horsepower and doesn’t wear out any faster.
“We’re simply running more efficiently because we’re getting the right mix of air and grain, without having to worry about positioning the nozzle.”
Brandt’s nozzle fits on a seven-inch hose and lists for $310.
