Orchard - Scale on Apples

Installer

HydroFLOW West.

 

Customer

Eastern Washington apple grower.

 

Application

Scale accumulation on apples.

 

Installed unit

Custom HydroFLOW 12” Water Conditioner.

 

Background

The Orchard in the Yakima Valley, Washington, incorporates overhead sprayers for temperature control and protection from sun damage. 

 

Problem Area

Even though acid is added to the sprayed water, apples still gather hard scale stains. The scale staining reduces the grade of the apples. In an average growing season, only 50% of the apples receive the highest grade rating.

 

Proposed Solution

Install a Custom HydroFLOW 12” I Range on the pipe which supplies water to the Orchard. 

 

Results

Scale deposits accumulate as fine powder which is very easy to remove. Over 90% of the apples are expected to receive the highest grade rating once processed. Note: The apples were picked at the end of 2013, placed in cold storage and are expected to be processed, packed and shipped during the first quarter of 2014. 

 

Additional Observations

Two weeks after the installation of the HydroFLOW water conditioner, the pond’s water became much clearer and the floating algae blooms reduced significantly. In addition, snails that used to clog the filters are no longer present. 

 

Customer Quote

Orchard Manager: “The pond has never been this clear and the white powder washes right off the apples. The benefits of HydroFLOW should have a very positive impact on our profits this season. Initial processing results are the best I’ve ever seen.”

 

For the full case study please click on the PDF.