Most equipment appraisers are captivated by some of the equipment they appraise and that’s certainly true of me. Earlier this year on an equipment appraisal inspection in the Salinas Valley I had the pleasure of chatting with a couple of agricultural mechanics who had modified several dozen ESS (electrostatic spraying systems) sprayers especially for berry spraying. Especially for strawberry spraying, I should say, although there was one modified for blackberries as well. And of course in the Salad Bowl of America, ESS spraying equipment is also used for uncountable acres of leafy greens.
Electrostatic spraying equipment, as many of you probably know, depends on a tiny electrode at the tip of the spray nozzle that applies an electrical charge to the spray. That electrical charge, according to the MaxCharge technology page,
causes a natural force of attraction between the spray droplets and target surface, similar to the attraction between items of clothing created by the tumbling of a clothes dryer. The attraction to the target’s surfaces relates to Coulomb’s Law, which states that any two charged objects will create a force on each other. The charge on the droplets, though small, pulls the spray towards the target at 75 times the force of gravity. The spray droplets can reverse direction, moving against gravity, to coat all sides of an object.
I’ve appraised more than a few ESS sprayers over the years & I’m still impressed with the technology and the different ways it’s been put to use, not only in agricultural applications, but also in the fields of commercial sanitation and industry.
Agricultural ESS equipment — the kind I appraise most often — falls into 5 categories: row crop sprayers, vineyard sprayers, orchard sprayers, narrow row sprayers, and greenhouse sprayers. Vineyard sprayers can apparently be configured for multiple trellis systems. Handy for grape growers who are transitioning from old school growing to some of the new trellis systems mentioned in our recent post on raisin harvesting equipment and methods.
ESS sanitation equipment is relatively small compared to agricultural ESS sprayers. Some folks might think, then, that it’s not as exciting, but in 2008, EMS Expo awarded its Top Innovation Award to the breakthrough SC-1 ESS disinfecting sprayer. These sanitization sprayers are used not only on buses, in hospitals and other public areas, but also in food processing areas. A handy bit of equipment to have around for many reasons, in many industries, I’d imagine.
Which brings us to the last category for ESS sprayers: industrial applications. Painting and industrial coating equipment was the first thought I had. Food safety, as mentioned above, as well as food processing, is also an opportunity to use this equipment; think sugar glazing, egg washing, butter and chocolate spraying … and yes, sunless suntans!
As a final note, at the 2003 Physics Congress, one of the original developers of ESS technology — University of Georgia’s Professor Ed Law — discussed ESS equipment that could “save lives after a terrorist attack involving chemical or biological weapons.” Dr. Law, along with Steve Cooper, a former UGA grad student, originally developed the electrostatic spraying process at the University of Georgia. Coincidentally, I took some UGA ag classes several decades ago, although I didn’t have the opportunity to meet Dr. Law. It’s a testament to agricultural research in general that equipment developed for farming can be translated into so many other areas of industry.
Jack Young
Equipment Enthusiast & Appraiser
NorCal Valuation
