Agricultural

Tractor and combine harvester working in the fields

How do you protect your machinery in the harvest fields?

All over the world, the agricultural industry holds a significant role in securing food availability. Risk and uncertainty are inherent to agriculture. The most common sources of risks are weather, climate, diseases, natural disasters and market changes, as well as injuries and fires.

Although the technology for farming and agricultural equipment keeps evolving, the heavy vehicles, such as tractors, combines and ploughs used in daily operations still pose a considerable fire risk.

Fire risks

The machines working in the fields can often experience debris buildup from the ground material. Straw and crop residue can easily ignite from the various heated components in the machine.

Engines, hydraulics, fuel, and electrical installations pose the most significant fire risks for vehicles. These fires often spread quickly and are hard to extinguish with a handheld extinguisher.

Fire incidents

Agricultural fires can be devastating, resulting in the loss of machinery, livestock, and stores of hay and straw, as well as causing significant harm to the surrounding environment. There are often lots of combustible materials stored in or around agricultural buildings. The isolated location and sometimes poor water supply mean that there is a risk of farm fires getting out of control.

Dafo Vehicle fire suppression system

Correctly planned and installed, a fire suppression system is a fast and effective way of providing the protection you need to prevent a disaster. The flexible, fully automatic system detects and extinguishes fire rapidly. It is designed to perform even under severe conditions in harsh environments.

Dafo Vehicle’s systems are easy to maintain and refill on-site, reducing downtime and operational costs as machines often operate in remote places.

How the system works

The Dafo Vehicle fire suppression system consists of four integrated elements; Detection, Alarm, Suppression and Control, which work together in a coordinated, fast and efficient way to suppress fires. The detection system consists of a linear heat detector wire. It has a fixed temperature sensor with an alarm signal triggered when the activation temperature of 180°C is reached. This signal punctures the burst disc of the propellant gas cartridge, which releases nitrogen into the agent container.

The Forrex liquid is distributed to the nozzles through the pipe system. At the same time, the alarm system is activated, and an alarm horn in the vehicle and a light signal in the panel will warn the driver. The liquid agent will push away the oxygen, cool down the overheated engine parts, impregnate the burning material, stick to surfaces and effectively prevent re-ignition. The Forrex is non-corrosive and environmentally friendly.

The control unit has a Real-time Clock and Event Log that allows access to historical data, making it possible to analyze previous events.

SV K System With CV 01 And Alarm Panel 2

Dafo Vehicle installation team working on a John Deere machine

In Sweden, insurance companies demand on-board fire suppression systems for several types of agricultural machines. The Dafo Vehicle fire protection system is particularly effective for these machines, where a combination of fibrous materials with oils and fuels can cause severe fires.

Further on, Dafo Vehicle can provide solutions for equipment not currently covered by regulations, such as straw presses, etc.

The rising risks: improving your farm’s fire safety

Since farming is not for the faint of heart, neither are the vehicles a farmer uses. Engines can typically overheat and catch fire in fields where machinery operates for extended periods of time.