The end of harvest time in the Northern Hemisphere signals the approach of summer and peak growing season in the Southern Hemisphere. Where crops are irrigated, farmers will soon be checking and turning on their irrigation systems. This year, Cortec® encourages them to add corrosion protection to their annual maintenance routine.
The Corrosive Environment of Irrigation
Irrigation creates a naturally corrosive environment inside sprinkler pipes and pivot systems, especially where groundwater contains high chlorides and sulfites. In between intermittent operations, residual water can breed corrosion that gradually eats away at the system. Over time, corrosion can damage the equipment, creating leakage points and clogging the system with corrosion products. This in turn demands more repairs and leads to shortened asset service life, creating potentially huge losses for farmers.
Protect Aluminum Irrigation Pipes from Corrosion
Cortec® has designed EcoLine® AL-Corr™ to address the corrosion problem specifically in aluminum irrigation equipment. This corrosion inhibitor is meant to protect the system while it is in use, as well as during times of intermittent water flow. The product is formulated with ingredients approved for personal care products and food packaging materials and can be added directly to the irrigation water. Results of ASTM G31 immersion testing over a period of five weeks showed EcoLine® ALCorr™ to have a significant impact on aluminum corrosion rates at product dosage rates of 250 ppm.
Pursuing Sustainable Farming
When considering farming, it is natural to think of renewable resources and the health of the environment. EcoLine® AL-Corr™ plays a special role in this respect as a USDA Certified Biobased Product. It contains 81% USDA certified biobased content, making it an excellent choice for those seeking “green” chemistry and sustainable options. EcoLine® AL-Corr™ fits in well with the overall goal of sustainability not only because it draws on a large portion of renewable products, but also because it helps critical farming equipment last longer, delaying the need to replace expensive assets. This combination of economic and natural resource conservation is ideal.
Now is the Time to Plan for the Growing Season
With summer on its way south of the equator, now is an excellent time for farmers to evaluate the state of their farming equipment and make necessary preparations for the farming season. It is also a good time to make plans to fight corrosion. Taking the small step of adding EcoLine® ALCorr™ to irrigation water can have potentially significant long-term benefits by reducing corrosion rates and thus slowing deterioration in irrigation pipes and pivots. Contact Cortec® to learn more about using this USDA Certified Biobased Product to extend the service life of your irrigation equipment.
Keywords: irrigation, irrigation in Australia, irrigation in South America, Southern Hemisphere farming, Cortec corrosion inhibitors, corrosion protection, irrigation in Africa, USDA Certified Biobased Product, sustainable farming, corrosion in irrigation pipes
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