weedingtech Foamstream L12, User Manual, Page: 10 / 32

L12 – User manual – English (EU/USA) – 15/01/2020 - ISSUE 4
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5 FOAMSTREAM®
5.1 How FOAMSTREAM® kills weeds
Foamstream® uses heat to kill weeds. Water is heated to
near boiling point and then mixed with the Foamstream®
concentrate to produce foam before being applied. The foam
blanket ensures that the heat is held on the plant so that the
weeds experience hot, killing temperatures for a few
seconds. Figure 6 below explains and compares the process
to hot water and steam.
5.2 Indicators
The lances can apply large volumes of water and foam and
can be used to kill larger weeds. Foam cover, and hence heat
retention on weeds, is easier to achieve on prostrate plants
that are near the ground. Tall plants should be trodden
down either by foot or by using the lance outlet, to aid foam
cover and heat retention.
Figure 3 - Foamstream during treatment
Immediately after treatment, weeds will go dark green and
limp. This indicates that the machine is operating properly.
The weeds will die; this becomes more obvious within the
next one to seven days (depending on species and weather).
If weeds fail to go limp, temperatures may be too low or
treatment speed too high.
Figure 4 - Weed immediately after treatment with Foamstream
Figure 5 - Weed 24 hours after treatment with Foamstream