
2019-04-12
417-459M
NP2540
Maintenance and Lubrication
118
Loop Clearing
5. Loop fluid: If it has been more than a day, with the
temperature above freezing, since application
completed, and there is still fluid in the loops, it is
probably ammonium hydroxide (NH
3
). If necessary
to clear it from the lines, follow these steps:
Clearing Plugged Tines
Tines can get plugged at release ports
, due to sticky
soil, reverse movement and other causes. Routinely
check tines for evidence of plugging just prior to nurse
tank hitching. More rarely, unusual field debris can cause
a tubing disconnect at a tine. Treat it as a plugged line
until you confirm otherwise.
Elevated Ammonia Exposure Hazard:
Follow clearing instructions carefully. Wear your PPE
a
.
Plugged delivery lines with tubing still attached can hold
significantly greater than normal
NH
3
liquid which is not
likely to be mitigated by the normal Discharge procedures.
Hastily disconnecting a charged line will release a dangerous
amount of
NH
3
liquid and vapor. Your PPE is not designed to
protect you against such a release. Burning, respiratory injury,
blinding or death could result.
a. You will need a funnel with tip O.D. smaller than
the delivery tube I.D. (
3
/
8
inch, 9.5 mm), and a
fresh water source.
b. Face the applicator into the wind.
c. Disconnect a delivery line
at a flow divider
outlet
.
d. Connect the funnel to the line.
e. Add water until it appears at the tines. Then add
one more gallon (4 liters). This results in a an
NH
3
solution that is more dilute than household
cleaning ammonia.
f.
Blow out the line if air is available.
Do not exceed 150 psi.
g. Reconnect the line at the flow divider.
h. Repeat step 5a through step 5f for all tubes.
Violent Reaction Hazard:
If the delivery loop fluid was freshly formed, or is cold, assume
it is pure liquid
NH
3
, and do not perform a loop clearing for
several hours, and then only after performing discharge step 1
through step 4f.
Adding water to pure
NH
3
causes a violent solution reaction.
It could cause large irregular discharges of liquid and vapor
back up the delivery tube and at the tines. This liquid is likely
to be highly caustic, and emitting dangerous concentrations of
anhydrous ammonia vapor.
1
2
Figure 80
Dual Tine Delivery/Vapor Tubes
36800
1