Patent ID: 6505437
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
A method of destroying or controlling unwanted vegetation and agricultural pests, including the steps of:generating a hot precursor gas substantially comprising combustion gases using at least one hydrocarbon fuel burner, the hot precursor gas being generated within a housing that has a breather inlet, a mixing chamber and a discharge outlet; generating a hot precursor fluid that includes wet steam, saturated steam or mixtures thereof, the hot precursor fluid being generated within a steam generator that is connected to a water source and heated by at least one of the combustion gases and the at least one burner; discharging the hot precursor fluid into the mixing chamber of the housing and further heating the precursor fluid through direct heat exchange and mixing with the combustion gases to obtain a hot treatment fluid in which a water component thereof substantially comprises at least one of superheated steam and dry steam; generating a treatment fluid jet stream by inducing the hot treatment fluid to flow within and exit the discharge outlet of the housing as a jet stream; and applying the treatment fluid jet stream onto a treatment area to thereby thermally destroy unwanted vegetation and agricultural pests.