Jon Swain, GrowSave project manager, discusses the critical role fans play in creating uniform climates and the positive impact on crop yields, as well as their potential to reduce energy consumption.
Circulation fans have been widely used in greenhouses for many years. A well designed fan installation will benefit the greenhouse climate by helping to maintain consistent temperature and humidity throughout the growing area.
The gentle movement of air over the leaf surface is also an aid both to transpiration and the distribution and uptake of CO2. Fans also contribute to a more pleasant working environment.
Air is heavy and difficult to get moving, so persistence of air movement rather than speed is the key to achieving a uniform greenhouse environment. It is more efficient to move large amounts of air at low speed and pressures, although by no means all fans are designed with this in mind and, many, will operate at high speed with little regard to operational costs.
Designing a suitable fan system that complements rather than conflicts with the heating and ventilation systems in a greenhouse requires considerable experience. In general the objective should be to install a system that is capable of circulating the entire air volume in the greenhouse between once and twice per hour.
Saving energy
Since January 2015, fans with an electrical input of between 125W and 500W are subject to the Energy related Products (ErP) directive which sets standards for efficiency.
Growers should ensure that any fan system being considered meets the ErP criteria. Fans should be fitted with variable speed motors which can be modulated automatically and thereby save energy.
To find out more about different types of fans available and their relative benefits and advantages visit the GrowSave website www.growsave.co.uk.
Announcements
Vacancies
- Head Grower – High Technology Organic Greenhouse
- Import and Export Sales Manager
- Sales Manager - US
- Grower | Cannabis
- Key Account Manager (f/m/d) - Full-time
- Vice President of Growing Operations
- Account Manager - Canada
- Account Manager - United States
- Procurement Manager Blueberries
- International Fruit Trader
Jon Swain, GrowSave:
"Correctly design and operate your circulation fan system"
Publication date:
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2023-11-29 Solar panels in greenhouses are not profitable for the time being
- 2023-11-28 “By utilizing mid- to deep-level geothermal energy, our greenhouse energy costs have been effectively reduced”
- 2023-11-27 Farm as a Battery: Harnessing crop growth flexibility for sustainable energy storage
- 2023-11-20 "CHP and carbon capture a natural fit for decarbonization of CEA"
- 2023-11-16 UK: Revised targets to approach energy efficiency for horti businesses participating in the Climate Change Agreement scheme
- 2023-11-15 Spain: Vertical farm cuts CO2 costs by 79%
- 2023-11-13 Iceland: Geothermal energy is used to grow cucumbers in this greenhouse
- 2023-11-08 Research into data center heat leads to creation of energy cooperative PrimA4a
- 2023-11-07 Incorporating CO2 supply into life cycle assessments
- 2023-11-07 30% of Dutch growers had to face the energy crisis without a fixed energy contract
- 2023-11-07 Dehumidification system reducing carbon footprint
- 2023-11-03 11 bankruptcies, more stoppers and mostly ornamental horticulture
- 2023-11-02 Solar panel greenhouse being realized in Netherlands
- 2023-10-30 Solar panels on agricultural land only allowed in very exception cases
- 2023-10-30 US (TX): Self-designed geothermal greenhouse braking ground in Cody
- 2023-10-26 Iceland uses geothermal energy for heat, electricity, and cucumbers
