HortiDaily recently spoke to Ziv Shaked, DryGair’s VP of marketing and sales, to discuss how dehumidification can reduce greenhouse energy consumption.
These are challenging times for greenhouse growers. The uncertainty surrounding energy, and the constantly rising prices, are driving growers everywhere to explore new ways to reduce their energy consumption. Introducing a dehumidifier is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to reduce greenhouse energy consumption right away.
During the conversation, it came up that choosing the right dehumidifier is a challenging process for many growers.
According to Ziv, every dehumidifier manufacturer uses different metrics when presenting their products. “This can create a lot of confusion, making the choice much more difficult than it should be.”
To summarize the article – there are 7 important factors to consider when choosing dehumidifiers for your greenhouse:
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Dehumidification Technology
Condensation-based dehumidifiers, such as DryGair’s, are the most common solution to greenhouse humidity control. “They don’t require any other materials to operate,” Ziv points out. “So, in essence, condensation-based dehumidifiers only need an energy input to control humidity.”
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Energy Efficiency
To calculate the energy efficiency of a dehumidifier, simply divide the amount of water it extracts, by the amount of energy it uses. For example, DryGair’s DG-12 unit extracts 45 liters per hour, using 10 kW of electricity. That makes the efficiency – 4.5 liters per kWh.
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Design Conditions
To compare different solutions, there need to be similar conditions. Some dehumidifiers marketed to greenhouse growers aren’t actually designed for horticultural use, but rather for other industrial needs. So, despite presenting high extraction rates, they don’t actually operate in the same efficiency in real-world greenhouse conditions.
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Avoiding Condensation
Condensation usually occurs when temperatures drop. So the last thing you want is a dehumidifier that can’t cope with lower temperatures. Ziv: “Using a dehumidifier that retains efficiency in cooler temperatures is critical in avoiding the dew point and preventing diseases.”
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Airflow Capacity
Some growers use multiple dehumidifiers to reach the same capacity as one more powerful dehumidifier. But according to Ziv, it’s key to consider that every dehumidifier requires its own space, energy, and upkeep. “So one larger dehumidifier is almost always better than several smaller ones.”
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Air Circulation Vs. Directional Air Flow
Most dehumidifiers expel the dry air in one direction. This creates a “humidity gradient”, in which the air closest to the dehumidifier is very dry, but the air further away is more humid. It also means the dehumidifier keeps treating the same air over and over again, never reaching the far corners of the greenhouse. This isn’t just very inefficient, but it may also fail to prevent diseases.
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The Specific Requirements for Your Greenhouse
Some of the factors determining your dehumidification requirements include the size of the greenhouse, the type of crop, the number of plants and placement density, the geography and climate, the lighting, the heating and cooling systems and the thermal, shade or blackout screens. “These are just some of the factors that affect humidity, but there are more. In short – determining your greenhouse’s dehumidification needs is complex.
Read the full article on HortiDaily.
DryGair’s team of experts helps growers match the right solution to their specific needs. For more information, please feel free to contact us!
