The essential function of a greenhouse is to have the right environment for plants to grow. Thus, good greenhouse design is vital. Among the features of a greenhouse is ventilation.
The greenhouse needs excellent ventilation to create a balance in the indoor climate, maximizing the sun’s power while maintaining the air quality and optimal temperature to ensure that the plants will grow vigorously.
Whether operating a backyard greenhouse or a commercial greenhouse, keep in mind that air exchange is vital, not only for providing fresh air and carbon dioxide so your plants can photosynthesize. It will also regulate the indoor temperature in your greenhouse in all weather conditions.
A good ventilation layout is necessary
You need a good ventilation layout so you can effectively cool the greenhouse on a hot day. Use exhaust fans to blow the stale, hot air out of the structure. You also need intake shutters mounted opposite the exhaust system to take in the cooler fresh air.
For a commercial greenhouse, the exhaust fan system should change the air between one to three minutes in summer, which will keep a reasonable temperature inside the greenhouse. If you have a small greenhouse, the system will only need one minute.
Your commercial greenhouse should also have complementary equipment, such as variable-speed motors, motorized shutters and louvered fans. There should also be roof and side vents to keep a steady supply of fresh air and improve the cooling of the greenhouse.
If the summers are long and hot in your area, evaporative coolers could be the solution. They will add humidity, cooling, and air movement inside the greenhouse. You can use evaporative coolers together with the exhaust shutters.
Ventilation tips
It is essential to understand the needs of your specific crops so you can implement the right combination to boost their growth. Working with an expert in greenhouse structures will be beneficial in providing you with the perfect growing space under all weather conditions.
Cooling the greenhouse with wind and thermal buoyancy is one of the concepts that has been around for ages. The concept uses louvers or vents that open to allow excess heat to escape while cooler air from outside is allowed to enter.
But when large polyethylene sheets became a popular covering for greenhouse roofs, placing the vents on the roof became a challenge. So engineers developed a system of using fans to draw outside air through louvers installed in one end of the structure and an exhaust fan system at the other end. The ventilation system using this method uses thermostatic control.
Hoop style greenhouses are more effective in providing ventilation using roll-up sides. But greenhouses with roof and side vents are more effective when there is enough space as the vents should be large enough to allow for good air movement. Many manufacturers are producing open-roof greenhouses. You can easily control the roof’s opening to maximize heat and cool air entry as needed.
Working with an expert greenhouse manufacturer will ensure that the structure will fit the crops you want to grow and maximize all the design features according to your location.
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