CA1215227A - Method of operating a hothouse and hothouse adapted to carry the method into practice - Google Patents
Method of operating a hothouse and hothouse adapted to carry the method into practiceInfo
- Publication number
- CA1215227A CA1215227A CA000413293A CA413293A CA1215227A CA 1215227 A CA1215227 A CA 1215227A CA 000413293 A CA000413293 A CA 000413293A CA 413293 A CA413293 A CA 413293A CA 1215227 A CA1215227 A CA 1215227A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cultivating
- insulated
- areas
- carbon dioxide
- hothouse
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
- A01G9/24—Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature, illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
- A01G9/14—Greenhouses
- A01G9/1423—Greenhouse bench structures
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
- A01G9/18—Greenhouses for treating plants with carbon dioxide or the like
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/10—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in agriculture
- Y02A40/25—Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Greenhouses (AREA)
- Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)
Abstract
Method of Operating a Hothouse and Hothouse Adapted to Carry the Method into Practice ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In a conventional hothouse, a plurality of individual culti-vating areas adapted, particularly for night operation, to be pushed together such as to form a block are insulated from the floor and the interior of the hothouse by means of soil tubs, lateral enclosures and a vertically adjustable upper cover as well as sealing means in such a way that it is possible, with the volume reduced to the minimum required by the crops and with a reduced requirement of energy and carbon dioxide gas, to attain a considerable increase in productivity as well as pest and fungus control in an ecologically satisfactory manner by drastically increasing the CO2 content temperarily.
In a conventional hothouse, a plurality of individual culti-vating areas adapted, particularly for night operation, to be pushed together such as to form a block are insulated from the floor and the interior of the hothouse by means of soil tubs, lateral enclosures and a vertically adjustable upper cover as well as sealing means in such a way that it is possible, with the volume reduced to the minimum required by the crops and with a reduced requirement of energy and carbon dioxide gas, to attain a considerable increase in productivity as well as pest and fungus control in an ecologically satisfactory manner by drastically increasing the CO2 content temperarily.
Description
The present invention relates to a method of operating a ho-thouse and a hothouse adapted to carry the method into practice.
Elothouses are known to consume large amounts of energy. Numerous suggestions have already been made in an attempt to reduce the energy requirement of ho-thouses and/or to obtain the energy required in part or entirely from natural sources of energy such as solar energy or groundwater. In certain cases it is necessary to operate hothouses during certain seasons only, particularly where special crops are involved. At any rate, lt cannot be avoided that a fraction only of the energy to be expended can be used efficiently for the crops and their growth. By large the major part of the energy to be provided is lost without serving a useful purpose, ei-ther through the soil in the hothouse or through the walls and roofs of the hothouse.
It is known that it is possible to accelerate the growth of plants in a hothouse while simultaneously saving energy by adjusting carbon dioxide content of the hothouse atmosphere in a predetermined manner. Fertilization by carbon dioxide (CO2) produces particularly favorable effects in
Elothouses are known to consume large amounts of energy. Numerous suggestions have already been made in an attempt to reduce the energy requirement of ho-thouses and/or to obtain the energy required in part or entirely from natural sources of energy such as solar energy or groundwater. In certain cases it is necessary to operate hothouses during certain seasons only, particularly where special crops are involved. At any rate, lt cannot be avoided that a fraction only of the energy to be expended can be used efficiently for the crops and their growth. By large the major part of the energy to be provided is lost without serving a useful purpose, ei-ther through the soil in the hothouse or through the walls and roofs of the hothouse.
It is known that it is possible to accelerate the growth of plants in a hothouse while simultaneously saving energy by adjusting carbon dioxide content of the hothouse atmosphere in a predetermined manner. Fertilization by carbon dioxide (CO2) produces particularly favorable effects in
2~7 zones or during seasons in which only small amounts of light are available to the crops.
Several proposals have already been made to enable such a control of the carbon dioxide content of hothouse atmospheres to be effected by introducing thereinto waste gases produced by heating processes, particularly through the combustion of gases.
However, both the construction and the operation of means permitting this method to be adopted are so expensive that their use can only be contemplated where installations of very large size are involved. Another factor to be taken into consid~ration is that the time patterns of heat and carbon dioxi~e requirements are not congruent. Moreover~ it is difficult to select the correct concentration of C02 because an excessively high C02 may be detrimental to both crops and humans. More in particular, it is extremely difficult as well as expensive to introduce C02 and to control the distri-bution of the gas in a hothouse because the major part of thegas introduced cannot be utilized by the cropsr Still another problem is posed by the necessity of controlling animal and vegetable tfungus) pests and diseases, the develop-mellt of which is particularly encourased by the atmosphereexisting in a hothouse. Large amounts of work must be ex pended in order to sort out diseased plants and to check propagation of diseases by the application of chemical means.
~L5;~
The present invention provides a method and a hothouse of the aforeindicated kind which are adaptecl to avoid the problems described earlier. The present invention also enables the operation of a hothouse to be optimally matched with various types of crops and their different requirements. The present invention further enables old and uneconomical hothouses to be operated more efficiently and economically and to increase the yield also in newly constructed hothouses. Finally, the pre-sent invention reduces or even entirely avoids the necessity of employing insecticides and herbicides.
According to the present invention therefore there isprovided in a method of using a greenhouse, wherein individual cultivating areas within the greenhouse are spacially and ther-mally insulated relative to the ground and the inside of the greenhouse, and heat and moisture is supplied in a controlled manner to the insulated areas alone, the improvement in which the individual cultivating areas are insulated against an ex-change of gas with the surrounding atmosphere of the green-house, and pure carbon dioxide gas is supplied intermittently to ~ an insulated cultivating area for a limited period of time in each case in a quantity which is sufficient to destroy oxygen-consuming pests, and furthermore pure carbon dioxide is supplied in quantities such that a C02-concentration is maintained in the atmopshere of the insulated cultivating area which is sufficient for fertilising the plants and which is higher than the normal concentration in the air.
According to the invention spatial and thermal insulation are provided between individual crop areas within a hothouse towards the subsoil and towards the interior of the hothouse and the insulated areas are supplied only in a pre-determined manner with th~e required amounts of heat, humidity and carbon dioxide.
~L~152 ~,t;~
Wi-thirl the hothouse the individual planting zones are insulated from one another. This implies both separation in space and insulation as regards the supply vf heat, humidity and carbon dioxide gas requirements. Each insulated cultiva-tion area is independent of all other cultivation areas within the same hothouse. Thus, it is possible to select optimum conditions in each insulating cultivation area for the crops being cultivated therein. This is applicable -to heat, humidity, - 3a -52~
fertilizer and carbon dioxide requirements.
The sèparation of individual cultivating areas within a hothouse from the remainder of the interior of the hothouse makes is possible to reduce not only the amount of heat re-quired but also the amount of carbon dioxide necessary to a large extent because the individual volumes to be heated and/
or supplied with carbon dioxide are extremely small as com-pared to the total interior volume of the hothouse and are separated therefrom.
Thus, according to this invention, it is possible for the first tirne to nip in the bud the occurrence of animal and vegetable (fungus) pests and diseases in a simple and ecologically completely harmless manner without creating any health hazard. For this purpose, the insulated cultivating areas are supplied~ during limited periods, with carbon dioxide in a concentration which exceeds a multiple of the rnaximum concentration employed where the crops are fertilized by means of carbon dioxideA For example, where the maximum carbon dioxide content employed for fertilization amounts to approximately 0.15 per cent by volume, it is possible, for a short time, to supply the crops with carbon dioxide gas in such a quantity that the concentration within these limited areas will reach between 10 and 100 times the said amount.
Experience has shown that, as a rùle, such concentrations will not be a hazard to the crops. On the other handt however, pests reqùiring oxygen and, with humidlty being suitybly ad-~usted, also fungi will be destroyed by such a carbon dioxide shock. The ernployment of conventional chemical pesticides can be dispensed with~ The employment of carbon dioxide is ~..,'~3 5Z~'~
ecologically harmless, simple and reliable.
In order to introduce yaseous C02 into the insulated culti-vating area it is advisable that a gas containing carbon dioxide be transported by means of a carrier fluid into the immediate vicinity of the surface of the soil in the hothouse where the gas is set free in such a way as to form a stable gas layer in the vicinity of the soil surface. In doing this~
it is possible to employ as a carrier fluid a tempered ~ater-ing liquid, particularly water prepared in a predetermined manner .
Thus, with the aid of the method of the invention, it ispossible for the dioxide gas, particularly that employed as a fertilizer, not to be employed in its gaseous form, for of example in the form/combustion waste gases or the li~e which are transported by means of blowers or the like, but physical-ly combined with water and partly in chemical combination, so that the gas can be distributed in the cultivated areas in a predetermined manner and within the desired areas so that the gas is released in the immediate vicinity of the soil surface. Thus, the major proportion of the gas is only set free immediately above the soil surface by the carrier fluid. Accordingly, also due to the insulation of tile individual cultivating areas, large amounts of fertili~ing gas will be savedO
At the same time, the carbon dioxide layer remainlng near the s~il surface affords strong protection against the dcvelop-rnent of yeast or mildew with the result that the necessity ~z~5Z27 of employing special chemical pesticicles is reduced to a minimum .
The method of the invention malces it possible, insteadof employing larye quantities of peat, to obtain the necessary acidification of the soil in a simple and inexpensive manner because part of the carbon dioxide gas chemically combines with the wa-ter, such gas being introduced into the soil together with -the water so as to influence the pH value accordingly.
This method of introducing the gas makes it possible lG to reduce expenses to a considerable extent by employing CO2 supplied in high-pressure cylinders or tanks without the neces-sity of providing expensive apparatus. It is also possible in most cases to make use of existing overhead irrigation equip-ment. It is further possible to utilize other gas sources containing C02, for example, waste gases produced by gas-fired heat pumps, by collecting such gases in a pressure vessel where such gases are placed under the impregnating pressure by apply-ing thereto the pressure prevailing in a cylinder containing pressurized C02.
The present invention also provides a greenhouse for carrying out the method of the present invention having a plurality of individual cultivating areas arranged within the greenhouse, which are each spacially and thermally insulated relative to the ground and the inside of the greenhouse, each cultivating area comprising a trough-shaped insulation for receiving the cultivating soil and a hood-like cover made of light-permeable, heat-insulating material, and being connec-table to a supply arrangement for supplying heat and water via ducts, the improvement in which the hood-like cover of each insulating cultivating area is formed by a double layer hood, which overlaps the edge ~of the soil trough and engages in a gastight manner with its lower edge in a channel which is C
~ Lz~s2~t~
associated with the soil trough and which is filled with fluid, and each insulated cultivating area can be connected to supply arrangement for supplying pure C02 gas and for water impregnated with pure C02.
Thus for the purpose of carrying the above-described method into practice, this invention provides a hothouse ~greenhouse) which is closed towards its exterior and is pro-vided with heat insulating means disposed between the sub-soil and -the cultivated soil layer, the individual cultivating areas within the hothouse being insulated toward the interior of the structure by means of structures which, in turn, resemble hot-houses, said - 6a -~z~z~
insulated cultivating areas being connected by distributing means to devices adapted to supply heat, ~Jater and carbon dioxide Conveniently, each insulated cultivating area within the hothouse has associated therewith an individual tub-shaped bottom insulating arrangement the periphery of which extends above the surface of the cultiv~ting soil within the hot-house In connection with this, it is convenient for each tub-shaped bottom insulatin~ means within the hothouse to have associated therewith an individual hothouse-like arrange-ment extending over the periphery of the insulating means.
In cases in which the teaching of the present invention isemployed, it will, as a rule, be possible to avoid the neces-sity of providing means for heating the hothouse in its entirety Because the heat losses of the hothouse are re-duced to a large extent, it may be necessary, sometimes only temporarily, to heat the hothouse in order to maintain a relatively small increase in temperature.
For the purpose of providing insulation towards theinterior of the hothouse, individual cultivating areas or all areas are insulated by means of double-skin transparent hoods, enclosures and/or covers.
Said hood-shaped covers are conveniently provided with sus-pension cords so as to be capable of being raised and lowered as desired so as to facilitate ad~ustment of the air volume within the insulated cultivating areas to the vertical ~rowth of the crops and thus to maintain this volume always as small as possible. This arrangement affords optimum utiliæation
Several proposals have already been made to enable such a control of the carbon dioxide content of hothouse atmospheres to be effected by introducing thereinto waste gases produced by heating processes, particularly through the combustion of gases.
However, both the construction and the operation of means permitting this method to be adopted are so expensive that their use can only be contemplated where installations of very large size are involved. Another factor to be taken into consid~ration is that the time patterns of heat and carbon dioxi~e requirements are not congruent. Moreover~ it is difficult to select the correct concentration of C02 because an excessively high C02 may be detrimental to both crops and humans. More in particular, it is extremely difficult as well as expensive to introduce C02 and to control the distri-bution of the gas in a hothouse because the major part of thegas introduced cannot be utilized by the cropsr Still another problem is posed by the necessity of controlling animal and vegetable tfungus) pests and diseases, the develop-mellt of which is particularly encourased by the atmosphereexisting in a hothouse. Large amounts of work must be ex pended in order to sort out diseased plants and to check propagation of diseases by the application of chemical means.
~L5;~
The present invention provides a method and a hothouse of the aforeindicated kind which are adaptecl to avoid the problems described earlier. The present invention also enables the operation of a hothouse to be optimally matched with various types of crops and their different requirements. The present invention further enables old and uneconomical hothouses to be operated more efficiently and economically and to increase the yield also in newly constructed hothouses. Finally, the pre-sent invention reduces or even entirely avoids the necessity of employing insecticides and herbicides.
According to the present invention therefore there isprovided in a method of using a greenhouse, wherein individual cultivating areas within the greenhouse are spacially and ther-mally insulated relative to the ground and the inside of the greenhouse, and heat and moisture is supplied in a controlled manner to the insulated areas alone, the improvement in which the individual cultivating areas are insulated against an ex-change of gas with the surrounding atmosphere of the green-house, and pure carbon dioxide gas is supplied intermittently to ~ an insulated cultivating area for a limited period of time in each case in a quantity which is sufficient to destroy oxygen-consuming pests, and furthermore pure carbon dioxide is supplied in quantities such that a C02-concentration is maintained in the atmopshere of the insulated cultivating area which is sufficient for fertilising the plants and which is higher than the normal concentration in the air.
According to the invention spatial and thermal insulation are provided between individual crop areas within a hothouse towards the subsoil and towards the interior of the hothouse and the insulated areas are supplied only in a pre-determined manner with th~e required amounts of heat, humidity and carbon dioxide.
~L~152 ~,t;~
Wi-thirl the hothouse the individual planting zones are insulated from one another. This implies both separation in space and insulation as regards the supply vf heat, humidity and carbon dioxide gas requirements. Each insulated cultiva-tion area is independent of all other cultivation areas within the same hothouse. Thus, it is possible to select optimum conditions in each insulating cultivation area for the crops being cultivated therein. This is applicable -to heat, humidity, - 3a -52~
fertilizer and carbon dioxide requirements.
The sèparation of individual cultivating areas within a hothouse from the remainder of the interior of the hothouse makes is possible to reduce not only the amount of heat re-quired but also the amount of carbon dioxide necessary to a large extent because the individual volumes to be heated and/
or supplied with carbon dioxide are extremely small as com-pared to the total interior volume of the hothouse and are separated therefrom.
Thus, according to this invention, it is possible for the first tirne to nip in the bud the occurrence of animal and vegetable (fungus) pests and diseases in a simple and ecologically completely harmless manner without creating any health hazard. For this purpose, the insulated cultivating areas are supplied~ during limited periods, with carbon dioxide in a concentration which exceeds a multiple of the rnaximum concentration employed where the crops are fertilized by means of carbon dioxideA For example, where the maximum carbon dioxide content employed for fertilization amounts to approximately 0.15 per cent by volume, it is possible, for a short time, to supply the crops with carbon dioxide gas in such a quantity that the concentration within these limited areas will reach between 10 and 100 times the said amount.
Experience has shown that, as a rùle, such concentrations will not be a hazard to the crops. On the other handt however, pests reqùiring oxygen and, with humidlty being suitybly ad-~usted, also fungi will be destroyed by such a carbon dioxide shock. The ernployment of conventional chemical pesticides can be dispensed with~ The employment of carbon dioxide is ~..,'~3 5Z~'~
ecologically harmless, simple and reliable.
In order to introduce yaseous C02 into the insulated culti-vating area it is advisable that a gas containing carbon dioxide be transported by means of a carrier fluid into the immediate vicinity of the surface of the soil in the hothouse where the gas is set free in such a way as to form a stable gas layer in the vicinity of the soil surface. In doing this~
it is possible to employ as a carrier fluid a tempered ~ater-ing liquid, particularly water prepared in a predetermined manner .
Thus, with the aid of the method of the invention, it ispossible for the dioxide gas, particularly that employed as a fertilizer, not to be employed in its gaseous form, for of example in the form/combustion waste gases or the li~e which are transported by means of blowers or the like, but physical-ly combined with water and partly in chemical combination, so that the gas can be distributed in the cultivated areas in a predetermined manner and within the desired areas so that the gas is released in the immediate vicinity of the soil surface. Thus, the major proportion of the gas is only set free immediately above the soil surface by the carrier fluid. Accordingly, also due to the insulation of tile individual cultivating areas, large amounts of fertili~ing gas will be savedO
At the same time, the carbon dioxide layer remainlng near the s~il surface affords strong protection against the dcvelop-rnent of yeast or mildew with the result that the necessity ~z~5Z27 of employing special chemical pesticicles is reduced to a minimum .
The method of the invention malces it possible, insteadof employing larye quantities of peat, to obtain the necessary acidification of the soil in a simple and inexpensive manner because part of the carbon dioxide gas chemically combines with the wa-ter, such gas being introduced into the soil together with -the water so as to influence the pH value accordingly.
This method of introducing the gas makes it possible lG to reduce expenses to a considerable extent by employing CO2 supplied in high-pressure cylinders or tanks without the neces-sity of providing expensive apparatus. It is also possible in most cases to make use of existing overhead irrigation equip-ment. It is further possible to utilize other gas sources containing C02, for example, waste gases produced by gas-fired heat pumps, by collecting such gases in a pressure vessel where such gases are placed under the impregnating pressure by apply-ing thereto the pressure prevailing in a cylinder containing pressurized C02.
The present invention also provides a greenhouse for carrying out the method of the present invention having a plurality of individual cultivating areas arranged within the greenhouse, which are each spacially and thermally insulated relative to the ground and the inside of the greenhouse, each cultivating area comprising a trough-shaped insulation for receiving the cultivating soil and a hood-like cover made of light-permeable, heat-insulating material, and being connec-table to a supply arrangement for supplying heat and water via ducts, the improvement in which the hood-like cover of each insulating cultivating area is formed by a double layer hood, which overlaps the edge ~of the soil trough and engages in a gastight manner with its lower edge in a channel which is C
~ Lz~s2~t~
associated with the soil trough and which is filled with fluid, and each insulated cultivating area can be connected to supply arrangement for supplying pure C02 gas and for water impregnated with pure C02.
Thus for the purpose of carrying the above-described method into practice, this invention provides a hothouse ~greenhouse) which is closed towards its exterior and is pro-vided with heat insulating means disposed between the sub-soil and -the cultivated soil layer, the individual cultivating areas within the hothouse being insulated toward the interior of the structure by means of structures which, in turn, resemble hot-houses, said - 6a -~z~z~
insulated cultivating areas being connected by distributing means to devices adapted to supply heat, ~Jater and carbon dioxide Conveniently, each insulated cultivating area within the hothouse has associated therewith an individual tub-shaped bottom insulating arrangement the periphery of which extends above the surface of the cultiv~ting soil within the hot-house In connection with this, it is convenient for each tub-shaped bottom insulatin~ means within the hothouse to have associated therewith an individual hothouse-like arrange-ment extending over the periphery of the insulating means.
In cases in which the teaching of the present invention isemployed, it will, as a rule, be possible to avoid the neces-sity of providing means for heating the hothouse in its entirety Because the heat losses of the hothouse are re-duced to a large extent, it may be necessary, sometimes only temporarily, to heat the hothouse in order to maintain a relatively small increase in temperature.
For the purpose of providing insulation towards theinterior of the hothouse, individual cultivating areas or all areas are insulated by means of double-skin transparent hoods, enclosures and/or covers.
Said hood-shaped covers are conveniently provided with sus-pension cords so as to be capable of being raised and lowered as desired so as to facilitate ad~ustment of the air volume within the insulated cultivating areas to the vertical ~rowth of the crops and thus to maintain this volume always as small as possible. This arrangement affords optimum utiliæation
3 ~5~
of heat energy and C02 and the possibility of accurately controlling all parameters influencing the atmosphere wlthin the insulated area~
The said insulation of individual culti.vating areas in re-lation to the interior of the hotnouse affords the additional advantage that it is possible in conditioning the air in the hothouse also to adjust the humidity in the individual culti-vating areas to the desired values~ it being important in this connection to counteract the formation of condensate on the separating surfaces constituting the insulating means.
Such condensation of water might occur during overhead irri-gation, surface irrigation or sprinkling while there is a corresponding difference in temperature between internal and external air.
Since the cover structure is of twin-wall construction, the influence of a large difference in temperature at the inner surface of the inner wal.l is reduced so that there is also less danger of condensate formation. However, complete re-moval of surplus humidity by condensation may be obtained by means of an air recirculating system which is associated either with a set of insulated cultivating areas or with individual such areas, such a system comprising~ in addition to air circulating means, one or a plurality o~ sulated cultivating areas, a cooling heat exchanger serving to remove humidit~ by condensation and at least another heat exchanger serving to heat the dried air, the said units being arrang~d in series. With the hothouse having a cooling room connected there~ith, it is possible in a simple manner to employ such 3L2~5Z~7 a room for removing by condensation the humidity entrained by the circulating airflow, such condensate being then em-ployed fcr watering the cultivating areas~ For this purpose it is possible, for example, to employ the primary side of a heat pump. However, it is also possible to employ the cold of external air. It is advisable, prior to reintro-ducing air cooled in this manner into the insulated culti-vation areas in order to aid in drying the walls, ayain slightly to reheat this air by means of a heat exchanger to the temperature prevailing in the insulated cultivating area.
For this purpose, it is also possible to flow the recirculated air over the surface of a heat storing boiler or the surface of a heating boiler.
The cover means of the insulated cultivating areas may also be constructed in such a manner that the lateral enclosure is made up of enclosure elements which are, for example, adapted to be telescoped in relation to one another and in relation to end enclosure elements, this being made pos-si~le by arranging for the said elements to be slidably sup-ported by the periphery of the bottom tub, said elements being adapted to cooperate in a gastight manner with the peripllery of the tub and in relation to one another at least in tllc vicinity of the tub periphery, said elements, on the one ?5 hand, a~fording the necessary access to the crops and, on the other, defining enclosures for the crops, said enc~osures having as small an internal air volume as possible.
Accurate control of temperature within the individual culti-vating areas can be effected by directly connecting sald _4_ lzl5z27 Areas to heat and cold sources~ It is not necessary to pro-vide sunshades of the type conventionally employed with hot-houses, with the result that the available light can be utilized in an optlmum manner for the promotion of plant growth.
It is also possible, for insulating the bottoms of individual separated cultivating areas, to employ commercially available surface heating elements which are provided with heating units which are integrated in heat insulating elements of sheet form.
Such elements may be disposed in the soil at a suitable depth under the respective cultivating areas and may simultaneously serve to insulate the soil from its surroundings and for selective heating of the soil.
In order to permit a gastight connection to be established between said lateral enclosure and the periphery of the bottom tub~ it is possible to employ a tub having a rim of gutter shape~ said gutter being adapted to receive, in addition to the guide means for said slidable lateral enclosure elements, a liquid~ particularly water for the purpose of establishing said gastight connection in an extremely simple manner. In order to prevent the gutter from losing water due to overflow, the gutters are conveniently provided with overflow weir sections adapted to direct overflowing water to the interior ?5 of the tub.
In order even further to reduce the consumption of carbon dioxide gas and heat energy~ it is of advantage to provid~
for the individual soil-containig tubs associated with lndi-vidual cultivating areas disposed side by side to be movable _10--~2~5Z'~7 in a lateral direction, i.e. transversely of their longitudinalaxes, so as to permit, if desired~ to combine all tubs dis-posed side by side into a compact block. This makes it pos-sible, particularly during the night, drastically to reduce the heat transfer surface between the interior of the culti-vating areas and the interior of the hothouse. In order to permit this scheme to be put into practice, the soil tubs are provided with flexible conduits enabling the tubs to be connected, as requiredS to a heat source, a watering source, the carbon dioxide gas source, and/or an air circulating system as well as a coolant source.
Each individual cultivating area may have associated there-with sha~ing means which, however, are not employed for the purpose of keeping away sunlight but are intended for use during the nig~t in order considerably to-reduce h~at losses of the cultivating areas during growth intermissions. For this purpose, the shading means, with are constructed as roller or Venetian blinds, are adapted to be withdrawable or adjust-able in a horizontal plane above the upper cover of eachcultivating area, and their width is larger than the width of the appertaining cultivating area. ~here this arrangement is employed, the soil tubs are pushed together in the evening, and the shading means are closed, said shading means being adapted to overlap one another so as to form a tight heat insulating str~cture on top of the block.
The employment of the features of the invention enables such a high amount of energy to be saved that it is also possible d~ring the cold season continually to operate the hothouse.
~5Z~7 By employing plain glass panes in the external shell of the hothouse~ light losses are reduc~d to a minimum, and unavoid-abie light losses are further compensated for by the con-tinuous introduction of C02. As regards the tunnel sections~
5 whiCh for the most part consist of twin-wall transpatent material, it is, of course, also possible to employ artificial light sources. It is further possible to install in outdoor areas the entire system or parts thereof, such as the tunnel coversO
Furthermore it is possible to employ shading means which, in-stead of being individually associated with said tubs, con-stitude a panel covering the entire arrangement and provided with light transparency adjusting means so as to resemble a swimming pool roof.
~Jhere it is intended individually to condition the air in the cultivating tunnels, it is also possible, for supplying warm or cold air, also to employ enclosed cavities provided in the non-transparent part of the lateral enclosure with the result that an additional insulating effect is obtained.
The individual insulated cultivating areas may be inter-connected and further connected to a central heat, sprinkling water and carbon dioxide supply system which is adapted to connect to the supply system either individual cultivating areas or a plurality of such units, this enabling ~rowth conditions to be easily adapted to different crops. More-over, this arrangement affords the possibility of providing automatic control in a simple manner, there being provided 7 at strategic points~ temperature, humidity and/or carbon dioxlde sensors~
According to the invention9 it is easily possible to modern-ize old hothouses so as to permit them to be operated in a profitable manner throughout the year~
In the manner described, it is possible fully to utilize the heat energy expended to promote plant growth. Thus, it is possible to operate a hothouse along modern lines employing conventional heating methods, i.e. without utilizing natural energy, operating costs being relatively low. Another feature lo resides in the fact that accurate metering of the carbon dioxide content of the air wlll result in the growth of the crops being accelerated to a large extent particularly also in low-light seasons, with the result that profitability will also be in~reased by a considerable improvement in the crop quantities In summer, i.e. with sufficient amounts of light and heat available, it is possible, depending on prevailing conditions, to operate the hothouse in the conventional manner if this should be desired by opening of removing the cover means.
During seasons in which less light is available, the hot~
house of the invention permits accurate control of heat, humidity and C02 supply.
The conventional dimensions of crop bed enclosures employed in hothouses may be retained for use with the soil insulating tubs. The individual insulated sections are connected in series or in parallel to a central supply system. Each insulated area is provided with at least two inputs and two outlets for the heating medium and, as desired~ for irrigatlng ~L5;~7 water, nutritive solutions, C02-bearing water or C02 gas.
Where a surface irrigation system is available or can be easily installed, the supply line may have a pressure im~
pregnating device associated therewith which is adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide~ e.g.
a pressuri~ed gas cylinder.
It is possible to employ a conventional carbonizer for im-pregnating water with carbon dioxide gas. The cooled lmpreg-nated water is first brought down to the irrigating pressure, mixed with additional water until the proper temperature is reached and then sprinkled gently over the soil.
However, it is also possible to enclose a supply of water (without cooling) in a pressure cylinder or tank and to employ the pressure of a carbon dioxide cylinder or tank for pres~
surizing and impregnating the water.
The gas pressure may be employed advantageously for circulating the water and for irrigating the crops. It is possible to employ, instead of water, nutrient solutions containing cer-tain minerals and trace elements~ It is only when the irri-gation water impinges on the soil that the physically combincd gas will be released to form a C02 layer over the 5011 wlth the chemically combined carbon dioxide being introduced into the soil together with the water for the purpose of regulating the pH value. A quant1ty of approximately 0.1% H2C03 may be introduced into the soil by the water supplied to it.
3~
~Z~5~7 BRIEF D~SCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention and further particulars will be described more speci~ically hereinafter with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a partially broken-away perspective view of of an e~bodiment of a hothouse according to the invention; and 0 Figure 2 sho~s an enlarged cross-sectional view of a single insulated cultivating area located wlthin the hot-house.
The hothouse 1 shown in Figure 1 may be of conventional con~
struction, i.e. it may be a frame structure and glazed with single panels. It may also be an existing hothouse which has been adapted to suit the purposes of the invention.
Disposed within the hothouse 1 are a plurality of individual cultivating areas which are separated ar,d insulated from other cultivating areas, from the interior of the hothouse and from its floor, said areas being separated both spatially and as regards the heat to which they are exposed. In the cmbodi-ment shown, two sets of such insulated cultivating areas are provided~ith said areas of one of said sets being oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis of the hothouse com-prising side walls 3 and a roof surface 2, whereas thc other set of areas is oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis. Thus~ there are provided a plurality of individual cultivating areas 4~
_15-~s shown in Figure Z, each cultivating area 4 cornprises a thermally insulated soil tub ~, the interior 9 of which is intended to receive the cultivating soil. It is, of course, also possible directly to place the soil tubs on the 1Oor of the hothouse or to bury them in the floor. Each soil tub may also have embedded therein an insulated heating device.
In order to simplify operation and to facilitate the car~ of the individual cultivating areas~ the individual soil tubs 8 are, for example, mounted on carriages 5 supported by floor 6 and movable to and fro in the direction of the double-headed arrow 7 so as to make it possible, as shown in Figure 1, to push the tubs together so as to form closed blocks and to permit the tubs to be moved apart to permit the necessary operations to be performed. This is applicable in an analogous manner to stationary tables provided with table tops which are arranged to be moved within certain limits.
In the embodiment shown, each soil tub is provided with an apron 8a having a U-shaped cross section and opening in an upward direction; it being possible to provide said apron with a water filling 8b. In Figure 2T such an apron is shown on one longitudinal side of a soil tub only. However, such aprons are provided on both longitudinal sides of each soil tub The end -faces of the soil tubs are convenlently pro-vided with stationary end wall members 12. Towards thelon~ltudinal sides as well as in an upward direction, the cultivating area is covered in the embodiment shown by means of a U-shaped hood 10 whose lateral parts 13 telescopically extend over the side walls of the soil tub 8 and are immersed in tile water filling 8b of the aprons 8a of the soil tub ~5;2 ~7 so as to effect a seal in a simple manner. By means of sus-pension cables or the like (not shown) it is possible, as diagrammatically indicated at 15 in Figure 2, to lower and raise the soll tub as desired in order to match the internal volume of t~e enclosed cultivating area with the height to which the plants have grown and thus to reduce said volume to a minimum. The fact that the hoods 10 may be raised and lowered is indicated in Figure 2 by the double-headed arrow 11. The end walls of the tub may extend upwardly beyond the hood 10 so that a seal is effected therebetween regardless of the elevation of the hood. Where necessary, it is possible to provide suitable sllding seals between the respective com-ponents. Both the end walls and the hood are made of twin-wall transparent material, thus separating the interior there-of from the interior of the hothouse and affording thermalinsulation. Each individual cultivating area is connected by means of one or more flexible conduits or lines to a heating device which may, for example, be connected thereto at 16, further to a line 19 adapted to supply gaseous C02, another line 20 permitting C02-impregnated irrigating water to be introduced and still another line 21 permitting ir-rigating water or a nutrient solution to be supplied to the cultivating areas. Fertilization with C02 is effected by means of irrigating water supplied via line 20, it being pos-sible rapidly to supply large amounts of C02 via gas line 19.
Humidity control is conveniently effected with each individualcultivating area via a drying device 17 of compact design which, by condensing excessive humidity~ also serves to obtain irrigati~g water~ The drying device 17 may be connected to ~z~
an air circulating system ~ia line 18.
Wlth each cultivating area there may be associated a Venetian blind 23 supported by rails 22 provided on the hood, said blind normally remaining open during the daytime in order to permit unrestricted entry of light. During the night, the cultivating areas may be pushed together as shown in Figure 1 to form a block, with the result that the blind-like covers 23 which are then in their closed position will overlap mutually so as to provide additional heat protection for the crops towards the interior of the hothouse.
In Figure ~ one of said blocks bears the reference number 30.
The plants absorb the carbon dioxide primarily through slit-shaped apertures present on the under sides of their leaves.
Alnong other things~ the rate of absorption strongly depends on humidity. The closing capability of said apertures is de-termined, among other things, by the water content of the plants and by humidity in their s~rroundings. The dryer the air and the plants, the smaller the water content of the closing cells and the larger the extent to which the apertures will close Thus, it is possible, by controlling humidity in the manner described, additionally to influence the amount of C02 absorbed by the plants.
With the new arrangement it becomes possible - contrary to common hot houses - to grow most different cultures of remarkably different climatical needs in one and the same house.
Of the water contents of plants only two percent contribute to the growing of cells while 92% of water evaporate, With the new system for rontrolling the air humidity it is possible to completely regain these 98% of evaporated water. This is of advantage particularly in regions poor of water.
of heat energy and C02 and the possibility of accurately controlling all parameters influencing the atmosphere wlthin the insulated area~
The said insulation of individual culti.vating areas in re-lation to the interior of the hotnouse affords the additional advantage that it is possible in conditioning the air in the hothouse also to adjust the humidity in the individual culti-vating areas to the desired values~ it being important in this connection to counteract the formation of condensate on the separating surfaces constituting the insulating means.
Such condensation of water might occur during overhead irri-gation, surface irrigation or sprinkling while there is a corresponding difference in temperature between internal and external air.
Since the cover structure is of twin-wall construction, the influence of a large difference in temperature at the inner surface of the inner wal.l is reduced so that there is also less danger of condensate formation. However, complete re-moval of surplus humidity by condensation may be obtained by means of an air recirculating system which is associated either with a set of insulated cultivating areas or with individual such areas, such a system comprising~ in addition to air circulating means, one or a plurality o~ sulated cultivating areas, a cooling heat exchanger serving to remove humidit~ by condensation and at least another heat exchanger serving to heat the dried air, the said units being arrang~d in series. With the hothouse having a cooling room connected there~ith, it is possible in a simple manner to employ such 3L2~5Z~7 a room for removing by condensation the humidity entrained by the circulating airflow, such condensate being then em-ployed fcr watering the cultivating areas~ For this purpose it is possible, for example, to employ the primary side of a heat pump. However, it is also possible to employ the cold of external air. It is advisable, prior to reintro-ducing air cooled in this manner into the insulated culti-vation areas in order to aid in drying the walls, ayain slightly to reheat this air by means of a heat exchanger to the temperature prevailing in the insulated cultivating area.
For this purpose, it is also possible to flow the recirculated air over the surface of a heat storing boiler or the surface of a heating boiler.
The cover means of the insulated cultivating areas may also be constructed in such a manner that the lateral enclosure is made up of enclosure elements which are, for example, adapted to be telescoped in relation to one another and in relation to end enclosure elements, this being made pos-si~le by arranging for the said elements to be slidably sup-ported by the periphery of the bottom tub, said elements being adapted to cooperate in a gastight manner with the peripllery of the tub and in relation to one another at least in tllc vicinity of the tub periphery, said elements, on the one ?5 hand, a~fording the necessary access to the crops and, on the other, defining enclosures for the crops, said enc~osures having as small an internal air volume as possible.
Accurate control of temperature within the individual culti-vating areas can be effected by directly connecting sald _4_ lzl5z27 Areas to heat and cold sources~ It is not necessary to pro-vide sunshades of the type conventionally employed with hot-houses, with the result that the available light can be utilized in an optlmum manner for the promotion of plant growth.
It is also possible, for insulating the bottoms of individual separated cultivating areas, to employ commercially available surface heating elements which are provided with heating units which are integrated in heat insulating elements of sheet form.
Such elements may be disposed in the soil at a suitable depth under the respective cultivating areas and may simultaneously serve to insulate the soil from its surroundings and for selective heating of the soil.
In order to permit a gastight connection to be established between said lateral enclosure and the periphery of the bottom tub~ it is possible to employ a tub having a rim of gutter shape~ said gutter being adapted to receive, in addition to the guide means for said slidable lateral enclosure elements, a liquid~ particularly water for the purpose of establishing said gastight connection in an extremely simple manner. In order to prevent the gutter from losing water due to overflow, the gutters are conveniently provided with overflow weir sections adapted to direct overflowing water to the interior ?5 of the tub.
In order even further to reduce the consumption of carbon dioxide gas and heat energy~ it is of advantage to provid~
for the individual soil-containig tubs associated with lndi-vidual cultivating areas disposed side by side to be movable _10--~2~5Z'~7 in a lateral direction, i.e. transversely of their longitudinalaxes, so as to permit, if desired~ to combine all tubs dis-posed side by side into a compact block. This makes it pos-sible, particularly during the night, drastically to reduce the heat transfer surface between the interior of the culti-vating areas and the interior of the hothouse. In order to permit this scheme to be put into practice, the soil tubs are provided with flexible conduits enabling the tubs to be connected, as requiredS to a heat source, a watering source, the carbon dioxide gas source, and/or an air circulating system as well as a coolant source.
Each individual cultivating area may have associated there-with sha~ing means which, however, are not employed for the purpose of keeping away sunlight but are intended for use during the nig~t in order considerably to-reduce h~at losses of the cultivating areas during growth intermissions. For this purpose, the shading means, with are constructed as roller or Venetian blinds, are adapted to be withdrawable or adjust-able in a horizontal plane above the upper cover of eachcultivating area, and their width is larger than the width of the appertaining cultivating area. ~here this arrangement is employed, the soil tubs are pushed together in the evening, and the shading means are closed, said shading means being adapted to overlap one another so as to form a tight heat insulating str~cture on top of the block.
The employment of the features of the invention enables such a high amount of energy to be saved that it is also possible d~ring the cold season continually to operate the hothouse.
~5Z~7 By employing plain glass panes in the external shell of the hothouse~ light losses are reduc~d to a minimum, and unavoid-abie light losses are further compensated for by the con-tinuous introduction of C02. As regards the tunnel sections~
5 whiCh for the most part consist of twin-wall transpatent material, it is, of course, also possible to employ artificial light sources. It is further possible to install in outdoor areas the entire system or parts thereof, such as the tunnel coversO
Furthermore it is possible to employ shading means which, in-stead of being individually associated with said tubs, con-stitude a panel covering the entire arrangement and provided with light transparency adjusting means so as to resemble a swimming pool roof.
~Jhere it is intended individually to condition the air in the cultivating tunnels, it is also possible, for supplying warm or cold air, also to employ enclosed cavities provided in the non-transparent part of the lateral enclosure with the result that an additional insulating effect is obtained.
The individual insulated cultivating areas may be inter-connected and further connected to a central heat, sprinkling water and carbon dioxide supply system which is adapted to connect to the supply system either individual cultivating areas or a plurality of such units, this enabling ~rowth conditions to be easily adapted to different crops. More-over, this arrangement affords the possibility of providing automatic control in a simple manner, there being provided 7 at strategic points~ temperature, humidity and/or carbon dioxlde sensors~
According to the invention9 it is easily possible to modern-ize old hothouses so as to permit them to be operated in a profitable manner throughout the year~
In the manner described, it is possible fully to utilize the heat energy expended to promote plant growth. Thus, it is possible to operate a hothouse along modern lines employing conventional heating methods, i.e. without utilizing natural energy, operating costs being relatively low. Another feature lo resides in the fact that accurate metering of the carbon dioxide content of the air wlll result in the growth of the crops being accelerated to a large extent particularly also in low-light seasons, with the result that profitability will also be in~reased by a considerable improvement in the crop quantities In summer, i.e. with sufficient amounts of light and heat available, it is possible, depending on prevailing conditions, to operate the hothouse in the conventional manner if this should be desired by opening of removing the cover means.
During seasons in which less light is available, the hot~
house of the invention permits accurate control of heat, humidity and C02 supply.
The conventional dimensions of crop bed enclosures employed in hothouses may be retained for use with the soil insulating tubs. The individual insulated sections are connected in series or in parallel to a central supply system. Each insulated area is provided with at least two inputs and two outlets for the heating medium and, as desired~ for irrigatlng ~L5;~7 water, nutritive solutions, C02-bearing water or C02 gas.
Where a surface irrigation system is available or can be easily installed, the supply line may have a pressure im~
pregnating device associated therewith which is adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized carbon dioxide~ e.g.
a pressuri~ed gas cylinder.
It is possible to employ a conventional carbonizer for im-pregnating water with carbon dioxide gas. The cooled lmpreg-nated water is first brought down to the irrigating pressure, mixed with additional water until the proper temperature is reached and then sprinkled gently over the soil.
However, it is also possible to enclose a supply of water (without cooling) in a pressure cylinder or tank and to employ the pressure of a carbon dioxide cylinder or tank for pres~
surizing and impregnating the water.
The gas pressure may be employed advantageously for circulating the water and for irrigating the crops. It is possible to employ, instead of water, nutrient solutions containing cer-tain minerals and trace elements~ It is only when the irri-gation water impinges on the soil that the physically combincd gas will be released to form a C02 layer over the 5011 wlth the chemically combined carbon dioxide being introduced into the soil together with the water for the purpose of regulating the pH value. A quant1ty of approximately 0.1% H2C03 may be introduced into the soil by the water supplied to it.
3~
~Z~5~7 BRIEF D~SCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention and further particulars will be described more speci~ically hereinafter with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a partially broken-away perspective view of of an e~bodiment of a hothouse according to the invention; and 0 Figure 2 sho~s an enlarged cross-sectional view of a single insulated cultivating area located wlthin the hot-house.
The hothouse 1 shown in Figure 1 may be of conventional con~
struction, i.e. it may be a frame structure and glazed with single panels. It may also be an existing hothouse which has been adapted to suit the purposes of the invention.
Disposed within the hothouse 1 are a plurality of individual cultivating areas which are separated ar,d insulated from other cultivating areas, from the interior of the hothouse and from its floor, said areas being separated both spatially and as regards the heat to which they are exposed. In the cmbodi-ment shown, two sets of such insulated cultivating areas are provided~ith said areas of one of said sets being oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis of the hothouse com-prising side walls 3 and a roof surface 2, whereas thc other set of areas is oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis. Thus~ there are provided a plurality of individual cultivating areas 4~
_15-~s shown in Figure Z, each cultivating area 4 cornprises a thermally insulated soil tub ~, the interior 9 of which is intended to receive the cultivating soil. It is, of course, also possible directly to place the soil tubs on the 1Oor of the hothouse or to bury them in the floor. Each soil tub may also have embedded therein an insulated heating device.
In order to simplify operation and to facilitate the car~ of the individual cultivating areas~ the individual soil tubs 8 are, for example, mounted on carriages 5 supported by floor 6 and movable to and fro in the direction of the double-headed arrow 7 so as to make it possible, as shown in Figure 1, to push the tubs together so as to form closed blocks and to permit the tubs to be moved apart to permit the necessary operations to be performed. This is applicable in an analogous manner to stationary tables provided with table tops which are arranged to be moved within certain limits.
In the embodiment shown, each soil tub is provided with an apron 8a having a U-shaped cross section and opening in an upward direction; it being possible to provide said apron with a water filling 8b. In Figure 2T such an apron is shown on one longitudinal side of a soil tub only. However, such aprons are provided on both longitudinal sides of each soil tub The end -faces of the soil tubs are convenlently pro-vided with stationary end wall members 12. Towards thelon~ltudinal sides as well as in an upward direction, the cultivating area is covered in the embodiment shown by means of a U-shaped hood 10 whose lateral parts 13 telescopically extend over the side walls of the soil tub 8 and are immersed in tile water filling 8b of the aprons 8a of the soil tub ~5;2 ~7 so as to effect a seal in a simple manner. By means of sus-pension cables or the like (not shown) it is possible, as diagrammatically indicated at 15 in Figure 2, to lower and raise the soll tub as desired in order to match the internal volume of t~e enclosed cultivating area with the height to which the plants have grown and thus to reduce said volume to a minimum. The fact that the hoods 10 may be raised and lowered is indicated in Figure 2 by the double-headed arrow 11. The end walls of the tub may extend upwardly beyond the hood 10 so that a seal is effected therebetween regardless of the elevation of the hood. Where necessary, it is possible to provide suitable sllding seals between the respective com-ponents. Both the end walls and the hood are made of twin-wall transparent material, thus separating the interior there-of from the interior of the hothouse and affording thermalinsulation. Each individual cultivating area is connected by means of one or more flexible conduits or lines to a heating device which may, for example, be connected thereto at 16, further to a line 19 adapted to supply gaseous C02, another line 20 permitting C02-impregnated irrigating water to be introduced and still another line 21 permitting ir-rigating water or a nutrient solution to be supplied to the cultivating areas. Fertilization with C02 is effected by means of irrigating water supplied via line 20, it being pos-sible rapidly to supply large amounts of C02 via gas line 19.
Humidity control is conveniently effected with each individualcultivating area via a drying device 17 of compact design which, by condensing excessive humidity~ also serves to obtain irrigati~g water~ The drying device 17 may be connected to ~z~
an air circulating system ~ia line 18.
Wlth each cultivating area there may be associated a Venetian blind 23 supported by rails 22 provided on the hood, said blind normally remaining open during the daytime in order to permit unrestricted entry of light. During the night, the cultivating areas may be pushed together as shown in Figure 1 to form a block, with the result that the blind-like covers 23 which are then in their closed position will overlap mutually so as to provide additional heat protection for the crops towards the interior of the hothouse.
In Figure ~ one of said blocks bears the reference number 30.
The plants absorb the carbon dioxide primarily through slit-shaped apertures present on the under sides of their leaves.
Alnong other things~ the rate of absorption strongly depends on humidity. The closing capability of said apertures is de-termined, among other things, by the water content of the plants and by humidity in their s~rroundings. The dryer the air and the plants, the smaller the water content of the closing cells and the larger the extent to which the apertures will close Thus, it is possible, by controlling humidity in the manner described, additionally to influence the amount of C02 absorbed by the plants.
With the new arrangement it becomes possible - contrary to common hot houses - to grow most different cultures of remarkably different climatical needs in one and the same house.
Of the water contents of plants only two percent contribute to the growing of cells while 92% of water evaporate, With the new system for rontrolling the air humidity it is possible to completely regain these 98% of evaporated water. This is of advantage particularly in regions poor of water.
Claims (13)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. In a method of using a greenhouse, wherein indi-vidual cultivating areas within the greenhouse are spacially and thermally insulated relative to the ground and the inside of the greenhouse, and heat and moisture is supplied in a controlled manner to the insulated areas alone, the improvement in which the individual cultivating areas are insulated against an exchange of gas with the surrounding atmosphere of the green-house, and pure carbon dioxide gas is supplied intermittently to an insulated cultivating area for a limited period of time in each case in a quantity which is sufficient to destroy oxygen-consuming pests, and furthermore pure carbon dioxide is supplied in quantities such that a CO2-concentration is maintained in the atmosphere of the insulated cultivating area which is sufficient for fertilising the plants and which is higher than the normal concentration in the air.
2. A method according to claim 1, in which carbon dioxide is supplied to the insulated cultivating area in gas form for a limited period of time in each case until its pro-portion in the air of the insulated cultivating area is between 1.5% and 15% by volume.
3. A method according to claim 1, in which pure CO2 is supplied to the insulating cultivating area for fertilisa-tion purposes using water impregnated with carbon dioxide.
4. A method according to claim 3, in which the pH
value of the cultivating soil is influenced by means of the water impregnated with carbon dioxide.
value of the cultivating soil is influenced by means of the water impregnated with carbon dioxide.
5. A method according to claim 3, in which carbon dioxide and water is stored in each case in a compressed gas cylinder or a compressed gas tank under the pressure in the carbon dioxide cylinder or the like, and is impregnated with the gas whilst maintaining the pressure of the water, the impregna-ted water then being supplied to the insulated cultivating area after the pressure has been released.
6. A method according to claim 5, in which the im-pregnated water is supplied and cut off or sprayed by means of the pressure from the carbon dioxide tank.
7. A method according to claim 3 or 4, in which exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide is collected in a pres-surized container and subjected to high pressure to form an impregnating pressure using carbon dioxide gas from a com-pressed gas cylinder or a compressed gas tank and is fed into the water supply.
8. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which surplus moisture in the insulated cultivating areas is drawn off by means of circulating air, the air drawn out of the insulated cultivating areas firstly being dried by condensing out the moisture on cold or cooled surfaces, and then warmed before being returned to the insulated cultivating areas.
9. In a greenhouse for carrying out the method accor-ding to claim 1, having a plurality of individual cultivating areas arranged within the greenhouse, which are each spacially and thermally insulated relative to the ground and the inside of the greenhouse, each cultivating area comprising a trough-shaped insulation for receiving the cultivating soil and a hood-like cover made of light-permeable, heat-insulating material, and being connectable to a supply arrangement for supplying heat and water via ducts, the improvement in which the hood-like cover of each insulating cultivating area is formed by a double layer hood, which overlaps the edge of the soil trough and engages in a gastight manner with its lower edge in a channel which is associated with the soil trough and which is filled with fluid, and each insulated cultivating area can be connected to supply arrangement for supplying pure CO2 gas and for water impregnated with pure CO2.
10. A greenhouse according to claim 9, in which the insulated cultivating areas are connected in groups or indivi-dually to an air circulating system, with which a cooled con-denser for condensing out moisture and a heat exchanger for pre-warming the dried air are associated in series.
11. A greenhouse according to claim 9, in which culti-vating areas which are arranged parallel to one another can be displaced with respect to one another in the direction trans-verse to their longitudinal extension into a position in which they are pushed close together to form a block.
12. A greenhouse according to claim 11, in which a shade such as a roller blind or a venetian blind which can be horizontally retracted or rolled up and extended or rolled out over the upper cover, and which has a width extending over the cultivating area, is associated with each cultivating area, and the shades provide a sealed additional form of heat insulation for the cultivating areas when the cultivating areas are pushed together with reciprocal overlapping to form a block.
13. A greenhouse according to claim 11 or 12, in which each cultivating area is connectable via flexible duct sections to the heat source, the carbon dioxide gas source, the impreg-nated water source and to an air circulating system.
Applications Claiming Priority (8)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEP3142357.4-23 | 1981-10-26 | ||
| DE3142357A DE3142357C2 (en) | 1981-10-26 | 1981-10-26 | Method of fertilizing plant crops with a tempered and CO ↓ 2 ↓ containing casting liquid |
| DEP3220254.7-23 | 1982-05-28 | ||
| DE3220254 | 1982-05-28 | ||
| DE19823226499 DE3226499A1 (en) | 1982-05-28 | 1982-07-15 | Method for operating a greenhouse, a greenhouse for carrying out the method |
| DEP3226499.2 | 1982-07-15 | ||
| DE19823230439 DE3230439A1 (en) | 1982-08-16 | 1982-08-16 | Greenhouse |
| DEP3230439.0 | 1982-08-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1215227A true CA1215227A (en) | 1986-12-16 |
Family
ID=27432721
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000413293A Expired CA1215227A (en) | 1981-10-26 | 1982-10-13 | Method of operating a hothouse and hothouse adapted to carry the method into practice |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0078964B1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU557552B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1215227A (en) |
| DK (1) | DK156366C (en) |
Families Citing this family (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IL68328A0 (en) * | 1983-04-07 | 1983-07-31 | Kacholi David | Apparatus for plant development and growth |
| FR2547162B1 (en) * | 1983-06-13 | 1986-02-07 | Anhydride Carbonique Ind | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENRICHING THE GREENHOUSE ATMOSPHERE WITH PURE CARBON DIOXIDE |
| JPS6012913A (en) * | 1983-07-01 | 1985-01-23 | 森 敬 | Plant culture apparatus |
| ES2085189B1 (en) * | 1991-05-10 | 1997-01-01 | Univ Oviedo | AUTOMATIC IN VITRO CULTIVATION SYSTEM FOR PLANTS, WITH APPLICATION OF PREFERENCES ABOUT PREFERENTIAL STAGES OF MULTIPLICATION, ROOTING AND ACCLIMATATION STAGES OF EXPLANTS. |
| WO2003022036A1 (en) * | 2001-09-07 | 2003-03-20 | Gartneriet Pkm Aps | Production method and system for ornamental plants |
| DE102010015635B3 (en) * | 2010-04-20 | 2011-11-17 | Fermacell Gmbh | Plant propagation table |
| CN113575219A (en) * | 2021-08-20 | 2021-11-02 | 北京市林业果树科学研究院 | Small-environment precise control greenhouse and application thereof |
| CN114608648A (en) * | 2022-02-16 | 2022-06-10 | 中国科学院南海海洋研究所 | Medium universe culture device for simulating influence of rainfall on plankton and greenhouse gas |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH420710A (en) * | 1964-07-14 | 1966-09-15 | Strasser Willy | Plant for cultivating useful and ornamental plants |
| DE1949001C3 (en) * | 1969-09-27 | 1975-08-21 | Ernst Voetsch Kaelte- Und Klimatechnik Kg, 7462 Frommern | Method and device for regulating the air humidity in a plant growth chamber |
| CH601742A5 (en) * | 1974-03-10 | 1978-07-14 | Metalul Rosu Intreprinderea | |
| CH571804A5 (en) * | 1974-06-25 | 1976-01-30 | Mueller Hans Maennedorf | Utilisation of waste heat and products from fermentations - by accelerating growth in crops in fields or greenhouses |
| DE2914607A1 (en) * | 1979-04-11 | 1980-10-23 | Hannemann Karl August | Thermal propagator for greenhouse plants - has cover foil to increase capacity, and insulated heating tube arrangement |
-
1982
- 1982-10-13 CA CA000413293A patent/CA1215227A/en not_active Expired
- 1982-10-15 AU AU89402/82A patent/AU557552B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1982-10-25 DK DK472782A patent/DK156366C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1982-10-25 EP EP82109821A patent/EP0078964B1/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0078964A1 (en) | 1983-05-18 |
| DK156366B (en) | 1989-08-14 |
| AU557552B2 (en) | 1986-12-24 |
| DK156366C (en) | 1990-01-08 |
| DK472782A (en) | 1983-04-27 |
| AU8940282A (en) | 1983-05-05 |
| EP0078964B1 (en) | 1986-03-26 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKEX | Expiry |