NL1043187A - A greenhouse with air conduits for climate control - Google Patents

Abstract

A greenhouse comprising walls, a roof, upright supports for supporting the roof, and air conduits for climate control in the greenhouse. The air conduits can b To reduce the problem of the air conduits being in the way when growing produce in the greenhouse growth space and/or during other operations such as cleaning, or re-arrangements, the upright supports are hollow uprights, said hollow uprights - comprising an upper opening and a lower opening, - defining an air conduit of the air conduits for climate control between the upper opening and the lower opening, and - comprising a fan capable of moving air through the air conduit defined by the hollow upright. 1043187

Description

Netherlands Patent Office © 1043187 © A PATENT APPLICATION © Application number: 1043187 @ Application submitted: 13 March 2019

Int. Cl .:

A01G 9/24 (2019.01) A01G 9/14 (2019.01)

© Priority: © Applicant (s): March 14, 2018 NL 1042790 Alcomij Beheer BV in 's-Gravenzande. 0 Application registered: © Inventor (s): September 25, 2019 Gerhard Gozewinus van Leerdam in 's-Gravenzande. © Request published: Sven Peter van Heijningen in 's-Gravenzande. September 26, 2019 Willem Nowé in 's-Gravenzande. © Authorized representative: No.

M) A greenhouse with air conduits for climate control © A greenhouse including walls, a roof, upright supports for supporting the roof, and air conduits for climate control in the greenhouse. The air conduits can b

To reduce the problem of the air conduits being in the way when growing produce in the greenhouse growth space and / or during other operations such as cleaning, or re-arrangements, the upright supports are hollow uprights, said hollow uprights

- including an upper opening and a lower opening,

- defining an air conduit or the air conduits for climate control between the upper opening and the lower opening, and

- including a fan capable of moving air through the air conduit defined by the hollow upright.

NL A 1043187

This publication corresponds to the documents originally submitted.

A greenhouse with air conduits for climate control

The present invention relates to a greenhouse including

- walls,

- a roof, said roof including sloping sections, said sloping sections including a downward facing side and an upward facing side,

- gutters for collecting water condensed against the downward facing sides of the sloping sections of the roof,

- upright supports for supporting the roof, and

- air conduits for climate control in the greenhouse.

A greenhouse according to the preamble is well-known in the art. Commercial greenhouses tend to occupy quite a large area. To maintain a desired climate in the growth space of the greenhouse in a homogenous manner, it is known to have plastic air distribution hoses and conduits extending across the greenhouse, be it suspended from the roof or below growth tables or growth gutters.

British patent application GBGB922757 discloses on an air-conditioned and water-cooled greenhouse including a concrete foundation on which a frame of polyester beams is erected with apertures along the beams through which air or water can be discharged, and glass or transparent plastics panels supported on the beams. Channels are also provided in the concrete foundation. In use, fresh air is drawn in by a central fan, heated and distributed through a hollow beam to the interconnected channels or the frame and expelled into the greenhouse through apertures in the frame.

Air conduits form a major component of a ventilated and air-conditioned greenhouse and a problem is that it requires substantial amounts of material to have a system installed that is able to provide a uniform climate throughout the greenhouse.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce this problem.

To this end, a greenhouse according to the preamble is characterized in that the upright supports are hollow uprights, said hollow uprights

- including an upper opening and a lower opening,

- defining an air conduit or the air conduits for climate control between the upper opening and the lower opening, and

- including a fan capable of moving air through the air conduit defined by the hollow upright.

Thus the upright supports serve a dual purpose and this makes it possible to use the upright supports for control of the climate in the greenhouse. The number of conventional air conduits for climate control such as plastic air distribution hoses may be reduced and / or their cross-sectional area (diameter) may be reduced or they may be completely abstained from, as a result of which they are less of a hindrance or or no hindrance at all.

It is possible to control the fans of the hollow up individually, allowing for local control of the climate conditions.

Typically the fan will be a fan for moving air from the upper opening to the lower opening. In a situation where moisture condenses against the roof, this allows for air having a reduced load of water to be moved to plants inside the greenhouse. By controlling the speed with which air is passed through the upright supports, the relative humidity in the greenhouse, in particular its growth area, can be controlled.

The fan is advantageously a fan that can be operated reversibly, allowing for air to flow in an opposite direction.

According to a very important embodiment, the upper opening will be capable of serving as in inlet opening. Typically the inlet opening will be provided at the upper end of the upright support, although it may be provided in a side wall of the upright support.

The lower opening will typically be provided in a side wall of the upright support. It is preferred that there is a multitude of lower opening distributed over the circumference of the upright support to distribute air from the inlet opening in all directions. However, it is also possible to create a transport or air through the greenhouse by having an opening face a particular direction, for example all facing one wall of the greenhouse.

According to a favorite embodiment, the greenhouse comprises a screen provided below the roof, said screen defining

- a greenhouse growth space below the screen, and

- a roof space between the roof and the screen;

the upper opening of the upright supports being located above the screen and the lower opening of the upright supports being located below the screen.

This allows for improved climate control using the hollow supports, for example because the roof space may be used to control the climate by transport or air in a horizontal direction. The upright supports tap the flow or air as needed locally in the greenhouse. It is also possible to transport and distribute CO ₂ in this manner with control over the amount provided locally using individual control of the fans of the hollow uprights.

A screen is well known in the art and serves to control the climate in greenhouse growth space. The screen may for example be closed during the night if it is desired to reduce the loss of heat from the greenhouse, or to protect plants in the greenhouse from excessive heat.

According to a favorite embodiment, the hollow uprights further include:

- an intermediate opening located in between the upper opening and the lower opening

- at least one valve capable of regulating the flow of air from the lower opening and the upper opening relative to each other.

In this way the hollow upright is capable of conditioning air using less energy. Drawing air into the hollow uprights from beneath the roof and from below the plants and converging and discharging the two flows of air through the intermediate opening allows control of temperature, humidity or both by proportionally mixing the two flows of air using the at least one valve . The fan is preferably located in or at the intermediate opening so the flows get mixed well. A single two-way valve located in the hollow uprights at the height of the intermediate opening allows single step regulation of the proportional mixing of the two flows of air. Air could also be drawn in at the intermediate opening and discharged through the lower opening, the upper opening or both said opening.

According to a favorite embodiment, the upright supports are connected by the trusses and the upright supports are supported by the trusses, the upright supports are extended above the trusses with the upper opening located above the trusses and horizontally spaced apart from the gutters.

This allows for an improved intake or air from the roof space or discharge to the roof space. Also, the strength of the upright support is not compromised by the upper opening. In addition, it is a convenient configuration if it is desired to exchange air above the screen.

According to a favorite embodiment, the upright support comprises means for changing the temperature or air passed through the 5 upright support.

Changing the temperature may involve cooling or heating.

The means for changing the temperature may be a heat exchanging surface or a conduit for hot water (for heating) or cold water (for cooling). Heating may also be conveniently done by electrical heating.

The means for changing the temperature may also include a nozzle for spraying water (preferably rain water or condensed water collected using the gutters as this contains little salts) into the air passed through the upright support, cooling the air. Excess water will not end up at the plants in the greenhouse. Typically the water will be sprayed in the longitudinal direction of the upright support.

According to a favorite embodiment, the upright support comprises means for changing the relative humidity or air passing through the upright support.

The means for changing the relative humidity may also include a nozzle for spraying water into the air passed through the upright support. Excess water will not end up at the plants in the greenhouse. Typically the water will be sprayed in the longitudinal direction of the upright support.

The means may also include a heat exchanging surface or a conduit for cold medium, allowing moisture from the air to condense on said surface.

According to a favorite embodiment, the screen is a relatively high screen and the greenhouse further comprises a relatively low screen, and hollow uprights include a further opening between the relatively high screen and the relatively low screen.

This allows for improved climate control using the hollow supports, for example, the space between the relatively high screen and the relatively low screen may be used to control the climate by transport or air in a horizontal direction. The upright supports tap the flow or air as needed locally in the greenhouse. It may also be possible to transport air in CO ₂ between the two screens. In such a case may be preferred to have a secondary conduit to bypass the two screens, connecting the growth area of the greenhouse with the roof space, and to use two fans so as to control the flow of air through the hollow support from the roof space independent of the flow of air enriched in CO ₂ .

To control the flow of air through the upright support, it may include a valve for selecting the upper opening or the further opening. In addition or alternatively, the fan of the upright support is located between the further opening and the upper opening and may be used for controlling the flow through the upper opening whereas the upright support may be a further fan for controlling air through the further opening. Both fans can be operated simultaneously if it is desired to have a large flow or air to (or from) the lower opening or the hollow uprights.

According to a favorite embodiment, the greenhouse comprises a conduit for a gas including a CO, concentration of at least 5% by volume, and the upright supports are in communication with the conduit for said gas.

This allows the upright supports to extract the gas from the conduit depending on the flow rate as controlled by the fan, allowing the distribution or CO ₂ to be done evenly.

According to a favorite embodiment, the support is provided with a sensor for measuring a parameter chosen from i) the temperature, ii) the relative humidity, iii) the CO ₂ concentration, and iv) amount of light.

This allows for improved local control of the growth conditions, including the climate, in the greenhouse.

According to a favorite embodiment, the fan of an upright support is in the top half of the upright support.

Thus the amount of energy used for operating the fan can be reduced. The fan is preferably present in the top third, more preferably in the top quarter of the upright support.

According to a favorite version, the greenhouse comprises an element chosen from a ridge profile and a gutter profile as part of the roof, and the element is provided with an electrical cable for supply or power to the fan of an upright.

Thus the electrical cable does not interfere with operations in the greenhouse. In particular it is not hindered by a screen. The profiles are typically manufactured by extrusion, which allows for a lip or conduit extending over the length of the profile into which the cable will be provided to power the fan and / or sensor.

The present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the drawing where

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view or a part of a greenhouse;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional, non-perspective view or a part of a greenhouse according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view or a part of a greenhouse according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view or a part of a greenhouse according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of a greenhouse 100, which greenhouse 100 comprises walls 110, a roof 120 including sloping sections 121. The sloping sections 121 ', 121 are separated by a ridges 122 and troughs 123. The troughs 123 are in the form of gutters 123 for collecting water from the roof. The roof 120 also contains windows 124 which are opened for example to get rid of an excess of heat or to reduce the air humidity inside the greenhouse 100.

Typically the ridges 122 will be made of extruded ridge profiles and the gutters will be made of extruded gutter profiles.

Inside the greenhouse 100 there are upright supports 150. The upright supports 150 support trusses 160. The trusses 160 support the gutters 123 which run transverse to the trusses 160.

The greenhouse 100 further comprises screens 130 ', 130, at a relatively low level and at a relatively high level respectively, for controlling the climate in the greenhouse. There is a roof space 141 between the upper screen 130 and the roof 120.

In accordance with the present invention, the upright supports

150 serve a second purpose, more specifically they are hollow and serve as air conduits to circulate through the greenhouse 100. The upright supports 150 have lower openings 151, and a fan 152 for moving air from the roof space 141 through the hollow upright supports 150, and leave said upright supports 150 via the opening 151.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional, non-perspective view or a part of a greenhouse 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

In this first embodiment the upright support 150 supports the gutter 123, and extends beyond the trusses 160 to which it is also connected. Slits between screens allow for air to return from the growth area to the roof area.

This may for example serve to reduce air humidity in the greenhouse 100, as water can condense against the downward facing sides of the sloping sections 121, 121 'or the roof 120. The water will be collected by the gutters 123 and flows away.

To supplement air withdrawn from the roof space 141 (if windows 124 are closed), a secondary conduit 250 may be provided, which may be advantageously provided with a fan. This helps to reduce the ingress of outside air due to sub-atmospheric pressure because the roof may not be entirely air tight.

A conduit 250 may also be used to allow the passage of air from the greenhouse 100 below the relatively low screen 130 'above the relatively high screen 130, above the relatively high screen 130, bypassing the space between the screens 130', 130. In the edition shown here, the upright support 150 is provided with an electric heating element 270 for changing the temperature or air flowing through the upright support 150 before it leaves the outlet opening 151.

The upright support 150 is provided with a sensor unit 280 including a sensor for detecting air humidity, a sensor for detecting the temperature and a sensor for detecting the CO ₂ concentration.

Plants are grown using growth gutters which are hung by threads 291 from the trusses 160.

FIG. 3 shows across-sectional view or a part of a greenhouse 100 according to a second embodiment of the invention. It satisfies substantially to FIG. 2, with the following exceptions.

The upright support is connected to the truss 160 only, not to the gutter 123 and is positioned away from the gutters 123, below the ridge 122. Thus a different flow of air can be achieved in the roof space 141.

In the embodiment shown here, there is a fan 152 'located between the two screens, for extracting air from between said two screens. This allows for local recirculation without passing the air along the roof 120.

In the embodiment shown here, there is a fan 152 in the outlet opening 151, allowing air to be extracted through inlet opening 351 or the upright support 150.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view or a part of a greenhouse 100 according to a third embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown here, lower opening 151 and upper opening 152 can serve both as an inlet for air into the hollow upright. A fan 152 'is located in the intermediate opening 453 between the lower opening 151 and upper opening 152 at a height lower than a screen 130 and preferably higher than the canopy of the plants 290. A valve 455, preferably a two-way valve 455 , is associated with the fan. The fan 152 'can draw air through the interior of the hollow space from the lower part of the growth space 140 through the lower opening 151 or from the roof space 141 through the upper opening 152 or from both said spaces and discharge it into the upper part of the growth space over the canopy of the plants. This allows for mixing of air, having different characteristics such as temperature or humidity, drawn from the roof space and from the lower part of the growth space.

Claims (10)

Conclusions A greenhouse (100) comprising the following - walls (110), - a roof (120), wherein the roof (120) comprises sloping sections (12Γ, 121 "), and the sloping sections (12Γ, 121") comprise a downward-facing side and an upward-facing side, - gutters (123) for collecting water that is condensed against the downward facing sides of the sloping sections (121 ", 121") of the roof (120), Upright uprights (150) for supporting the roof (120), and - air ducts for climate control in the greenhouse (100); characterized in that the upright uprights (150) are hollow uprights (150), the hollow uprights (150) - have a high opening and a low opening, - define an air duct of the air ducts for climate control between the high opening and the low opening, and - a fan (152) capable of moving air through the air channel defined by the hollow stand (150). 20 The greenhouse (100) of claim 1, wherein the greenhouse (100) comprises a screen (130) provided under the roof (120), and the screen (130) defines the following - a greenhouse growing space (140) below the screen (130), and - a roof space (140) between the roof (120) and the screen (130); The high opening of the upright uprights (150) being above the screen (130) and the low opening of the upright uprights (150) being below the screen (130). The greenhouse (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hollow uprights (150) further comprise: - an intermediate opening located between the high opening and the low opening - at least one valve capable of controlling the flow of air from the low opening and the high opening relative to each other. The greenhouse (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the upright uprights (150) are connected by beams (160) and the 5 upright uprights (150) support the beams (160), the upright uprights (150) protruding above the beams (160), the high opening being above the beams (160) and being horizontally spaced from the channels (123) ). 5. Greenhouse (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upright upright (150) comprises a means for changing the temperature of air passed through the upright upright (150). Greenhouse (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the The upright upright (150) comprises means for changing the relative humidity of air passed through the upright upright (150). The greenhouse (100) according to claim 2, wherein the screen is relatively high The screen is (130 ") and the greenhouse (100) further comprises a relatively low screen (130"), and hollow uprights (150) comprise a further gap between the relatively high screen (130 ") and the relatively low screen (130 "). The greenhouse (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the The greenhouse comprises a channel for a gas comprising a CCh concentration of at least 5% by volume, and the upright uprights (150) are connected to the channel for the gas. 9. Greenhouse (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upright upright (150) is provided with a sensor (280) for measuring a parameter selected from i) the temperature, ii) the relative humidity, iii) the CCh concentration and iv) amount of light. The greenhouse (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fan of an upright upright (150) is located in the upper half of the upright upright (150). 11. The greenhouse (100) according to claim 10, wherein the greenhouse (100) comprises an element selected from a ridge profile and a gutter profile as part of the roof (120), and the element is provided with an electric cable for supplying power to the fan of an upright (150). 1/4 100