With the late stage Atrium Climatune climate system , semi - shut greenhouse no longer necessitate the well - eff hosiery under the crop . The organisation , using pulsating atmospherical pressure to achieve a diffuse dispersion of the air , can also be used in traditional nursery to attain more control over the crop , Koen Brabander with PB tec explains . The collaboration Atrium Agri , in what PB tec participates , recently announced to have evolve the sole rights for the system in the horticultural diligence .
Koen Brabander
" Secret"Outside of horticulture BaOpt , the name of the organization behind the Atrium Climatune , has already been successful in various " difficult " areas , such as airports and swimming pool . The system is controlled by artificial intelligence . Based on the actual measured values , the clime control is continuously align .
" The real difference lies in a ' little enigma ' , a control that assure , through pulsating atmospheric pressure in the room , that the mote move easily in all guidance , " unveil Koen . " unremarkably , in a greenhouse with a caboodle of multilayers in it , you would get differences in RH , CO2 and temperature everywhere because plant life give off moisture and heat . With the BaOpt organization , you could achieve a temperature difference of plus or minus one degree , from cap to story and from gable to William Clark Gable . This also applies to such little difference in RH and CO2 . "
SoftwareUltimately , Atrium Climatune is a software program system ; the air handling units are not part of it . " But that is not a trouble , because any installer can make those cabinets , " says Koen . " The control is separate from the physical cabinets ; Atrium Climatune therefore does not make air conditioning arrangement , but is a software house . " So the installer furnish the computer hardware , Atrium Climatune the computer software , including artificial intelligence information and a daily automatic update .
Hoseless growingThe system of rules has already been tested seven years ago at Dutch tomato grower Royal Pride , now Atrium Agri is going to screen the system at another well - known greenhouse . The aim of the trial is to establish that growers no longer need a hose under the growing gutters , while the mood is still perfectly regulated . " The hosiery is no longer needed , and you do n’t really want the tobacco pipe railing system to dry out the crop .
How do they carry off that ? " We now need the pipe rail to send passion through the crop , to get rid of the humidness between the leaves . With the Atrium Climatune system , the humidness between the crop would be just as in high spirits as with the digs . So you do n’t get plastered fruits any longer either . "
Swiss AlpsThe idea for the BaOpt organization spring up in Switzerland . The discoverer , Albert Bauer ( hence the name , Bauer Optimisation = BaOpt ) , saw in the mount that at a sure negative pressure , the air becomes almost diffuse the high you go . " That climate , where the line moves easily in all direction , is what they are hear to imitate in the system . "
Koen explain what this means in the greenhouse : " By introducing pulsating atmospheric pressure , you carry off to make the atom move up , down , sideway and forwards just as easily . They have been using this principle in commercial buildings for around 15 to 20 years , especially in difficult areas , for example with very high ceilings . "
So why has n’t this principle been used in gardening before ? " If you begin count for more information about the organisation , you always see the scientists crying and the users laughing . It seems almost unimaginable to do what they are doing : using a small adjustment in the package to ensure that the air move equally in all way . " It is unmanageable to explain scientifically , but the users always see mensurable results .
No marvel large companies are looking at it with interest . Bosch , for example , became co - owner of BaOpt at one detail , and several large companies have examine to simulate the organization , so far without succeeder .
OpportunitiesKoen himself was a little hesitant at first , also because the scheme could be a competitor to regular partners Priva , Ridder and Hoogendoorn . " But on the other hand , it is a separate mental faculty . Initially I did n’t really apprise the value of the system in a traditional greenhouse . But now that more and more semi - shut nursery are being built with air treatment system , the Atrium Climatune system does come into the picture .
Koen sees opportunities especially in indoor growing systems . " We have several customers who do multilayer . They have already done a pot of inquiry into how you reach an optimum climate . Often the solution is sought in many fan , air hoses and sensors , and even then the equal RH and temperature statistical distribution is a Brobdingnagian challenge . In Atrium Climatune , we see a system that can regularise the climate effectively without having to hang up the whole affair up . "
FutureSo there are pot of possibleness , and at PB tec they see opportunities for the future tense . " For model , imagine that we extend the entire Atrium Climatune organisation separately , as a mental faculty within an be clime reckoner from Priva , Ridder or Hoogendoorn . Then the noesis of these companies , built up over 50 years of control in greenhouses with constantly changing conditions , would be retained , and we would only add an option .
For now , the system will be piloted at a well - known grower with a traditional nursery . " But we will make it semi - shut for the test . We need to demonstrate that we can achieve a better climate with fewer sensors , and also that we can make the control autonomous , with remote updates . "
You are then leave alone with a greenhouse without cooling , with only heating . " That path , you substantiate both energy preservation and good clime command . The energy savings , incidentally , only apply in winter , because in summer every grower in the Netherlands without chill throw open his vents , so then the Atrium Climatune system has no added economic value , because we can not attain pulsating underpressure . In September / October , the trial run will go on air . "
For more info : Atrium AgriKoen Brabander+31 ( 0 ) 174 623 200[email protected]www.pb - tec.com
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