USING HEATING RELOCATION AND AIR DEHUMIDIFICATION/COOLING IN SOILLESS CUCUMBER CROP IN GREENHOUSE: APPLICATION IN THE WEST OF FRANCE

B. Albert, E. Brajeul, S. Le Quillec, D. Lesourd , D. Loda
The principle of relocating the heating system consists in placing low-tempera-ture heat emitters as close as possible to the crop – contrary to the common practice in professional glasshouses in the West of France – in such a way as to warm the plants rather than the air. As for the air dehumidification/cooling management, it could be expected through thermodynamic treatment or ventilation/forced outside air intake. Such experiments were carried out by the Ctifl Center in Carquefou from 2010 till 2012. The aim of these trials was to gain insight into the influence of relocated heating and of various air management modes by establishing an energy and economic balance for each climatic system. As overall results, both air dehumidification/cooling management modes offered a low added value compared to the relocation of the heating networks. The relocated heating system should represent the optimal technical-economic balance in greenhouse cucumber cultivation. Besides, it is in no case incompatible with temperature integration and lowering of the heating tempera¬ture set-point during the night in order to rationalize energy consumptions. These findings will continue to help the French greenhouse growers both to minimize heating costs and optimize air management while controlling the risks of disease and main¬taining the crop performance.
Albert, B., Brajeul, E., Le Quillec, S., Lesourd , D. and Loda, D. (2014). USING HEATING RELOCATION AND AIR DEHUMIDIFICATION/COOLING IN SOILLESS CUCUMBER CROP IN GREENHOUSE: APPLICATION IN THE WEST OF FRANCE. Acta Hortic. 1037, 741-748
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1037.96
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1037.96
Cucumis sativus, climate management, energy savings, sanitary control, agronomic performance
English

Acta Horticulturae