The glasshouse at Cympha Orchids in Bleiswijk , the Netherlands , are in full production by mid - January , with millions of orchid thriving on the benches . Above them , light-emitting diode light and dehumidification units create the ideal growing surround . This combination of LED kindling and dehumidification is increasingly being acknowledge by growers for its effectiveness . Ivo Biemond , the proprietor of the 1.6 - hectare greenhouse , also saw its voltage . A few year ago , he take the initiative to develop his own custom dehumidification system to heighten the growth conditions for his orchid .
" If I ’m going to do something , I check that to image it out thoroughly , " he says as we walk through his nursery , which is also a test locating for Bimco Holland . Bimco Holland is a young company that has rivet on conservation technology for glasshouse gardening .
Today , the company has both dehumidification scheme and LED lights in its product range . Systems for air and body of water disinfection will be added later this class , read Joost de Goeij , who is responsible for cut-rate sale at Bimco Holland . At GreenTech Amsterdam , where Bimco Holland has a stand , he will be able to tell more about this .
Joost de Goeij of Bimco Holland and Ivo Biemond of Cympha Orchids .
CompactThe dehumidification system offered by Bimco Holland is unlike from known system on the marketplace . Grower Ivo was looking for a system that suited his motive and finally decided to modernise a unit himself . " Bimco Holland ’s unit are compact , and we place them at the top of the greenhouse . I ’m not a devotee of work with trunks ; that blocks sluttish . With these compact units , we limit light personnel casualty . The force consumption is also low . "
Bimco Holland now has unit of measurement in dissimilar sizes on the market . There are the Bimco-5E and 4E , and there is also a 3E. " This smaller variant operates on the basis of propane , " Joost points out . Propane has become a executable alternative refrigerant , peculiarly as the use of several other refrigerants is no longer permitted .
Inside the orchidaceous plant - fill greenhouse , it ’s noticeable that the dehumidification social unit are suspended above the rows of grow tables in an flip-flop radiation diagram . One unit ’s fan face the concrete path down the middle of the nursery , while the next look the greenhouse wall . A small but clever item is the two LED lights that glow from a space , indicating whether the social unit are functional . " Look , that one is on because the unripe light is light up , " Ivo points out . This characteristic produce it soft for growers to apace moderate from across the nursery whether the units are draw during their inspection round .
The dehumidification units are strategically positioned to seamlessly integrate with the horizontal flow of air throughout the glasshouse . " This allows us to expeditiously extract moisture from the strain in every corner of the space , " the grower explains . After an panoptic development cognitive operation , Bimco Holland successfully optimize the unlike social unit types , achieving an efficiency of 3.5 l per kilowatt at 20 degree Anders Celsius and 80 % proportional humidity .
Bimco Holland ’s stocky dehumidification whole operate without strain hosepipe .
LEDIn the orchid glasshouse , a multilayer finish arrangement has been partly implement , with light-emitting diode lights from Bimco Holland set up throughout . " I would have loved to have the visible radiation we ’re using now ten year ago , but the technology just was n’t useable back then . Now , it is , " he reflects .
Cympha Orchids works with 200 - watt LED secureness , with a daylight spectrum . Depending on the space of the lamp from the plant , LED ’s with downcast major power , e.g. 80 or 40 Isaac Watts , are also useable . " We are even currently testing a 6 - watt luminaire in a multilayer refinement set - up , " he says .
For this go-ahead , the orchid grower is collaborating with Bimco Holland in a mood cellular phone equipped with Danish carts and LED tubes that down just 6 watts . " By the oddment of this twelvemonth , we bear to have enough information to expatiate the routine of clime cell for further testing , " Ivo explains . " at long last , I forestall that around 50 percent of the polish physical process will take billet in these mood cells . " This approaching aim to maximize the manipulation of the available cultivation country and optimise production per straight meter . screen cultivation in a clime chamber
Next stride : ionizationBimco Holland ’s dehumidification unit can also optionally be equip with air disinfection using ionization . The technology can finally be come out on fan as well . " This is still in the development form , " Joost point out .
The orchid agriculturist in Bleiswijk has invested heavily in progressively close cultivation in late years . For instance , three screens are installed in the greenhouse . " We have a day screen , an energy screen , and another short screen dangling , " Ivo lists .
The investments have lead to lour vigor economic consumption . " Compared to 2019 , our muscularity consumption has fall by 55 per centum . " . The big change here is that the grower no longer act with a minimum tube . " We only heat for temperature and no longer to get rid of moisture . "
For the innovative grower , who has been get and follow up his own sustainability techniques , it ’s thwarting that his vigor bank note has not decreased . " On the contrary , it ’s even slightly higher than it was in 2019 , despite all our efforts . "
However , beyond the financial look , he does see many positive effects from the change he has made . " I see a lot of welfare , but progression never fall out as quickly as we would like . " As the greenhouse becomes more and more closed , air disinfection has become an of import thoughtfulness . " The finish is to prevent the tune from becoming pollute and to stop mould spores from spread out . "
By installing atmosphere disinfection building block , mildew pressure can be dilute in the orchid nursery , with the bearing of achieving the lowest possible failure rate . " That ’s the ultimate destination . " While Ivo does n’t intend 0 % downtime is realistic , the companionship endeavor for minimal unsuccessful person . " We ’ve also started using biostimulants to improve industrial plant resiliency , aiming to fortify the wax layer on the industrial plant . "
Horizontal fans also hang under the three layers of covert cloth . Bimco Holland ’s dehumidification units are place in the horizontal air travel catamenia .
Payback periodGreenhouse horticulture is often under vivid examination in the Netherlands , and at Cympha Orchids , they are aware of this . It motivates the fellowship to endlessly take steps toward more sustainable and environmentally friendly practice , while also endeavor for the short possible vengeance period on investment . " With all the rule and the on-going social argumentation , it ’s important to quickly recover the toll of innovations . Right now , it ’s hard to design too far ahead , " say Ivo .
The payback period can vary depending on the pillowcase . Bimco Holland ’s systems are already in use by several growers in the Netherlands , across both floriculture and gardening , as well as in other share of Europe . The more a agriculturalist embraces closed - environment finish with LED inflammation and dehumidification , the cracking the zip savings , and thus the brusk the retribution period , base on the experiences at Cympha Orchids .
" In the midst of the vim crisis , people were visiting here every week to see what we were doing . Now , those same citizenry are making investment . The urgency is growing , " Ivo and Joost observe .
The smallest dehumidification unit of measurement that Bimco Holland is germinate works with propane as the refrigerant .
For more information : Joost de GoeijBimco Holland+31 6 - 42204984[email protected]www.bimcoholland.nl
Cympha Orchids[email protected]www.cympha.nl
© FloralDaily.com/Thijmen Tiersma
