Why an intelligent greenhouse?

The primary objectives of automation and control systems are to reach safety and security goals and optimize energy consumption in addition to achieving high quality products which are easily applicable nowadays thanks to Advanced control systems technology. In fact, the origin of automation in greenhouses, gardens and fields is to prevent dangers and damages which man has not been able to deal with during centuries due to the problems such as mental preoccupation, lack of opportunity and convenience. Every year, the owners of greenhouses, gardens and fields have been robbed or fallen victim to fire or lost their crops and assets. Many of the damages had been due to the increase or decrease in temperature and humidity and occurrence of storm and other significant weather phenomena, inadequate lighting, gas leaks, theft, etc. all of which can be controlled by SIMHOOSH’s greenhouse intelligent monitoring and control system.

How to automate a greenhouse?

1. Ventilation

The greenhouse ventilation system provides fresh air for plants, helps to control temperature and humidity and minimizes the risk of diseases. Greenhouses are generally enclosed structures that are not ventilated on their own. In order to ensure proper ventilation in the greenhouse, natural or mechanical ventilation system should be applied.

Natural Ventilation: In this system, ventilation is provided by windows on the sides and the roof of the greenhouse. Warm air rises due to its low density and exits through top windows.

Mechanical Ventilation: In this type of ventilation, airflow is generated by fans. Ventilation fans are located in a suitable height around the greenhouse and ventilation is provided.

2. Humidity

The humidity inside the greenhouse should effectively be controlled due to its crucial role in enhancing the quantity and quality of the product and in managing pests and diseases. The best relative humidity in greenhouses is almost 75%. Relative humidity of less than 60% with a temperature of more than 25 degrees Celsius leads to the drop of buds and fruits. Fungal diseases increase if the relative humidity is higher than 75% and the temperature is less than 25 degrees Celsius. As a result, the use of psychrometer is obligatory.

3. Temperature

Heating:

Since the greenhouse is not able to provide all the heat it needs through sunlight in winter, adequate heat should be produced in other ways. Heating systems used in greenhouses should have several characteristics, such as having the ability to provide adequate heat in the coldest night of the year and to distribute heat evenly throughout the greenhouse in order to reduce risks of diseases, achieve optimum plant growth and maximum efficiency.

Cooling:

Cooling is much harder and more expensive than heating. In summer, the temperature inside the greenhouse is often 11 degrees Celsius and above the ambient temperature. The detrimental effects of high temperatures are: stem instability, reduction in flower size, delay in flowering and bud death. Cooling is done in summer to prevent the penetration of strong sunlight. Cooling methods are as follows: shading, shading paint, shading with limewater and fan-and-pad evaporate cooling systems.

4. Light

Due to the leading role of light in photosynthesis of plants and in providing parts of the greenhouse temperature; light adjustment (intensity, radiation and type of light source) inside the greenhouse is made considering the product type and the climate of the area. It should be noted that the light intensity required for greenhouse plants is from 10,000 to 70,000 lx and the use of light meter is necessary in greenhouses due to the climatic conditions of the region. 

5. Irrigation Systems

The purpose of using intelligent irrigation systems is to ensure that all system components operate effectively. In agricultural work, irrigation systems are developed and implemented to provide plants with the water it needs at a certain time.

6. Automated Fault Detection System

Most of the time, due to the large amount of work, the greenhouse owner or gardener would be unaware of some of the systems’ breakdown. Intelligent control system has the advantage of discovering faults automatically in which case it notifies the greenhouse owner or gardener of the failures of the systems by sounding the alarm and informing via mobile phone. 

7. Online Monitoring

Observing from a distance is a determining factor in checking the condition of greenhouses, gardens and farms, including recognizing the condition of plants growth or controlling the movements of people, to name but a few.