With Hortinergy, you can model the climate and the energy consumption of most the classic and modern equipments. Specifications of the main features are:
Functionalities in the virtual greenhouse software
Weather file
Annual record on an hourly basis prepared based on the GPS coordinates with Meteonorm.
- Temperature
- Relative humidity
- Solar radiation (global, diffuse, normal, PAR)
- Cloudiness
- Sky temperature
- Wind speed and direction
Greenhouse covering
Most of classic, innovative and energy effcient greenhouse covering material are included.
- Orientation and dimensions
- Shape of the greenhouse: glass, Gothic arch, multi-span plastic
- Roof and wall materials
- Airtightness
- Screen for each wall (quantity, characteristics)
- Summer whitening (period, characteristics)
Techniques involved
The crop library includes most of the crops
- Type of culture
- Type of growing medium
- Planting and harvesting dates
Heating equipment
Most of greenhouse energy efficient heating aquipment can be modelled
- Rail pipes
- Grow pipes
- Air unit heaters
- Perimeter heating
- Low temperature pipe under bench
- Overhead heating pipes
- Pulsed-air generator
Heat production and storage
Most of heat production and storage can be modelled to improve greenhouse energy efficiency.
- Type of energy source
- Primary production: type and characteristics (maximum and minimum power, condenser, etc.
- Secondary production / back-up: type and characteristics (maximum and minimum power, condenser, etc.)
- Storage tank
Climate control and regulation
Climate setpoints are similar as those of a climate computer to model inner climate and optimise greenhouse energy consumption.
- Temperature: day/night at different periods of the year and morning revival
- Relative humidity control: RH or humidity deficit
- Screen: depending on the sunlight (thermal/shading) or internal/external temperature difference
- Open buffer: Water DT, CO2 production (Minimum solar radiation, required CO2 level), optimisation of the primary system (minimum power), etc.
Semi-closed greenhouse
Hortinergy can model semi-closed greenhouse, closed greenhouse, pad & fan, fog systems etc… to optimise greenhouse energy consumption and inner climate.
- Semi-closed greenhouse
- Air revival maximum rate
- Air internal recirculation rate
- Fan specification
- Cooling system (pas, fog)
- Pad specification
- Cooling temperature
- Vent opening temperature
Assimilation light
Assimilation light calculations are included to design energy efficient greenhouse.
- Type of light (LED, HPS)
- Maximum power required
- Lighting efficiency
- Lighting regulation (DLI, hour)
Greenhouse gas emission
Greenhouse gas emission calculation (g CO2/m² or CO2 / kg product) are required to design energy efficient greenhouse.
- Nutriments
- CO2 injection
- Embodied energy of the greenhouse structure
- Heating