Vertical growing systems factory today: Indoor farming has become more prevalent in recent years following increased demand for fresh produce and rising concerns about the ecological impact of traditional agriculture. Warehouses present the perfect interior environment for farming — spacious, adequate protection from harsh weather and more manageable growing conditions. Will these become the farmlands of the future? Only time will tell, but the potential is undeniable, as are the benefits. How Would it Work? Warehouse farming brings agriculture indoors. It’s like a supercharged version of greenhouse cultivation where farmers manipulate temperatures, humidity levels and ventilation to replicate ideal conditions required for each specific crop. Find extra info on vertical farming solution.
When most consumers consider vertical farms, they think of grocery store lettuce. They’re not wrong — leafy greens are an excellent crop for a controlled, hydroponic growing setup. But how exactly does vertical farming work, and how are today’s companies and startups taking advantage of the shifting landscape to offer a new way to acquire fresh produce? What Is Vertical Farming? Vertical farming, also referred to broadly as indoor farming, is the practice of growing produce in layers, stacked vertically, as opposed to the traditional method of growing in the ground.
As if the ability to garden anywhere, in any environment, insusceptibility to harsh climate and weather, and almost complete immunity to pests weren’t enough to sway farmers to lean towards this new agricultural method, there are other benefits to vertical farming. These include consistently high-quality produce, no dependency on sunlight, the ability to grow produce closer to the consumer base and utilize renewable energy for power, and enhanced consumer safety as the risk of pathogens is virtually eliminated.
OptiClimatefarm lab team has been working on something even more unusual – saffron, aka the world’s most expensive spice. For years, the team has commercialized the growing of vertical leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes & peppers for global growers. 4 tons of saffron seed balls could be grown in only 100m2 OptiClimatefarm with Smart Climate + Artificial Light vertical grow rack technology to optimize planting density in a controlled environment indoors.
Additionally, some HVAC systems may be more energy-efficient than others. When considering energy consumption, some factors to consider are: Can you use waste heat? Can you use free cooling directly or indirectly, allowing you to use other sources and, in some cases, reduce energy consumption by up to 85%? Dehumidification requires energy, so it is important to determine the best technique for the specific situation to save energy. We examine the most favorable dehumidification method. This starts with the initial condition of the crop and the corresponding climate. Then we can focus on the best technology for the specific situation and choose what is best to apply. Energy can be saved by choosing cold recovery methods such as cross-flow heat exchangers, heat pipes, or run-around coils.
Vertical farming HVAC systems generate significant amounts of heat as byproducts. Implementing waste heat recovery technologies can harness this excess heat and repurpose it for various applications, such as water heating or powering absorption chilling systems. Key advantages include: Reduced energy consumption for heating purposes; Increased overall energy efficiency by utilizing waste heat; Cost savings through the reuse of heat energy. Controlling temperature fluctuations minimizes stress on plants, promoting their overall health and productivity.
In a few decades, indoor city farms or vertical farms have become popular for producing healthy food year-round in urban environments and harsh climates. We began a long-term series of research studies on DFT tomatoes at our OptiClimatefarm R&D Center. To develop an effective DFT indoor farm, we built on our years of know-how and experience from both greenhouse growers and vertical farms. Over the past decade, tomato production has been optimized with high-tech automation and data management. We can use this tremendous amount of knowledge and adapt and implement the same vision and technology in an indoor farm. Read more info on https://www.opticlimatefarm.com/.
Grow Room Environmental Control System is one of the main series of OptiClimate products, which also includes HVAC, LED/HPS lighting, Co2 + controller , dehumidifiers & Ventilation equipment, OptiClimate can always provide the professional plant growth solutions. Being important parts of OptiClimate Farms, the environmental products are designed with compact size and plug-and-play installation, for the easy control of the temperature, the humidify and other elements of the environment in the farms. With its open Protocol and standard interface, it could be connected and controlled through centralized system together with other products of OptiClimate Farms. Automated climate control.Ideal environment to grow in any climate and season.
In addition, it is necessary to map the environment so that the design of, for example, a chiller/cooling water installation can also take the noise level into account. Higher requirements will be placed in a built environment than in an industrial area. On top of that, lighting is also of great importance in vertical farming. It is important to adjust the lighting to the HVAC system so that an optimal growing environment is created. In addition, controlling lighting can also help reduce energy consumption.