Energy and hydrometric control of horticultural greenhouses
AssigneeLes Industries Harnois Inc.
InventorsPatrice HARNOIS, Yves DUBÉ
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Abstract
The invention concerns a system and method for energy and hydrometric control of a horticultural greenhouse. The present invention proposes a perfect and complementary arrangement of various energy sources while optimizing them. The use of fossil energy is significantly reduced, making it possible to achieve carbon neutrality, whatever the season and/or climate, and external CO2 becomes a usable and manageable source of fertilizer. In particular, the invention optimizes the use of heat pumps and other energy sources, preferably alternative energy sources such as hydraulic, wind, solar, geothermal, biofuel or a mixture of these.
Claims20
A system for energy and hydrometric control of a horticultural greenhouse, comprising:
- a set of heating pipes installed in the greenhouse to heat the greenhouse interior;
- a set of radiators installed in the greenhouse to heat or cool the greenhouse interior;
- one or more boilers;
- one or more electrically powered heat pumps;
- a first tank containing a first fluid (F1) previously heated to a first temperature Te of between about 45 and 90° C. using:
- said one or more boilers,
- heat exchange with a distribution loop of a second fluid (F2) previously heated to a second temperature by means of said one or more electrically powered heat pumps programmed to produce heat, or
- the combined action of the one or more boilers and heat exchange with the distribution loop;
- the distribution loop forming part of the control system, and the first tank being fluidly connected to the set of heating pipes installed in the greenhouse to heat the greenhouse interior;
- another reservoir containing a third fluid (F3) previously cooled to a temperature of between approximately 2 and 10° C. using the electrically powered heat pump(s) programmed to produce cold;
- the distribution loop and the other reservoir being fluidly connected to the set of radiators installed in the greenhouse to heat or cool the greenhouse interior;
- and
- a hydrological station comprising at least one first probe for measuring the temperature inside the greenhouse, at least one second probe for measuring the temperature outside the greenhouse and at least one probe for measuring the humidity level inside the greenhouse.
A system for energy and hydrometric control of a horticultural greenhouse, comprising:
- a set of heating pipes installed in the greenhouse to heat the greenhouse interior;
- a set of radiators installed in the greenhouse to heat or cool the greenhouse interior;
- one or more boilers;
- one or more electrically powered heat pumps;
- a first high-temperature energy stack comprising a first reservoir containing a first volume of a first fluid previously heated to a first temperature of at least 60° C. using the one or more boilers, the first stack being fluidly connected to said set of heating pipes installed in the greenhouse to heat the interior of the greenhouse;
- a second medium-temperature energy stack comprising a second reservoir containing a second volume of a second fluid previously heated to a second temperature of between about 40 and 60° C. by means of the one or more electrically powered heat pumps programmed to produce heat, the second stack being fluidly connected to said set of radiators installed in the greenhouse to heat the interior of the greenhouse;
- a third low-temperature energy stack comprising a third reservoir designed to contain a third volume of said second fluid previously cooled to a third temperature of between about 2 and 10° C. using the electrically powered heat pump(s) programmed to produce cold, the third stack being fluidly connected to said set of radiators installed in the greenhouse to cool the interior of the greenhouse;
- and
- a hydrological station comprising at least one first probe for measuring the temperature inside the greenhouse, at least one second probe for measuring the temperature outside the greenhouse and at least one probe for measuring the humidity level inside the greenhouse;
- and wherein:
- the first and second energy stacks are thermally interconnected to enable heat exchange from the first to the second stack when the outside temperature is too low to use the heat pump(s) to heat the second fluid in the second energy stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.