Novarbo Heat Reuse™ system looks after the cooling, dehumidification and heating of greenhouses in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way. The need for ventilation during the day is reduced significantly while excess heat and humidity are conveyed out of the greenhouse for recycling.
1. Droplet curtain, which acts as a heat exchanger and collects moisture and heat energy from greenhouse air.
2. Outdoor basin, from which the droplet curtain circulates water in the greenhouse. Heat energy from the greenhouse is absorbed in the water, and conveyed into the heating system by means of a heat pump.
3. The heat pump, the size of which is determined by the boilers and the possibility for reusing the heat energy. To be placed indoors and controlled according to the values measured by the greenhouse automation.
4. Boiler for storing surplus energy created in the greenhouse. The size may vary, which is to be taken into account when designing the heat pump. The larger the boiler, the longer the energy can be stored.
5. The droplet curtain system and the heat pump can be controlled by means of the greenhouse automation. However, using a separate control centre enables the values to be adjusted optimally for each device.
The droplet curtain system is an efficient heat exchanger: it absorbs the solar energy and the excess heat produced by lamps from the greenhouse in circulating water, and conveys it further to a cold-water basin. From the cold-water basin the heat pump circuit conveys thermal energy to the hot water circuit, and the cooled water will be forwarded to the droplet curtain in the greenhouse. The hot water warmed up by the heat pump is conveyed either directly into the heating cycle, or stored in the boiler, from where it will be used when required. There is no need to add any water to the circuit, as water vapour constantly evaporates from the plants into the air, and the droplet curtain captures it in the circulating water.
Read the Heat Reuse experiences of the Finnish cucumber farmer Timo Juntti.