CULTIVATION TIPS DELPHY
Draining water from the climate unit
Correct drainage of water from the climate unit is important to ensure properly functioning dehumidifi cation. I still regularly come across climate units which lack proper drainage. For clarity, what is referred to here is the drainage of condensation from the cooling coil (not the drip tray, which should obviously also be installed underneath the climate unit).
For an idea of how much condensation a cooling coil can produce, here is an example based on the fi rst fl ush in a growing room of 500 square metres. During the peak of a fi rst fl ush, around 60 grams of water per m2 of growing surface area can evaporate. In a growing room of 500 square metres that converts to 30,000 grams/hour - or 30 litres of water/hour. At times when the outside air is unsuitable to transport moisture from the room, meaning the climate unit has to dehumidify mechanically, these 30 litres will have to be entirely condensed via the cooling, and removed from the climate unit via the condensation drain. If not, condensation will collect in the climate unit. Some- times the base of the inlet fi lter, and the cooling and heating coils are actually in water! In addition to corrosion and the inherent risk of infection, part of this water will evaporate again, certainly if heating is required too. So in fact, far less dehumidifi cation is achieved than possible.
This illustrates that providing adequate drainage to remove condensation from the climate unit is essential. The drain is generally positioned in the space between the cooling coil and the heating coil. It is also important to fi t this drain with a trap to prevent unfi ltered air from the surroundings being sucked into the climate unit – resulting in potential risks of infection. As well as fi tting a drain with a trap for the condensate produced by the cooling coil, this type of drain is also usually installed at the lowest point of the mixing section and the fan in the climate unit. Another very important point is that condensate from the climate unit, and the drip tray, should never be drained to the fl oor of the growing room (where this water could evaporate again), but should be drained directly into the sewers.
By Jan Gielen,
Climate & Energy Specialist Delphy Mushrooms
j.gielen@
delphy.nl
Photos: Delphy
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MUSHROOM BUSINESS 21
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