De Uitstralingsmonitor

Intensive use of screens is an important part of what’s called the ‘Next Generation Greenhouse Cultivation’. It offers great potential for energy saving and gives a much more homogeneous temperature distribution in the crop. Especially the temperature at the top of the crop will be closer to the air temperature, and therefore the risk of condensation will decrease. To illustrate these effects, a calculation model has been developed that shows the effect of screens on the temperature distribution in the crop. The work on this model has been funded by the horticultural supply industry, united in the ‘Club van 100’, and through the research program ‘Kas Als Energiebron’. This research program is a cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and LTO-Glaskracht Nederland. The vertical temperature distribution in the crop is strongly influenced by the longwave radiation and therefore model has been named the ‘Radiation Monitor’. Comparison of the calculated values with measurements in a greenhouse shows that the model accurately calculates the net radiation from the crop and nicely predicts the vertical temperature distribution. Especially the effect of the screen application is convincingly simulated.