Alcomij and HortiTech are enthusiastic about their collaboration to conduct a new Caeli™ test. Alcomij has upgraded the learning experiences from the test at Trayplant in 2024, which will now be verified at HortiTech, a leading research centre in the horticultural sector. This collaboration marks an important step in the verification and optimisation of the Caeli™ system.
The Caeli™ system is designed to minimise climate differences in greenhouses by using detailed monitoring and precise climate adjustment.
Benefits for the grower include:
This innovative system integrates ventilation units in each greenhouse column, which are individually adjustable and equipped with temperature and humidity sensors. The grower can set the desired temperature and humidity levels using their own climate-controlled PC. An algorithm in the cloud and the Wi-Fi-controlled Caeli™ ventilators do the rest. No training or additional equipment is required to operate them.
The Caeli™ ventilators homogenise and dehumidify the greenhouse climate according to the principles of ‘Next Generation Growing’ (NGG). Sensors measure the temperature and humidity above and below the screen. The Caeli™ units have an adjustable ventilator and flap position, which allows air to be drawn in from below and/or above the screen and blown out at the plant.
Every 10 minutes, an algorithm calculates the desired flap position and ventilation capacity of the individual units, after which this is communicated to the Caeli™ fan via the Wi-Fi network. The cloud platform, accessible via a web browser, quickly provides insight into climate differences via graphs and heat maps. The system is automatically controlled thanks to the link to the climate computer.
We are conducting extensive tests together with HortiTech to visualise the effectiveness of the Caeli™ system. These tests are being carried out in a greenhouse compartment with real production conditions. HortiTech offers an ideal environment for these tests because they have the latest technologies and methods for cultivation management. The main aim of the test is to determine the energy savings, so that we can explain to potential customers in detail why an investment in Caeli™ will quickly pay for itself.
Pim van Adrichem of HortiTech says that ‘the system does what it promises’ and that they are impressed with the results at HortiTech. The use of Caeli™ has already shown that the temperature in the test greenhouse is much more stable and the humidity also varies less. The graphs before and after using Caeli™ show that the temperature and humidity lines are much closer together than without Caeli™, as can be seen below.
Cultivation expert Ary stated that the system gave him input for a completely different strategy than the one he would have applied without Caeli™. Instead of opening the screens and ventilation windows, it was better to keep them closed for longer and to use the fans to control the humidity. An interesting fact: Caeli™ detected a leak! One of the sensors registered a higher than average humidity, which could only be caused by a leak.
We are excited about the progress we have made with the Caeli™ system and look forward to the results of the tests at HortiTech. The test results can give potential customers a good idea of the added value of Caeli™.