Evaporative cooling systems, such as pads, are crucial components for greenhouses to maintain their cooling capability. Proper airflow through pads is essential for optimal efficiency. However, compacting pads, improper fan operation, and open greenhouse doors can significantly reduce the efficiency of evaporative cooling. Modern evaporative cooling pads, when combined with a well-designed ventilation system, can achieve incoming air temperature reductions of 5 to 15 oF.
In long greenhouses, it is more efficient to locate pads at both ends with exhaust fans at the center using sidewall fans. Cooled air flows from each end and is exhausted at the midpoint. Water collected at the bottom of pads should be screened before reuse and periodically cleaned or replaced. A small amount of water should be discharged from the tank and replaced.
GrowSpan’s evaporative cooling system uses a fan and pad technique, drawing outdoor air into the greenhouse by exhaust fans. As the air passes through water-soaked cooling pads, it is chilled and then cooled. To clean the cooling pads, remove loose dirt and organic material, seal any cracks around them, and use a soft bristle brush to scrub them.
Fungicides can be used in the water supply system to retard algae growth and buildup in the cooling pads. Check and clean distribution headers for obstructions or clogged holes, and dry the pads completely over 24 hours to prevent algae build-up. Follow pad manufacturers’ recommendations and avoid adding bleach or bromine to the cooling pad.
📹 Mineral build up on evaporative cooling pads
If you take a good look at this plastic pad you can see why this Farm is a great candidate for having plastic pads these pads were …
📹 Cleaning Cool Cell Pads with Triple-C®
Step by step instructions on how to clean Cool Cell Pads with Triple C by Proxy-Clean Products.
I made the mistake of letting my pads get in bad shape with all the calcification, but not too far gone, thought I might still be able to salvage them. Here is a few things I did and still in the process of doing to get them back in shape. 1. I used CLR in the water to help remove some of the build up, and initially I was disappointed, I did not see much if any improvement as the amount of build up was still bad. And I thought I may end up buying new pads, but decided against it and try a different approach. 2. Considering the amount of calcification I had on the pads, I bought both a in line descaler and one of those descaler mesh bags that you can buy at a home improvement store. I then installed the in line descaler, then threw in the mesh bag as well. 3. My unit had a purge pump already so I didn’t have to install one, but I decided to periodically check the sediment build up on the bottom of the pan. After one month, surprisingly even with a purge pump there was a lot of sediment on the bottom of the pan. I then removed the pads and then removed the drain pipe. I then with a water hose flushed all that sediment out of the unit. Then reinstalled both the drain pipe and pads. I also took note of the condition they were in. At this point I thought there was some improvement but not enough to my satisfaction. 4. Waited another month, then repeated step 3, remove pads drain water, flush out the sediment. Plan on doing this at least two more times this year. One thing to note, is this sediment I am talking about are little pieces of calcification that have managed to break off, and was not flushed by the purge pump.