Desiccant Dehumidifiers for Medical Cannabis Greenhouse

Ambale Co. is an air management company that consists of a team of experts that have been working in the field of dehumidification in traditional pharmaceutical industries. We supply both large and small units of dehumidifiers for industrial and domestic use all over New Zealand. The robust and energy-efficient models of dehumidifiers are considered to be the best dehumidifiers in New Zealand. Our products and services are available in cities like Napier, Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Tauranga, and many more. Read more about Dehumidifier for Greenhouses in New Zealand. 

With long ongoing studies done by our experts, we have reached the conclusion that desiccant dehumidifiers can be a viable option for humidity management in the Cannabis greenhouse. With long experience in designing greenhouse and their HVAC system, we have found that a large amount of air changes is necessary to obtain the required cooling and dehumidification in a large cannabis greenhouse. The relative humidity in the greenhouse can easily spike above the required specification if it is exposed to the unconditioned outside air. A small unit of a greenhouse does not have to take any special measures but a large medical cannabis greenhouse can face catastrophic fungal issues. The sudden fluctuation in temperature in such large units promotes the growth of fungi due to the sudden increase in humidity. Read more on DDehumidifiers for Grow Tents in New Zealand. 

The distribution of dehumidification units in the greenhouse unit evenly is a great solution to reduce the rate of air changes. Controlled dehumidification helps to control the number of air changes according to the reduced light intensity. People have often opted to install refrigeration dehumidifiers in greenhouses traditionally but these dehumidifiers are not energy efficient. The refrigeration dehumidifier basically draws air from the greenhouse and cools the air to its dew point and extracts the moisture from it. The cooled air is again dried and sent back to the greenhouse unit. It is pretty effective but in places like New Zealand where energy prices are very high only being effective is not enough. These dehumidifiers require a considerable amount of energy to run that is why moving away from the conventional methods and installing a desiccant dehumidifier is a great idea. Read about Drying Compressed Air to Protect Plants in NZ. 

When we consider all the facts we can conclude that the installation of a desiccant dehumidification system in a cannabis greenhouse is highly cost-effective. It requires less electricity because it needs energy only for the regeneration process, unlike refrigeration dehumidifiers. Since the liquid desiccant dehumidifiers can be directly located in a pre-existing unit it can be a great option. Learn How to Effectively control Humdity levels in Greenhouses?

Working of a Desiccant Dehumidifier

Desiccant dehumidifiers basically have an absorbent material that is capable of absorbing moisture to a large extent. They absorb water from the air to decrease the humidity level of the surrounding. When air with moisture in it passes through the humidifier the moisture content is absorbed by the absorbent and the air passes as dry air. The absorbent is regenerated by heating it and extracting the moisture. Read about Humidity Management in Greenhouse. 

Some of the major Advantages of Desiccant Dehumidifiers are as follows:

  • There is no need of cooling down the air to its dew point. It basically can dehumidify the room at its current temperature.
  • The heat generated from the regeneration process can be sued as additional heating for the greenhouse.
  • The consumption of electrical power is significantly lower due to fewer electrical connections. There is no compressor in this system which is one of the main energy consumers in the refrigeration process.
  • The brine used in a liquid desiccant dehumidifier which may be sodium chloride or lithium hydride can act as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and fungus in the air. This secondary function of desiccant dehumidifiers helps to keep many diseases away from the crop.

What are the Drawbacks of Desiccant Dehumidifiers?

Yes, there are many advantages of desiccant dehumidifiers but we have to understand that there are drawbacks too in this system. The initial investment in installing a desiccant dehumidifier system can be comparatively high. Another driver of the increase in cost is the heat distribution to the units. These desiccant dehumidifiers require an extra additional exhaust duct to the outside in case the unit is installed inside the greenhouse. Unwanted shading in the greenhouse is caused due to extra piping and ductwork. These units also require a separate heating circuit to provide heat throughout the year at a higher temperature.

Conclusion

Even with the drawbacks, the advantages are so high that a desiccant dehumidifier can be a great alternative to refrigerant dehumidifiers. They have been known to significantly reduce the electric bills and provide additional heating during the winter season.

We are supplying dehumidifiers in New Zealand and its cities Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, Lower Hutt, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Napier, Porirua, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Whangarei, Hibiscus Coast, Nelson, Invercargill, Hastings, Upper Hutt, Whanganui, Gisborne.
Contact us at info@ambale.co.nz or dial +64 22 061 7007.

We also provide humidifiers, air purifiers, data-loggers, sensors, etc.