Thermochemical fluids in greenhouse farming (TheGreefa)

Description

This project is aimed at a new technology for heating, cooling, air humidity control and water recovery in greenhouses as well as for drying of agricultural goods using thermo-chemical conversion principles based on the use of salt solutions (thermochemical fluids). The technology allows to

1. use unexplored potentials of solar- and residual heat at farm level,
2. to convert and to store the heat into thermochemical potential without thermal losses and
3. to use the potential through re-conversion of the potential into heat within the above- mentioned applications.

Within two different demonstrators in Central European Climate (heating) and Mediterranean Climate (cooling, water recovery and desalination) the technology will be tested, further developed and disseminated. Lab tests will explore the processes and materials involved, will include tests on material drying and on interactions between different applications. Development of improved knowledge on modelling of the involved processes, the simulation and control of specific applications and the development of control strategies are further tasks to provide a bright insight into the novel approach.

Strategies to bring the technology to market will be developed. Thermochemical applications in agriculture have the potential to significantly reduce the energy consumption in greenhouse climate control as well as in crop drying and will provide an alternative to energy intensive water desalination in arid regions. The uptake, conversion and storage of solar heat from greenhouses even provides the perspective to turn protected intensive horticulture from an energy/water consuming to an energy/water producing method, allowing to secure the important market of food production and food processing and to extend it to new regions.

Key data