Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Using Hydropneumatic Fogging Systems in Greenhouses for Cuttings and Germination

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of using hydropneumatic (nebulizer) fogging systems in comparison with fogging systems of other types to create optimal microclimate conditions in greenhouses during green cuttings or seed germination. The relevance of the study is due to the need to increase the productivity of greenhouse production in conditions of limited water resources, climate change and requirements for high-quality planting material.

The interdependence of the main parameters of the microclimate (temperature, relative humidity of air and soil, ventilation, CO₂ concentration, lighting level) is considered. It is shown that microdispersed (aerosol) irrigation is an indispensable element of modern agricultural technologies, as it provides delicate, uniform moistening, preventing drying out and overmoistening of the substrate, promotes healthy development of the root system and reduces the risk of fungal diseases.

A comparative analysis of six types of foggers with different key technical and operational characteristics was performed: operating pressure, water flow rate, droplet size and cooling and humidification efficiency. Low and medium pressure systems (0.25 – 0.6 MPa) form droplets of 45 – 160 μm and are characterized by partial water deposition on the surface of plants, which limits their effectiveness. High pressure systems (5 – 7 MPa, Ender) create ultra-fine fog (5 – 20 μm), ensuring almost complete evaporation of water in the air, significant water savings (up to 70%) and effective adiabatic cooling (temperature reduction by 5 – 15 °C).

The highest level of dispersion and accuracy of microclimate regulation is demonstrated by hydropneumatic nebulizer systems (TurboFog), which operate on a combination of water (1.2 – 3.0 MPa) and compressed air (0.2 – 0.25 MPa) and form a droplet size of 3 – 40 microns. Such systems provide maximum humidification and cooling efficiency, but are accompanied by the need to use a more complex system with compressor equipment. It has been proven that the use of microdispersed fogging allows you to significantly reduce mechanical stress for cuttings and sprouts, reduce leaf wetting (reducing the risk of pathogens), implement foliar feeding and disinfection, and also easily automate the process using controllers. Comparing the efficiency, it was found that high-pressure systems are often the optimal solution for industrial greenhouses in terms of the ratio "efficiency - cost", while hydropneumatic nebulizer systems are the most promising for high-tech complexes. The choice of the type of system should be based on natural-climatic, economic and physiological factors. Further research will be aimed at developing an intelligent system for automating the creation of a microclimate, taking into account the real-time interdependence and interaction of all parameters.