Air inlet Temperature

Did you know that the air inlet temperature can cause poor quality in mushrooms? In my work as an advisor I notice that growers who are having quality related problems like scales, brown discolouration and bacterial blotch often don’t think about checking the stability of the air inlet temperature.

Influence on relative humidity (RH)

The air inlet temperature has a great influence on the climate in the growing room. The air inlet temperature is measured at the moment that the air is introduced into the growing room and normally it fluctuates by 1^oC to 1.5^oC in 5 minutes. If the temperature difference is greater the climate in the growing room will fluctuate too much. If the air inlet temperature is unstable, then you can also be certain that the RH in the growing room also fluctuates too widely. But that is not reflected in the RH measurement. So pay good attention!

Causes of an unstable air inlet temperature:

1. Climate settings

If the air inlet and the fan have a quick reaction time this makes the air inlet temperature go up and down quickly too. This mainly happens during cold and dry weather.

2. System settings in the climate computer

Incorrect settings in the climate control computer can also cause the heating valve to open or close too quickly, for example. Ask your installer to take a look at the settings with you. This is NOT something you should do yourself! Before you know, you may make the situation even worse.

3. A technical problem

An inlet that doesn’t close completely, a faulty water supply. All things that could influence the air inlet temperature. You may be able to solve the problem by checking the heating pump or cooling pump.

So, don’t forget the air inlet temperature!

Mark den Ouden

Bron: Mushroom Blog – Mark den Ouden