Retractable thermal blankets in a high tunnel

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Following the recent article about Energy efficient high tunnel greenhouse system, I went on the field to visit the CETAB+. It is an Institutional school doing Research & Development (R&D) and trainings in Victoriaville, Quebec.

There are using two Ovaltech III 35′ wide ground-to-ground greenhouses to do their scientific analysis in partnership with other Research centers.

The gothic geometry, quality of the structure and effectiveness during the winter were the main reasons why the Ovaltech greenhouse was chosen by the CETAB+. It is manufacture by a 60 years old Canadian company Harnois Greenhouses.

Learn more about the Ovaltech : https://www.harnois.com/en/greenhouses/ovaltech/

Below a glimpse of the retractable system for thermal blankets compatible with the Ovaltech greenhouse in order to grow without or minimum heating during the whole winter.

Mrs. Charlotte Giard-Laliberté, agr. M.Sc is one of the expert managing this project to measure the agronomical performance and profitability for the growers who will use this innovative system:

The system can be raised and lowered using a motor. What’s more, the thermal blanket protecting the crops is deployed using a manual crank system, but can also be motorized and controlled by a climate computer.

Below the thermal blanket we can see the winter crops, well protected during the cold days and nights. The principle of layers is used to see a “double greenhouse effect“:

Under the thermal blanket, the ground soil temperature never go down under 0° Celsius even during the coldest nights of the Quebec winter :

In the second greenhouse, there also captors and data taken (negative control) to measure the differences between the Ovaltech with the thermal blanket system.

Negative control Ovaltech greenhouse below: