Dehumidification of greenhouses at northern latitudes

Three dehumidifying methods, being condensation on a cold surface, forced ventilation using a heat exchanger, and an absorbing hygroscopic dehumidifier, were compared with ventilation as the conventional way to dehumidify a greenhouse. The calculations were performed using a dynamic physical simulation model with a single- and a double-layer greenhouse under Dutch weather conditions. The comparison was made based on the energy consumption and the costs. The methods with a cold surface or an absorbing hygroscopic material are less attractive than the conventional method, mainly because of the high investment costs. Dehumidification by forced ventilation with a heat exchanger can be competitive. The success of this system depends on the efficiency of the system in terms of energy consumption and the effectiveness of the heat exchanger. (C) 2003 Silsoe Research Institute. All rights reserved Published by Elsevier Ltd.