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Induction and infrared lighting for greenhouses and greenhouses. Infrared heaters for greenhouses - their advantages and features How to choose heating and lighting for a greenhouse

For year-round cultivation of light-loving vegetables in a greenhouse, additional lighting must be organized.

Types of lamps

  • Lamps are least suitable for this purpose. incandescent. The light that these devices emit is mainly in the red-yellow spectrum, which prevents the formation of the process of photosynthesis. For additional illumination, fluorescent, mercury, sodium, and LED devices of sufficient power are used so that the plants do not lack light.
  • Luminescent– this type of lamps for lighting in protected ground conditions is characterized by high efficiency. Such lamps have a light output of about 80 Lm/V, emit a light spectrum close to natural, and do not disturb the microclimate of the greenhouse. In addition to their positive qualities, such lighting devices are limited in their use in greenhouses for growing moisture-loving crops. The maximum air humidity at which fluorescent lamps can be used is 70%.

    Luminescent Incandescent Mercury

  • Mercury– these lamps emit a spectrum of light that is used by plants during the period of fruit formation.

    It is prohibited to illuminate seedlings with these devices due to excessive stretching of the plants.

    Mercury lamps are unsafe for human health. When using such devices, it is necessary to monitor the integrity of the glass flask containing mercury vapor. It is not recommended for a person to stay near such a lighting device for a long time due to the high degree of ultraviolet radiation.


    • Sodium

    Sodium have high durability. Even in conditions unfavorable for electrical devices, these luminaires can last at least 12,000 hours. Sodium lamps emit a red spectrum of light, which is especially useful for plants during fruit formation and flowering. Sodium devices are economical, the light output of these devices is several times higher than that of incandescent lamps. The disadvantages of these lighting devices include their limited red-orange spectrum, which in the early periods of plant development leads to excessive elongation. Sodium devices unsafe. If a lamp is broken, the air will be contaminated with vapors of toxic metals. Another disadvantage of such lighting is high heating of the operating device, but if the lamps are located high above the plants, and additional lighting is carried out in winter, then this disadvantage turns into an advantage, additionally heating the air of the greenhouse.
  • Metal halide– these lighting devices are the opposite of sodium lamps in the emitted spectrum. Metal halide fixtures emit light in the blue spectrum, which is especially useful for plants at an early stage of development. These lighting devices are quite expensive and cannot be used throughout the entire growing season of vegetable development. When using metal halide lamps, it is prohibited to use watering technologies that may cause water to enter operating lighting fixtures.

    Metal halide LED Infrared

  • LED are the most economical lamps for lighting vegetables. The service life of such devices is up to 50,000 hours. The advantage of such devices is the ability to operate from a low-voltage power supply, which in conditions of high humidity in a greenhouse is the safest lighting option. A significant disadvantage of LED lamps is their high cost, but given the very long service life of such devices, the financial investment pays off very quickly.
  • Infrared– such devices emit thermal energy, therefore they are used in a greenhouse to create a favorable microclimate for growing plants. Infrared lamps heat, first of all, the soil and greenhouse material, which then releases heat to the air. Heating of plants also occurs directly from infrared devices.

    A significant disadvantage of such devices is the high cost and spectrum of radiation that can be used only for heating, infrared devices are not used to illuminate the greenhouse.

What should the lighting be like in a greenhouse?

To ensure that plants grown in protected soil do not lack lighting, the greenhouse must be equipped with lighting fixtures that meet the following requirements:

  1. Supplemental lighting in the greenhouse should be carried out with the fullest spectrum of sunlight. If this is not possible, then during the period of growth of the vegetative mass, lamps with blue light should be used, and during the period of flowering and fruiting of the plant, additional illumination is carried out with lamps emitting red light.
  2. Lighting should be high intensity. At a lighting intensity of 2,000-3,000 lux, the development of the vegetative mass completely stops. To carry out full illumination, the illumination level must be in the range of 10,000-12,000 lux.
  3. The number of hours required for additional lighting varies when growing different plants.. For cucumbers, the length of daylight should be at least 15 hours, at least 12; When growing greens, artificial lighting is provided for 10 hours a day.

The time of artificial lighting also depends on the growth period of the plant. To prevent the seedlings from stretching out too much, in the first days the plant is illuminated for 22-24 hours, then the number of “light” hours per day is gradually reduced.

How to choose lamps?

Before purchasing lamps for additional illumination of plants, it is necessary to correctly calculate the number of lamps.

On average, 1 fluorescent lamp with a power of 100 W is used to illuminate 1 square. m of greenhouse, but this figure may differ significantly and depends on what plants will be grown in the greenhouse.

Infrared heaters are a fairly new means of keeping greenhouses warm. The equipment is in demand as it allows one to obtain high yields even in cold summer conditions. In addition, seedlings can be planted in greenhouses with infrared heating much earlier: the conditions created there are optimal for planting.

Greenhouses made of polycarbonate have a high degree of heat retention, but only if the joints between the sheets of material are well sealed. Depending on climatic conditions, heating is partial or complete. Infrared heaters are suitable for both options, since with minimal energy costs they provide a significant amount of heat that is absorbed by surfaces.

Expert opinion

Izosimov Vladimir Nikolaevich

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The main feature that should be taken into account when making a heating system in a greenhouse is that if the temperature is too high, the polycarbonate will begin to melt. Because of this, during installation you must make sure that the device does not overheat the walls and roof of the greenhouse.

Kinds

IR heaters belong to the category of ideal heating devices for polycarbonate greenhouses: they are easy to install, effective even in cold climates, and extremely economical. The advantages of all types of infrared heaters are:

  • absence of dryness and overheating of the air, since only the surfaces are heated;
  • no negative impact on oxygen levels and air humidity;
  • complete heating of the soil to a depth of 6 cm;
  • the similarity of the heating process when using ceiling models with solar heat input.

According to the installation method, heaters are divided into three types:

  1. Floor-standing devices– thermal radiation goes to the sides and slightly upwards from the device installed below.
  2. Wall mounted– the heater is mounted on the wall of the greenhouse and emits heat directly, as well as from top to bottom.
  3. Ceiling– heat spreads from top to bottom, which is most natural for plants.

According to the principle of operation, heaters are divided into light devices, the surface of which heats up to 600 degrees, and long-wave heaters, whose heat is much lower.

The former are more suitable for industrial greenhouses, the latter - for small ones installed in a personal yard. Heaters are available in the form of lamps or film panels.

Different models of infrared heaters are equipped with thermostats or do not have them. In the absence of a thermostat, the switched-on device constantly produces heat, consuming the same amount of electricity at any time of the day. It will not be possible to set it to heat the greenhouse only to the required temperature. The presence of a thermostat allows you to constantly maintain the selected temperature in the greenhouse and use electricity more economically.

Plants need air, water and light. In the autumn-winter period, the days become shorter and the amount of light becomes significantly less. As a result, plants cannot grow and develop properly, so it is important to provide your greenhouse structures with lamps for artificial light. The lamps can also be heating lamps and are used to heat the greenhouse in winter.

To properly grow plants, they must be illuminated for up to 16 hours a day. Plants die from lack of light, but constant lighting also harms them. The ideal night sleep time is 6 hours, during which time plants should rest from light.

To date, there is no lamp that can completely recreate the light of the sun.

While the plants are blooming and fruits are setting, you need to use lamps with red light with waves of 500-700 nanometers; during the ripening period, blue light with a wave of up to 400 nanometers is suitable.

Types of lamps:

  • Incandescent- the cheapest type of lighting. In addition to light, this type of lamp slightly warms the greenhouse.
  • Mercury– emit powerful ultraviolet waves, which are not always beneficial to plants. Among other things, mercury lamps are dangerous to use. If you break such a lamp, you can destroy the entire crop.
  • Sodium– safer than mercury lamps. Their light is very similar to that of the sun, but they produce little of the blue light that plants need.
  • Metal halide(MGL) - have useful ultraviolet radiation, similar to sunlight. The lamps heat up quickly and have a short service life. When exposed to water, the lamps explode.
  • Xenon– the use of these lamps in greenhouses gives excellent results – grown vegetables are difficult to distinguish from vegetables grown in a natural environment. Professional lamps are used only in industrial greenhouses; use at home is not possible.
  • Luminescent– fluorescent lamps. The most common lamps for installation in greenhouses.
  • LED– LED lamps combine the characteristics of fluorescent and sodium lamps. For today - an ideal lamp for additional lighting.

In addition to the main types, induction and quartz lamps can be distinguished for lighting greenhouses and greenhouses. Ultraviolet lamps are very popular and are used to combat germs and other pests.

Fluorescent lamps for plants in a greenhouse: main characteristics

Fluorescent lamps are used quite often to illuminate greenhouses. Previously, these lamps were considered the best option for installation in greenhouse structures.

When choosing lamps, you need to take into account the spectrum of light - cold or warm white light, and their combination.

Cool white light is considered universal; it is used mainly for background lighting. Warm white light contains red rays and is used in greenhouses and greenhouses. Plants under a combined spectrum fluorescent lamp receive an equal amount of red and yellow rays, which have a beneficial effect on the growth of seedlings.

They have a number of advantages:

  • Low price;
  • Long service life;
  • Do not heat up;
  • Bright light;
  • They practically do not emit ultraviolet and infrared rays;
  • You can install the lamp yourself.

The disadvantages include the low light output and large size of the lamps, which during installation can block natural sunlight. Lamps are mounted at a distance of no more than 0.5 meters from the plants. For plants that love light, the optimal height is up to 15 cm.

Infrared lamps for heating greenhouses

Infrared heaters are often used to heat winter greenhouses, but farmers are often embarrassed by the high price. Recently, there has been a trend of increasing demand for infrared lamps for heating small greenhouse structures or in greenhouses where heating is problematic. IR thermal lamps emit low power, which is enough to heat a small room.

Infrared lamps have the same radiation as the sun, but without ultraviolet radiation.

The power of the IR lamp is small, so when installing in a greenhouse, you need to take this fact into account and place them at a distance of 150 cm from each other. The lamps heat up quite quickly and heat the room well. They are very small and light, so they can be placed compactly in the greenhouse without disturbing the overall appearance of the structure.

Advantages of infrared heating lamps:

  • During operation, IR lamps heat the soil and the plants themselves, they give off some of the heat to the air around them - everything in the greenhouse warms up evenly;
  • IR lamps and heaters can be connected to thermostats, which will signal when the air temperature drops below the optimum;
  • IR heating systems consume 50-60% less electricity than electric heating;
  • Fast air heating;
  • Cures from IR lamps do not harm humans or plants;
  • IR heating lamps do not dry out the air, so the greenhouse does not need additional humidification;
  • Lamps can be installed locally for each plant type.

Infrared bulbs are screwed into a socket, and it is desirable that it be ceramic. The high temperature will cause the plastic cartridge to melt. When working, do not touch the IR lamp - you may get burned.

LED lamps for greenhouses: what are their advantages

Lighting is very important for plant growth and fruitfulness. Therefore, when choosing and calculating the amount of lighting, you need to not be lazy and pay serious attention to this issue.

Most experts believe that the best option would be to install LED phytolamps.

Phytolamps, in addition to stimulating the growth of seedlings, do not require much energy consumption. In such lamps special phytodiodes are installed, which have only useful spectra of light radiation. The combination of red, blue, green and white light that an LED lamp emits stimulates the growth of any type of plant. The light output of an LED lamp is less than, for example, that of a gas-discharge lamp, but this does not matter in this case. This is due to the fact that the amount of light consumed, useful for plants, is higher for LED than for any other.

Another fact that cannot be overlooked is that LED lamps have a very long service life without loss of performance. On average, a lamp is used no more than 16 hours a day, and its service life is 50,000 hours. Provided that the lamp is used in compliance with operating conditions.

Among other things, energy-saving LED lamps do not emit heat, which means that they can be placed in close proximity to plants and not be afraid of sensitive leaves getting burned. The recommended distance is 25-35 centimeters. The only drawback of these lamps is their high price. However, taking into account the fact that the life of the lamps reaches 11 years, investing in LED lamps is completely justified.

How to calculate: lamps for greenhouses

Need to consider:

  • Area of ​​the illuminated area;
  • The height at which the lamp is located;
  • Type of lamp and its power;
  • Type of plant;
  • Seasonality.

According to agronomic standards, the lighting level should be no lower than 7 kLx (kilolux) and no higher than 20.

Based on these indicators, you can use an online calculator to calculate the number of lamps.

For additional energy saving and economical use of light rays, reflectors can be used. These are reflectors used to better concentrate light and minimize its scattering. It should be taken into account that if the lamp is not gas or LED, the concentration of light can burn the plants.

Types of lamps for greenhouses (video)

Plants grown outside draw strength and energy from the earth and from the sun; in greenhouse conditions, when they lack the sun, special lamps come to the rescue. Thanks to the right choice of light bulbs, you can create conditions for plants that will almost completely imitate natural conditions.

An infrared heater is a relatively young representative of climate control equipment. This useful device became popular and in demand in record time. It is actively used for fast local heating of premises for a variety of purposes - apartments, private houses, offices, garages, car washes, construction sites. It is not surprising that IR devices have attracted the attention of plant growers with the possibility of creating with their help optimal conditions for the life of green pets grown in greenhouses and greenhouse pavilions.

Peculiarities

Our planet has its own heater - the Sun. Thanks to the unhindered passage of the thermal energy emitted by it through the air shell of the Earth, its surface warms up, thereby supporting the life of all things. Infrared heating works on the same principle: by analogy with the sun's rays, IR devices for greenhouses share their heat directly with surrounding objects. A distinctive feature of IR heaters is that heat is supplied not to the air, but to the ground. This heating method ensures optimal distribution of thermal energy throughout the greenhouse pavilion.

Despite its name, there is nothing complicated in the design of the infrared device. The outer side is equipped with aluminum radiant panels protected by a steel body with a heat-resistant coating. The filling consists of a heating element and a protective ground wire. The operating principle of IR equipment is also simple and clear: the heating element transfers heat to plates that emit infrared waves. This energy is then absorbed by the surfaces of surrounding objects and things within the radius of the device’s radiation.

Advantages and disadvantages

Greenhouse infrared heating has many advantages.

  • Directly heats and evenly warms a specific area of ​​the room.
  • Fast heating time and heat distribution, which is felt already at the moment the device is turned on.
  • Economical heating is ensured by a combination of high efficiency and low heat losses of devices. Electricity savings are about 35–70%.
  • It works silently.
  • Versatility of use – IR equipment can be used in any place, there are a variety of mounting methods.
  • When heated, the combustion of oxygen or the formation of a dust “storm” is eliminated. During operation, dust will circulate less in the internal space of the building and settle on the plantings.

  • Since heating with an infrared device eliminates the problem of dry air or burning it out, stable humidity will be maintained in the greenhouse - this is one of the integral components of a healthy microclimate for the full growth of plants.
  • Heat prevents the development of mold fungi and the formation of a favorable environment for the proliferation of garden pests. Many of them are carriers of mosaic, late blight and other infections.
  • The presence of temperature sensors provides several significant advantages. For example, one corner of the greenhouse can be occupied by heat-loving exotics, and the other by crops that need coolness.
  • Climate control equipment is constantly being improved. The newest models have replaced the flat screen with a spherical one. In this case, the light streams have a larger scattering angle - 120°, this promotes uniform heat distribution, which benefits the plants.

  • Durability and uninterrupted operation around the clock. The design of the heaters eliminates moving parts, air filters and other elements that require periodic replacement or repair.
  • The devices are compact in size, so they are easy to transport.
  • Fire safety of equipment.
  • Possibility of self-installation without the involvement of outside specialists.

Infrared heaters for greenhouses also have some disadvantages.

  • With economical use of equipment, the organization of infrared heating itself is quite expensive.
  • The market is replete with counterfeits of reputable brands. The gullible buyer is still enticed by an attractive low price and promises that the device works “no worse” than the original.
  • The need to accurately calculate the number of IR devices specifically for a specific room. At the same time, it is also important to determine which models are suitable for specific needs.

Kinds

When choosing an IR heater, one takes into account several criteria.

Source of released energy

Existing types of “infrared” can be:

  • electrical;
  • gas (halogen);
  • diesel.

Heating element type

Electric heaters are equipped with the following types of heating elements.

  • Ceramic– have increased strength, heating for them is a matter of minutes, they cool down just as quickly;
  • heating elements– the advantages of tubular electric heaters are reliability and stable maintenance of the set temperature;
  • Carbon– the design of such a heater is represented by vacuum tubes with carbon-hydrogen fiber filler.

Form

In appearance, heaters can be infrared lamps of various formats, film panels or tapes. Compared to lamps, film or tapes provide the greatest energy savings and heat the soil more evenly.

Installation method

Before purchasing a “personal sun”, you should immediately decide on the placement of the device.

Depending on the mounting method, the equipment can be:

  • mobile;
  • stationary.

There are no questions regarding the first one - this is a portable equipment that can be moved to the desired location using wheels or special legs.

You can experiment with the installation of stationary models as much as you like, since they are available in several types:

  • ceiling;
  • wall;
  • baseboard;
  • hanging.

Suspended models differ from ceiling ones in the principle of fastening. Suspension-type heaters are built into a suspended ceiling structure, which is pre-designed for the placement of devices. To fix hanging devices, use special brackets and anchor bolts in increments of 5 to 7 cm.

The optimal place to place baseboard heaters is under a window, which helps realize their full potential by blocking the cold and drafts coming from outside.

Heating temperature

IR equipment differs in the degree of heating of the device itself.

Devices can be:

  • low temperature – up to 600°C;
  • medium temperature – from 600 to 1000°C;
  • high temperature – more than 1000°C.

Devices with medium or high temperatures are good in spacious and high greenhouse pavilions. In these cases, warm air can be guaranteed to reach the ground, and not just circulate in the middle.

Emission range

In accordance with this parameter, IR equipment is:

  • long wave;
  • medium wave;
  • shortwave.

According to Wien's law, there is a direct relationship between the wavelength and the temperature of the surface on which the radiation hits. Under high-temperature radiation, the wavelength increases, but at the same time they become hard and become dangerous.

Lighting devices in the form of lamps with a maximum filament temperature of 600°C are good for heating large industrial greenhouses. Long-wave equipment eliminates strong heating. It is usually used in small greenhouses on a summer cottage.

IR heaters have additional options.

  • Many models of infrared equipment have a thermostat (temperature regulator) that is responsible for maintaining the set temperature.
  • Any thermal heater must be equipped with a thermal switch that reacts to overloads and automatically turns off the device, preventing it from overheating.
  • To ensure comprehensive safety, IR equipment is also equipped with insulators that prevent contact of the housing with the heating element.
  • Particularly advanced models have a light indication that informs the user about a problem that has arisen so that he can quickly navigate and take measures to eliminate it.

  • Spontaneous shutdown of floor-standing models occurs when tipped over, which simultaneously prevents damage and reduces the risk of fire to zero.
  • The presence of the Antifrost system is designed to protect the heating device from the formation of ice. Even if the heater is used in harsh Russian winters, you don’t have to worry about the performance of the IR equipment.
  • Many models of infrared heaters have a timer, which makes operation much more comfortable. Thanks to the ability to set the desired on and off times, you can reduce fuel costs.

How to post?

For the correct placement of heaters in a greenhouse, one should proceed from the performance of the equipment and the scattering range of IR rays.

Organizing uniform heating with IR devices requires compliance with several conditions.

  • A distance of at least a meter must be maintained between the heater and the plantings. When germinating seedlings, the IR lamp is raised to the designated height, preferably through a ceiling mount.
  • As the seedlings grow, the distance is increased by moving the lamp up. You can simplify the task by using less powerful lightweight structures on suspensions.
  • With a greater distance from the heater to the ground, the ground is cooler, but the device can heat a larger area with plantings.

Therefore, when planning plantings, you need to be guided by the needs of the plants, and only then think about how to save energy.

  • In a greenhouse, heaters must be installed at least half a meter apart. If the area of ​​the greenhouse pavilion is 6 m2, then a couple of devices should be enough. In a large greenhouse, it is best to arrange the heaters in a checkerboard pattern to prevent the formation of inaccessible areas for heating.
  • Heater color. Heating of greenhouse pavilions in winter with ceiling-type gas IR heaters showed the following. With light emitters, where the bulb heats up to more than 600°C, it is most practical to heat large rooms, using the devices as the main heating sources. Using dark emitters, it is optimal to heat winter greenhouses.

To find out which equipment is better, you should familiarize yourself with the conditional classification of climate control equipment of this type.

  • Scope of application. Installations are available for industrial purposes and for domestic needs. Small buildings are heated last. Although some summer residents practice using factory-made units on their plots. Most of these devices emit short waves, which promote enhanced development and growth of plantings, but have a negative impact on human well-being.
  • Fuel. In cases of engaging in a greenhouse business, purchasing electric emitters is an unprofitable investment, since the energy consumption is too high. A rational solution is to heat large pavilions with gas infrared equipment.

  • Fixation method. IR equipment, which is used to heat industrial greenhouses, is mounted to the ceiling, and for household models, tripods are provided or attached to the walls.
  • Productive capacity. Before purchasing installations, you need to decide on the required amount of IR equipment. One industrial installation can heat a maximum of 100 m². Household infrared panels with relatively low power can heat the ground up to 20 m².