Slimmer, smarter, stronger: new dehumidifier for high-wire vegetable crops
Source: HD.com
With the newly developed DG-12 50Hz, DryGair has introduced a more compact unit designed for dense crops such as vegetables, with added control capabilities to adjust operation throughout the growing season. All the time, air is moving continuously: a mellow movement that helps create uniform climate conditions." The new DG-12 50Hz was especially developed for high-wire vegetable crops, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, where dense canopies and greenhouse infrastructure create challenges for airflow and climate uniformity.
The DG-12 50Hz unit removes 43 liters of water per hour under designed greenhouse conditions and operates with an airflow of approximately 20,000 m³/h at an efficiency of 4.5 liters per kWh. "Energy savings average around 50%, with some growers reporting reductions of up to 80% per day depending on their climate strategy and greenhouse setup," Hadar says.
She explains that a closed greenhouse operation also significantly improves CO2 retention. "Avoiding unnecessary ventilation ensures growers can maintain CO2 levels up to twice as high as would otherwise be possible, preventing it from escaping the facility." © DryGair With these numbers, energy savings continue to be a primary driver for growers investing in dehumidification.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
