Comprehensive HVAC for Grow Rooms Solutions to Boost Efficiency

While more experienced growers will probably have some idea of what kind they need, with the vast selection of HVAC equipment that you can get hold off it would be understandable why a hobbyist may not know what makes one type any different to another which is why we wanted to explore.

Our hope is that by providing information on the various types of hvac equipment, they will be able to make an educated decision and pick up a chosen one for themselves.

Chiller-Based HVAC for Grow Rooms

Here we begin with chiller based HAVC systems. The main commonality between the options is that they are expensive to install and cumbersome, sometimes very difficult to operate. These systems come with a high initial installation cost in terms of money and time, however their excellent energy efficiency pays off within a short period.

Four-Pipe Chilled Water Systems

Four-pipe chilled water systems are used in buildings that have high cooling loads such as large commercial and industrial facilities. Such a system usually involves devices like chillers, cooling towers. The central mechanical plant is tied to the grow room by four pipes for chilled water supply, return, warm water and return.

The chilled water treated by the chiller is transported to the fan coil through the pump, and the fan coil's fan will blow the hot air in the room to exchange heat with the chilled water, which absorbs heat and cools the air, and the cooled air is then sent back to the room to gradually reduce the temperature of the planting room.

The chilled water that has absorbed the heat returns to the chiller through the return pipe, where it exchanges heat with the refrigerant, which evaporates and absorbs the heat, and then the chilled water is cooled down again, completing a refrigeration cycle.

The refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding environment in the evaporator of the chiller and is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas by the compressor. The refrigerant then enters the condenser, exchanges heat with the water in the condenser, and transfers the heat to the water, causing the water temperature to rise.

The heated water is transported to the fan coil through the pipeline. The fan in the fan coil blows indoor air through the heating coil, allowing the air to absorb the heat, thus raising the indoor temperature and achieving the heating effect.

The systems provide not only sensible cooling, but are also capable of providing latent cooling. Warm water can provide heat to the room or reheat the air to prevent it from getting too cold during dehumidification.

Two-Pipe Chilled Water Systems

Similar to a four-pipe chilled water system, a two-pipe chilled water system usually consists of a centralized mechanical plant containing a chiller and heat removal.

However, two-pipe chilled water systems only have two pipes leading to the indoor grow room. This means that this type of system only provides a chilled water supply and chilled water return, and cannot provide heat or reheat to the room.

Since there is no built-in reheat, growers will need to add an additional auxiliary heat source in order for the chiller to run cool enough to dehumidify the room.

Built-Up Refrigerant Based Systems

Built-up refrigerant based systems are typically used in large food processing facilities, refrigerated warehouses, and other complex facilities that require large refrigeration needs. These systems typically use a large centralized mechanical room to house components such as compressors, refrigerant storage containers, etc. Evaporators and condensers are installed as close to the facility as practical.

Such systems use refrigerants (e.g., ammonia, carbon dioxide) or auxiliary refrigerants in the evaporator in the grow room to provide cooling potential. They are designed primarily for cooling, so additional systems are required for reheating.

While these systems are efficient at cooling and dehumidifying, growers need to be constantly aware of the damage to plants and humans from leaks of hazardous refrigerants. Few indoor grow facilities consider this system option due to the complexity and danger of the system, among other reasons.

Chiller-based HVAC systems offer excellent energy efficiency and long-term stability. However, these systems also suffer from installation complexity and expensive upfront investment costs. Choosing the right system requires comprehensive consideration based on the grower's specific needs and resources.

AC-Based HVAC for Grow Rooms

AC-based HVAC systems are generally off-the-shelf units designed for residential and light commercial facilities. These systems are characterized by lower initial costs, easier installation, and simple operation. Due to their ubiquity, maintenance of the equipment is also easier. This is why they are the top choice for temperature control systems favored by many small-scale cannabis growers.

Split System Air Conditioners

Split air conditioners consist of two main components: an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.

This indoor unit includes an evaporator, a fan and filter. The outdoor unit consists of the compressor, condenser and fan. It expels the heat absorbed from the grow room to outside.

The process begins when warm air from the grow room is drawn into the indoor unit by the fan. As the air passes through the evaporator, the refrigerant absorbs heat and cools the air. The cooled air is blown back into the grow room, which lowers the indoor temperature. The refrigerant, which becomes hot after absorbing heat, travels through pipes to the outdoor unit. In the outdoor unit, the refrigerant is compressed, and the temperature and pressure rise with it.

Next, the high temperature and pressure refrigerant passes through the condenser of the outdoor unit. A fan continuously blows fresh outdoor air across the condenser, which carries away the heat released by the refrigerant. When the temperature of the refrigerant drops below its condensing temperature, the gaseous refrigerant begins to condense into a liquid state.

The cooled liquid refrigerant is sent back to the indoor unit through the expansion valve, lowering the pressure and temperature in preparation for heat absorption again. This cycle is repeated over and over again, thus maintaining the desired temperature in the grow room.

Packaged Air Conditioner

Packaged air conditioners combine vital components including the compressor, condenser, evaporator and an air handler in one unit that usually sets up on roof or ground near grow room. Air is delivered to the grow room on ducts with a packaged air conditioners. This design makes it easy to install and maintain for growers.

Packaged air conditioners use a direct-expansion (DX) system to cool and dehumidify the air by absorbing heat directly from the air in an evaporator. The packaged air conditioner is of the same size as the split air conditioner, however it requires an installed capacity between two and four times higher in a packaged system so that it meets greenhouse demand. This is partially due to smaller kit air conditioning units not having enough capacity within their enclosures for all the required features.

Costlier packaged air conditioner systems can include other additional features like heat recovery, humidity control and better filtration options like higher MERV filters or UV lights. Specific grow rooms may benefit from the enhanced performance and air quality due to these additional components.

Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Multi-Split Air Conditioners

A variable refrigerant flow multi-split air conditioner contains more than one condensing unit and multiple evaporators but they all oppose to share the same refrigerant circuit. By controlling the quantity of refrigerant flowing to each indoor unit, the ability to heat and cool various parts within a Grow Room is provided by this system simultaneously.

VRF systems are available in three main forms: cooling-only, heat pump, and heat recovery. In cooling-only mode, the system provides cooling only, with no heating capability. In heat pump mode, the system provides cooling or heating, and by reversing the cycle, the system can transfer heat from the outdoors to the indoors for a heating effect in winter. The system allows one element to serve as the evaporator in cooling part of the heating and cooling cycle, then switch roles so that element becomes a condenser during other times. A system can cool one room while heating another, or alternatively use the heat removed from a cooled space to warm up any other parts of your room that require it.

A VRF system really shines in heat recovery mode, which is where you save a lot of energy. But it only operates when both cooling and heating are simultaneously required. Since the cannabis cultivation industry is generally cooling-based, this feature is less commonly used in that area.

We dig deeper into a few air condition-centric HVAC offerings. Each of these systems has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the requirements of growers. Whichever system you decide to go for, the successful growing of Cannabis all starts with proper temperature and humidity control.

Dehumidifier-Based HVAC for Grow Rooms

These air conditioning based HVAC systems are focused mainly on cooling, and not dehumidification Still, pot-growing calls for incredibly described humidity amounts. Thus, a grower going with this HVAC system will still have to buy separate dehumidification equipment for their humidity control requirements. Now let's talk about standalone dehumidifier solution.

Standalone dehumidifiers are devices that operate independently of other HVAC systems to remove excess moisture from the air. Their main components include:

• Fan: Used to draw in moist air and move it along.
• Evaporator: cools the air and condenses the moisture in the air.
• Condenser: transfers heat from the air.
• Catchment system: collects and removes condensate.

A standalone dehumidifier sucks the warm, humid air from inside your grow room through an intake. After the air gets inside of a unit, it passes through one then becomes filtered to help fragments like rubble, pollen and dust from your particular airs. That fresh air flows through an evaporator, which cools it by removing heat via the refrigerant. The moisture in the air condenses into water droplets when the still warm moist air meets with cold surface of an evaporator. These droplets are accumulated in a dish or streamed from the system discharge line.

Standalone dehumidifiers provide efficient humidity control and prevent pest and disease problems associated with humidity. They are compact in size and can effectively save grow space. However, standalone dehumidifiers have limited capacity, and large grow rooms may require multiple dehumidifiers, increasing initial and operating costs. They also require regular maintenance, such as emptying reservoirs and cleaning filters. While they are effective at removing moisture, they do not provide integrated climate control and therefore require other HVAC components for temperature and ventilation management.

Integrated Unitary HVAC for Grow Rooms

All-in-One HVAC systems are advanced climate control all in one solutions that have been custom designed for indoor grow rooms with climate conditions as extreme is heat and humidity. These systems incorporate heating, ventilation, air conditioning and dehumidification in one system with the principal requirement, providing continuous maintained control of them.

The system is introducing fresh air and circulating the indoor air to keep good ventilation as well. There is a humidity sensor built in, which allows real-time monitoring of the humbler and automatically determines when to start dehumification inorder that they are always at their optimal levels. In the end, heating or cooling is adjusted by built-in temperature sensor and controller according to setting temperature automatically in order that indoor comfortableness degree be kept.

Integrated unit HVAC systems are ideal for modern marijuana cultivation because of their ability to accurately control temperature and humidity, in addition to built-in redundancy and reduced energy consumption.

The Limitations of Chilled Water Systems for Grow Room HVAC

Chilled water systems are often used in commercial environments for their cooling capacity, but they have some limitations when applied to HVAC systems in marijuana grow rooms.

Limited Scalability

The scalability of chilled water systems in cannabis grow rooms is limited, as expanding the system requires extensive modifications to the existing infrastructure, including the installation of additional chillers, cooling towers, pumps and piping networks. Integrating each component with the current system while maintaining uninterrupted daily operations within a grow room can be difficult on both ends-both technically and operationally-for these reasons.

As the size of the planting increases, an adequate amount of space will need to be reserved for installation and for equipment room chiller on land thereby also reducing actual area used to grow plants.

In addition, scaling up a chilled water system increases its complexity, leading to higher maintenance requirements and greater risk of system failure. More components mean more potential points of failure, and managing a larger, more complex system requires specialized knowledge and expertise that is not readily available.

High Energy Consumption

Chillers are an important part of the chilled water system. At high temperatures or with grow lights running at full power, the chiller consumes a lot of electricity. At the same time, the use of high-powered pumps to circulate the chilled water in the grow room can also significantly increase energy consumption. The longer and more complex the piping system, the more energy is required.

In cannabis cultivation, indoor grow room should be at the right temperature and the humidity in your cannabis cultivation. Since grow lights and other equipment give off heat when operating, the chillers must run continuously to neutralize those BTUs so energy consumption tends to be extremely high all of the time.

Huge Capital Costs

Installing a chilled water system requires the laying of a large number of complex and heavy pipes, which makes the overall installation less efficient. The process is both labor-intensive and requires specialized skills, which adds to the initial cost.

The pipes of the chilled water system are insulated to prevent water problems or safety issues near the hot water pipes in the area where the pipes are located.

The cost of producing chilled water is very high. In order to effectively control humidity and temperature, the air needs to be cooled to a lower temperature. This 38-degree water is more efficient in extracting moisture from the air, providing dehumidification as required. But chilled water plants may be able to produce only at a normal 50 or 55 degrees at those efficiency ratings. Due to the lower temperature 38-degree chilled water, it needs more energy for production and therefore this is also higher in cost and energy consumption.

Most chilled water systems provide reheat to prevent the air delivered into he grow room from being too cold. Chilled water systems are expensive to install, and they can cost a lot of money in terms of upfront costs as well ongoing operational expenses due to the energy-intensiveness from producing chilled water on-demand; then reheating that cold air.

Expensive Redundancy

If you have a grow room, adding redundancy to your HVAC system is very expensive. Equipment redundancy requires backup chillers and pumps to maintain continuous operation in case a system fails. The majority of the time it seems that the price to purchase and installation all this extra equipment, is almost as much if not a little more than putting in your initial system.

For reliable performance of both primary and backup systems, it is necessary to know how to perform regular maintenance. In turn, this maintenance costs add to the overall operation cost of that system.

This makes the management of redundant functionality more complex, that together with additional monitoring and control mechanisms needed to cleanly switch over to the standby system in case of a failure. This complexity also necessitates more sophisticated controls and training, which increases costs even further.

While chilled water systems are effective for cooling marijuana grow rooms, they can be limited in scalability and high energy consumption which produces higher operational costs overtime thus reducing profit margins as well as initial cost & redundant configurations that might not make them an ideal solution to many growers.

The Limitations of Split Air Conditioners and Standalone Dehumidifiers for Grow Room HVAC

Based on the initial investment cost, many cannabis growers choose to use split air conditioners and standalone dehumidifiers for HVAC in their grow rooms. While these systems are effective, they have some limitations that can affect their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Operational Conflicts

Split air conditioners and individual dehumidifiers often create operational conflicts in grow rooms because of their different uses. The primary task of an air conditioner is to lower the temperature in the air. Conversely, a dehumidifier removes moisture from the air, usually releasing some heat in the process.

This can create a counterproductive cycle where the air conditioner has to work harder to cool the room after the dehumidifier adds heat. This constant switching back and forth between cooling and dehumidification not only reduces the efficiency of both systems, it also increases energy consumption and operational wear and tear, leading to potential breakdowns and more frequent maintenance requirements.

Higher Operating Costs

The upfront costs for split-system air conditioners and portable dehumidifiers could be significantly less than those of integrated systems. That said, costs in reality often balloon quickly over the years. Conflicting operations waste your resources and tend to consume much more power costs you greater electricity bill.

This can place higher operational load on growers by having to manage two different systems. The growers must control the cultivation of marijuana plants and also are solely responsible for HVAC practice.

When an air conditioner or dehumidifier breaks down, the environmental conditions in the grow room can deteriorate very quickly and cause crop loss. These hidden costs do add up, particularly from potential lost revenue due to plant health issues over time. In the end, this can decrease split systems cost-effectiveness.

High Installation and Maintenance Costs

The finite cooling and dehumidification capacity of split air conditioners and stand-alone dehumidifiers, requires growers to install multiple un its in larger grow rooms until they can achieve optimum temperature and humidity. More units have come at the cost of added installation and maintenance expenses.

Inaccurate Control

It is difficult to have accurate control of our environment with split room air conditioners and separate stand-alone dehumidifiers. The integrated HVAC systems provide a perfect harmony of temperature and humidity control. In contrast, split systems often lack this level of integration, making it difficult to maintain ideal conditions for marijuana cultivation.

Dehumidlifiers, for instance dehumidifies your surrounding humidity to a desired level but creating heat when running. This in turn creates a need for the grower to run their air conditioner more than they otherwise would have just to make temp, and must be cooling even further beyond their target temperature to counteract heat. As you may imagine, performing continual tweaks to the equipment can cause fluctuations with temperature and humidity inside your grow room, which then causes inconsistent yields and quality from plants, or worse problems with pests and diseases.

Split air conditioners and standalone dehumidifiers alone can achieve a certain level of environmental control in cannabis grow rooms but are limited by opposing functions, true-costing life cycle costs. Considering installation, energy consumption maintenance and the lack of precision to regulating parameters such as humidity for them to be truly competative deveratives compared with fully integrated HVAC solutions. For growers aiming to optimize their operations and achieve consistent, high-quality yields, investing in a more comprehensive HVAC system for grow rooms may offer greater benefits and long-term cost savings.

Advantages of Integrated Unitary HVAC for Grow Rooms

Comprehensive all-in-one systems can fully address the HVAC needs of a grow room. These systems offer precise environmental control including redundancy and scalability that split air conditioners or standalone dehumidifiers cannot provide for cannabis cultivation.

Precise Temperature and Humidity Control

All of these systems feature high-precision sensors that constantly track both the environmental conditions in the grow room and readings for temperature, humidity and dew point across numerous points.

Sensors measure the real-time state of growing room and sent data to central control system for analysis. The system compares the actual data against the expected values set, and offers instant feedback as well as adaptations according to what is really happening in a process.

For instance, a grow light will be in operation for an extended period of time thus the heat produced by it will cause the overall temperature inside your plantation room to rise. The system will track the deviation of room temperature from desired value and thus switch to cooling mode in order to come back down.

Built-In Redundancy

Built-in redundancy is the competitive advantage that sets Comprehensive Integrated HVAC systems apart from other HVAC systems. It is accomplished by incorporating multiple critical components (such as compressors, fans, and controllers) into the system. Even if one of these components fails, the system is able to enable a backup option to maintain normal operation.

In the case of a failure in the main compressor, backup comes into action and thus make sure to continue cooling process without any interruption. They contain a level of redundancy so that if one part of the system fails, it does not causecatastrophic and impair marijuana flower production. While at the same time integrating these redundant components into one system for easier maintenance and fewer backup equipment, which means a more affordable solution.

High Scalability

Integrated unitary HVAC systems are highly scalable so they can respond to the dynamic needs of grow operations. It provides scalability thereby enabling optimum performance for a variety of growth stages.

Modularity enables these systems to be scalable. Each unit work independent and also has ability to combined with other units. This is ideal for adding units during the pre-planning phase of implementation or in growth phases-without requiring a redesign or full replacement of the building's HVAC. This way we also avoid the issue of sizing up only for one centralized architecture in beginning and then not able to scale it out later. You just increase the number of units to satisfy more offer.

This scalability assures that the HVAC system can grow with an operation to provide consistent and efficient environmental control as needs evolve. Combined with their flexibility, this makes unitary integrated HVAC systems a wise investment for both small and large scale grow operations capable of maintaining the ideal climate zone necessary to every plant during its different stages right through, which is only as useful overall.

Altaqua's Grow Room HVAC System

Altaqua's Grow Room HVAC Systems are designed for optimal indoor cannabis cultivation that can provide both temperature and humidity control simultaneously.

Precise Temperature and Humidity Control

Altaqua's Grow Room HVAC Systems have temperature fluctuations of less than ±0.5 Degree Celsius, they exactly manipulate the sensors for accurate results with room cooling or heating control as per setpoints If the temperature wavers from your set reading, it will be quickly rectified thorough cooling or heating functions to ensure that correct growing temperatures are always present giving sufficient conditions for plant growth which results into improved yields.

It also uses dew point control and no longer relative humidity for reasons that moisture can be better managed. RH-based traditional dehumidification systems suffer from effects of temperature fluctuations, causing them to be misleading. The grow rooms have to deal with consistent temperature fluctuations coming from equipment such as the grow lights and that can cause RH levels to swing wildly. By contrast, dew point control is independent of temperature and delivers a constant accurate reflection of the real moisture situation. This creates a more reliable and efficient method of managing moisture.

Redundant and Scalable Design

Altaqua's Grow Room HVAC Systems have one up to four cooling circuits, each operated independently. The continued running of a single backup compressor in case one failed would prevent the wide temperature/humidity differential that can have damaging effects on crop yield.

The system controls energy consumption easily as per the requirement of dehumidification or cooling. With low demand, fewer compressors operate which consumes less energy providing protection from over-drying or over-cooling and provides accurate humidity and temperature control for all stages of growth.

Wi-Fi Control Provide Easy Access & Control

Altaqua's grow room HVAC systems have state of the art WiFi controls permitting growers to readily get any information or control their growing environment. Growers can view the temperature and humidity in their grow room wherever they are through 24/7 real-time Internet monitoring. This means that the grower can control what is happening in cultivation environment and correct things quickly to get maximum performance from optimal growing conditions.

Conclusion

In the above, we have learned about the types of HVAC based on chillers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers. Each of them has its own scope and area of application, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

Chillers are better at cooling but more expensive with a complex installation. Air condition devices and dehumidifying systems cost less compared to other appliances at the beginning however their operational costs can be very high. And they will clash with each other during the operation to provide accurate temperature and humidity control.

Growers are increasingly seeking to grow cannabis products of high quality, yield, and consistency, which means growers are becoming more demanding of their environment, and Altaqua's Grow Room HVAC System provides the benefits of precise temperature and humidity control, built-in redundancy, scalability, and energy efficiency to optimize the growth of cannabis plants.

FAQ

1. Why are chiller-based HVAC systems not ideal for grow rooms?

Chiller-based HVAC systems can be less ideal for grow rooms due to their high capital costs, energy consumption, and limited scalability. These systems require significant infrastructure and can be expensive to operate, making them less flexible for dynamic grow operations.

2. What are the limitations of using split air conditioners and standalone dehumidifiers in grow rooms?

Split air conditioners and standalone dehumidifiers often create operational conflicts, leading to higher true costs and imprecise environmental control. They can struggle with high installation and energy costs, as well as maintenance challenges, making them less efficient compared to integrated unitary systems.

3. What are the key benefits of using an integrated unitary HVAC system for grow rooms?

Integrated unitary HVAC systems provide precise temperature and humidity control, built-in redundancy, and high scalability. These systems ensure stable environmental conditions, reducing plant stress and promoting healthier growth. They are energy efficient and adaptable to the changing needs of grow operations, making them ideal for cannabis cultivation.

4. Why is dew point control preferred over relative humidity in grow room HVAC systems?

Dew point control is preferred because it provides a consistent measure of moisture content, unaffected by temperature changes. In grow rooms, where temperature can vary due to lighting cycles, dew point control ensures accurate humidity management. This prevents issues like mold growth and maintains optimal conditions for plant health.