Hotraco Horti
Hotraco Agri
Mooij Agro
Hotraco Group
Colombian agricultural research corporation trusts Orion GC’s capability to create optimal growing conditions
Hotraco Horti has entered into a partnership with the renowned Colombian research centre Agrosavia near Bogota. The Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation Agrosavia, is a decentralized public entity of mixed non-profit, scientific and technical participation. Its purpose is to work in the field of scientific knowledge and agricultural technological development through scientific research. Through the adaptation of technologies, transfer and advice in order to improve the competitiveness of production and sustainability in the use of natural resources the institute wants to contribute to raising the quality of life of the population. We are extremely proud that Agrosavia trusts the capabilities of our competences and our systems to create a stable growing environment for research purposes where this is of course a major factor.
The first part of the partnership involves the modernisation of the automation system in one of the greenhouses by installing a ORION GC for controlling a pad fan system for cooling. A pad fan system uses exhaust fans to pull air through evaporative cooling pads. This technique utilizes the cooling effect produced when water evaporates and cools the air as it is pulled through the pad. Cooling pads cool by creating large amounts of surface area that are exposed to air being drawn into the greenhouse by exhaust fans. This large surface area enables quick evaporation. The cooled air is then blown into the greenhouse by the extractor fan system.
All greenhouses will be equipped with ORION GC’s at a later stage. In addition to top ventilation and ventilation of the sides with side wall fans, recirculation, the control of screens and heaters, a lighting system and the lighting of the greenhouses will be installed and carried out by ORION GC’s. This project again proves that the ORION GC is a very reliable, extremely versatile and easy-to-use computer for controlling the climate, recirculation and irrigation. In whatever climate conditions or region in the world.
All in all a fantastic project in South America where we are able to use our expertise in this case to achieve the goals of Agrosavia; to contribute to increase the productivity and competitiveness of agricultural systems, to improve food availability in quality and safety conditions, to improve environmental sustainability in agricultural systems and to strengthen the social capital and the capacities of the actors of the National Agricultural Innovation System of Colombia.