Horticulture & Agriculture
In horticulture and agriculture, air plays an important role at several moments in the process: from aerating stored water to drying products before packaging. At the start, irrigation water must stay clean; at the end, products must go into the packaging dry. DOVAC supplies the complete installation for both, from aerator and blower to air knife, matched to the size of your basin or packaging line.
Clean irrigation water through aeration
Almost every greenhouse has a water basin, indoors or outdoors, in which rainwater is collected to irrigate the crops. That is cheaper than tap water, but standing water has a drawback: algae and blue-green algae develop. And you do not want those sprayed over your strawberries or cucumbers.
Aeration keeps the water moving and supplies it with oxygen. The bacteria in the water stay active and keep the water clean, and in moving water algae get no chance. An aeration frame on the bottom of the basin works best, because the air spreads through the whole water column from the bottom up. Covering the basin with black netting also slows algae growth, but aeration produces cleaner water, even when contamination enters the basin from outside.
Air knives for packaging crops
A lot of vegetables and fruit come out of the water bath wet after washing. If that product goes wet into a cardboard box or crate, the cardboard softens, the packaging sags and the risk of mould increases. That is why products, crates or boxes are blown dry before packaging. Air knives fed by a blower blow the adhering water off products or packaging in a targeted way. With a well-matched installation, this can be done at the speed of the production line, often with considerably lower energy consumption than a comparable compressed air application.
Also for processing agricultural products
Not only in horticulture, but also in the processing of agricultural products, removing excess water plays a role. Think of potatoes, carrots and other crops that are processed or packed further after washing. With a well-matched combination of air knives and blowers, adhering water can be blown away, so that products enter the next process step with less moisture.
Where it can go wrong
- A blower that is not matched to the basin. Water depth largely determines the required pressure. In addition, the basin volume, the desired air distribution and the oxygen demand determine the required air capacity.
- One blower for several basins with different water depths. With several basins of different depths, the air can distribute unevenly. Without proper control, relatively more air flows to the basin with the lowest back pressure.
- An aerator placed too high in a deep basin. As a result, air distribution and mixing in the lower water layers may be insufficient.
- An aeration system that stops working. In standing water, quality can deteriorate quickly. Without fast help or reserve capacity, you risk unusable irrigation water.
Our possibilities
Aerators
Aerators introduce a blower's air into the water as fine bubbles, preventing stagnation, bacterial growth and odour. We calculate the right choice and capacity in advance. The aerators will soon be added to our range; in the meantime, please view DOVAC\'s full product range or contact us.
Air knives
An air knife dries, cleans or de-ices products and conveyor belts in a single pass, running on a blower instead of compressed air to save energy. We calculate the right combination in advance.
Side channel blowers
Side channel blowers move large air volumes, suiting aeration, conveying and porous materials. Oil-free and low-maintenance, from compact single-stage to two-stage models, including ATEX.
Benefits for your business
What it delivers
- Better water quality through oxygen supply and movement in the basin
- Dry products and sturdy packaging, without mould caused by moisture
- Aeration with low power consumption, matched to actual demand
- Fast help in case of faults, also outside office hours
Aerators matched to your basin
For a smaller basin, an aerator with a compact blower that draws only very low power is often sufficient. For larger basins and water storage, DOVAC uses side channel blowers or energy-efficient turbo blowers. In all cases we calculate the right combination in advance, based on water depth, basin dimensions, required air capacity and desired water movement. Several aerators can be placed in one basin if desired.
For the packaging line, DOVAC combines air knives with a blower into an installation that dries your product without expensive compressed air. DOVAC supplies blower, aerator, air knife and accessories from a single source, with many product groups available directly from stock.
Available 24/7
If your aeration or drying line fails, DOVAC is available 24/7. Thanks to short lines of communication, technical knowledge and our extensive stock, we can often respond quickly to faults.
Request advice
Do you want to improve the water quality in your basin, or are you looking for a more efficient way to blow vegetables, fruit or packaging dry? Contact DOVAC for a calculation and suitable advice.
Why choose DOVAC?
A large stock of our own, available immediately
A product is no use if it arrives in eight weeks. That's why DOVAC keeps a large stock of its own, including filters, valves and maintenance kits.
Aeration is our strongest field
Aeration is our strongest growth area, since the calculation separates success from disappointment.
From blower to valve, from a single source
DOVAC combines calculating expertise with delivery of the complete installation, blower to valve.
Extensive experience with air knife installations
DOVAC has extensive experience with air knife installations for drying and cooling.
