Breugem

Efficiency and quality as the key drivers 

The Dutch town of Ridderkerk is home to one of the country’s largest chrysanthemum growers. On its 9-hectare site, the company produces chrysanthemums all year round in a very unusual manner. Chrysanthemums as cut flowers are normally cultivated in a circular system. In other words, production is started in the first row on one side of the main path and a new crop is planted in the next row behind it in each case, subsequently returning from the back along the other side of the path until planting reaches the front again. At Breugem Chrysanten, however, they have opted to plant in rows from front to back on both sides of the main path simultaneously. Hence, instead of having to cross each other’s path, the planting robot and the automated harvesting system now work in succession which has improved the efficiency.

Turnkey horticultural project
The horticultural project has been completed by Dalsem. The greenhouse is constructed of white powder-coated steel and includes all the necessary technical systems and equipment. Dalsem approached the design of this high-tech chrysanthemum greenhouse based on two important starting points: optimum efficiency thanks to the highest possible level of automation, and production of chrysanthemums with the best-possible quality.

High-tech chrysanthemum greenhouse
The technical features of this state-of-the-art chrysanthemum greenhouse project include:

• two CHP units with a total capacity of 4,800kW
• steam boiler for soil decontamination
• irrigation from above
• assimilation lighting with 1,000W lamps
• 2,250m3 heat storage tank
• underground transport line beneath the central path which transports the harvested chrysanthemums to the processing area

Efficiency-boosting installations
Various high-tech, efficiency-boosting systems were installed, including:

• hoistable heating frames / hoistable systems for the mechanised collection of the crop support netting used with the chrysanthemums
• blackout screens on all sides of the greenhouse
• robotic sprayer which automatically moves along the monorail heating system
• robot for planting
• underground steam pipes
• bunching machine

High energy requirement makes CHP an interesting option
CHP enables the grower to choose whether to buy in energy or to supply it back to the grid. The high energy requirement as a result of the lighting means that a CHP unit is a very interesting option.

The water used to cool the engines is reused to heat the greenhouse. Once it has cooled down, the same water is then reused to cool the engines again. The flue gases are purified and used to dose CO2.

Steam pipes have been laid beneath the main path to enable steaming to take place with minimum manual effort.