4/21/2020 Grower 101: Operating And Maintaining Ventilation - Greenhouse Product News

Grower 101: Operating And Maintaining Ventilation

By Tyler Morrison

One of the simplest and most cost-effective measures to improve fan

performance in a greenhouse doesn't entail adding extra fans but maintaining
the ones already running. While growers will spend extraordinary amounts of
time deciding which brand of fans to put in their greenhouse, a major
component often overlooked with fan selection is how easily the equipment
can be maintained. Growers that take some simple and mostly easy steps can
potentially save on electricity costs, as well as add extra years of service to the
fans being used in the greenhouse.

Maintenance Is Key
Frequently, exhaust fans are installed to perform a specific job for a grower. If
fan performance is poor, they are no longer meeting the grower's needs. A fan
is no different than any other piece of working machinery; it needs proper care
and maintenance to operate effectively over a long period of time. Oftentimes,
fans are overlooked during routine greenhouse maintenance until an actual
problem occurs. If the greenhouse manager takes a proactive approach to
maintenance, many problems can be circumvented before they become more
severe and expensive.

Fans that have not been properly maintained can do more than reduce the total
number of cubic feet per minute (CFM) the fan is generating. For example,
when fans work harder than required, operating costs may increase due to
lower efficiency. If dirty blades and shutters — or something as simple as a
worn belt — are hindering a fan, the grower will pay the price out of his own
pocketbook. David Loop, owner of Loop's Nursery, Jacksonville, Fla., can
attest to how important regular fan maintenance can be. David is one of the
many growers who takes the time to make sure all of his equipment is running
properly by performing regular maintenance checks. "Fan maintenance is key
for running my fans for years without problems. If we can save time and
money by doing a little extra work from time to time, then that's what we will
do," he said.

Maintenance Components
Static pressure. Static pressure is a measurement in inches of water between
the differences in pressure between the outside and inside of a structure. Fans
are built to handle around 0.1-0.2 inches of static pressure and run optimally.
The device used to measure static pressure is a manometer. When all fans are
turned on and running at full capacity, the range should be within the
acceptable 0.1-0.2 inches of water. Fans will decrease their performance
numbers immoderately in terms of CFM's as well as efficiency whenever
static pressure rises beyond these limits. Remember, if the static pressure is
decreasing the fans performance by 25 percent, the grower is wasting one out
of every four fans due to poor upkeep.

Fan cleaning. Every fan should be cleaned as necessary to remove the dust
that accumulates over time. Whenever servicing fans, be sure to turn off all

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4/21/2020 Grower 101: Operating And Maintaining Ventilation - Greenhouse Product News

electricity running to them to prevent accidents. Dirty blades can reduce the
amount of airflow on a single fan by as much as 20-40 percent without proper
cleaning.

Just a few ounces of dust on the blades is enough to throw the entire fan off
balance. Dust often accumulates on shutters, which drastically affects
performance. Every ounce of dust on a shutter makes the fan work harder to
keep the louvers fully open, which increases static pressure. When shutters are
not cleaned regularly, airflow can be reduced 20-30 percent. Suggested shutter
maintenance is to clean the louvers at least once a month.

Also, be sure to lubricate the hinges with a graphite-based product and not an
oil-based lubricant to prevent dirt from building up in the gel. A pressure
washer may be used to clean fans as long as the motor has a totally enclosed
housing. If it does not, be sure to remove the motor in order to not get
unwanted moisture into the motor windings.

Belt replacement and adjustment. A fan belt should be checked every time
general fan maintenance is issued. The fan belt is in constant motion while a
fan is running, therefore it can be susceptible to wear and tear.

When checking a belt, the first task is to make sure the belt has retained its
"V-shape." If the belt has more of a "U-shape," it is time to replace the belt
with a new one. If belts are cracking or fraying, replace them immediately.
While checking belts, be sure to also check belt tension. When belts are too
tight, they can hinder fan performance, as well as speed up the break-down
process of the fan and rapidly shorten its lifespan. The proper tension for a V-
belt is the lowest tension that prevents the belt from slipping under peak load
conditions.

Pulleys. Without the proper pulley designed to go with your fan and motor
speed, a grower may be unknowingly shortening the lifespan of his or her fan
and reducing its efficiency. It is key that pulleys are replaced with the same
type of pulley that originally went with the unit. If a grower is uncertain of
what type he has, a quick call to the fan manufacturer is all that is needed.

On fans supplied with adjustable pitch motor pulleys, it is important to keep

the same pitch settings that were determined by the factory. The pitch setting
made at the factory operates the fan at the proper motor load set for peak
performance. When a pulley is off of its designed pitch setting it will rub
against the fan belt and cause the belt to fail over time.

Housing issues. For optimal use of a ventilation system, it is crucial for the
building to not have any leakage through small openings. Over time, cracks
may become a problem and need to be sealed as quickly as possible.

There is a quick test that can be conducted to find out if there is a leakage
problem. Close all inlets in the house and turn on one fan. Then use a
manometer to read the static pressure. If the static pressure reading is around
0.20, it is safe to say that the house does not have a problem with leakage. If
the static pressure is less than 0.15, the house may need to be inspected for
areas where air is unwontedly entering. A house without any noticeable air
leaks will be more likely to perform in the way for which it was designed and
maximize the strength of the fans being used.

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4/21/2020 Grower 101: Operating And Maintaining Ventilation - Greenhouse Product News

Additional Recommendations
When reviewing greenhouse ventilation, it is not only important to look inside
for problems. The exterior of a building also can cause ventilation problems if
left unchecked. It is important to make sure there is no immediate obstruction
to the airflow of exhaust fans. If there is any tall grass or shrubbery it should
be removed so air can flow freely outside the greenhouse. Removing any
outside obstructions can improve fan efficiency by 3-7 percent.

After all fan maintenance has been completed, it is recommended that the
serviceman place a sticker on the fan showing the current date and who
performed the maintenance. Also, record all maintenance in a master log that
is readily available for the grower to reference at any time. Although these
steps may seem inconsequential at the time, having years of service records
will provide information to anyone in the future who may question how well a
greenhouse was kept.

There are a few greenhouse fan maintenance tips that may not be as obvious
as others, but the majority of them are very straightforward. The reason that
fans will go unkempt in houses is because some growers do not acknowledge
there is a problem until something calls attention to it or it breaks down. A
good maintenance man can potentially be a huge money saver for the farm if
he follows the procedures highlighted in this article. Shutters, fan blades and
belts will all wear out over time and need to be replaced. Individual growers
have the responsibility of determining how much life they will be able to
squeeze out of their equipment. For growers already dealing with slim profit
margins, it is wise to think economically and try to get the best performance
from their fans for as long as possible.

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