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Bylinky s.r.o. is part of the international Spisa Group, which produces herbs under cover. Cooperation with chains such as Lidl, Kaufland, Albert, Globus throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia makes timely delivery of fresh herbs throughout the year crucial to the company. They can't afford to take a risk of developing fungal diseases that could ruin the entire crop.

This was the case before 2020, when powdery mildew regularly wreaked havoc on basil crops. The symptoms of powdery mildew were not noticeable at first glance, but before transport, the leaves turned black and the plant wouldn’t be marketable. It generated huge losses, on the one hand: lack of earnings on the plants, on the other: financial penalties for non-compliance with contracts, imposed by retail chains. The problem became most acute in summer, when high temperatures and rain created ideal conditions for powdery mildew development. The key to limiting the development of the disease was to reduce humidity in the greenhouse.  

Before 2020, we coped mainly by heating and ventilating. This solution allowed us to reduce humidity levels. However, using this method was not possible in the summer or during the autumn months, when the temperature outside was higher than in the greenhouse. - says Václav Bajko, technical manager at Bylinky s.r.o.

The classic method of dehumidifying air in greenhouses involves a combination of ventilation by opening vents and heating. Air entering the greenhouse through open windows is heated using a heating system, causing the relative humidity to drop. However, this method has significant limitations - says Jan Jemelka, of Royal Brinkman, who recommended the installation of DryGair units at Bylinky s.r.o. - First, opening windows causes an uneven climate in the greenhouse. Secondly, when the temperature difference between the air inside and outside the greenhouse is small, plus it rains, it is impossible to get rid of moisture by heating and ventilating. But the biggest disadvantage of this method are its costs. The method is based on letting heated air in through the windows. And this is a very expensive solution, especially with today's energy prices.

In 2020, two DryGair units were installed in this part of greenhouse, where basil is grown. This is a modern alternative to ventilating and dehumidifying, which lets controlling the humidity level in the greenhouse effectively, regardless of what weather conditions are outside. DryGair's operation is based on the penetration of moist air into the unit and passing it through the refrigerant evaporator. The refrigerant vapor is very cold, so excess water from the air condenses on it. At the next stage, the air passes through the refrigerant condensers, which in turn are very warm. Fans, in cooperation with a patented special canopy, distribute the dehumidified air evenly throughout the greenhouse. In Bylinky s.r.o., we encountered an additional difficulty related to the greenhouse's design. The greenhouse is very long, and the aisles between the plants are narrow. Therefore, it was not possible to install equipment in the middle of the greenhouse, but only at the front and back, at opposite ends of the crop. That's why we recommended installing special unidirectional extractors that effectively distribute air along the entire length of the greenhouse – Jan Jemelka explains.

Thanks to the DryGairs, we naturally reduce the humidity in the greenhouse without ventilate and heat, says Václav Bajko. - In fact, we don't have to heat as much, so we save on heating. And I have to say that since then we haven't had any problems with powdery mildew on basil. Installing DryGair's has solved the basil problem. The annual struggle with the disease is over, and Bylinky s.r.o.’s customers enjoy a regular supply of healthy, fresh herbs.

Eliminating the mildew problem is not the only benefit of installing DryGair units in Bylinky s.r.o. Dehumidifying the air using them has also help to maintain an even climate in the greenhouse, reduce heating costs, and additionally provides condensed water that can be used for irrigation.  

- Václav Bajko – Bylinky s.r.o. -​​​​

Homogenic climate
Ventilation and heating, under certain weather conditions, allows effective regulation of humidity in the greenhouse. However, it carries with it negative consequences, one of which is an uneven climate in the greenhouse. The installation of DryGairs ensures air circulation and makes the climate in the greenhouse homogeneous, which creates good conditions for plant growth.

Energy cost savings
One of the main advantages of the unit is energy savings. The installation of DryGair units typically reduces greenhouse heating costs by 50% or more, depending on conditions. In Bylinky s.r.o. this can be observed by measuring the temperature on the heating pipes in winter. In compartments equipped with DryGair units, it is on average 10°C lower than in compartments without dryers.

Condensed water for use in cultivation
An additional benefit of using DryGair is obtaining condensed water that can be used to water plants. At a relative humidity of 80% and a temperature of 18°C, the machine generates about 48 liters of water, which is suitable for watering plants.

In addition, the DryGair units are connected to the Priva climate computer, which controls the climate in the greenhouse, separately for each of the four aisles. As a result, each aisle can be set to a different climate that is optimal for the herbs grown in it. This way, all you have to do is set the desired humidity level, and then the system automatically turns the dehumidifiers on and off according to the set values.

Since we have been using dehumidifiers, we have no problems with basil, which is our main product, the best-selling herb from our greenhouse. In addition, we save on heating and get condensed water for watering. All this convinced us to buy more DryGair units after four years. - Václav Bajko admits. 

- Václav Bajko – Bylinky s.r.o. -​​​​

At present, six DryGair units are installed in Bylinky s.r.o., in three of the four greenhouse compartments. Based on the positive experience with DryGair units at Bylinky s. r. o., more DryGair units have been installed at sister companies - Polish (Baziółka near Warsaw) and Portuguese. They too are very satisfied with them - adds Václav Bajko.

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