Structure of a greenhouse

Abstract

A greenhouse has an exterior curtain wall structure formed by spaced tubular posts carrying external transparent panels and bottom non-transparent wall panels below a sill with the panels spanning the posts. A plurality of elongate benches is located within the interior at spaced positions along one side wall with the width of the benches being equal to the post spacing to form a modular construction. Each bench has associated with it a respective air handling system for conditioning including a duct which is located partly under the respective bench and a fan in a fan housing at the side wall. From the fan a vertical duct section extends to a flexible tube extending over the bench. An alley is arranged along the opposite wall containing electrical controls mounted in cabinets forming panels for mounting in the span between posts. Air dehumidification, fogging, heating and cooling are provided in the duct under the bench.

1 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;    a plurality of elongate benches located within the interior and arranged to provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior;    an air handling system for conditioning the air within the interior including at least one air moving fan, at least one interior air intake, at least one interior air outlet, at least one exterior vent and at least one component for changing air temperature;    the exterior wall structure including a first side and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall with each of the first and second side walls defined by a plurality of vertical posts at spaced positions along the length of the side wall defining equal spans between each of the plurality of vertical posts and the next with transparent panels arranged to substantially fill the span between the posts;    each bench having a bench support for the bench located underneath the bench;    the benches being arranged at spaced positions along the first side wall such that each bench has one end adjacent said first side wall such that the bench and the bench support therefor each extend from the first side wall at right angles thereto toward the second side wall;    each bench being associated with a respective one of the spans such that the number of spans is equal to the number of benches and such that the bench support of each bench is located between the posts of the associated respective one of the spans.    
   
   
       2 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the width of each bench of the plurality of benches is substantially equal to the width of the spans.  
   
   
       3 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the side walls at right angles to said one side wall each have the same spans between the posts thereof and the length of each bench from said one side wall is equal to a multiple of the spans.  
   
   
       4 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein each of the benches is located such that it has one end at said one side wall and has an opposed end spaced from said opposite wall.  
   
   
       5 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the span equals six feet.  
   
   
       6 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the posts and panels form a curtain wall construction in which the panels are attached at their edges to the posts and fully extend across the span therebetween without intermediate support elements.  
   
   
       7 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;    a plurality of elongate benches located within the interior and arranged to provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior;    an air handling system for conditioning the air within the interior including at least one air moving fan, at least one interior air intake, at least one interior air outlet, at least one exterior vent and at least one component for changing air temperature;    the exterior wall structure including a first side and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall with each of the first and second side walls defined by a plurality of vertical posts at spaced positions along the length of the side wall defining equal spans between each of the plurality of vertical posts and the next with transparent panels arranged to substantially fill the span between the posts;    the benches being arranged at spaced positions along the first side wall such that each bench has one end adjacent said first side wall and extends therefrom at right angles thereto toward the second side wall;    each bench being associated with a respective one of the spans between the posts of said first side wall and arranged such that the number of spans is equal to the number of benches;    wherein the width of each bench is substantially equal to the width of the spans;    and wherein at least some of the benches are mounted for side to side sliding movement and at least one of the benches has a width which is narrower than that of the spans so as to allow a space between the benches for user access.    
   
   
       8 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the side walls at right angles to said one side wall each have the same spans between the posts thereof and the length of each bench from said one side wall is equal to a multiple of the spans.  
   
   
       9 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein each of the benches is located such that it has one end at said one side wall and has an opposed end spaced from said opposite wall.  
   
   
       10 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the span equals six feet.  
   
   
       11 . The greenhouse according to  claim 1  wherein the posts and panels form a curtain wall construction in which the panels are attached at their edges to the posts and fully extend across the span therebetween without intermediate support elements.  
   
   
       12 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;    a bench arranged to be located within the interior and provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior; and    and an air handling system comprising: 
 an air intake plenum having at least one air intake,  
 a fan connected to the plenum,  
 an outlet duct connected to the fan having an air outlet for expelling air from the duct into the interior of the greenhouse,  
 and at least one air conditioning component for conditioning the air transported from the plenum to the duct by the fan;  
   wherein the plenum includes at least two inlets and wherein there is provided at each of the inlets within the duct a cooling coil for cooling the air;    and wherein the supply of cooling fluid to each of the coils is controlled by a cooling system which is arranged to effect sub-cooling at one of the coils for de-humidifying the air.    
   
   
       13 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;    a bench arranged to be located within the interior and provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior; and    and an air handling system comprising: 
 an air intake plenum having at least one air intake,  
 a fan connected to the plenum,  
 an outlet duct connected to the fan having an air outlet for expelling air from the duct into the interior of the greenhouse,  
 and at least one air conditioning component for conditioning the air transported from the plenum to the duct by the fan;  
   wherein the plenum contains fogging nozzles for applying water droplets to the air;    and wherein the fogging nozzles are supplied with water under pressure from a fogging water supply system including a water pump operable to supply water under pressure to an accumulator tank having a gas membrane, the tank being arranged to supply the water under pressure to the nozzles and including a pressure control valve arranged to operate the pump to maintain the pressure within the tank between upper and lower pressure limits so as operate the pump only when the lower pressure limit is reached.    
   
   
       14 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;    a bench arranged to be located within the interior and provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior; and    and an air handling system comprising: 
 an air intake plenum having at least one air intake,  
 a fan connected to the plenum,  
 an outlet duct connected to the fan having an air outlet for expelling air from the duct into the interior of the greenhouse,  
 and at least one air conditioning component for conditioning the air transported from the plenum to the duct by the fan;  
   wherein the fan is mounted in a fan housing with the fan housing at one end of the bench arranged to be located at one exterior wall of the greenhouse and wherein the fan housing has a connection for exterior air arranged to extend through said one exterior wall.    
   
   
       15 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;    a bench arranged to be located within the interior and provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior; and    and an air handling system comprising: 
 an air intake plenum having at least a part thereof located underneath the bench;  
 at least one air outlet for expelling air into the interior of the greenhouse;  
 a fan connected to the plenum for driving air in the plenum from the inlet to the outlet;  
 and at least one air conditioning component in the part of the plenum underneath the bench for conditioning the air;  
   wherein the fan is mounted in a fan housing with the fan housing at one end of the bench arranged to be located at one exterior wall of the greenhouse and wherein the air inlet is arranged to extend through said one exterior wall.    
   
   
       16 . The greenhouse according to  claim 15  wherein the air conditioning component comprises an air cooling device.  
   
   
       17 . The greenhouse according to  claim 15  wherein the air conditioning component comprises a plurality of air cooling devices located at spaced positions within the part of the plenum underneath the bench.  
   
   
       18 . The greenhouse according to  claim 15  wherein the at least one air outlet comprises a plurality of outlets at spaced positions on the part of the plenum under the bench.  
   
   
       19 . The greenhouse according to  claim 18  wherein the at least one air conditioning component comprises a plurality of evaporative air cooling devices each located at a respective one of the outlets.