On the outside it's 'just' a container. But when the doors open, a good deal of high-tech reveals itself. A climate container to be precise. In Aalsmeer in the Bosman Van Zaal production hall, two are ready to be transported to a large American herb grower who wants to use the container to work out the optimum cultivation recipe for basil.
Carlo Castelijn inside of the container in which three 'Danish carts' fit next to each other. If desired, both sides can also be provided with a Grow&Roll-system with Danish carts.
Container over climate chamber
But why a container and not a climate chamber? "Simple", says Carlo Castelijn of Bosman Van Zaal. "These containers can then be clicked onto the back of a trailer. This makes it possible, after a research project, to sell the container or transport it to another location of the company. A lot cheaper than demolishing an entire climate chamber and rebuilding it elsewhere."
Recently, numbers three and four were built, after the first container had already been built two years ago at the request of another customer.
Three Danish cars
A total of three extra wide 'Danish' cars fit in one half of the container. These can be used to create a small-scale multilayer cultivation system with LED and all the bells and whistles that come with it. On the other hand, a growing table has been mounted for research into 'normal', non-multi-layer cultivation.
The only thing needed to get the climate container up and running is electricity, water and CO2. Electricity to keep the LED lights on and the climate computer running. The latter then takes care of the rest, including the water and CO2 dosing.
The side containing the grow table, a request from the customer who wanted the table as low as possible. In addition, gutters are hung in the container so that the customer can experiment with strawberry cultivation.
Over the past few weeks, the finishing touches have been put to the containers, which will be transported in December.
Finishing off with the numbers:
-Container outer dimensions: 6058x2500x2896 mm LxWxH
-Grow&Roll cultivation area: 9x0.9 square meters
-Cultivation surface table: 2 square meters
For more information:
Bosman Van Zaal
[email protected]
www.bosmanvanzaal.com