ASHRAE Orange Empire Joint Meeting with San Diego Chapter: 15 MARCH 2016
Joint Chapter Meeting with the San Diego Chapter
Dinner Discussion:
"Understanding HVAC & Plant Dynamics in Grow Room Applications"
Jim’s presentation will include a basic description of plant physiology and will show why the typical HVAC design for grow rooms is not working as designed. He will discuss the various alternatives for maintaining the crucial temperature and humidity control that is vital for proper plant growth and maximizing yield.
Jim is the Western Regional Manager for Desert Aire, a manufacturer of dehumidification equipment. Jim has been an HVAC manufacturer, consulting mechanical engineer, and an HVAC manufacturer’s representative. Now, he leads Desert Aire’s effort in the western US and western Canada in providing a dehumidification, heating and cooling system engineered specifically for controlled environment agriculture and, in particular, cannabis facilities. Jim was a member of the team that developed the Latent Flux analysis which explains how sensible energy is converted to latent energy in grow rooms. This Latent Flux analysis has been reviewed by the DOE National Laboratory and is the basis of further inquiry for a global consortium of mechanical engineers working together to design the optimal indoor grow environment.