DC UPS solution for smart greenhouse control

Hoogendoorn Growth Management relies on innovative technologies to promote sustainable and efficient food production. With the intelligent IIVO greenhouse control system, the company offers a future-oriented solution that can be seamlessly integrated into existing infrastructures. In order to ensure the operational reliability of the system even in the event of power failures or voltage dips, Hoogendoorn was looking for an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that could cope with the demanding operating conditions. Read this application report to find out how power supply specialist Bicker Elektronik overcame the challenge with an all-in-one solution.

Project description

Intelligent control system for greenhouses

The IIVO Control Station is an innovative industrial PC and is installed on site in a control cabinet in the greenhouse. For simplified and optimised management in a controlled growing environment, IIVO is compatible with all industry-standard sensors, intelligent camera systems, irrigation systems, and robots. IIVO continuously monitors all relevant factors of the greenhouse environment and automatically controls processes individually to suit the specific needs of the plant culture. For example, the climate conditions, CO2 content, and water consumption are analysed and archived in order to obtain a holistic overview of the greenhouse conditions with the available data and to adapt these individually for the crop being grown.

The system uses “Intelligent Algorithms” management software to administer processes, workforce planning, and production. It draws on crop-specific insights, provides real-time data on activity, costs, and plant health, and offers suggestions for improvement to optimise production. These features help take cost-saving measures to maximise yield and crop quality. In short: produce more with fewer resources.

The challenge

Uninterrupted power supply for greenhouse process computers

The 24V DC power supply of the IIVO Control Station is typically provided through an AC/DC power supply, which was intended to be backed up by an uninterruptible power supply (DC-UPS). In the event of power failures or voltage dips, it is likely that network failures or interruptions to electrically controlled systems, such as irrigation systems, will also occur. Therefore, a long-term bridging of the IIVO Control Station is not necessary. Instead, the top priority is a controlled shutdown of the system, which can take up to a minute, plus a buffer time of another 30 seconds. Hoogendoorn was looking for a maintenance-free and particularly robust UPS solution from a premium manufacturer that would resist the specific operating conditions and reliably cover the required bridging period.

Additionally, the UPS should automatically restart the IIVO system after a power outage to avoid unnecessary downtime. Seamless integration into the existing Windows environment was also an important requirement of the system developers. This ensures that the UPS solution works smoothly with the existing IT infrastructure without the need for additional adjustments or complications.

The IIVO system is exposed to different environmental conditions depending on the area of application. While the maximum temperature in temperature-controlled locations is usually below +30°C, in special applications temperatures of up to +60°C can be reached. It is therefore crucial that the UPS functions reliably for many years, even under these extreme conditions.

The solution

DC UPS with maintenance-free Supercap energy storage

Hoogendoorn found the ideal solution for the demanding requirements at Bicker Elektronik: the uninterruptible 24V power supply UPSI-2406DP2 with integrated Supercaps. Thanks to the maintenance-free ultracapacitors, also known as Supercaps, the 24V DC UPS is charged within a very short time. It can bridge the IIVO Control Station, which has a power requirement of approx. 35W, for up to 100 seconds, thus ensuring a safe shutdown. The integrated reboot function of the UPSI-2406DP2 ensures that the IIVO system boots autonomously after the power supply returns.

With up to 500,000 full charge and discharge cycles, the service life of the Supercap is far longer than that of batteries. The DC UPS with a robust aluminium housing for DIN rail mounting is designed for a temperature range of –20 to +65°C.

Integrated Shutdown & Reboot function for autonomous operation

The UPSI-2406DP2 offers a Shutdown & Reboot function as standard, which ensures the safe shutdown and autonomous reboot of the IIVO Control Station. In the event of a power outage, a MOSFET in the DC UPS disconnects the input within a few microseconds and the connected load is supplied without interruption from the energy storage device. The DC UPS signals a failure of the supply voltage via the integrated USB or RS232 interface and initiates a controlled shutdown to save valuable data. The integrated reboot function automatically restarts the connected IIVO process computer after the power supply has been restored. The reboot is carried out reliably even if the power was restored before the shutdown was completed.

Energy storage with absolutely maintenance-free Supercaps

Supercaps work on the principle of the double layer capacitor (EDLC) and have high power density and temperature resistance. Supercap energy storage systems are characterised by their high cycle stability of over 500,000 charging and discharging cycles. This results in an exceptionally long service life, up to ten times longer than that of conventional lead-acid batteries. 

"The reliability of our system is much better when we can be sure that our computer will shut down and restart predictably and in a controlled manner in the event of a power failure. The industrial design and maintenance-free nature of the Bicker UPS help us achieve this with a 'set and forget' solution," Jos van den Berg, Hoogendoorn Growth Management.

Advantages and customer benefits

Autonomous reboot and data security in the event of a power failure:

DC UPS solution protects intelligent control system for greenhouses

The intelligent greenhouse control IIVO is a modern process computer that can minimise resource consumption and increase cultivation quality. The all-in-one UPS solution UPSI-2406DP2 enables the IIVO system to be optimally protected in the event of a blackout, brownout, or flicker and thus effectively protects against data loss. Thanks to the Shutdown & Reboot function, no personnel are required on-site in the event of a power failure. The IIVO process computer is shut down autonomously and restarted after the supply voltage returns. If there are any deviations during initialisation, alarm notifications are sent to the administrator. The combination of the IIVO Control Station from Hoogendoorn with the UPS from Bicker Elektronik enables highly reliable operation of the latest greenhouse technology.