Various types of glass for horticulture glass
Greenhouse farming is commonly practiced in controlled environment agriculture, with facilities ranging from simple tunnels to highly automated setups. A wide range of crops, including vegetables and flowers, can be grown in these facilities. Regardless of the type of greenhouse used, there are always opportunities to increase yields, boost productivity. From this article, Migo Glass will help you to explore how glass can impact the production of greenhouse crop.
Why use the glass instead of Polycarbonate for greenhouse glass?
Glass has been a popular and commonly used material in greenhouses, despite being more expensive than polycarbonate. Its higher cost is justified by the benefits it provides to greenhouse production.
Durability: Glass is more durable and resistant to scratching compared to polycarbonate, which can become scratched over time, reducing its light transmission.
Light transmission: Glass provides better light transmission and does not yellow or become brittle over time, ensuring that the plants receive consistent and high-quality light.
Insulation: Glass provides better insulation, helping to maintain a more stable temperature inside the greenhouse, which is beneficial for the growth of plants.
Aesthetics: Glass provides a more traditional and visually appealing look for greenhouses, which can be desirable for certain settings.
Longevity: Glass has a longer lifespan compared to polycarbonate, which can degrade over time due to exposure to UV radiation.
Main Types of Greenhouse Glass
Annealed glass
Annealed glass, the plain glass we're all familiar with, is heat treated and allowed to cool in a controlled way so that the internal stresses relax slowly. Unfortunately, this means the glass is very weak and prone to cracking or breaking when the temperature on either side of the glass changes rapidly. Annealed glass under pressure breaks into large, jagged shards, creating a hazard for anyone nearby. It's the cheapest glass option and would work well for wall panels in a greenhouse where snow loads and high winds aren't a concern.
Pros:
Annealed glass is the cheapest and most cost-effective glass option.
It is stronger than regular float glass and can handle a little pressure due to its treatment process.
This glass is great for low-traffic use or areas, and for use in places where it won't be heavily exposed to heavy snow, high winds, or other inclement weather factors.
Cons:
Because of how it handles the treatment process, this glass will shatter into sharp edges if damaged or broken.
Annealed glass shouldn't be used for doors or greenhouse roofs, due to the increased potential for damage to happen in these areas from weather or excessive use.
Tempered glass
Tempered glass is a heat-treated glass-the stresses in the glass are induced in a very specific way to increase the surface stress in relation to the internal stress. Tempered glass is very clear, but up to six times stronger than annealed glass and breaks into tiny, nearly square fragments that pose little risk to people. It's a good choice for greenhouse roofs, walls and doors due to its ability to handle fluctuating temperatures, but shouldn't be used on roofs where snow loads or high winds are a concern.
Pros:
Tempered glass is much stronger than annealed glass due to the extra processes of treatment it endures.
This type of glass can withstand temperatures up to approximately 470 degrees Fahrenheit.
If it gets broken, this glass will shatter into small, granulated pieces that post no real threat of harm to people.
Tempered glass handles temperature changes much better than annealed glass.
Tempered glass can be found in single- and double-tempered forms, and at varied tensile strengths.
Cons:
Tempered glass is more expensive than annealed glass, but is stronger and breaks more safely when damaged.
This type of glass may crack before completely breaking, and may affect the internal heat and humidity of your greenhouse.
Diffused glass
Diffused glass, also known as frosted or obscured glass, a popular choice for commercial greenhouse applications due to its ability to scatter light and reduce shadows, creating a more uniform light distribution for plant growth. One of the main advantages of diffused glass is its ability to reduce the intensity of direct sunlight, which can help to prevent sunburn and heat stress in plants. This can be particularly beneficial in regions with high levels of solar radiation. Diffused glass is the best type of to enhance the crop yield from the below factors:
Pros:
- Better Penetration in the corp
- Substantial light gain in all seasons
- Less shadow in the greenhouse
- Less crop stress
- Diffusion of light
- High light transmittance
- Full range of haze
- Non-condensation dripping
But this type of glass also has some advantages:
Cons:
1. Cost: Diffused glass may be more expensive than traditional greenhouse glass, which can be a significant factor for growers with limited budgets.
2. Light Transmission: While diffused glass scatters light effectively, it may also slightly reduce overall light transmission compared to clear glass. This can impact the growth of light-dependent crops.
4. Limited Application: The benefits of diffused glass may not be as pronounced for all types of crops or in all growing conditions, making it less suitable for certain agricultural operation
All those types of glass could produce the clear one and low iron one(extra clear). The low iron one has the better transmittance than the clear duo to its low PPM, which has lower iron content in the glass and is less greenish.
Greenhouse glass with AR COATING
From a horticultural perspective, more sunlight coming into the greenhouse means more light onto the plants, which will lead to higher attainable yield
Our AR glass processing line can apply anti-reflection coating on one or both sides of the glass surface (1AR or 2AR), and at the same time, by reducing the light reflectivity of sunlight, the light transmission rate can be increased up to 97%.
For more information about greenhouse glass, you can contact Tracy@migoglass.com or WhatsApp: +86 156 10010953
