Tekin Cooling Project Name: Application Case of Intelligent Temperature Control System for Fertilizer and Water in a Large-Scale Vegetable Planting Base in Malaysia
I. Project Background and Challenges
The client is a modern large-scale vegetable planting enterprise in Malaysia, mainly producing high-value leafy vegetables, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The local climate is a tropical rainforest climate with high temperatures and humidity year-round. The temperature of open-air irrigation water and nutrient solution (fertilizer water) often exceeds 30℃, seriously affecting crop root health, nutrient absorption efficiency, and yield quality.
Core Challenges:
Root Heat Stress: High-temperature fertilizer water irrigation leads to decreased root vitality and is prone to diseases.
Reduced Dissolved Oxygen: High water temperature results in insufficient dissolved oxygen content in the nutrient solution, affecting root respiration.
Microbial Proliferation: The temperature of the fertilizer water is suitable for the reproduction of harmful microorganisms, increasing planting risks.
Yield and Quality Bottleneck: Traditional cooling methods are inefficient and unstable, making it difficult to achieve high yield and quality.
II. Solution: Customized Air-Cooled Chiller Fertilizer Water Temperature Control System
We designed and deployed an integrated, modular intelligent temperature control system for fertilizer and water for the client.
Core Equipment:
5 x 8HP Air-Cooled Chillers: Serving as “precision control units,” these are used for precise cooling of the terminal fertilizer water in 5 independent irrigation zones. Each zone can set different water temperatures according to crop type and growth stage.
2 x 40HP Air-Cooled Chillers: Serving as the “central cooling core,” these are used for centralized pre-cooling of the source irrigation water drawn from deep wells or the mother liquor before mixing, quickly reducing the water temperature from above 30℃ to 25℃.
System Design:
Two-Stage Cooling Process: The 40HP units perform the first stage of centralized pre-cooling → water storage tank buffering → the 8HP units perform the second stage of precise temperature adjustment according to the needs of each zone.
Intelligent Control: Integrated PLC control system automatically adjusts the operating status and outlet water temperature of each unit based on ambient temperature, light intensity, and different crop growth models.
Energy-Saving Design: The units have variable frequency control and multi-stage capacity adjustment functions, operating efficiently under partial load. Natural pre-cooling is utilized during low-temperature periods at night to reduce main unit energy consumption. III. Technical Highlights and Implementation
Adaptation to Tropical Climate: All units feature anti-corrosion and moisture-proof designs, suitable for Indonesia’s high-humidity, high-salinity coastal environment.
Precise Zonal Control: Flexible deployment of 8HP small units meets the differentiated needs of various vegetable varieties (e.g., lettuce requires lower water temperature, tomatoes slightly higher).
High-Efficiency Heat Exchange: The corrosion-resistant and clog-resistant heat exchanger, specifically designed for nutrient solution characteristics, ensures long-term stable cooling efficiency.
Rapid Deployment: Modular design shortens installation and commissioning time by 30%, minimizing impact on customer production.
IV. Operating Results and Customer Value
V. Customer Feedback
“This air-cooled chiller temperature control system has completely transformed our planting model. Now, we can provide the most suitable ‘root zone environment’ for different vegetables, just like controlling an air-conditioned room. The increase in yield and quality exceeded our expectations, and the investment was recovered within a year and a half through increased production and higher prices. The system is stable and reliable, and the after-sales service is responsive, making them a key partner in our modernization upgrade.”
VI. Project Insights
This project successfully demonstrates that in tropical climates, an air-cooled chiller solution combining “centralized pre-cooling + precise zonal control” can efficiently and economically solve the core pain point of nutrient solution cooling in protected agriculture. It not only improves the yield and quality of agricultural products but also, through precise environmental control, helps customers achieve a modern agricultural transformation from “relying on nature” to “intelligent environmental control.”
For more detailed technical parameters, return on investment analysis, or temperature control solutions for specific crops, please feel free to contact us!
