What are the selection considerations for using seedling carts in indoor germination rooms

The germination chamber is a special enclosed space with high humidity. The environmental humidity is always high. There is condensation and condensation in the chamber. In some working conditions, heating and spray humidification equipment will be equipped. The seedling cultivation vehicle is stored for a long time in the germination room and the whole vehicle is placed in a static manner. The working conditions are different from those of ordinary greenhouses, and the selection cannot directly use the configuration of greenhouse seedling cultivation. It needs to be comprehensively considered from multiple aspects such as anti-corrosion, layer board, layer spacing, vehicle size, wheels, ventilation, etc.

Firstly, focus on the anti-corrosion configuration of the framework. The amount of water vapor condensation in the germination room is large, and metal components are exposed to condensed water for a long time, which increases the risk of corrosion compared to ordinary greenhouses. The frame should be treated with hot-dip galvanizing technology first to avoid galvanized components with thin coatings and reduce the occurrence of rusting and peeling of the frame. The coating on the inner walls of component welds and holes needs to be complete to reduce the probability of corrosion at the weld position and ensure the long-term use of equipment in high humidity and sealed environments.

Solid galvanized steel plates are preferred for laminated boards. During the germination stage, the substrate moisture content in the seedling tray is high, and a large amount of condensation water is generated indoors. The solid board can absorb the condensation water that drips from the upper layer, avoiding direct impact of water droplets on the lower sowing tray and preventing seeds from being scattered by water flow and substrate from being washed away. Try to minimize the use of large-area grid boards in the germination chamber, as the grid structure can cause condensation water to drip down layer by layer, which can easily interfere with the lower sowing substrate. If the site has good ventilation conditions, small aperture punched plates can also be used, and it is not recommended to use large hollow mesh plates.

The interlayer spacing is chosen to be relatively small, usually 12-18cm. During the germination stage, the seeds have not yet sprouted, and there is no problem with the height of plant stems and leaves. The core demand is to place more seedling trays in limited indoor space. Reducing the spacing between layers, a single seedling cart can increase the number of placement layers and improve the utilization of space in the germination room. Reserve a small amount of safety clearance when selecting, to avoid the seedling tray directly squeezing the upper bottom plate. It should be noted that this layer spacing is only applicable to the germination process. After the seedlings grow taller, they need to be transported to the seedling refining greenhouse.

Check the size of the germination room door opening and internal passage. The door of the germination room is the only passage for seedling vehicles to enter and exit, and the overall length and width of the vehicle should be adapted to the width of the door opening, with reserved space for movement in the passage. The indoor space for sprouting is limited, and many venues require multiple seedling carts to be placed closely side by side. The outer frame size of a single vehicle should be calculated based on the length and width of the room to prevent the remaining passage from being too narrow after the equipment is placed, which is not convenient for carts to move in and out.

In terms of caster configuration, the indoor floor for sprouting is mostly smooth cement floor, which is prone to condensation and slipping. The casters are made of polyurethane material with appropriate hardness to reduce slipping during pushing. If the trolley is stationary in the germination chamber, it is recommended to choose brake casters and lock it after the vehicle is in place to avoid displacement and collision of the trolley. In a sealed and humid environment, caster bearings need to have a certain degree of rust prevention ability to reduce the occurrence of wheel jamming and poor rotation in long-term high humidity environments.

Take into account indoor air circulation. Although solid plywood is used, do not enclose or cover the frame around it to ensure that the circulating air in the germination chamber can circulate between the frames and ensure even distribution of indoor temperature and humidity. At the same time, considering the transportation connection, after the germination is completed, the seedling cart should be directly pushed out to the greenhouse, and the frame specifications should be as consistent as possible with the seedling cart used for greenhouse seedling refining. The seedling tray does not need to be inverted twice.

When customizing production, the number of layers and vehicle parameters can be determined based on the volume of the germination chamber, the size of the door, and the number of single seeding trays. Do not blindly follow the complete configuration of greenhouse seedling refining vehicles. Make corresponding adjustments for the high humidity and closed working conditions of the germination chamber to reduce later use failures.