Glass greenhouse 13

Diffuse Glass Commercial Greenhouse

What problems can diffuse glass commercial greenhouses help growers solve?

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Standard transparent glass is designed for human architecture, catering to human visual requirements. It acts much like a magnifying lens, transmitting intense, concentrated direct light that casts shadows across the cultivation area. In contrast, the diffuse glass commercial greenhouses designed by Zheyang are purpose-built for photosynthetic plants. From the chemical composition of the low-iron silicate glass to the refractive structures on its microscopic surface, these greenhouses enhance the ability of crops to receive uniform sunlight. So, what are the differences between diffuse-scattering glass and ordinary glass?

Standard horticultural glass contains iron impurities that absorb blue and red light; furthermore, a portion of the incoming light is reflected off the glass surface back into the sky, resulting in a loss of available light. Direct sunlight travels in parallel beams, meaning that in greenhouses with tall crops—reaching heights of 10–12 meters—the upper canopy receives up to 80% of the direct light, while the lower two-thirds remain in the shade. Large support columns, steel trusses, and automated shading screens cast dense shadows on sunny days, leading to uneven ripening of fruit in those shaded areas. On summer afternoons, direct solar radiation creates localized"hot spots"on leaf surfaces, where temperatures can be 3°C to 5°C higher than the ambient air. This causes the plant tissue to overheat, prompting the crops to close their stomata—a response that halts the transport of water and nutrients and brings photosynthesis to a complete stop. These challenges inherent to traditional glass greenhouses pose significant difficulties for growers; however, commercial greenhouses equipped with diffuse-scattering glass offer an effective solution to these problems.

Advantages of using diffuse glass commercial greenhouses:

By utilizing low-iron float glass with an iron oxide content of less than 120 ppm, a hemispherical light transmission of 96.0% to over 97.5% is achieved. This provides an additional 6% to 8% of usable light daily. Incoming light is converted into multi-angle diffuse light, allowing photons to travel diagonally and horizontally between crop rows—reaching even the lower leaves. This ensures that the lower foliage remains biologically active, extends the duration of photosynthesis, and results in consistent appearance and sweetness across the fruit.

Light can bypass steel trusses, drainage gutters, and suspended heating pipes, ensuring that no shadows fall upon the plants. Every plant receives uniform sunlight, which promotes consistent growth patterns and synchronized harvest times, while also simplifying management. Diffused light transforms concentrated solar thermal radiation into a dispersed thermal field, preventing energy from accumulating at the top of the greenhouse. This lowers the temperature at the canopy surface by 1°C to 3°C, allowing stomata to remain fully open and facilitating the continuous uptake of water, calcium, and carbon dioxide from morning until evening.

Case study: diffuse glass commercial greenhouses

This French farm, which primarily grows tomatoes, initially utilized traditional glass greenhouses. Due to uneven light distribution, the fruit in the upper sections suffered from sunscald, while the fruit in the lower sections failed to develop properly, resulting in very low overall market prices. After switching to equipped with Zheyang diffuse glass commercial greenhouses, the shadows cast by structural components were eliminated, and leaf-surface humidity during peak light intensity was reduced. This enabled consistent and optimal photosynthesis across the entire plant canopy. As a result, the fruit is uniform and visually appealing—naturally commanding a higher price.

Before renovation:

Cultivation method: Utilizes a suspended, elevated-trough hydroponic system, equipped with an automated drip irrigation and fertigation system.
Environmental challenges: intense solar radiation during the summer, soaring midday temperatures, and occasional extreme weather events.

Commercial Greenhouse Solutions:

Optical cover material: 4 mm tempered diffuse-reflection glass, featuring a micro-prism textured surface and a dual-sided, nanoscale anti-reflective coating.
Greenhouse structure: Classic Venlo-style truss design, constructed from hot-dip galvanized steel; offers a long service life and high resistance to strong winds.
Automated Environmental Control: Continuous electric rack-and-pinion roof ventilation system, integrated with dual-layer shading and thermal insulation curtains.

Are you currently facing challenges in your controlled-environment cultivation—such as crop scorching, high rates of fruit wastage, or uneven growth caused by shadows from greenhouse structural components? Contact the engineering department at Zheyang for a complimentary feasibility assessment of your project, and let us recommend the ideal solution for your needs.

I. Overall Basic Parameters of Greenhouse
Model	Intelligent Greenhouse Type Venlo V1200
Single Building Area	9 vanes×7 bays, single building axis area 6048㎡
Total Planned Area	20160㎡
Total East-West Longitude	108m (12m x 9m)
North-South Total Longitude	56m (8m x 7 bays)
Greenhouse Orientation	East-West Orientation
Single Vane Width	12m
Bay width	4.0m
Column Height	3.5m
Summit Height	4.5m
External Shading Column Height	5m
Tilt angle of the ceiling	22°
Wind Load	0.45kN/m²
Snow Load	0.35kN/m²
Hanging Load	14kg/m²
Maximum Drainage Capacity	140mm/h
Applicable Ambient Temperature	-25℃～42℃
Seismic Intensity	≥6 degrees, seismic acceleration 0.05g
Power Supply Standard	Single Phase 220V / Three Phase 380V, 50Hz, Voltage Fluctuation ±5%
Main Steel Structure Service Life	≥20 years
Depth of cementation	0.8m point type concrete cementation
Zocalo	0.6m brick-concrete, insulation with 100mm polystyrene panel outside
Cementation Embedded Parts Pendant	One-way slope 5‰ (North→South)
Standard Cementation Load Capacity Value	≥100kPa
Aluminum Door Slap	4 sets, single door size 2.5m×2.5m; 2 games in curtain wall, 2 games in side wall

II. Main Steel Structure Profiles
Component Name	Profile Specification (mm)	Material	Remarks
Main Column	□120×120×3.0	Hot-dip galvanized	Independent foundation column
Auxiliary Column	□50×50×2.0	Hot-dip galvanized	Auxiliary support
Outward Opening Window Column	□100×50×2.5	Hot-dip galvanized	Wet curtain outer window frame
Transverse Composite Beam	□50×50×2.5	Hot-dip galvanized	Chord center height 700mm
Longitudinal Composite Beam	□60×60×2.5	Hot-dip galvanized	Chord center height 550mm
Herringbone Frame	—	Aluminum alloy	Roof herringbone support
Surrounding Beam	□50×50×2	Hot-dip galvanized	Four-side enclosure beam
External Shading Column	□50×50×2	Hot-dip galvanized	Shading frame column
External Shading Cross Beam	□50×50×2	Hot-dip galvanized	Shading transverse beam
External Shading Longitudinal Beam	□50×30×2	Hot-dip galvanized	Shading longitudinal beam
Drainage Gutter	2.5	Hot-dip galvanized cold-rolled steel sheet	With condensate collection and diversion groove
Fastener Standard: Truss/foundation bolts grade 8.8, other bolts grade 10.8; M8/M10/M12/M16 hot-dip galvanized hexagonal bolts and nuts, comply with GB5782, GB6170

III. Covering Material Parameters
Top Coating	5mm Single Layer Tempered Glass
Perimeter Walls	Hollow tempered glass 5+6A+5
Sealing Accessories	EPDM rubber gasket (standard HG 2402-92)
Structure Anti-condensation	Special condensation water collection tank + deflection hose under the gutter, to prevent dripping from damaging the seedlings

FAQ

Q1: Does diffuse glass reduce the total amount of light entering the greenhouse?

A: No. This is a common misconception. While mechanical texturing scatters light, commercial diffuse glass paired with double-sided Anti-Reflective (AR) coatings actually increases hemispherical light transmittance up to 96%–97.5%, which is higher than standard uncoated clear float glass (approx. 89%–91%).

Q2: Is diffuse glass tempered for hail and wind safety?

A: Yes. All commercial diffuse glass panels deployed in our Venlo structures undergo thermal tempering to meet international safety standards (e.g., EN 12150). Tempered diffuse glass is approximately 4 to 5 times stronger than annealed glass, providing robust resistance against high-wind turbulence and standard hail impacts.

Q3: What roof glass dimensions and thicknesses are standard for Venlo greenhouse?

A: Standard Venlo greenhouse are typically 4mm thick, with pane widths designed to fit 3.2m or 4.0m peak sub-gables. Gables and sidewalls can be fitted with 4mm/5mm tempered glass or double-glazed insulating units.

Q4: How do we get custom structural CAD blueprints and an itemized quotation?

A: Simply provide our engineering department with your project site coordinates, target crop type, and intended facility footprint. We deliver complete 3D structural blueprints, localized wind/snow load calculations, and itemized turnkey equipment proposals within 3 business days.