Low-pressure UV water disinfection in horticulture
Smart UV driver technology enables reliable water disinfection in horticulture, allowing growers to safely reuse drain water and reduce water consumption.
Protecting crops through effective water disinfection
Water management plays an important role in modern horticulture. Reusing drain water reduces freshwater consumption and limits environmental emissions. However, recirculating untreated water also creates risks. Bacteria, fungi and other plant pathogens can spread through irrigation systems, potentially affecting crop health and productivity.
Reliable disinfection under challenging water conditions
UV-C disinfection offers an effective, chemical-free way to treat drain water before reuse. By inactivating harmful microorganisms, UV technology enables growers to safely recirculate water while meeting increasingly strict environmental requirements.
A large strawberry grower in the Netherlands produces approximately 8 million kilograms of strawberries annually. The company cultivates eight strawberry varieties across greenhouses, racks and open fields. The strawberry grower needed to disinfect drain water before recirculation.
The different cultivation methods generate various drain water streams. Substrates and added nutrients can affect water quality, reducing UV transmittance (UVT). This limits how effectively UV-C light penetrates the water.
To ensure reliable disinfection, the UV system must compensate for changing water conditions while delivering a sufficiently high UV dose. An advanced PLC continuously monitors water quality and calculates UV transmittance. When water transparency decreases, the system automatically adjusts the flow rate to increase exposure time and maintain effective disinfection.
Efficient driver technology
Nedap’s UniMulti driver provides reliable power control for low-pressure UV lamps. Designed for demanding applications, the UniMulti combines efficient power electronics with the flexibility required by UV system manufacturers.
The driver supports reliable UV lamp operation, helping manufacturers develop effective disinfection systems for applications such as horticulture.
By combining Nedap’s driver technology with intelligent system control, UV manufacturers can deliver reliable water treatment solutions.
The challenge
Water quality varied depending on the cultivation method, substrate and nutrient concentration. Low UV transmittance presented an additional challenge. The system needed to deliver a high UV dose to effectively inactivate bacteria, fungi and moulds, even under demanding water conditions.
The solution
The UV system manufacturer developed a customized low-pressure UV disinfection system for the strawberry grower. A total of 32 UV reactors, each equipped with 1 low-pressure 400W UV-C lamp, are powered by the UniMulti low-pressure driver.
The result
The system delivers a high UV dose of 2,500 J/m² and treats drain water flows of up to 25 m³/h. The UV system successfully reduced bacteria, fungi and moulds to safe levels, meeting applicable regulatory requirements.
System performance
Treatment capacity
25 m³/h
UV dose
2,500 J/m²
Number of reactors
32
Supporting sustainable horticulture
Water reuse is becoming increasingly important as growers face stricter environmental regulations and growing pressure on freshwater resources. By combining effective UV disinfection with intelligent water quality monitoring, growers can safely recirculate drain water and reduce their environmental impact.