Chapter 276 - The First Greenhouse
Einar, who was carrying Laura on his shoulders, was walking with his entire family.
"Dad, how spectacular will be the new greenhouse that was built using the glass panels."
Asked Laura, who was enjoying the trip on her father's shoulders.
Einar just smiled "It should be something big because the size is 500 square meters, just for reference that's half a kilometer."
Daven was surprised by how he looked at his father with pride "Dad, the factory can make so much flat glass to be able to make a big greenhouse."
Einar turned his head and looked at his son who was holding his mother's hand Laisa "Dad cheated a bit and started making glass days before the factory opened.
Also, not the entire building is made of glass, only the top wall, basement and the roof have glass.
This was done so that Dad could have better control of the humidity, since I have no way of knowing the humidity of the place.
The temperature is easy to control as pipes with hot water run through the entire floor and walls to heat the place. "
Laura opened her eyes in surprise as she realized something "Dad, the heating system is like the one used in the palace, right?"
Einar nodded "That's right Laura, also in order to prevent the water from getting cold, the greenhouse was placed near a hot spring pool."
Daven then showed some hesitation as he stroked his chin "But Daddy hasn't you told us many times that near hot springs pools the soil is acidic so nothing can be born."
Einar stroked the head of his intelligent son "That is very true, but you should know that thinking about it, glass, partition and cement bases were placed at the base of the greenhouse.
This was done in order to prevent water from the hot spring pool from seeping into the new black and fertile soil that was laid.
Although I would have liked to use another material, we do not currently have rubber or oil on the island, but glass can prevent the passage of that water that can be poorly achieved by crops.
Of course, every 3 months the state of the glass should be checked in order to know the state of the glass plates and know if they have to be changed.
It's a tedious process, and that's why the greenhouse is so big, there is a big trench around the greenhouse to monitor all of this. "
Daven, who was feeling his father's hand, caressed it and looked seriously at his father "Dad, I spoke with mother Laisa and I would like to ask you to see the research you do in your laboratory.
I promise I will behave and just watch silently while you work. "
Einar, who was not expecting his son's proposal, stroked his mustache "I can allow you to come in but it will only be for two hours a day.
Since you must train, study, play and do the homework.
Although I know you are a very intelligent child, it is important that you enjoy your childhood because in the future you will have to work and you will not have much time to do what you like.
When you are older I will teach you more things so that you can learn, for the moment just follow your rhythm and enjoy your childhood. Can you promise me? "
Daven nodded "I promise you, dad, I will enjoy my childhood and living with the family."
Einar looked at Daven proudly and with his hand ruffled his hair "Since you promised, we should keep walking for a few minutes as the greenhouse is nearby."
When Einar pointed his finger, Daven gulped as the building reflected sunlight from afar. Not to mention that it looked quite imposing with its green glass.
Upon arriving in front of the greenhouse, everyone could see the beautiful glass panels that made up the building.
Laisa, who thought she was used to seeing glass because the entire palace already had glass windows, swallowed a little saliva when she was able to see the immensity of the building.
"It is gigantic but Einar it would be possible to have a gym with this same structure."
Einar shook his head "We can build a gym with large windows but it would be dangerous to put a roof and walls of glass.
Being an earthquake zone, it could cause a disaster while a sturdy building with only large windows would reduce the risk of danger.
Although safe being dangerous, at least the glass will not kill when falling on the ceiling.
As soon as this greenhouse is only dangerous if one is at the wrong time but in the ditch around the greenhouse it is a safe area.
But let's stop talking and let's go in. I'll show you where we'll start sowing corn, pumpkin and tomato.
This is because they are plants that grow in harmony and have a similar adaptation, so it is possible to be able to care for them with the same temperature. "
A warrior who was guarding the gate opened the glass doors and let the royal family enter.
The first thing they could feel was a somewhat annoying heat sensation. The only ones who were not bothered by the heat were Einar, Kassia and Sven, who were used to the heat.
Laura, who was on her father's shoulders, moved her hand over her head "Dad, this place is too hot. Are you sure that the plants you said will grow in this place?"
Einar laughed and pointed to the beautiful field "Of course I am sure that they will be able to grow in this environment, even faster than the plants outside.
In the future dad will build these greenhouses all over the island. It doesn't matter if it is the coldest part of the island, as long as there is hot water we can build a greenhouse.
Where we can grow any kind of food, no matter if it is food that requires high temperatures, using an environmental thermometer we can always know the amount of heat that the plants need. "
Sven, who was looking at everything with pride, turned his head and looked at his son doubtfully.
"I understand that the hot water in the palace is moved by the gigantic Stirling engines, but how the hot water moves in the pipes of this building.
I don't see one of those engines. Does it use something strange that you haven't shown me? "
Einar flashed a smile on his face. "Just use fluid mechanics and gravity to make a siphon pump, let's walk around while I explain how it works."
They all started down some stairs that led them to the ditch around the greenhouse.
"The tilt of the greenhouse is subtle but even with that in the deepest part we are four meters below the level of the arable land in the greenhouse.
This helps the hot water to travel through all the pipes using gravity as the force that drives the water's path.
Since the hot water is not used for irrigation, we would have to return it to the thermal water pool to reheat.
To water the plants, we use another water system which is a pipe that carries water from a nearby well using an inverted siphon system.
Which is similar to the one used to bring hot water to heat the greenhouse, but it is not the same as it has more precision.
By simply activating a lever, sprinklers will be activated that will make the water completely wet the farmland like a water source would.
This greenhouse is proof that we can do great things just by knowing how some mechanical things work.
Engineering is fascinating and I'm glad I know how to do these things. "
They all looked at Einar, who seemed to behave like a child as he explained the operation of the greenhouse.
Laura, Daven, Erik and Katherine only showed their dissatisfaction with the heat, but they looked at everything with curiosity, because it seemed to be all magical for them.
When they reached the last part of the building, Einar pointed out three towers that could be seen behind the green glass.
The towers had large clay cylinders from which copper pipes came out.
"Those towers do the magic of bringing the water from the hot spring pool to the copper plumbing system of the place.
It was somewhat wasteful to use copper for the pipes but it is the best metal to transfer heat. Three towers are used because that way we will always have water running through the place.
To measure the temperature, we did tests with the thermometer and the lever that activates the water stopcocks. "
Einar then pointed to the ground, where there was a lever that had the temperatures marked on iron plates.
"We just have to move them to the desired temperature, although it may seem complicated it is not, simply the more hot water runs through the pipes.
There will be more heat in this place, of course the temperature may differ in case it is very cold outside, or it is snowing in that case it is better if it is a little warmer.
But as long as the water keeps moving it will not freeze because the heat of the earth will always stay, unless the core stops.
But in that case we will die first of other things because the magnetic field would collapse, but in due course I will explain to you how our world is built.
But what do you think of this pipe system and the greenhouse, I think this time I did it in a very practical way, a bit expensive in the use of copper.
But we can always sell glass panels for 20 gold coins each, with gold buying copper will be extremely simple. "