The New Construction of Heating Elements for Greenhouse Heating Systems

Abstract

Power demand in a greenhouse’s heating system is characterized by high diversity over time. The differences range from several to more than a dozen times and are a result of conditions changes between day and night as well as in longer periods of time. Improving greenhouse microclimate and reducing heat losses are nowadays the main research areas in greenhouse technology. New construction of heating pipes – hexagram-shaped pipes called “Walczak’s pipes” – enable higher heat efficiency and quicker response to changes of external conditions. In this research Walczak’s pipes made of polypropylene were tested. Specific heat efficiency was determined for three different heating medium flow rates. Moreover, thermal parameters of the tested pipes were compared to those of similar pipes made of steel. The conducted research allowed for stating that Walczak’s pipes made of PP are suitable for low-temperature heating systems, e.g. in greenhouses, heat pumps, etc.