The effect of vent openings on the microclimate inside multi-span greenhouses during summer and winter seasons

Abstract

In research literature, little attention has been applied to the effect of vent openings on greenhouse climates during cooling and dehumidification processes with natural ventilation, which would provide guidelines for greenhouse management. To address this problem, a 3D CFD model was successfully designed based on 11-span plastic greenhouses. The model was validated with the measured air temperature and relative humidity, and then used to investigate the effects of vent configuration and opening size on the greenhouse climate. The simulations show that the vent configuration affects greenhouse microclimate patterns and the spatial and temporal variations of the internal climate. Meanwhile, the vent opening size affects greenhouse dehumidification time, air temperature and relative humidity during the dehumidification process. Finally, the assessments of ventilation performance highlight that the roof plus side opening is most suitable for summer cooling, while the roof opening is most suitable for winter dehumidification.