Investigating the Effect of Greenhouse Height on Performance Evaluation and the Optimal Temperature Distribution Inside the Greenhouse Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Energy, Water and Environment Research Institute, University of Kashan, Iran

2 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kashan, Iran

Abstract

Maintaining uniform temperature in the greenhouse environment is a key factor in plant growth and in rising production efficiency. Temperature non-uniformity can lead to thermal stress, reduced product quality, and increased energy consumption. In this study, the effect of various climatic and geometric parameters on temperature uniformity in a greenhouse was investigated using computational fluid dynamics numerical simulation. To create an accurate microclimate model, processes such as airflow, solar radiation, radiation model, plant transpiration, and porous media characteristics were considered in the design. The proposed model was validated based on experimental data. The average difference between numerical and experimental results was reported to be only 8.4%, indicating the high reliability of the simulation. Next, the effect of three different heights of 4.2, 6.5, and 8.5 meters was studied. The average temperature in the three greenhouses were 37.60, 38.79, and 39.15 degrees Celsius respectively. One of the most important indicators in this case was the temperature change coefficient index. The results in the 6.5-meter greenhouse showed the lowest temperature change coefficient index, which is 2.96. This geometric change significantly improved the temperature distribution of the interior space, reduced temperature gradients in critical areas, and better maintained optimal conditions for plant growth. Findings indicated that this simple solution had the potential to increase plant yield by up to 30% and significantly reduce energy consumption.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Energy Engineering and Management
Volume 15, Issue 1
June 2025
Pages 34-49

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