Numerical Prediction of Airflow and Temperature Distribution in Large-Scale Agricultural PVC Greenhouse

Large-scale greenhouses are usually adopted to control the indoor climate conditions in agriculture. The envelope of agricultural greenhouses generally consists of a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) sheet, which produces a so-called greenhouse effect and protection from harmful insects. In winter, a supplementary heating device in greenhouses is needed because of the lower outdoor temperature and the non-uniform distribution of indoor temperature. Existing research concerning indoor environmental conditions formed in PVC greenhouses is insufficient and precise numerical predictions of airflow and temperature distribution in large-scale vinyl houses are important to develop effective designs from the viewpoint of energy-saving and the development of suitable indoor environments for agricultural products.
To this end, coupled numerical analysis of CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and air-conditioning system was also carried out and the sensor position in the greenhouse and operation of a stirred fan were confirmed to have great impact on energy consumption.