Thermal performance of greenhouses with a built-in solar distillation system: experimental study

An experimental investigation is presented of the thermal performance of an agricultural greenhouse (GH) with a built-in solar distillation system. A set of solar basins with saline water was placed on the greenhouse roof to reduce the GH cooling load and to produce the required fresh irrigating water by solar distillation. The ventilation air enters the GH through an evaporative cooler for cooling in summer (and hot days), and is partially recirculated for heating in winter (and cold days). The experimental work was carried out and the GH was constructed at the King Abdul Aziz University, the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The system transient performance (temperatures, relative humidity, and water productivity) is presented for the summer of July 2004 in Jeddah. Measures to improve GH performance are also highlighted.