Analysis of the efficiency of greenhouse ventilation using computational fluid dynamics

A systematic analysis of the ventilation process in greenhouses was performed with the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). First, the validity of the model assumptions was established by comparing the numerical results with experimental data. A good agreement between the numerical data and the experimental measurements was found if a two-scale k-epsilon turbulence model is applied in the CFD simulation. Then, the influence of design characteristics, such as the greenhouse length, on the ventilation was examined in the case of a typical Mediterranean-type greenhouse. It was demonstrated that CFD is a powerful tool for developing improved designs with respect to ventilation efficiency but the results cannot be generalized. Therefore, a systematic investigation of the most common greenhouse types is necessary. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.