Analysing greenhouse ventilation using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Abstract

Greenhouses (GH) are used to shield the crops from excessive cold or heat. They are used for growing certain types of cultivations during the year round. The aim of this study is to design a greenhouse using solar-powered technology to produce a Zero-Liquid-Discharge (ZLD) by using Solar Stills and adding condensers to dehumidify the excess vapoured water. This allows to have small-scale plants to reduce the cost of water treatment while increasing its sustainability. Computational fluid dynamics was used to find the best locations for the dehumidifiers in the GH and design the necessary ventilation. This can help to plan ahead and evaluate the optimal amount of produced water for different sizes of greenhouse before they are constructed physically.