Effect of Greenhouse Design Parameters on the Heating and Cooling Requirement of Greenhouses in Moroccan Climatic Conditions

Abstract

Protected crop production is rapidly expanding in the Mediterranean Basin, and particularly in Morocco. Increased local and overseas demand for these products led to a rapid development in greenhouse usage encouraged by government policies. The aim of this study is to investigate key design parameters that affect the thermal behavior and the heating/cooling energy need of a greenhouse situated in Agadir (Morocco). The parameters include the cladding material characteristics, shape, orientation, and air change rate. The greenhouse is modeled by a developed thermal model using TRNSYS software. The model considers the presence of the plants inside the greenhouse by adding the heat and humidity gain into the heat and water balance of the greenhouse using an evapotranspiration sub-model. The effect of evapotranspiration on the greenhouse thermal behavior was also examined in this study. A validation of the current TRNSYS simulation and evapotranspiration model was made using previous studies from the literature, and the comparison showed fair agreement. The relative error of the annually heating demand obtained by this model is 1.66%, and the evapotranspiration model used in this study shows relative deviation less than 6.5%. The results of this study indicate that the East-West greenhouse orientation is the optimum orientation as it can reduce the annual cost of air-conditioning of the greenhouse by 9.28% compared to North-South orientation. Quonset shape is the optimum greenhouse shape in Morocco as it can save 14.44% of annual cost of airconditioning instead of the Even-span shape.

TRNSYS Simulation and Experimental Validation of Internal Temperature and Heating Demand in a Glass Greenhouse

“…BES tools are used to investigate the effect of the different parameters on greenhouse microclimate and predict the most favourable operating conditions that minimise the energy consumption. With TRNSYS, several studies have reported the effect of the regime type, environmental control systems, covering materials, greenhouse shape, and orientation on the thermal performance of the greenhouse, with no consideration to the radiation modes [27][28][29]. The accurate modelling of the solar heat gains in the greenhouse with the different radiation modes in TRNSYS is also an important aspect that should be considered.…”

A Novel VFVDC Optimized Full Bridge Inverter Control Strategy for Independent Solar Power Systems

“…have been used [1]- [3]. Although the cost of power generation through these processes is low, the carbon dioxide and dioxide flow generated in the process of power generation have caused environmental pollution, and the greenhouse effect [4], [5]. While the cost of nuclear power generation is cheaper, it also generates radioactive waste during the power The associate editor coordinating the review of this manuscript and approving it for publication was Zhilei Yao .…”

Optimal Solar Greenhouses Design Using Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm

“…In addition, Çakir et al [18] studied the magnitude of solar radiation intercepted by the greenhouse cover for five greenhouses shapes, different dimensions and orientation are investigated for each shape and the greenhouse with the highest solar radiation gaining rate is introduced. Choab et al [19] performed a study to examine the effect of greenhouse design parameters including the specification of cover material, shape and orientation of the greenhouse on the thermal performance and required energy for heating and cooling the greenhouse in Agadir Morocco. TRANSYS software was used for greenhouse modeling.…”