The heat conductivity mechanism of the IR heating propagation for surfaces decontamination in protected ground

Abstract

Modern greenhouses usually have flat concrete surfaces with communications for subsurface and above surface heating. It is proposed to disinfect surfaces with infrared radiation. We solve the corresponding heat equation. Field tests of the temperature field in protected ground have been performed to verify the mathematical model validity and to determine the empiric coefficients. The numerical investigation of the solution when the quantity of the Fourier series terms changes from 100 to 200 gives the heating time τ = 15 …16 min. Using these theoretical and experimental investigations one may conclude that the sufficient heating of a surface at the depth up to 5 cm needs a relatively long time of 15 …16 min and the surface will be strongly overheated during this time. We recommend using infrared heating for the decontamination purposes, but only in the case of thin layers of the ground or of the surface. The temperature necessary for the surface contamination and elimination of different pathogenic microorganisms, fungi, rots etc. emerging in the protected ground is achieved at a relatively small-time interval of 30…40 c. We think that the infrared radiation is a powerful and advanced method of sanitation of thin layers and surfaces.