10.1007/s40095-022-00514-4

Cooling improvement of an agricultural greenhouse using geothermal energy in a desert climate

  • Ibrahim Cherrad1,
  • Boubekeur Dokkar*1,
  • Naoui Khenfer1,
  • Soufiane Benoumhani1,
  • Mohamed Cherif Benzid1,
  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kasdi Merbah Ouargla, Ouargla, DZ

Published in Issue 2022-07-21

How to Cite

Cherrad, I., Dokkar, B., Khenfer, N., Benoumhani, S., & Benzid, M. C. (2022). Cooling improvement of an agricultural greenhouse using geothermal energy in a desert climate. International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering, 14(2 (June 2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40095-022-00514-4
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Abstract

Abstract This work treats the air ventilation and the cooling of a tunnel greenhouse. For determining the temperature of the cover surface, the energy audit is examined by the Trnsys software. The investigation of the thermal comfort inside the greenhouse is performed using the airflow conservation equations. Ansys CFD code is used to simulate indoor thermal behavior. Openings and chimneys are added for evacuating hot air and participating in greenhouse cooling. Natural ventilation of greenhouse and Rayleigh number changes are investigated to show their effects on indoor air temperature. The numeral simulation shows that the increase in buoyancy force leads to an indoor temperature decrease. But experimental tests show that the drowning up of air flow toward the chimney requires an aspirator to reinforce the buoyancy. The integration of geothermal energy shows considerable improvement in reducing indoor temperature and getting less cooling energy levels in critical climatic conditions. Daily energy of 5 kWh is needed to cool the greenhouse at an ambient temperature of 37 °C. Further energy consumption reduction can reach 50% for an ambient temperature of less than 30 °C.

Keywords

  • Greenhouse,
  • Agriculture,
  • Ventilation,
  • Geothermal energy,
  • Hot climate

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