Analysis of the Climate inside Multi-span Plastic Greenhouses under Different Shade Strategies and Wind Regimes

In this work, the effects of shade combination, shade height and wind regime on greenhouse climate were quantified. A two-dimensional (2-D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed based on an 11-span plastic greenhouse in eastern China for wind almost normal to the greenhouse orientation. The model was first validated with air temperature profiles measured in a compartmentalized greenhouse cultivated with mature lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., ‘Yang Shan’). Next, the model was employed to investigate the effect of shade combinations on greenhouse microclimate patterns. Simulations showed similar airflow patterns in the greenhouse under different shade combinations. The temperature pattern was a consequence of convection and radiation transfer and was not significantly influenced by shade combination. The use of shade screens reduced air velocity by 0.02-0.20 m·s -1 , lowered air temperature by 0.2-0.8℃ and raised the humidity level by 0.9-2.0% in the greenhouse. Moreover, it improved the interior climate homogeneity. The assessment of shade performance revealed that the external shade had good cooling and homogeneity performance and thus can be recommended. Furthermore, the effects of external shade height and wind regime on greenhouse climate parameters showed that external shade screens are suitable for installation within 1 m above roof level. They also demonstrated that, under external shade conditions, greenhouse temperature was reduced relative to unshaded conditions by 1.3℃ under a wind speed of 0.5 m·s -1 , whereas it was reduced by merely 0.5℃ under a wind speed of 2.0 m·s -1 . Therefore, external shading is more useful during periods of low wind speed.