Articles
Microclimate analysis of healing and acclimatization tunnels using COMSOL Multiphysics
Article number
1296_21
Pages
159 – 166
Language
English
Abstract
Apart from their main role to grow different crops in optimum or closer to optimum conditions, regardless of outdoor environmental parameters, greenhouses are also used as a nursery.
In this case healing or acclimatization tunnels for grafted vegetables are placed inside them and therefore the indoor climate of the greenhouse becomes the external environment for these rooms.
The objective of this study was to develop a numerical model that can predict the microclimate parameters in healing tunnels under different external conditions for the entire post-grafting period.
COMSOL Multiphysics software, based on finite element method, was used to simulate the complex and coupled phenomena of momentum, heat and mass transfer in unsteady state conditions and with internal releases of water vapor and CO2. The model was validated on a healing tunnel prototype placed in the research greenhouse at the HORTING Institute – Bucharest.
Simulation results show the estimated distribution of relevant parameters that characterize the indoor microclimate, i.e., airflow, temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration for different external condition (greenhouse environment) including solar radiation and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) as well as the influence of the grafted plants.
In parallel, experimental measurements were carried out in the analyzed healing tunnel.
Reasonable agreement was observed between the predicted and the measured parameters for the entire healing period.
The study indicates that the developed model is an effective tool for making strategic decisions for the microclimatic management of healing and acclimatization tunnels, regarding the growth and survival rate of grafted seedlings.
In this case healing or acclimatization tunnels for grafted vegetables are placed inside them and therefore the indoor climate of the greenhouse becomes the external environment for these rooms.
The objective of this study was to develop a numerical model that can predict the microclimate parameters in healing tunnels under different external conditions for the entire post-grafting period.
COMSOL Multiphysics software, based on finite element method, was used to simulate the complex and coupled phenomena of momentum, heat and mass transfer in unsteady state conditions and with internal releases of water vapor and CO2. The model was validated on a healing tunnel prototype placed in the research greenhouse at the HORTING Institute – Bucharest.
Simulation results show the estimated distribution of relevant parameters that characterize the indoor microclimate, i.e., airflow, temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration for different external condition (greenhouse environment) including solar radiation and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) as well as the influence of the grafted plants.
In parallel, experimental measurements were carried out in the analyzed healing tunnel.
Reasonable agreement was observed between the predicted and the measured parameters for the entire healing period.
The study indicates that the developed model is an effective tool for making strategic decisions for the microclimatic management of healing and acclimatization tunnels, regarding the growth and survival rate of grafted seedlings.
Publication
Authors
I.-L. Dumitrescu, A.-G. Ghiaus, V. Fatu
Keywords
healing tunnels, grafted vegetables, microclimate management, CFD analysis, numerical simulation
Groups involved
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Working Group Organic Greenhouse Horticulture
- Working Group Protected Cultivation, Nettings and Screens for Mild Climates
- Working Group Light in Horticulture
- Working Group Vegetable Grafting
- Working Group Computational Fluid Dynamics in Agriculture
- Working Group Mechanization, Digitization, Sensing and Robotics
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Working Group Greenhouse Environment and Climate Control
- Working Group Design and Automation in Integrated Indoor Production Systems
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
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