MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF A SOLAR POND-GREENHOUSE SYSTEM

摘要

To maintain prescribed temperature levels inside a greenhouse for plant growth, diesel fuel was used in the past, however due to increased fuel prices, greenhouse heating expenses have reached such levels that conservation and alternative methods are becoming attractive. Such alternatives include solar passive heating, and solar ponds. Although there are several methods of heating a greenhouse, the present paper focused on the potential use of solar ponds as a primary heating system. The possibility of supplying all heating requirements of a greenhouse through a solar pond has been theoretically investigated. Models to simulate both the solar pond and the greenhouse thermal behavior were developed based on conventional energy balance equations. Numerical techniques were used to estimate daily greenhouse heating and cooling requirements and the performance of the solar pond as a heating system.