Effects of Height on Cooling of Single-Span and Multi-Span Greenhouses in Summer in the YRD Region

Zhang Weijian; Nurnida Elmira Othman; Azli Abd Razak; Yu Xingang

doi:10.21834/e-bpj.v10i34.7332

Authors

Zhang Weijian Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia
Nurnida Elmira Othman Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia; Wind Engineering & Building Physics (WEBP), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia
Azli Abd Razak Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia; Wind Engineering & Building Physics (WEBP), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia
Yu Xingang Faculty of Intelligent Manufacturing, Nanjing Vocational College of Information Technology, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10i34.7332

Keywords:

Greenhouse geometry, Structural height, Natural ventilation, SST turbulence model

Abstract

Extreme summer heat in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) drives greenhouse air temperatures above crop tolerance, threatening yield stability. Natural ventilation offers a low-energy alternative to mechanical cooling, but its dependence on structural height remains poorly quantified. This study applies validated CFD simulations—benchmarking turbulence models, with the SST model achieving the highest accuracy—to assess single-span and multi-span greenhouses at varying heights. Results demonstrate contrasting mechanisms: taller single-span structures accumulate heat, whereas taller multi-span structures enhance buoyancy-driven ventilation and cooling. The findings establish a CFD-based framework for height optimization, delivering actionable guidelines for climate-adaptive greenhouse design.

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