Abstract
The Gembloux Dynamic Greenhouse Climate Model (GDGCM), previously validated for a tomato crop in European greenhouses, was adapted to simulate the microclimate in a naturally ventilated Zimbabwean greenhouse containing a rose crop. The GDGCM consists of a system of differential equations based on the heat and mass balances of the layers of a greenhouse, and were worked out within the Transient System Simulation (TRNSYS) program. Modified sub-models to calculate the greenhouse air renewal rates and crop canopy resistance to water vapour transfer were introduced. Numerical results obtained using the model were compared to experimental measurements carried out in a full-scale commercial naturally ventilated Azrom type greenhouse with a rose crop. The simulated results showed good agreement with the observed values of all parameters for most parts of the day. For the period of observation (the whole year from May 2007 to April 2008) the mean standard errors between the predicted and experimental greenhouse air temperature and relative humidity, canopy temperature and crop transpiration were 1.8°C, 14.8%, 1.9°C and 14.2Wm−2, respectively, in winter and 1.3°C, 8.6%, 1.6°C and 21.8Wm−2, respectively, in summer. The model adequately simulated the internal greenhouse microclimate using outside climate data including incident solar radiation, cover transmittances and greenhouse configuration as inputs and can thus be used to predict the inside greenhouse climate and as a design tool to evaluate and optimise the effects on the inside greenhouse climate of ventilation, cover properties, the settings of the control system and other climate management practices.
Published Version
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