Contribution to the Sustainability of Agricultural Production in Greenhouses Built on Slope Soils: A Numerical Study of the Microclimatic Behavior of a Typical Colombian Structure

Abstract

The use of covered structures is an alternative increasingly used by farmers to increase crop yields per unit area compared to open field production. In Latin American countries such as Colombia, productive areas are located in with predominantly hillside soil conditions. In the last two decades, farmers have introduced cover structures adapted to these soil conditions, structures for which the behavior of factors that directly affect plant growth and development, such as microclimate, are still unknown. Therefore, in this research work, a CFD-3D model successfully validated with experimental data of temperature and air velocity was implemented. The numerical model was used to determine the behavior of air flow patterns and temperature distribution inside a Colombian passive greenhouse during daytime hours. The results showed that the slope of the terrain affects the behavior of the air flow patterns, generating thermal gradients inside the greenhouse with values between 1.26 and 16.93 °C for the hours evaluated. It was also found that the highest indoor temperature values at the same time were located in the highest region of the terrain. Based on the results of this study, future researches on how to optimize the microclimatic conditions of this type of sustainable productive system can be carried out.

Thermal Simulation of a Screenhouse Proposed for Fruit and Vegetable Production in the Lowlands of Panama

“…Likewise, the flow pattern inside the IP-SH is driven by the wind and thermal components of natural ventilation, this type of results has already been discussed and verified in similar works such as those developed by Flores-Velá zquez & Montero [10] and Villagrá n & Rodriguez [31]. Results that have been experimentally validated as reported by Teitel et al [8,49].…”

Research on the Microclimate of Protected Agriculture Structures Using Numerical Simulation Tools: A Technical and Bibliometric Analysis as a Contribution to the Sustainability of Under-Cover Cropping in Tropical and Subtropical Countries

“…Goodness-of-fit 34 [5,15,17,19,32,37,47 Statistical analysis and goodness-of-fit 3 [6,154,156] Another form of quantitative analysis identified in 15 studies was the construction of trend graphs between measured and simulated data and the application of statistical tests to analyze these datasets. In general terms, these statistical tests with 95% confidence intervals sought to determine whether there were significant differences between the variances or between each of the measured and simulated datasets and, based on these results, to accept or reject the validity of the CFD model [11,175]. Finally, 11 studies validated the CFD models using some of the techniques mentioned above or some combination of them (Table 18).…”

“…On the other hand, there are the unstructured grids, which present irregular connectivity between grid nodes and, in terms of computational calculation, require more time for the solution of the analyzed problem and, in turn, require more memory for data storage and processing. Although, this type of meshing is better suited to complex geometries and requires less experience by the user in numerical meshing processes [11].…”

“…Agricultural production under covered structures is considered a form of agricultural production where the microclimate factors affecting plant growth and development are totally or partially controlled [9]. Therefore, with respect to open field agricultural production, some benefits can be obtained, such as: (i) allowing agricultural production in regions where climatic conditions are adverse for the crops of interest, (ii) increasing production per unit area, (iii) optimizing water resource management and crop fertilization, and (iv) improving the commercial quality of the final product [10,11]. However, it should be noted that in order to achieve these benefits, it is necessary to have adequate microclimate management inside the different types of protected agriculture structures used in the countries where this type of technology has been implemented [12].…”

“…On the contrary, passive structures are those that are very characteristic in regions with mild climates and where microclimate management is limited to natural ventilation and shading techniques or roof whitening. [11].…”