Modeling and analysis of a fan–pad ventilated floricultural greenhouse

The application of greenhouse technology in the field of floriculture is rapidly expanding worldwide. In India solar radiation is abundant and the climate in the plains are rather hot and dry in summer months while the coastal parts witness a hot and humid climate. For greenhouses in such climates, cooling and ventilation are major factors influencing the production of quality flowers. In the present paper a thermal model of a greenhouse is presented based on fan–pad evaporative cooling. Thermal performance of the greenhouse, as predicted by the model under different climatic conditions is analyzed and compared with a reference study available in the literature. The analysis reveals that a suitable combination of evaporative cooling, shading and ventilation arrangements can effectively maintain the inside microclimate of the greenhouse within permissible limits throughout the year.