LAUSR

Accurate evaluation of microclimate conditions in a greenhouse can assist producers to manage crop production and designers to optimize climate control systems. An assessment of the variable thermo-environmental behavior of a heated Venlo-type greenhouse under the influence of naturally changing climate conditions in the Yangtze River Delta region was undertaken. A three-dimensional transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to analyze the airflow pattern and dynamic distribution of temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse. Validation of the numerical model showed a satisfactory agreement between measured and simulated values of air velocity, temperature, and absolute humidity, with mean hourly air temperature mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) values of 7.7% and 7.9%, respectively, and mean hourly air humidity MAE and RMSE values of 16.18% and 16.42%, respectively. Simulation results demonstrated that the airflow pattern shaped the distribution of temperature and absolute humidity, and homogeneity of both variables was prevalent inside the greenhouse. These results could be adopted by growers and designers in the Yangtze River Delta region and other sub-tropical climatic regions to improve crop production and optimize climate control systems.