Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Engineering Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering

PDF

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Series

Energy conservation

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Simulated Effects Of Dynamic Row Spacing On Energy And Water Conservation In Semi-Arid Central California Greenhouses, A. Moya, T. Mehlitz, Ilhami Yildiz, S. F. Kelly, C. Hardin Jan 2008

Simulated Effects Of Dynamic Row Spacing On Energy And Water Conservation In Semi-Arid Central California Greenhouses, A. Moya, T. Mehlitz, Ilhami Yildiz, S. F. Kelly, C. Hardin

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Considerable effort is expended to conserve energy and water in current greenhouse systems, and look for alternative energy sources, especially passive heating and cooling strategies. Proper environmental management systems can significantly change the energy and moisture dynamics of greenhouse production systems. In this study, specifically, influences of dynamic row spacing on energy and water conservation were investigated. A dynamic computer simulation model was used to compare different row spacings, plant heights, and leaf dimensions to draw a conclusion about energy and water conservation. The results showed that using smaller spacings between cucumber crop rows (for instance, 0.5 m instead of …


Simulated Performance Of A Renewable Energy Technology – Heat Pump Systems In Semi-Arid California Greenhouses, C. Hardin, T. Mehlitz, Ilhami Yildiz, S. F. Kelly Jan 2008

Simulated Performance Of A Renewable Energy Technology – Heat Pump Systems In Semi-Arid California Greenhouses, C. Hardin, T. Mehlitz, Ilhami Yildiz, S. F. Kelly

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In addition to the labor, energy and water consumption are the two main cost drivers in current greenhouse systems. Consequently, considerable effort is expended to conserve energy and water, and look for alternative energy sources, especially environmentally friendly renewable energy sources and technologies. Greenhouses in hot and arid regions also require large quantities of water for irrigation. Using proper technologies and environmental management systems can significantly change the energy and moisture dynamics of greenhouse production systems. This study aims to focus on reducing natural gas, electricity, and water consumption in semi-arid California greenhouses introducing renewable energy heat pump technologies to …


Simulated Effects Of Reflective Mulch On Energy And Water Conservation In Semi-Arid Central California Greenhouses, T. Mehlitz, Ilhami Yildiz, S. Rahman, C. Hardin Jan 2008

Simulated Effects Of Reflective Mulch On Energy And Water Conservation In Semi-Arid Central California Greenhouses, T. Mehlitz, Ilhami Yildiz, S. Rahman, C. Hardin

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In addition to the labor, energy and water consumption are the two main cost drivers in current greenhouse systems. Consequently, considerable effort is expended to conserve energy and water, and look for alternative energy sources. Greenhouses in hot and arid regions also require large quantities of water for irrigation. Proper environmental management systems can significantly change the energy and moisture dynamics of greenhouse production systems. This study aims to focus on reducing energy and water consumption in semi-arid California greenhouses. Influences of mulch (having different reflectivities) on energy and water conservation were investigated. The reflectivity of mulch used as a …


Simulated Performances Of A Heat Pump System For Energy And Water Conservation In Open And Confined Greenhouse Systems, Ilhami Yildiz, D. P. Stombaugh Jan 2006

Simulated Performances Of A Heat Pump System For Energy And Water Conservation In Open And Confined Greenhouse Systems, Ilhami Yildiz, D. P. Stombaugh

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the performances of conventional and heat pump systems for energy and water conservation in open and confined greenhouse systems. Conventional gas furnaces and evaporative cooling, respectively, provided heating and cooling in the conventional system. In the heat pump systems, gas-fired heat pump units provided both heating and cooling. The greenhouse with heat pump units also had an option to be operated as a completely confined system, using one of the heat pump units as a dehumidifier. Average energy consumption in winter was 56.9, 23.5, and 11.3 MJ/day.m² in the conventional, …