A microcomputer-based control system for efficient energy utilization and water consumption in greenhouses

Abstract EN

A microcomputer-based control system has been implemented for envi¬ronmental control of a 30m x 10m research greenhouse, for efficient utilization of electric energy and cooling water.

The system was run for at least one month in each of four working periods during the year representing the winter and the summer seasons in addition to the two transitional periods in-between these two extreme conditions.

The amounts of electric energy and cooling water consumption were compared with those of a manual control regime in which the environmental control devices were switched on/off according to a time schedule.

Results obtained show that appreciable amount of energy and cooling water reaching, on the average, about 13% in electric energy and 15% in cooling water could be saved by using a computer-based system.