Kube Pak commercial greenhouse solar demonstration project

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · ASAE Publ.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6486451

Cipolletti, J P; Mears, D R; Roberts, W J; Kendall, P W

A 0.54-hectare greenhouse was constructed as a demonstration project. The facility was composed of several elements that constitute a solar heating system developed at Rutgers University. These components include a flooded floor storage/heat exchange system, insulating curtains, plastic film solar collectors, and a backup heating system. The project objectives included determining the feasibility of constructing the system on a large scale, evaluating the thermal performance of the system and individual components, and determining if the facility could be effectively operated and maintained. Results indicated that the system could be effectively constructed and operated on a large scale. The large solar collector field operated as predicted by theoretical projections based on testing of smaller units, and contributed better than the projected 25 percent contribution to the energy budget on several occasions. The curtain insulation system performed well, a reduction in the base energy requirements of the structure of up to 50 percent being recorded with some curtain material combinations tested. A change in management practice encouraged by the warm floor allowed a further reduction in the greenhouse energy load. Fuel consumption of the greenhouse was reduced considerably by the system: 45 percent the first year, 73 percent for the fall 1979 season, and 69 percent for the spring 1980 season, compared with a neighboring check section.

• Research Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ
• OSTI ID: 6486451
• Report Number(s): CONF-8009144-(Vol.2)
• Conference Information: Journal Name: ASAE Publ.; (United States) Journal Volume: 4-81
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
AUXILIARY HEATING
BUILDINGS
CURTAINS
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DESIGN
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
FUEL CONSUMPTION
GREENHOUSES
GROWTH
HEAT STORAGE
HEATING
HEATING SYSTEMS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLANT GROWTH
PLASTICS
SENSIBLE HEAT STORAGE
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
SOLAR SPACE HEATING
SPACE HEATING
STORAGE
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
THERMAL INSULATION
WATER