Integral: collector solar greenhouse using solar membrane and external rock storage

Technical Report · Wed Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5689196

Droll, P W

The results of a three-year study to evaluate engineering aspects of converting a commercial greenhouse to more effectively used solar energy as a heating source are summarized. The solar retrofit greenhouse and nine other similar buildings are located in northern California. They are large Quonset style greenhouses glazed on all curved surfaces with a conventional corrugated fiberglass covering. The solar retrofit building was modified in 1978 by installing on the inside surface of the original corrugated fiberglass three air-separated layers of a material called Solar Membrane which reduces convective losses through the overlapping fiberglass panels and effectively prevents long wave infrared transmission out of the greenhouse. A large above-ground rock storage bin was also constructed. Two control buildings were also monitored, one for two years, and the second for only the second year. The measured values of electrical and gas consumption indicate that the modified solar building: (1) used less than 50% of the gas by the two-year control building, and (2) used 40% less gas than the one-year control building. Detailed mechanical design data are included, along with a development of the computer program used to predict actual modified and unmodified greenhouse performance. Good agreement was obtained between actual performance and the theoretical values predicted by the simulation. (LEW)

• Research Organization: Southwall Corp., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-77CS35456
• OSTI ID: 5689196
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS/35456-T1; ON: DE82003712
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
GREENHOUSES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
SOLAR CONTROL FILMS
CALIFORNIA
CUCUMBERS
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
ROCK BEDS
SENSIBLE HEAT STORAGE
TOMATOES
VALIDATION
BUILDINGS
ENERGY STORAGE
FILMS
FOOD
HEAT STORAGE
NORTH AMERICA
SIMULATION
STORAGE
TESTING
USA
VEGETABLES
WESTERN REGION
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling