Gary S. Settles
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Director, Gas Dynamics Lab, Penn State University
301D Reber Bldg. University Park, PA 16802, USA
phone: (814) 863-1504 | fax: (814) 865-0118 | email: gss2@psu.edu

Abstract:  Thermal airflows in and around a two-dimensional scale model of the cross-section of a greenhouse are rendered visible by way of the "schlieren" optical technique.  A unique large-field optical system is used  for this purpose.  Scale modeling and flow visualization allow the observation of several key phenomena related to greenhouse thermal performance, such solar gain, temperature stratification, heat loss due to external wind, effect of cold sidewalls, and the plume due to an internal heater.  The paper will be illustrated by still frames from the visualizations, and the presentation will included videotaped results which clearly show the time-dependent nature of the phenomena under study.  While this work is preliminary, it is intended to reveal the potential of scale modeling and flow visualization as a supplement to full-scale outdoor studies and computational fluid dynamics investigations of heat and mass transfer in specific greenhouse configurations and problems.

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