Determination of the effect of cover material on the greenhouse inside microclimate by thermal camera

This study was conducted at The Research and Application Area of Imece Plastic A.S. in Antalya. Three model greenhouses which has 36 m2 floor area and arched roof were used. Three different greenhouse cover materials were used as cover material in the research greenhouses. Two of these cover materials are new greenhouse cover materials. These covers are multi-layered 175 micron 36 months UV+EVA and UV+EVA+IR+LD added PE greenhouse cover material produced with CO-EX technology, respectively. The other cover material was the 200 micron 36 month UV+EVA+IR+LD added PE cover material that has completed its useful life in one of the model greenhouses in the research area. In this research, the environment conditions under different greenhouse cover materials were also investigated. These properties of greenhouse cover materials have shown the effect of infrared additive (IR) and film thickness on the ambient microclimate. Therefore, the temperature and relative humidity were measured along 24 hours at selected open sky days. In the study, the surface temperatures of the cover materials were monitored with thermal cameras to determine the effects of the different greenhouse cover materials on the ambient microclimate. According to the data obtained from this study, it was determined that the IR additive and the film thickness were effective in the greenhouse inside temperature. It has been determined that the average inside temperature values of the greenhouse vary between 13.3 and 42.5 oC in the greenhouse covered with 200 micron UV+EVA+IR+LD added PE film. On the other hand, it was determined that the inside temperature values in the greenhouse covered with 175 micron UV+EVA+IR+LD additive PE film decreased between 12.9 and 41.9 oC whereas the inside temperature values in the greenhouse covered with 175 micron UV+EVA additive PE film decreased between 12.7 and 41.1 oC. Cover surface temperature data obtained by thermal imaging also support these results. With developing technology, the usability of thermal cameras, which allow nondamaging and contactless detection, also in greenhouses has been established.