Investigation of biogas, solar and ground energy assisted greenhouse heating

In this study, it is aimed to investigate greenhouse heating by biogas, solar and ground energy in Elazig climate conditions. For this purpose, biogas, solar-assisted and a ground source heat pump system with horizontal slinky ground heat exchanger was designed and set up. Using of the system in Elazig climate conditions for greenhouse heating was experimentally investigated.In the study, it is mentioned extracting useful energy from renewable energy sources and using in greenhouse heating. Greenhouse heating was performed by biogas, solar and ground energy in Elazig conditions. Heating was carried out by burning of the produced biogas and heat pump application. In the study, the heat pump system and biogas plant were designed and set up. The greenhouse heated by mentioned alternative energy sources, was constructed, and then required heating load of the greenhouse was determined by calculating heat losses and gains of the greenhouse. In order to calculate the performance of the systems in sunny and sunless conditions temperature measurements were made in different points. The Performances of systems obtained from experiments were shown in graphics.In this study, it is also investigated using solar energy for greenhouse heating. However, using solar energy was not almost possible due to mismatch between availability time of solar energy supply and availability time of heating load.In addition, the heat extracting from ground by circulating water through ground heat exchanger changes soil properties and thus gradually decreases the thermal performance of ground. Especially at night, thermal loads are increasing too much. In these cases, heating system with biogas was used as a stand-alone system or secondary system.Greenhouse heat losses, heat energy extracting from soil and the sun, and stored heat energy in storage tank were calculated and given in graphs. Using of alternative energy sources in Elazig climate conditions for greenhouse heating is possible and has been identified.