Developments in the Built Environment
Numerical evaluation and optimization of air distribution system in a small vertical farm with lateral air supply
Luyang Kang & Twan van Hooff
Highlights
•Comprehensive assessment of air distribution design in a vertical farm.
•Momentum sink and air exchange from crop canopy are considered.
•Configurations of air supply, air exhaust, corridor width are numerically evaluated.
•Uniformity in crop regions across different growth layers is examined.
•Suggestions for optimizing air distribution in vertical farms are provided.
Abstract
An appropriate design for air distribution systems is crucial for achieving optimal and uniform growth conditions while reducing energy costs in vertical farms. This study employs steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to investigate the influence of several key design parameters of air distribution systems in a small generic vertical farm with a lateral air supply. The simulation results reveal that an air supply orifice of reduced dimensions, positioned proximally to the LED lamps, coupled with an exhaust mechanism integrated into the corridor ceiling, proves most effective in removing the excess heat generated by the LED lamps. Moreover, enhanced uniformity in air distribution is attained by positioning the air supply closer to the LED lamps, utilizing larger orifices, and eliminating the corridor space. In contrast, the vertical distance between the lateral air exhaust orifices and the cultivated regions is found to have a negligible effect.