Microclimate Characteristics of a Tropical Smart Greenhouse with Integrated Cooling

David Paul  Rumambi; Ruland Aswin  Rantung

doi:10.35791/jat.v7i3.70431

Authors

David Paul Rumambi Agricultural Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Ratulangi University
Ruland Aswin Rantung Agricultural Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Ratulangi University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35791/jat.v7i3.70431

Keywords:

evaporative cooling, greenhouse microclimate, relative humidity, smart greenhouse, temperature

Abstract

Smart greenhouses offer opportunities to manage the growing environment, but their microclimate performance should be evaluated before claims are made about crop productivity. This study describes temperature, relative humidity, and light conditions observed in a greenhouse equipped with an integrated evaporative cooling assembly. Observations were reported over seven days, with measurements grouped into morning, midday, and late-afternoon periods. The reported mean air temperatures were 22.12 °C in the morning, 31.20 °C at midday, and 24.28 °C in the late afternoon. Corresponding mean relative humidities were 76%, 59%, and 70%, respectively. The maximum recorded air temperature was 40.5 °C on the first observation day, while the minimum relative humidity was 49% on the fourth day. Midday light intensity ranged from 10,000 to 21,000 lux. The indoor midday temperature was also reported to average 2.7 °C above outdoor conditions and that indoor and outdoor midday relative humidities were 59% and 57%, respectively. These findings document substantial daily microclimate variation, but the available summaries do not provide matched measurements before and after cooling activation or a complete statistical dataset. Consequently, they cannot establish the magnitude of the system's cooling effect or any improvement in crop yield. The study provides preliminary operational information for greenhouse microclimate management in tropical environments and identifies the need for synchronized indoor–outdoor monitoring and direct on–off performance comparisons.

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