Passive solar energy utilization: A review of cross-section building parameter selection for Chinese solar greenhouses

Chinese solar greenhouses (CSG) are fully passive solar greenhouses for growing vegetables without auxiliary heating during the winter. The building parameters then have an important effect on the solar energy utilization and the temperatures in the greenhouse. This paper reviews greenhouse building design research and development that is leading to improved solar energy usage with consideration of various design parameters involving the building span, height, south roof shape and angle, wall thickness and composition, and north roof length and angle. Most studies have focused on the influence of the building span and height on the inner thermal environment through experimental and numerical models, the optimum south roof shape that allows the maximum amount of beam radiation into the building and the north wall thickness and configuration that all markedly influenced the solar energy absorption, storage and release. The building parameter selection and the numerical methods used to model Chinese greenhouses introduced in this review will lead to improved designs of future CSG that maximize the solar energy utilization.