modeling and simulation of a root-zone heating in greenhouse using solar collectors

Seed germination is often enhanced and accelerated by increasing soil temperature. researchers have shown interest in heating plant roots in greenhouses, with results indicating that soil heating can improve plant growth, as well as accelerate and enhance both flowering and seed germination in many plant species. root-zone heating systems can be particularly effective in improving soil bed temperatures in greenhouse environments. a root-zone system consists of thermal channels installed to regulate soil temperature. diesel is often used as fuel for this system; however, due to concerns about fossil fuel depletion and increasing environmental pollution, renewable energy sources are recommended for greenhouse heating. in this research, heat transfer equations related to pipes and solar collectors were modeled using python software to determine the most optimal configuration. the study aimed to heat a specific type of greenhouse (with an area of 10 m² out of 500 m² in shahrekord, iran) using root-zone installations. the results indicate that both the diameter and depth of pipe placement significantly affect the amount of heat supplied by the collector. as pipe diameter increases, the required heat for the system rises, and as the pipe depth decreases, the heat supplied from the collector diminishes. based on these findings, the optimal distance for pipe placement from the roots is 30 cm. additionally, increasing the water flow speed entering the system reduces the temperature required to heat the roots to the desired level.