Abstract
Greenhouses present a sustainable solution for food production in areas unfavorable for year round cultivation. In order to use the space within these structures efficiently, the maximum amount of growing area must be achieved. The main objective of the research conducted in this paper is determine the effect of stacked benches on the indoor climate and convective heat transfer of a single span greenhouse. Both a closed and a ventilated greenhouse will be investigated. This is achieved by utilizing a numerical method, namely CFD. The initial greenhouse considered is a greenhouse with a zero degree roof angle and no roof vents. The three-dimensional CFD model is validated with experimental results based on this greenhouse. The numerical greenhouse model is then modified to contain a 45 degree roof and stacked benches. The CFD simulation provides results in terms of graphs and parametric contour plots to illustrate the temperature and velocity flow fields around the bench arrangements. The results may be useful for small greenhouse growers to enable efficient crop production.