Abstract
M.Ing.
Fuzzy controllers are increasingly being accepted by engineers and scientists alike as a viable alternative for classical controllers. The processes involved in fuzzy controllers closely imitate human control processes. Human responses to stimuli are not governed by transfer functions and neither are those from fuzzy controllers. The fuzzy approach is of course not the answer to all problems, but it can clearly be very successful, and can also be helpful to anyone involved in developing control systems. This study
however is devoted to the environmental control task within greenhouses and the fuzzy approach is proposed in order to fulfil this task. To create near optimal conditions within a greenhouse for plant growth two environmental factors are proposed to be controlled namely the temperature and relative humidity. These factors are interdependent and they make the environmental control within a greenhouse a multi-variable control
problem. Furthermore, the non-linear physical phenomena governing the dynamics of temperature and relative humidity in such a process makes it very difficult to model and to control using traditional techniques. Thus, it can be said that the environmental control in greenhouses is an art, that only expert growers bring to near perfection. The central theme of this study is the development of a multi-input-single-output heuristic rule-based fuzzy logic control algorithm, for environmental control within a greenhouse. This study is intended to improve existing environmental control systems by implementing this control technique. The control algorithm is tested in an experimental greenhouse and the results obtained indicate that fuzzy logic control is viable for environmental control within greenhouses.