The environmental impact and the cost of fossil fuel system for greenhouse heating are the major limits for the development of protected horticulture. Recent researches are focusing on greenhouses optimal climate control and reduction of energy consumption. The use of suitable microclimate control systems, energy efficiency strategies and renewable energy sources could improve the environmental performance of the greenhouses. Renewable energy sources can be used to produce hydrogen by electrolysis with very high gas purity. Hydrogen can serve the purpose of storing overproduced energy after meeting the requirements of the greenhouse, and later it can be employed as fuel, achieving a stand-alone power system. Therefore a research is under development at the University of Bari in order to investigate the suitable solutions of a power system based on solar energy (photovoltaic) and hydrogen, integrated with a geothermal heat pump for powering a self sustained heated greenhouse. The tests were carried out at the experimental farm of the University of Bari sited in Valenzano, Bari, Southern Italy, latitude 41° N, where two experimental greenhouses, with the same geometric and constructive characteristics, have been realized; the distance between the two greenhouses is 12 m; therefore there is no mutual shading. One of the two greenhouses is heated using a low enthalpy heat pump combined with a vertical ground heat exchanger, in comparison with the other unheated greenhouse. The electrical energy for heat pump operation is provided by a purpose-built array of solar photovoltaic modules, which supplies also a water electrolyser system controlled by embedded pc; the generated dry hydrogen gas is conserved in suitable pressured storage tank. The hydrogen is used to produce electricity in a fuel cell in order to meet the above mentioned heat pump power demand when the photovoltaic system is inactive during winter night-time or the solar radiation level is insufficient to meet the electrical demand of the heat pump during overcast cold sky. This note reports the main elements regarding the integrated system design and building and it shows preliminary results of testing operation.
Hydrogen and renewable energy sources integrated system for greenhouse heating
Blanco I;ANIFANTIS, ALEXANDROS SOTIRIOS;PASCUZZI, Simone;SCARASCIA MUGNOZZA, Giacomo
2013-01-01
Abstract
The environmental impact and the cost of fossil fuel system for greenhouse heating are the major limits for the development of protected horticulture. Recent researches are focusing on greenhouses optimal climate control and reduction of energy consumption. The use of suitable microclimate control systems, energy efficiency strategies and renewable energy sources could improve the environmental performance of the greenhouses. Renewable energy sources can be used to produce hydrogen by electrolysis with very high gas purity. Hydrogen can serve the purpose of storing overproduced energy after meeting the requirements of the greenhouse, and later it can be employed as fuel, achieving a stand-alone power system. Therefore a research is under development at the University of Bari in order to investigate the suitable solutions of a power system based on solar energy (photovoltaic) and hydrogen, integrated with a geothermal heat pump for powering a self sustained heated greenhouse. The tests were carried out at the experimental farm of the University of Bari sited in Valenzano, Bari, Southern Italy, latitude 41° N, where two experimental greenhouses, with the same geometric and constructive characteristics, have been realized; the distance between the two greenhouses is 12 m; therefore there is no mutual shading. One of the two greenhouses is heated using a low enthalpy heat pump combined with a vertical ground heat exchanger, in comparison with the other unheated greenhouse. The electrical energy for heat pump operation is provided by a purpose-built array of solar photovoltaic modules, which supplies also a water electrolyser system controlled by embedded pc; the generated dry hydrogen gas is conserved in suitable pressured storage tank. The hydrogen is used to produce electricity in a fuel cell in order to meet the above mentioned heat pump power demand when the photovoltaic system is inactive during winter night-time or the solar radiation level is insufficient to meet the electrical demand of the heat pump during overcast cold sky. This note reports the main elements regarding the integrated system design and building and it shows preliminary results of testing operation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
