• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2007

This study was accomplished to compare energy saving effects of several heat insulation materials in greenhouse and to develop new automatic opening and closing equipment which is suitable to the most effective heat insulation material. To find out more effective heat insulation material, the magnitude of heat transfer occurred through aluminum screen (ALS), non-woven fabric (NWF), double-layer aluminum screen with chemical cotton sheet (DAL), and multi-layer fabric screen material quilted with non-woven fabric, chemical cotton, poly foam, and polypropylene (MLF) were compared relatively. The results showed that the relative magnitude of heat transfer occurred through MLF was lower than DAL and ALS by 23.3% and 43.0% respectively. MLF screen material was the most effective compared with other heat insulation materials. But because of thickness, there was a need of new mechanism for automatic operation in greenhouse. Accordingly, new screen system using MLF-thick but profitable for keeping warm in greenhouse-was developed. Opening & closing equipment was designed to roll MLF with pipe axis during opening process and pull MLF with string during closing process with electric motors, clutches, drums, and so on. In hot pepper cultivation and energy saving test during winter time, the early stage yield of pepper under MLF screen system was higher than NWF by 27%, and gasoline consumption of MLF screen system was lower than NWF by 46%.