Analysis of aerodynamic problems of domestic greenhouses and development of educational VR (virtual reality) simulator

U.H. Yeo, R.W. Kim, S.Y. Lee, J.S. Kang, I.B. Lee
Due to the invisible characteristics of air, it was difficult to accurately analyze the air flow pattern, which affects generation, dispersion, and distribution of various variables related to the air quality. So, greenhouse workers have difficulties in controlling and monitoring micro-climates in a greenhouse. Internal air flow could be analyzed to solve this problem using CFD technique. However, the CFD-computed results still have limitation to help the workers understand more realistically. Virtual reality (VR) technology that allows users to experience various phenomena directly has recently got attention. However, there was no example applied to agricultural facilities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop an educational simulator using CFD and VR as a new method to understand the internal aerodynamic phenomena of an experimental greenhouse. One of the representative types of greenhouse was selected as the experimental greenhouse and seasonal problems in the greenhouse were surveyed. Aerodynamic analyses of the 3D CFD model were conducted for each problem using CFD. In order to link the CFD-computed results to VR, data such as air velocity, temperature, and humidity were extracted, and the 3D flow field, temperature, and humidity fields were implemented by linking them to the VR space. In addition, the user interface of the VR access system was designed and the educational simulator was also developed to enable users to experience various aerodynamic phenomena of the greenhouse in VR space.
Yeo, U.H., Kim, R.W., Lee, S.Y., Kang, J.S. and Lee, I.B. (2020). Analysis of aerodynamic problems of domestic greenhouses and development of educational VR (virtual reality) simulator. Acta Hortic. 1279, 295-302
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1279.42
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1279.42
computational fluid dynamics, greenhouse, micro-climate, virtual reality
English

Acta Horticulturae