Calculating Heat Needed for the Greenhouse Lab

Name ______Hour______Greenhouse Math Lab Part One: Heat

Background information: Many types of heaters and heating systems are satisfactory for greenhouses. You must decide which system best suits your greenhouse operation. Consider the initial cost, economy of operation, and available fuel. You can heat your greenhouse efficiently with coal, electricity, gas, and oil. Heating equipment can be a space heater, a forced air heater, a hot-water or steam system, or electric heaters. Radiant heat lamps over plants and soil cables under plants can also be used.

The capacity of your system will depend on the size of your greenhouse, whether it is covered with a single layer or a double layer of plastic or glass, and the maximum difference between inside and outside temperatures. Heat systems are rated in British thermal units (BTU) per hour. The firm from which you buy your greenhouse can tell you what size of heater you will need; or you can estimate the size as follows:

•First, find the temperature difference. This is the difference in degrees Fahrenheit between the lowest outside temperature and the temperature you want to maintain inside your greenhouse. For instance, if you want to maintain a minimum inside temperature of 60 degrees and the coldest night temperature you expect is -10 degrees, your temperature difference is 70 degrees

•Next, find the number of square feet of exposed glass or plastic in your greenhouse. Don't forget to add the areas of the sides and ends to the area of the roof.

•Multiply the temperature difference by the number of square feet. For example, suppose you have a 20 x 100 foot greenhouse with a total of 3,400 square feet of exposed plastic. You would multiply 3,400 by 70 (the temperature difference). This would give you 238,000.

•Now, if your greenhouse is covered with 2 layers of plastic or glass, multiply the 238,000 by 0.8. If it is covered with only 1 layer, multiply by 1.2. This will give you the required BTU per hour capacity of your heater.

** This is the highest heat requirement you expect your heater to preform. Your heater needs to be the correct size to meet that maximum limit, but it also needs to be economical to run when the BTU requirements are lower.

Horticulture Problems: Solve the problems considering our school’s greenhouse size and glazing. You will need to measure the greenhouse. *All work must be shown! Attach separate sheet if necessary!*

Note: When measuring the greenhouse, calculate the area of one side panel and then multiply by the total number of side panels. Do the same for the roof.

1. Calculate the total surface area of the greenhouse.

2. The minimum outside temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit. How many BTU’s per hour are needed to keep the greenhouse at a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit? How many if the plastic was single layered?

3. The minimum outside temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit. How many BTU’s per hour are needed to keep the greenhouse at a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit? How many if the plastic was single layered?

4. How many BTU’s will it take to heat the greenhouse to 70 degrees during the day with an outside temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit? How many if the plastic was single-layered?

Horticulture