A comparative study of greenhouse shapes and orientations under the climatic conditions of Marrakech, Morocco

In this study, the performances of three commonly used greenhouse shapes even-span, uneven-span, and elliptic are compared in the climatic conditions of Marrakech, Morocco. The dimensions (length, width, and height) of the greenhouse types are kept the same. A mathematical model for computing the total hourly solar irradiation gained by each greenhouse shape during the whole year was developed for both north-south and east-west orientations. This model is applicable and suitable for other shapes and locations in the world. Hourly and monthly solar irradiation transmitted inside the greenhouse system were computed individually for all studied greenhouse types and orientations. An extensive comparison was then made to determine the most suitable greenhouse shape and orientation for our site (Marrakech). The results show that the uneven-span shape greenhouse with a roof inclination angle of 12 degrees is the optimum one as it receives the maximum solar irradiation, followed by the even-span with a roof inclination angle of 17 degrees and finally by the elliptical shape. The shape, type, and surface of the roof are the main effective parameters on solar energy availability in greenhouses. East-west orientation is the most suitable configuration for drying applications during winter as it receives more significant solar irradiation in this season. It was found that the uneven-span greenhouse with a roof inclination angle of 12 degrees and oriented east-west is preferred for Marrakech in this regard.

Automated summary

This study compared the performances of different greenhouse shapes in the climatic conditions of Marrakech, Morocco, finding that uneven-span greenhouses in an east-west orientation are the most suitable.