History and Types of
Greenhouse
Level -3
CONROL SYSTEM FEATURES
What is Greenhouse Technology?
• Today about 92% of plants, raised by man, are grown in the open field.
• In some of the temperate regions where the climatic conditions are extremely adverse and no
crops can be grown, man has developed technological methods of growing some high value
crops by providing protection from the excessive cold and excessive heat. This is called
Greenhouse Technology
• Greenhouse Technology is the science of providing favourable environment conditions to the
plants
• An ideal micro climate can be created around the plants. Greenhouses are framed or inflated
structures covered with transparent or translucent material large enough to grow crops under
partial or full controlled environmental conditions to get optimum growth and productivity
LAYOUTNG OF CONTROL SYSTEM
Be fore the 20th century - Agriculture production inside protected structures was initiated in France and
Netherlands in the 19th century. This method was applied in simple, low, glass structures, which provided
climate protection, and were used mainly for the growth of ornamental plants.
Modern Times - By the beginning of the 20th century, mostly after the end of 2nd world war, the technology
of greenhouse construction accelerated its development, especially in Western Europe cold countries,
Netherlands leading the course. Agro-technical systems, aeration solutions and accompanying accessories
were gradually added to the structures, while the structure foundations improved to the known, traditional
heavy steel constructions covered by rigid glass boards.
New Materials - By the end of the fifties of the 20th century the greenhouses technology flowed to the north
and centre of Europe, extending its influence and benefits to Israel, where a wave of experiments and
research in the field had begun. The sixties revealed a new kind of structure covering sheets. They were the
flexible, low priced polyethylene sheets, which caused a conceptual revolution in the field of greenhouses.
Simultaneously appeared other types of good light transition coverings, such as polycarbonate (a kind of
covering made of plastic polymers) leaving behind the traditional glass covering.
New Technologies - The method of modular structures (Lego-like method) leads to the development of
growth technologies suitable for most types of crops, thus creating customized structure projects, customer-
tailored according to specific needs. This new trend caused the breakdown of the traditional, conservative
Dutch hegemony ruling until then in the field of greenhouses. Nowadays, light-weighted structures with
covering made of flexible polyethylene or stiff-flexible polycarbonate are more common and widespread than
the mythological rigid glass greenhouses.
TYPES OF GREENHOUSES
• Greenhouse structures of various types are used for crop production. Although there are advantages in
each type for a particular application, in general there is no single type of greenhouse, which can be
constituted as the best. Different types of greenhouses are designed to meet the specific needs. The
different types of greenhouses based on shape, utility, material and construction are briefly given
below:
Greenhouse Type Based On Shape:
For the purpose of classification, the uniqueness of cross section of the greenhouses can be considered as a
factor. The commonly followed types of greenhouses based on shape are:
•Lean to type greenhouse.
•Even span type greenhouse.
•Uneven span type greenhouse.
•Ridge and furrow type.
•Saw tooth type.
•Quonset greenhouse.
•Interlocking ridges and furrow type Quonset greenhouse.
•Ground to ground greenhouse.
LEAN-TO TYPE GREENHOUSE
A lean-to design is used when a greenhouse is placed against
the side of an existing building.
It is built against a building, using the existing structure for
one or more of its sides. It is usually attached to a house, but
may be attached to other buildings.
The roof of the building is extended with appropriate
greenhouse covering material and the area is properly
enclosed.
It is typically facing south side. The lean-to type greenhouse
is limited to single or double-row plant benches with a total
width of 7 to 12 feet. It can be as long as the building it is
attached to. It should face the best direction for adequate sun
exposure.
Disadvantages of the lean-to type greenhouse are;
1.Limited space, limited light, limited ventilation and The advantages of the lean-to type greenhouse are;
temperature control. • It is usually close to available electricity, water, and heat.
2.The height of the supporting wall limits the • It is a least expensive structure.
potential size of the design. • This design makes the best use of sunlight and minimizes
3.Temperature control is more difficult because the the requirement of roof supports.
wall that the greenhouse is built on, may collect the
sun's heat while the translucent cover of the
greenhouse may lose heat rapidly.
EVEN SPAN TYPE GREENHOUSE UNEVEN SPAN TYPE GREENHOUSE
This type of greenhouse is constructed on hilly terrain. The
• The even-span is the standard type and full-size roofs are of unequal width; make the structure adaptable to
structure, the two roof slopes are of equal pitch and the side slopes of hill (Fig.1.3.3). This type of greenhouses is
width. seldom used now-a-days as it is not adaptable for automation
• This design is used for the greenhouse of small size, and
it is constructed on level ground.
• It is attached to a house at one gable end. It can
accommodate 2 or 3 rows of plant benches. The cost of
an even-span greenhouse is more than the cost of a lean-
to type, but it has greater flexibility in design and
provides for more plants.
• Because of its size and greater amount of exposed glass
area, the even-span will cost more to heat. The design
has a better shape than a lean-to type for air circulation
to maintain uniform temperatures during the winter
heating season
• A separate heating system is necessary unless the
structure is very close to a heated building. It will house
2 side benches, 2 walks, and a wide centre bench.
Several single and multiple span types are available for
use in various regions of India. For single span type the
. the length
span in general, varies from 5 to 9 m, whereas
is around 24 m. The height varies from 2.5 to 4.3 m.
RIDGE AND FURROW TYPE GREENHOUSE
Designs of this type use two or more A-frame greenhouses connected to one another along the length of the
side wall. The gutter is installed to carry rain and melted snow away.
The side wall is eliminated between the greenhouses, which results in a structure with a single large interior,
Consolidation of interior space reduces labour, lowers the cost of automation, improves personal management
and reduces fuel consumption as there is less exposed wall area through which heat escapes. The snow loads
must be taken into the frame specifications of these greenhouses since the snow cannot slide off the roofs as
in case of individual free standing greenhouses, but melts away.
In spite of snow loads, ridge and furrow greenhouses are effectively used in northern countries of Europe and
in Canada and are well suited to the Indian conditions.
SAW TOOTH TYPE GREENHOUSE
These are also similar to ridge and furrow type greenhouses except that, there is provision for natural
ventilation in this type. Specific natural ventilation flow path develops in a saw- tooth type
greenhouse.
QUONSET GREENHOUSE
This is a greenhouse, where the pipe arches or trusses are supported by pipe purling running along
the length of the greenhouse .
In general, the covering material used for this type of greenhouses is polyethylene. Such
greenhouses are typically less expensive than the gutter connected greenhouses and are useful
when a small isolated cultural area is required.
These houses are connected either in free, standing style or arranged in an interlocking ridge and
furrow. In the interlocking type, truss members overlap sufficiently to allow a bed of plants to grow
between the overlapping portions of adjacent houses. A single large cultural space thus exists for a
set of houses in this type, an arrangement that is better adapted to the automation and movement
of labour.
GREENHOUSE TYPE BASED ON UTILITY
Classification can be made depending on the functions or utilities. Of the different utilities, artificial
cooling and heating are more expensive and elaborate. Hence based on this, they are classified in to
two types.
•Greenhouses for active heating.
•Greenhouses for active cooling.
GREENHOUSE TYPE BASED ON CONSTRUCTION
The type of construction predominantly is influenced by structural material, though the covering
material also influences the type. Higher the span, stronger should be the material and more structural
members are used to make sturdy tissues. For smaller spans, simple designs like hoops can be followed.
So based on construction, greenhouses can be classified as
•Wooden framed structure.
•Pipe framed structure.
•Truss framed structure.
GREENHOUSES FOR ACTIVE COOLING
During summer season, it is desirable to reduce the temperatures of greenhouse than the ambient
temperatures, for effective crop growth. Hence suitable modifications are made in the green
house so that large volumes of cooled air is drawn into greenhouse, This type of greenhouse
either consists of evaporative cooling pad with fan or fog cooling . This greenhouse is designed
in such a way that it permits a roof opening of 40% and in some cases nearly 100%.
GREENHOUSES FOR ACTIVE HEATING
During the night time, air temperature inside greenhouse decreases. To avoid the cold bite to
plants due to freezing, some amount of heat has to be supplied. The requirements for heating
greenhouse depend on the rate at which the heat is lost to the outside environment. Various
methods are adopted to reduce the heat losses, viz., using double layer polyethylene, thermos
pane glasses (Two layers of factory sealed glass with dead air space) or to use heating
systems, such as unit heaters, central heat, radiant heat and solar heating system.
WOODEN FRAMED STRUCTURES PIPE FRAMED STRUCTURES
In general, for the greenhouses with span less than 6 m, Pipes are used for construction of greenhouses,
wooden framed structures can be used. Side posts and when the clear span is around 12m. In general,
columns are constructed of wood without the use of a the side posts, columns, cross ties and purlins
truss . Pine wood is commonly used as it is inexpensive are constructed using pipes. In this type, the
and possesses the required strength. Timber locally trusses are not used.
available, with good strength, durability and
machinability also can be used for the construction.
• Truss framed structures
• If the greenhouse span is greater than or equal to 15m, truss frames are used. Flat
steel, tubular steel or angular iron is welded together to form a truss encompassing
rafters, chords and struts (Fig. 1.3.9). Struts are support members under
compression and chords are support members under tension. Angle iron purlins
running throughout the length of greenhouse are bolted to each truss. Columns
are used only in very wide truss frame houses of 21.3 m or more. Most of the glass
houses are of truss frame type, as these frames are best suited for pre-fabrication.
