Abstract
We developed a greenhouse with an inclined-ridge roof designed to accelerate the movement of rising air across the roof slope, and to enhance greenhouse ventilation. In this study, distributions of air temperatures of 3 m wide and 10.8 m long plastic greenhouses with different ridge-roof inclinations (horizontal ridges, inclined-ridge of 2.7°, 5.3° or 7.9°) were investigated. The upper parts of the two gable-ends on each greenhouse were opened for ventilation. The average air temperature was the highest in the greenhouses with horizontal ridges, and gradually decreased as the ridge inclination increased. An air temperature gradient was clearly observed along the long axis in the inclined-ridge greenhouses; the air temperature was lower on the lower roof side. This temperature gradient is probably due to air movement from the lower to the higher-roof side caused by natural ventilation, which can be enhanced by the ridge inclination.
