What can i do if i want o circulate air in and out of a greenhouse?
My school’s courtyard is under construction and i was asked to come up with a way to circulate air in and out of the greenhouse. i want to maintain a 45 degree F. temperature in the winter and a 60 degree F temperature in the summer. there will also be some sort of a solar blanket on top of the greenhouse to keep sunlight in but heat out. if there are any ways you know to maintain these temperatures and have a funtional green house please help.
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Contrary to the conventional–and incorrect–wisdom about greenhouses, They are warmer than the outside because they allow solar energy to warm the inside, and the enclosure prevents convective cooling.
When the greenhouse temperature is warmer than 60 degrees, excluding solar radiation and ventilating the greenhouse will lower the temperature, if the ambient air temperature is lower.
When the greenhouse temperature is lower than 45 degrees, maximizing the capture of solar radiation, closing any ventilation, and adding insulation to keep heat in will help raise the temperature. Depending on the location, the ambient air temperature and the amount of sunshine may not be enough to maintain your minimum temperature. Look closely at the architecture to see what the shading effects will be in your courtyard winter and summer.
One possibility for evening out the day/night temperature swing would be to design a system that can store store heat in the daytime and exhaust heat in the night, using a thermal mass for heat storage.
One good resource is " The Passive Solar Energy Book" by Edward Mazria.