Research on the Microclimate of Protected Agriculture Structures Using Numerical Simulation Tools: A Technical and Bibliometric Analysis as a Contribution to the Sustainability of Under-Cover Cropping in Tropical and Subtropical Countries

The use of protected agriculture structures in tropical and subtropical countries is the main alternative for intensification of agricultural production selected by producers. In general, in these regions, passive and plastic-covered structures predominate, with natural ventilation as the only metho...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gloria Alexandra Ortiz Rocha, Maria Angelica Pichimata, Edwin Villagran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10433
Description
Summary:The use of protected agriculture structures in tropical and subtropical countries is the main alternative for intensification of agricultural production selected by producers. In general, in these regions, passive and plastic-covered structures predominate, with natural ventilation as the only method of climate control. This phenomenon has been widely studied in different types of structures using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Therefore, this review aimed to collect and analyze the publications generated in this field of knowledge between 2010 and 2020. The search for information included the main academic databases available on the web and the analysis was carried out using bibliometric techniques, from which it was possible to identify details inherent to the scientific production, such as countries of origin, main authors, journals, and citations. Likewise, a detailed breakdown of the relevant technical information of the three phases of numerical simulation, such as preprocessing, processing, and postprocessing, was carried out. A compilation of 118 papers published in 65 journals, written by 256 authors, originating from 24 countries was achieved, where it was evident that Mexico and Colombia were the countries with the highest scientific production in the last decade. These papers analyzed, together, a total of 17 different types of structures where polyethylene-covered greenhouses predominated, with steady state simulations, for daytime climate conditions and without the presence of crops. Within the current and future research trends, the predominance of studies analyzing passive climate control methods, new models of insect-proof mesh-house structures, and, finally, studies focused on the structural analysis of greenhouses was found.
ISSN:2071-1050