Thermal Environment Regulating Effects of Phase Change Material in Chinese Style Solar Greenhouse

AbstractPhase change material (PCM) can store and release heat within a certain temperature range during the phase transitions. Compared with sensible heat material, latent heat phase change material (PCM) is very attractive, because of its high-energy storage density and isothermal behavior during the phase change process. This paper attempts to research the application of PCM in Chinese style solar greenhouse. The PCM we used is butyl stearate with the phase change temperature about 18°C, and spinach of F1 from Italy is chosen to be the test plant. The research is a contrast test with the same two greenhouse models, one is installed with PCM and the other is not. By recording the temperature with T type thermocouples on the different set-points and observing the growth situation of the plants in two greenhouses, we can recognize the effect of the PCM on the thermal environment of greenhouse