Project Overview
FW18-028
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2018: $7,565.00
Projected End Date: 12/15/2019
Grant Recipient:
Bluefly Farms
Region: Western
State: New Mexico
Principal Investigator:
Kemper Barkhurst
Bluefly Farms, LLC
Commodities
Not commodity specific
Practices
- Crop Production: greenhouses
- Education and Training: demonstration
- Energy: byproduct utilization, energy conservation/efficiency, energy use, renewable energy, solar energy
- Sustainable Communities: employment opportunities, sustainability measures
Summary:
The objective of this research project is to test and measure the energy impact of capturing excess daytime heat within a greenhouse and transferring it through an air-to-water exchanger to then store the thermal energy in water. Solar collectors will also be implemented to boost the heat that is stored. This same system will provide cooling during the day and heating at night for the greenhouse. The stored heat will be used to help reduce costly energy consumption that negatively impacts the environment and decreases farm profitability.
Project objectives:
- To research the process of capturing daytime air heat of a greenhouse and exchanging and storing it into water.
- To research the effects of solar hot water collectors in combination with the heat exchanger to increase the temperature of water storage.
- To research the effectiveness of using the stored heat in water as a heat source during the night.
- To visualize the system with sensors and data logging technology.
- To publish findings of this research and encourage its adoption.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.