“CFD 101 – Introduction to Computational Approach to Optimize Air Distribution“
by
Dr. Murat Kacira
(University of Arizona)
This presentation ‘CFD 101 – Introduction to computational approach to optimize air distribution’ was given by Dr. Murat Kacira (University of Arizona) during the 41st café forum on May 24th, 2022. Indoor Ag Science Café is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by USDA SCRI grant program.
Indoor Ag Science Café is an open discussion forum, planned and organized by OptimIA project team. OptimIA (Optimizing Indoor Agriculture) is a project funded by USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
About OptimIA
The OptimIA project is a multi-state university research and extension collaboration among controlled-environment plant physiologists, agricultural engineers, and agricultural economists. Our long-term goals are to help develop indoor farming (vertical, warehouse, and container farming) as a specialty-crop segment of agriculture in the U.S.; to increase the sustainability, viability, and profitability of this rapidly emerging sector; and to provide the knowledge necessary to produce leafy greens locally that have higher quality attributes. Our major project goals and objectives are:
Defining optimal profitability of indoor farming
- Collecting primary economic data
- Developing input/output models for cost analyses
- Modeling, analyzing, and evaluating data to maximize profitability
Optimizing environmental conditions to increase yield and high-value attributes
- Developing novel lighting strategies
- Co-optimizing light with temperature, humidity, air current, and CO2
- Designing and testing innovative air-distribution methods
- Managing humidity around plants
Working together
- Developing production guidelines, tools, and educational materials and courses
- Providing learning opportunities
- Hosting an online forum and discussion
- Conducting on-farm trials of research-based experimental findings
- Working with growers and academic groups with shared goals