An Introduction to Controlled Greenhouse Plant Production Systems For Tropical Lowlands, A lecture handout

A lecture handout prepared by:
Redmond Ramin Shamshiri, PhD https://florida.academia.edu/Redmond
Hasfalina Che Man, Associate Professor
Desa Ahmad, Professor. Ir.
Fall semester, 2017
Contact Info

Outline
© Redmond Ramin Shamshiri, https://florida.academia.edu/Redmond
 Introduction, Greenhouses in the Netherlands vs. Malaysia
 Some Definitions
 History
 Simple fact, yet ignored
 Concept of Adaptive Solution applied to Greenhouse
 Introduction to Greenhouse Automation and Control System Engineering
 Open-field vs. Closed-field
 Vegetable production in the highlands and lowlands of Malaysia
 Malaysian Strategy and Policy on Vegetable Production (2011-2020)

Greenhouses in the Netherlands vs. Malaysia
Malaysia
2015 Tomato production
890,000 tons
2015 Tomato production
165,177 tons
Malaysia land area is 330,803 sq.km, almost 8 times larger than the Netherlands with
41,543 sq.km. However, tomato production in 2015 was 900,000 tons in the Netherlands,
almost 5.4 times more than Malaysia with 165000 tons. (FAO Stat)

Greenhouses in the Netherlands

Greenhouses in Malaysia

Definitions
 Greenhouse
Dictionary definition: A building, room, or area, usually covered with glass, in which
the temperature is maintained within a desired range, used for cultivating tender
plants or growing plants out of season. More scientific definition: A closed-field
plant production environment that may utilize automation and control system for
providing optimum growing condition (Shamshiri, 2017)
 Controlled Environment Plant Production System (CEPPS), (Controlled
Greenhouse)
A greenhouse with some degree of automation and control system
 Adaptive Greenhouse
A greenhouse that benefits from at least one of the following:
1. Adjustable design : (Structure frame can be modified to form a new shape)
2. Adjustable covering: (Covering can be moved and/or replaced with different materials)
3. Adjustable orientation: (Applicable to small scales for Urban farming application)
 Smart Greenhouse
A greenhouse that can perform cost/benefit analysis and make proper decisions that maximize profit
1. Ability to predict yield
2. Ability to automatically adjust reference values (set-points) for the microclimate parameters
3. Ability to automatically control and monitor its environment
Therefore an Automated Controlled Greenhouse is NOT a SMART greenhouse

Definitions
Greenhouse
Controlled Env Plant Production
Source: Agri-cube

History
Began in 1998: Problems of high import of temperate agricultural products, including
vegetables, fruits, seeds and plant materials which valued more than RM 1.2 billion.
 Dr. Mahathir Mohammad visited The Netherlands and was impressed by the production
of temperate flowers.
 Early 2000s: High-Tech greenhouses were imported from The Netherlands and
Australia, without proper modification. (Evaporative cooling)
 It was first thought that growing temperate crop varieties in Malaysia is not possible
except in the highland region. Large scale production was not also possible in the
Highlands
 Publications by Professor. Hawa Jafar highlighting this issue and suggesting shifting
highlands greenhouses to the lowlands.
“It is possible to build greenhouses with relatively simple means in tropical lowlands regions in
which crops can be protected against winds and pests, and can be grown at practically the same
temperature as outside.” ~Dr. Erik Toussaint, Wageningen UR

History
Evaporative cooling or Air Condition system?
In Early 2000, Malaysia imported greenhouses from The
Netherlands that operated based on Evaporative cooling
 Failure in humid climate
An alternative solution by MARDI: Air Conditioner
Problem with the So-called “Smart Greenhouse”,
Designed by MARDI
1. Air temperature Control:
Rely on four units of Air Conditioner Result in RM3000/month bill
2. Relative Humidity Control:
Rely on Humidifier and ventilation  Additional cost and control
effort
Cause of Problems:
1. MARDI Greenhouse is fully covered with polycarbonate panels and Polyethylene films
2. MARDI Greenhouse Control strategy is based on Single-Input, Single-Output. (T & RH)
3. No indication of vapor pressure deficit
MARDI Solution began in early 2000s: "Design and development of Controlled Environment
Greenhouse system" that can provide optimum crop growth condition for all the year round
production. The product was later called Smart Greenhouse

Simple fact, yet ignored:
1. Air temperature and Relative humidity in Tropical Lowlands of Malaysia are in
the comfort range for most greenhouse crops (About 70% time, that is 16 hour out of 24 hour)
2. In tropical lowlands of Malaysia, if you cover a greenhouse structure with
plastic, glass or similar materials, air temperature can rise to 77°C in the
absence of climate control system (While outside air temperature is around 32°C)
Therefore:
1. Having a conventional greenhouse in this region and trying to cool it down is like
having a person wearing many clothes in a hot sauna and then try to cool him
(So we DO NOT NEED a greenhouse)
2. Crop should be protected against heavy rains and disease, direct sun, wind, extreme
outside temperature, etc..etc…
(So we NEED a greenhouse)
Solution:
We need a Greenhouse that can make smart decisions and adapt itself to
different scenarios like heavy rains, hot hours, winds, etc

Concept of Adaptive Solution applied to Greenhouse:
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the fastest,
~ Charles Darwin
3 Problem shaping
Adaptive Greenhouse4
Assess
Problem
Design
Implement
Monitor
Adjust
Evaluate
2
Modern
work pays off
 You get more if you pay
Traditional
Hard work pays off
You get more if you pay more
1
Problem: Malaysia ranks 74th
between 122 countries
Objective:
Reduce Energy cost >> More Profit
Question:
Why Malaysia is not in the top 10?
Learn the Problem
and Deliver
Right amount
&
Right shape
of solution to it.
Life is all about Making Decisions that enable us to Adapt with the Environment

Quick Introduction to Greenhouse Control System Engineering and Control Theory
Definition: Control systems engineering is the
engineering discipline that applies control theory
to design systems with desired behaviors.
Definition: Control theory is an interdisciplinary
branch of engineering and mathematics that deals
with the behavior of dynamical systems with
inputs.

Quick Introduction to Greenhouse Control Engineering
Control
Theory
1- Classical
Limited to Single-Input and Single-Output (SISO)
Example: PID, Lead or Lag filter
2- Modern
Multi-Input and Multi-Output (MIMO)
System
Classifications
Linear
Non-linear (Lyapunov based, Adaptive)
Control System
Logic or sequential controls
Feedback
Linear
Non-linear
Fuzzy-Logic

Logic or sequential controls: Uses Controlled Relays or PLCs. Logic
controllers may respond to switches, timers, light sensors, pressure
switches, etc., and can cause the machinery to start and stop various
operations. Examples includes washing machines, elevators, water
heater.
On–off Control also known as bang–bang controller: switches
abruptly between two states
Control System
Feedback
Linear
Non-linear
Fuzzy-Logic

Linear Control: The output into the controlled process may be in the
form of a directly variable signal, such as a valve that may be 0 or
100% open or anywhere in between.
A linear control system may repeatedly switch an actuator, such as a
pump, motor or heater, fully on and then fully off again, regulating
the duty cycle using pulse-width modulation.
Control System
Feedback
Linear
Non-linear
Fuzzy-Logic

Control System
Feedback
Linear
Non-linear
Fuzzy-Logic
Non-Linear Control: is the area of control engineering specifically
involved with systems that are nonlinear, time-variant, or both.
• It studies how to apply existing linear methods to these more general
control systems.
• It provides novel control methods that cannot be analyzed using LTI
system theory.
• Examples techniques: Lyapunov based, Adaptive

Control System
Feedback
Linear
Non-linear
Fuzzy-Logic
Fuzzy Logic: Began with the 1965 proposal of fuzzy set theory by Lotfi A.
Zadeh at the University of California, Berkeley. Fuzzy logic has been
applied to many fields, from control theory to artificial intelligence.
• Fuzzy logic allows for approximate values and inferences as well as
incomplete or ambiguous data (fuzzy data) as opposed to only relying
on crisp data (binary yes/no choices).

Open-Field vs. Closed-Field
 Open field, also known as conventional farming
 Crop grow in natural environment, always exposed to adverse weather conditions, high
solar radiation, heavy rain, flood, weed and insects, pest and disease
 Successful returns depends on land size, fertile soil, high maintenance, fertilizer,
pesticide, etc
 Labor intensive, involve machinery, require land infrastructure and drainage
 Low return (yield & quality) with
respect to the land size and other inputs
 Environment pollution issues and
hazard, i.e., soil erosion, chemical
spreading, etc

Large Scale Greenhouse for High-quality production in Holland
 High-tech greenhouse and Controlled
Environment is a new field in Malaysia
tropical lowlands agriculture, (No Center of
Excellency)
 Greenhouse automation and control
requires multidisciplinary knowledge:
Structure and Building environment, Climatology
(thermo-environment), Thermodynamics, Heat
and mass transfer, Engineering properties of
materials, Natural ventilation, Mathematical
modeling, Controlled system and automation,
Electronics and ICT, Plant physiology, etc…
 Closed-field cultivation is useful when
 Land is scare, farm inputs are limited
 Yield intensification is required
 Production is challenging or impossible under
external weather conditions, weed, pest and
diseases.

 Characterized by small farm sizes, scattered and operates open field.
 Disorganized farming system especially in lowland areas.
 Cultivated area in Peninsular Malaysia ± 15,000 ha.
 Produced vegetables ± 761,000 tons/year (± 87% SSL).
 Contribute ± RM 600 million to the GDP.
 Export vegetable ± 172,360 tons valued RM 102 million.
 Import vegetables ± 330,000 tons valued RM 304 million.
 Per capita consumption of vegetable in Malaysia is 50 kg.

Vegetable production in the Highlands of Malaysia
 Characterized by mild temperate weather (15-28°C)
 Intense rainfalls and well adapted to temperate crops
 Conventional practices - terraces/rain shelters, slope
small sizes, scattered farms
 Limited area - mainly in Cameron Highlands (1800 ha)
 High market produce but insufficient production
 Logistic – long distance between production and market
centers
 Production does not satisfy country huge market demand
 Improper packaging: Vegetables are transported
traditionally in bulk
 Problem with storage for maintaining fresh quality

Vegetable production in Tropical lowlands of Malaysia
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
Percentageofworldproduction(%)
Percentage of Total
Malaysia ranks 74th between 122 countries
Indonesia ranks 22nd
Malaysia: 0.083% of total world
production (135,010 tons in 2014)
Average yield for greenhouse tomato in lowlands of Malaysia: 80 tons/ha
(According to Food and Agriculture Organization, Good commercial yield for Greenhouse
tomato should be 400 to 700 tons/ha)
Closed-field
Problem with high temperature
Open-field
Problem with heavy rainfalls

Malaysian Strategy and Policy on Vegetable Production (2011-2020)
Government Policy on Vegetable Production
The NAFP (2011-2020) has proposed the transformation of the agricultural sector into a
modernized, commercialized and sustainable. Growth and development momentum will be market-
driven.
The main and specific policies are:
 Production for local market and export.
 Diversification of production on a commercial scale.
 Emphasis on quality produce for health requirement.
 Production of high-value vegetables utilizing cost- effective methods.
Malaysia plan for Vegetable Production (2015 - 2020)
 The production targeted to increase to 2.7 million tons/yr.
 Self-sufficiency level is targeted to increase (87%) to 125%.
 Per capita consumption is to increase from 50 kg to 77 kg.
 The farms are characterized by well-planned infrastructures.
 The concept of farm production factory;
 Integrated production with harvesting, PH handling and packaging.
 Fully mechanized or partially automated operations.
 Marketing through an auction market where prices will be determined by quality standards.
 Environment-friendly technology, clean and safe vegetables.

An Introduction to Controlled Greenhouse Plant Production Systems For Tropical Lowlands, A lecture handout

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