Chapter 12
Advances in Computational Fluid
Dynamics Applied to Biosystems
Guillermo De la Torre-Gea, Cesar Irving Ortíz Vazquez,
Enrique Rico-García and Ramon Guevara-Gonzalez
Contents
12.1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 341
12.2 Fundamental CFD Equations ....................................................................................... 342
12.2.1 Substantial Derivative..................................................................................... 343
12.3 CFD Procedure ............................................................................................................. 344
12.4 CFD Approaches .......................................................................................................... 347
12.4.1 Wind Directions .............................................................................................. 348
12.4.2 Heat Exchange ................................................................................................ 349
12.4.3 Solar Radiation and Temperature................................................................... 350
12.4.4 Temperature and Air Exchange ..................................................................... 350
12.4.5 Turbulence and Buoyancy .............................................................................. 351
12.4.6 Humidity.......................................................................................................... 353
12.4.7 Incorporation Crop Effects and Crop Modeling............................................ 353
12.5 CFD Models in Greenhouses ....................................................................................... 355
12.6 CFD in Bioreactors....................................................................................................... 357
12.7 Looking into the Future ............................................................................................... 359
References................................................................................................................................ 360
12.1 Introduction
The study of the environmental conditions in the biological process is complicated,
as in many cases it is necessary to use models based on energy transfer. Mathematical models based on mass and energy balances assume a homogeneous
environment. These models generate a set of nonlinear ordinary differential
equations without an analytical solution. However, a more detailed monitoring of
the environment inside these processes reflects a two-dimensional and threedimensional variability of environment variables. Recently, this problem has been
G. De la Torre-Gea Á C. I. O. Vazquez Á E. Rico-García (&) Á R. Guevara-Gonzalez
Biosystems Engineering Group, School of Engineering, Queretaro State University,
Querétaro, Mexico
e-mail: ricog@uaq.mx
R. Guevara-Gonzalez and I. Torres-Pacheco (eds.), Biosystems Engineering:
Biofactories for Food Production in the Century XXI, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03880-3_12,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
341
Advances in Computational Fluid
Dynamics Applied to Biosystems
Guillermo De la Torre-Gea, Cesar Irving Ortíz Vazquez,
Enrique Rico-García and Ramon Guevara-Gonzalez
Contents
12.1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 341
12.2 Fundamental CFD Equations ....................................................................................... 342
12.2.1 Substantial Derivative..................................................................................... 343
12.3 CFD Procedure ............................................................................................................. 344
12.4 CFD Approaches .......................................................................................................... 347
12.4.1 Wind Directions .............................................................................................. 348
12.4.2 Heat Exchange ................................................................................................ 349
12.4.3 Solar Radiation and Temperature................................................................... 350
12.4.4 Temperature and Air Exchange ..................................................................... 350
12.4.5 Turbulence and Buoyancy .............................................................................. 351
12.4.6 Humidity.......................................................................................................... 353
12.4.7 Incorporation Crop Effects and Crop Modeling............................................ 353
12.5 CFD Models in Greenhouses ....................................................................................... 355
12.6 CFD in Bioreactors....................................................................................................... 357
12.7 Looking into the Future ............................................................................................... 359
References................................................................................................................................ 360
12.1 Introduction
The study of the environmental conditions in the biological process is complicated,
as in many cases it is necessary to use models based on energy transfer. Mathematical models based on mass and energy balances assume a homogeneous
environment. These models generate a set of nonlinear ordinary differential
equations without an analytical solution. However, a more detailed monitoring of
the environment inside these processes reflects a two-dimensional and threedimensional variability of environment variables. Recently, this problem has been
G. De la Torre-Gea Á C. I. O. Vazquez Á E. Rico-García (&) Á R. Guevara-Gonzalez
Biosystems Engineering Group, School of Engineering, Queretaro State University,
Querétaro, Mexico
e-mail: ricog@uaq.mx
R. Guevara-Gonzalez and I. Torres-Pacheco (eds.), Biosystems Engineering:
Biofactories for Food Production in the Century XXI, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03880-3_12,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
341