Research on Thermal Environment of Container Farms: Key Factor Identification and Priority Analysis

Container farms (CFs), a controlled environment agricultural technology designed to solve food insecurity, are receiving increasing attention from researchers. However, the complex geometric structures and artificial lighting used in CFs present challenges in effectively controlling the thermal environment. This study aims to identify the primary factors that impact the thermal environment of CFs while conducting factor ranking and significance analysis, providing a theoretical basis for future thermal environment optimization. The research method of theoretical analysis, CFD simulation, and an orthogonal experimental design were adopted to achieve the above objectives. Theoretical analysis revealed that factors influencing the thermal environment are the HVAC system’s supply air temperature, humidity, flow rate, and the light source used. Four evaluation indices, including the mean value and range between layers of temperature and moisture content, were used. The results revealed that supply air temperature and light source are significant for mean temperature, while supply air temperature and humidity are significant for mean moisture content. In the case of range between layers, supply air flow rate and light source display a significant correlation. These findings suggest that future optimization should prioritize the regulation of the HVAC system’s supply air and light source.