Cost-Effective Thermal Mass Walls for Solar Greenhouses in Gobi Desert Regions

Xiaodan Zhang, Jianming Xie (), Ning Ma, Youlin Chang, Jing Zhang and Jing Li
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Xiaodan Zhang: College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jianming Xie: College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Ning Ma: College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Youlin Chang: College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jing Zhang: College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jing Li: College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-25

Abstract: Gobi solar greenhouses (GSGs) enhance energy, food, and financial security in Gobi Desert regions through passive solar utilization. Thermal mass walls are critical for plant thermal comfort in GSGs but can lead to resource waste if poorly designed. This study pioneers the integration of payback period constrains into thermal mass wall optimization, establishing a new performance–cost trade-off approach for GSG wall design, balancing thermal performance and economic feasibility. We quantified energy-conserving benefits against wall-construction costs to derive the optimal inner-layer thicknesses under <25% GSG lifespan payback criteria. Three GSG thermal mass walls in China’s Hexi Corridor were optimized. For the concrete-layered, stone-layered, and pebble-soil walls, the optimum inner-layer thicknesses were 0.47, 0.65, and 1.24 m, respectively, with extra costs of 620.75, 767.60, and 194.56 RMB yuan; annual energy-conserving benefits of 82.77, 102.35, and 51.88 RMB yuan·yr −1 ; and payback periods of 7.5, 7.5, and 3.75 years. A dynamic thermal load analysis confirmed that GSGs with optimized walls required no heating during a sunny winter solstice night. Cooling loads of 33.15–35.27 kW further indicated the potential to maintain thermal comfort under colder weather conditions. This approach improves plant thermal comfort cost-effectively, advancing sustainable Gobi agriculture.

Keywords: solar greenhouse; thermal mass wall; passive solar utilization; construction cost; plant thermal comfort (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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