Energy and Volume Costs for Growing Plants in a Closed Environment

This paper employs a simplified model of an air conditioning and delivery system, and a lighting source to calculate the energy and volume costs associated with growing plants in a closed environment. Some empirical data, drawn from the testing of the Engineering Development Unit of the CELSS Test Facility have been incorporated in the model. The analysis of the results suggests that operating requirements imposed upon a similar system need to be carefully examined in terms of their energy and volume costs, as these may be substantial, particularly under Space Flight conditions.