Introduction of New Method for Greenhouse Heating using Clean GTL Fuel

The greenhouse heating method widely used in Japan, involves the circulation of warm water or warm air by burning heavy oil. However, in recent years the cost of fuel has been rising, and an alternative fuel to heavy oil has been sought by consumers. We propose a new greenhouse heating method using a clean GTL fuel. GTL (Gas to Liquids) fuel is made from natural gas, and contains no sulfur and no aromatics as a source of the odor of petroleum. Therefore, the exhaust gas contains only water vapor and carbon dioxide, without the occurrence of odor, sulfur oxides or soot. In the case of heavy oil combustion, due to the toxic components contained in the exhaust gas, it has to be discharged outside of the greenhouse. Depending on the old or new combustion models, the exhaust heat loss becomes as large as 15–30% of the combustion energy. The GTL combustion method by confining the greenhouse exhaust gas, no heat loss to the outside. Further, it is possible to obtain the effect of carbon dioxide enrichment to plants, and this method contributes to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.