Thermal comfort provided by different shading structures in free-range systems in Brazilian savanna

• Published in: International journal of biometeorology Vol. 66; no. 3; pp. 535 - 544
• Main Authors: do Nascimento Mós, João Victor, Teixeira, Bruno Emanoel, Murata, Luci Sayori, dos Santos, Vinícius Machado, de Oliveira, Evandro Menezes, Steidle Neto, Antonio José, Nascimento, Sheila Tavares
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air temperature; Aluminizing; Animal Physiology; Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Comfort indexes; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Evaluation; Grassland; Heat; Humidity; Humidity indexes; Indigenous species; Mathematical analysis; Meteorology; Microclimate; Nets; Original Paper; Plant Physiology; Plant species; Polypropylene; Radiation; Savannahs; Shading; Short wave radiation; Soil temperature; Statistical analysis; Statistical analysis of data; Surface temperature; Temperature; Thermal comfort; Trees; Tropical environment; Tropical environments; Vapor pressure; Wind speed; Brazil; Artificial shading; Alternative systems; Thermal comfort; Microclimate; Tropical climate
• ISSN: 0020-7128; 1432-1254
• DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02214-w

This work aimed to evaluate the thermal comfort provided by shading structures in free-range systems under a tropical environment, based on microclimate variables of nets with different materials. During the experiment, the unshading area; the natural shading of a native tree species to the Brazilian Savanna; and the artificial 80% shadings nets: black polypropylene, heat-reflective aluminized, and association of both were evaluated. The shading structures were analyzed in paddocks at the Água Limpa Farm from the University of Brasília, where dry-bulb, wet-bulb, black globe temperatures, and wind speed were collected for the micrometeorological characterization from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. From the temperatures, the vapor pressures and the humidities were calculated. The shortwave radiation was calculated through the sum of direct, diffuse, and reflected radiations. The mean radiant temperature, radiant heat load, and black globe temperature and humidity index were calculated. The internal and external surface temperatures of the nets and the soil temperature were measured every 30 min. The data were analyzed with aid of the statistical analysis system. The air temperature varied according to the shortwave radiation, from 25.6 °C at 8:00 am to 29.6 °C at 1:00 pm, with a decrease over the hours. Despite the air temperature of the trees showed the lowest average, the nets association structure was the most reduced all the thermal comfort indexes. The heat-reflective net presented the lowest soil temperature at all hours (under 26.1 °C). In general, the shadings proved to be efficient in promoting thermal comfort in free-range systems.