Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications in Vertical and Indoor Farming: A Bibliometric Review of Microclimate and Ventilation Studies

Abstract

Vertical and indoor farming have emerged as sustainable alternatives to address challenges associated with population growth, urbanization, and food security. In this context, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a key tool for analyzing and optimizing microclimate conditions, ventilation, and air distribution in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems. This study aims to systematically characterize the scientific production related to the application of CFD in vertical and indoor farming through a bibliometric approach. Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework, 52 documents indexed in Scopus and published between 2015 and 2025 were analyzed. The results reveal sustained growth in the field, with a high degree of geographic and editorial concentration, as well as an intellectual structure dominated by a limited core of authors, institutions, and journals. Network and keyword analyses indicate a thematic evolution from studies primarily focused on airflow toward more integrated approaches that incorporate energy efficiency and microclimate optimization. These findings enable the identification of research trends, knowledge gaps, and future opportunities, particularly for the development of CFD-based solutions applicable to low-cost indoor farming systems.