8401results about "Soilless cultivation" patented technology

A humidifier and humidity sensor for use with a breathing assistance apparatus. The humidity sensor senses absolute humidity, relative humidity and/or temperature at both the patient end and humidifier end. The humidifier may also include provision to both control independently the humidity and temperature of the gases. Further, a chamber manifold facilitates easy connection of the humidifier to various outlets, inlets and sensors. A heated conduit provides a more effective temperature profile along its length.

An aeroponic growing system and method is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the system includes at least one vertical column of interconnected growing pots and an overhead support to suspend the vertical column of interconnected growing pots. The system also includes a supply conduit that is in fluid communication with a top of the vertical column of interconnected growing pots and a return conduit in fluid communication with a bottom of the vertical column of interconnected growing pots. In addition, the system includes a reservoir in fluid communication with the supply conduit and the return conduit. A turning mechanism may also be used for rotating the column to achieve uniformity of illumination.

Disclosed herein is a high growth, high density, closed environment growing system and methods thereof. A method of accelerating plant cell growth in a growing system may include adjusting the lighting in accordance with an identified plant growth stage.

A water-retaining support for plants comprising a hydrogel-forming polymer (A) having a calcium ion absorption of 0-100 mg per 1 g of the dry weight thereof, having a chlorine ion content of 0.07-7 mmol per 1 g of the dry weight thereof and having a water absorption magnification in ion-exchanger water at 25° C. of 1.0x101 to 1.0x102; or a plant body-growing water-retaining material comprising a molded product of a mixture of such a polymer (A) and a plant body-growing support (B). The water-retaining support for plants and the plant body-growing water-retaining material are those which have an excellent water-retaining property and they substantially do not cause inhibition of root generation or inhibition of root elongation.

A computer implemented system for a vertical farming system comprising at least a first crop growth module and operating in an environmentally-controlled growing chamber, the control system comprising sensors for measuring environmental growing conditions in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber over time to generate environmental condition data, a device configured for measuring a crop characteristic of a crop grown in the crop growth module of the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to generate crop growth data and a processing device comprising software modules for receiving the environmental condition data and the crop growth data; applying an algorithm to the environmental condition data and the crop growth data to generate an improved environmental growing condition and generating instructions for adjustment of the environmental growing conditions in or around the growth module in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to the improved environmental growing condition.

A vertically-integrated greenhouse for growing plants in suspended trays. The design is particularly well-suited for installation in a double-skin façade of a building, or in an interior atrium, lobby, or similar structure. In addition to producing food, plants can reduce building maintenance costs by providing shade, air treatment, and evaporative cooling to building occupants. The vertically-integrated greenhouse involves the use of a dynamic movable array of plant trays as a mechanical shading device. The spacings and arrangements of the trays in the tray suspension system can be adjusted on both a diurnal basis and a seasonal basis to maximize plant light capture and building shading, thereby maximizing crop yield and building energy savings, or for esthetic considerations.

The invention is directed to a crumbly, water-absorbing, soil-like hydrogel. The hydrogel comprises finely comminuted mineral substances, such as igneous rock; water-soluble alkali-silicate; solid and liquid nutrient additives; and ballast, bound in a cross-linked polymer. The hydrogel is structured like a sponge and absorbs water and liquids when in contact with water or aqueous liquids. The mineral substances present in the hydrogel may be present in an amount of at least 30% by weight of the dried hydrogel. Also, the invention encompasses methods of producing acidic and neutral to weakly alkaline hydrogels.

The present invention is related to a tridimensional combined green building which is constituted with plant, biologic ecosystem, physical environment ecosystem, habitation environment and the combination thereof. Said tridimensional combined green-building may comprises green villages, green areas and green scientific town, such as tridimensional wall, tridimensional river and tridimensional bridge etc., and they can be divided into variety of green building.

The invention discloses a seedling substrate for vegetables, belonging to the technical field of soilless culture. The substrate formula comprises the following components based on volume ratios: 10-40% of fermented vinegar dreg, 5-30% of fermented cassava dreg, 5-30% of plant ash, 5-30% of perlite, 5-30% of vermiculite and 10-25% of turf. The water content of the substrate is not bigger than 50%, and the total porosity of the substrate is 65-95%, and the total nutrient content of the substrate (N+P2O5+K2O) is 3-5%, and the grain diameter of the substrate is 0.1-4.9 mm, and the volume weight of the substrate is 0.2-0.8 g/cm3, and the gas-water ratio of the substrate is 1: 2-4, and the EC (elastic coefficient) value of the substrate is 1-3 and the pH value of the substrate is 5.8-7.5. The seedling substrate for soilless culture for vegetables mainly uses organic wastes as raw materials, and produces seedling substrate by high temperature fermentation treatment, and changes wastes into wealth, and turns harm into good. The invention has a low production cost, a light weight and complete nutrients such that it is suitable for growth and development for vegetable seedlings, and is a good substrate for soilless culture industrialized tray seedling for vegetables.

The invention relates to a domestic full-automatic vegetable planting machine. The domestic full-automatic vegetable planting machine comprises a machine box. A planting tray which is used for plantation of vegetables and enabling the vegetables to grow is arranged in the machine box. A nutrient solution conveying and adjusting system which is used for adjusting and controlling a nutrient solution in the planting tray, an environment control system which is used for adjusting the growing environment in the machine box, and an environmental state detection device which is used for detecting the environmental state in the machine box are further arranged in the machine box. The input end of the environment control system is connected with the environmental state detection device, the output end of the environment control system is connected with the nutrient solution conveying and adjusting system, the environment control system adjusts and controls the environmental state of the planted vegetables in the machine box according to the environmental state detected by the environmental state detection device, and the nutrient solution in the planting tray is adjusted through the nutrient solution conveying and adjusting system so that the requirement for planting the vegetables inside a house can be met. The domestic full-automatic vegetable planting machine is compact in structure, convenient to use, capable of meeting the requirement for planting the vegetables inside the house, wide in application range, low in cost, safe and reliable.

An apparatus for monitoring and controlling a hydroponic installation which measures various sensors, controls electrical devices, and provides a rich user interface through a standard web browser accessible anywhere on the Internet. Network connectivity allows the operator to manage the system remotely, as well as view recent and historical data through web pages. Digital cameras, of the kind typically used with PCs, provide visual feedback. The apparatus can notify the operator in the case of certain predetermined conditions, using a variety of messaging methods, including email, SMS or MMS page. The operator can remotely initiate control through reply messages. An industry-standard expansion bus provides the ability to attach external devices for additional functionality. Network access can be provided by Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a nearby cell phone with Bluetooth.

The invention discloses a rock slope ecological protection afforestation substrate. The substrate is prepared by evenly mixing a mixture of mixed and fermented straw, cattle manure, edible fungus refuse (the waste after the edible fungus production), sludge and organic matter fibers, compound fertilizer, a soil moisture holding agent, a binding agent, attapulgite powder and a pH regulator. The rock slope ecological protection afforestation substrate is used to carry out the spray seeding and greening on the exposed rock slope, the discarded mine and the mountain gap, and can maximally restore the vegetation ecology in a shorter period, thereby reaching the aims of afforestation and slope protection. The substrate can supply a reasonable physical structure and nutrient contents needed by the growth of the vegetation, and ensure the sufficient cohesion force between the substrate mixture on the slope surface and the rock slope so as to ensure that the vegetation on the slope surface can take root and grow well on the rock slope. The substrate can ensure the stability of the substrate mixture on the slope surface so as to resist the rain erosion. The substrate can rapidly seal the slope surface and prevent the slope surface from flaking off due to efflorescence together with the vegetation.

A growing chamber for irrigating, draining, lighting, heating or cooling plants that executes a schedule for at least one of the watering, lighting or heating or cooling to ensure that the chamber does not overload an electrical connection for at least one of 120 Volts or 240 Volts.

[Problem to be Solved]

To simplify an air supply path without damaging the merit of conventional culture apparatus.

[Solution]

A culture apparatus 10 includes a row 11 of a plurality of box-shaped containers 21 for plant cultivation, and a row 12 of lower stage containers 21 arranged in the lower portion of the row 11, holding the upper stage container 21 spaced as high as the height after growth of the plants to be cultivated. In each container 21, a support 22, a blocking film 24 stretched between front and rear, right and left supports of the container 21 are provided. In the one end of the rows 11, 12 of the containers 21, an air conditioner 17 is arranged, in another end, a turnaround chamber 14 is provided.

This invention provides method and devices for receiving and/or delivering liquid to an object, devices for delivering liquid to a plant/seed/growing medium comprising: a conduit comprising: at least two about parallel plates one or more walls substantially sealing the plates and forming a substantially enclosed space, such that the devices are useful in hydroponic gardens. This invention also provides hydroponic gardens with such devices. The parallel plates and the walls can be rigid and hydrophobic.

A floatable plant cultivation device includes a plurality of hollow floatable parts and each floatable part has a pot engaged with a first passage in a center of the floatable part. The pot receives a plant therein. The multiple floatable parts are connected with each other by a plurality of connection members. Each connection member includes several engaging ends which are engaged with second passages defined in different floatable parts.

Modular plant growing apparatus includes a housing formed of inner and outer walls, opposed side walls, a bottom wall, and a top wall interconnected to define an enclosure. A liquid nutrient solution reservoir is formed in the enclosure by lower portions of the bottom, opposed side, and the inner and outer walls. The inner wall defines plant supporting structure including horizontally extending, vertically separated corrugations, each corrugation including a lower surface with a plurality of horizontally spaced apart plant receiving openings into the enclosure. A pump is positioned in the reservoir. A manifold and distribution conduits in liquid communication with the pump, include spray nozzles associated with the plant receiving openings within the enclosure for supplying liquid nutrient solution to roots of plants positioned in the plant receiving openings.

A plant cultivating device (A), comprising aluminum long square pipe trays (5) for storing plants (35) together with culture solution, a conveyor device (2) for feeding the trays (5) in order in lateral direction, and a lighting device (3), having a number of light-emitting diodes disposed thereon, located over the conveyor device (5), the lighting device (3) being disposed so as to be higher gradually from the upstream side to the downstream side of the conveyor device (2), wherein a funnel-shaped holder (30) holding the upper part of the plant (35) is provided on the upper surface of the tray (5), and a planting conveyor (6) and a harvesting conveyor (7) for supply and retrieval, a reflecting wall (8) provided between these conveyors and the conveyor device (2), and transfer bars (41) for transferring the trays (5) between the conveyor device (2) and the planting and harvesting conveyors (6,7) are installed on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyor device (2).

A system and method of aeroponic farming includes depositing seeds in a flat containing micro-fleece cloth and placing the flat within a growth chamber. The upper side of the flat is subjected to light of the proper frequencies to promote growth in plants. A nutrient solution is sprayed onto the micro-fleece cloth and the developing root mass of the plants, while controlling temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide within the growth chamber. The plants are harvested resulting from the seeds at a desired stage of growth. The growth chambers can be stacked on each other and/or located side by side to save space within a facility, and to permit sharing the subsystems which control the nutrient solution, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide for the growth chambers.

A dietary inclusion model for an integrated aquaculture-hydroponics system is derived from the concept of mass conservation. The model enables the maintenance of near-equilibrium concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, N, and P, suitable concentrations of Mn and Cu, and acceptable accumulation rates of Na and Zn, in representative integrated aquaculture-hydroponics systems, by modifying the mineral concentrations of the fish diets according to the model. The model is readily applicable to virtually any freshwater recirculating fish culture system operating at a recycle ratio sufficiently high to maintain appropriate nitrogen concentrations and having an environment suitable for hydroponic plant culture.

A rotary growing apparatus comprises a cylindrical structure or drum provided with a series of parallel elongated, longitudinally extending, baskets adapted to receive therein the plants to be grown. A support base is provided for the drum, and a drive mechanism is adapted to rotate the drum on the support base about a rotational axis of the drum. At least one light source extends inside the drum about which the drum and the plants carried thereby can rotate. A feeding system provides nutrient fluid to the growing plants as the drum rotates and the baskets contact the nutrient fluid. The elongated baskets each include a bottom wall and a pair of side walls and are capable of receiving therein a series of plants supported by a growing medium. The elongated baskets define in the bottom and side walls thereof a plurality of apertures for allowing the nutrient fluid to access the plants. The elongated baskets are removably attached to a pair of parallel and opposed rims of the drum.

A nutriculture device and a stack-type nutriculture pot system for use in the nutriculture device are disclosed. The nutriculture vice includes moving means for periodically moving a plurality of nutriculture pots, each having culture soil for supporting a crop, on a predetermined closed loop type moving track, a spray nozzle installed at a location on the moving track of the nutriculture pots, for supplying a nutrient solution to the nutriculture pot passing through the location, and a nutrient solution recovery channel for recovering the nutrient solution flowing from the nutriculture pot. Since the above-described nutriculture device supplies a nutrient solution to a plurality of nutriculture pots using a single spray nozzle, its construction can be noticeably simplified. Also, since a nutriculture pot moves periodically so that its location in a houseplant changes at any time, an amount of sunshine applied to a crop is uniformly maintained, allowing the crop to grow evenly.

The mixed planting material for rocky slope is one kind of composition prepared by mixing at normal temperature soil, organic matter, composite fertilizer, water preserving agent, cement, pH regulator, plant seed and water. The construction process in rocky slope includes trimming slope, setting anchor rods, hanging net, spraying, seeding, covering and maintenance. The present invention makes it possible to green rocky slope fast at relatively lower cost.

A rotary growing apparatus which utilises a single ring mounted on a support, the ring being rotatably driven above the rotational axis thereof, and having a plurality of medium retaining members extending transversely of the ring, each medium retaining member being secured to the ring, and at least one light source interiorly of the ring. The preferred arrangement includes the ring being formed of a plurality of ring segments such that the size may be varied thereby adjust the distance between the light source and the plants.

Provided is a plant cultivation device that improves cultivation efficiency and usability. A plant cultivation device comprises: a rack unit provided with cultivation racks on which cultivation units accommodating plants are stored as culture medium units; and a conveying device which moves along a horizontal movement path defined by a guide rail, and performs transport of the culture medium units and loading/unloading of the culture medium units to/from the cultivation racks. Multiple cultivation racks constitute a cultivation rack row, in which the cultivation racks are arranged at multiple levels in an up-down direction. The rack unit comprises: a cultivation storage constituted of multiple cultivation rack rows; and a loading/unloading station having a stock rack row, in which the holding frames of cultivation units not accommodating plants are stored as empty units. The transport device performs loading/unloading of the holding frames to/from the stock rack row.

Disclosed is a hydroponic assembly for planting pots of diverse sizes. The assembly is formed of a reservoir having a top and bottom with an opening in said top; a support frame disposed in said opening; a first and a second insert supported by said frame. The first insert has a first access port and the second insert has a second access port with a different size than the first.

The invention discloses a method for cultivating cherries and tomatoes. The method comprises the steps of: cultivation preparation, seedling raising, planting, flower and fruit protection, rich water management and picking. The method has the advantages that: cultivation matrix bags are adopted for cultivating the cherries and the tomatoes without soil, so continuous cropping obstacles do not happen, the conditions of a greenhouse cannot be limited by seasons, and the production can be arranged for annual supply according to the market requirement; and the preparation of nutrient solution is adjusted according to different growth periods, optimal growth effect is achieved, the cherries and the tomatoes are vigorously grown, the yield is increased, the quality is improved, plant diseases and insect pests are reduced, the consumption of pesticide is reduced, and the environmental pollution is reduced.

A transportable fodder production unit is disclosed that includes an insulated container having a front end and a rear end, a plurality of trays each having drain apertures through a bottom side thereof, a racking system for supporting each of the trays with a plurality of shelves extending from the front end of the container to the rear end of the container, an irrigation system attachable to a water source and having a water tank in fluid communication with a plurality of spray heads through a pump and a plurality of pipes, a lighting system that maintains a predetermined illumination within the container, a thermal control system that maintains the temperature inside the container within a predetermined temperature range, and a central control system for activating the other systems and maintaining electrical load balancing on a power source.

Apparatus and method for delivering fine spray of air and nutrient rich liquid to the root area of developing plants with a shaped nozzle end for controlling and varying the dimensions and shape of the delivered fog, and capable of providing a droplet size of between 30 and 80 micron and not below 5 micron. A kit is also provided.

This invention provides smart garden devices for hydroponics growing systems, wherein the devices include a means for delivering electricity to the smart garden device; at least one timer; and means for determining, receiving, sending, or processing data regarding the status of a component or characteristic of the hydroponics device. This invention also provides smart garden kits and methods for using smart garden devices for growing plants.