Aqueous grow chamber recirculating nutrient control system and sensor calibration

Abstract

An aquaponic grow system includes a plurality of sensors for sensing nutrient levels in liquid provided to a grow chamber, and to adjust nutrient levels based on the sensed levels. In some embodiments the system includes a plurality of sensors configured to sense nutrient levels in a common chamber, with the system configured to calibrate the sensors.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 536,372, filed on Jul. 24, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to fertilization and irrigation (“fertigation”) systems for crops, and more particularly to fertigation systems for closed-loop aqueous (hydroponic or aeroponic) grown crops and calibration of sensors used in such systems.[0003]Aqueously grown crops generally maintain roots of the crops in an aqueous rich environment, with the roots either in a liquid solution or a mist environment. For example, hydroponically grown crops generally maintain roots of the crops in a liquid solution of water and nutrients. Also for example, aeroponically grown crops generally maintain roots of the crops in an aqueous mist environment, with the mist formed using a liquid solution, and the mist prov...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent relates to a system for controlling nutrients in recirculating aqueous crop growing systems, specifically for control of nutrients in aquaponically grown plants. The system includes a grow chamber, a liquid solution line containing nutrients, nutrient tanks, reference solution tanks, a selective chamber for the liquid solution line or reference solution tanks, sensors for sensing ion levels in the solution, a controller for controlling the addition of nutrients, and isolation amplifiers. The system can calibrate the sensors and selectively couple the chamber to either the liquid solution line or the reference solution tanks. The patent also provides a method for controlling nutrients in the system by sensing ion levels in the solution, determining which nutrient is indicated to be below a predetermined level, and increasing the amount of the indicated nutrient in the solution. The invention allows for precise control of nutrient levels in aquaponically grown plants.

Problems solved by technology

Maintaining an appropriate level of nutrients in the liquid solution may be difficult particularly for a closed-loop system, in which liquid solution injected into a grow chamber is reused in a recirculating manner.

For example, the crops may intake different amounts of nutrients from the solution, and this may change over time.

Injecting nutrients into the solution may result in variations in concentration of the nutrients within the reservoir, and there may be significant delays or time lags between time of injection of the nutrients and dispersal of the nutrients within the reservoir.

These delays or time lags may make sampling of the solution for nutrients prone to errors, and increase difficulties in accurate sampling of nutrient levels.

Recalibration of sensors, however, may be a relatively lengthy process, increasing costs and also possibly resulting in excessive time in which sampling is not performed.

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