Heat exchanger, substrate drawer and holder for controlling the temperature of

Abstract

A heat exchanger for temperature control of a substrate for growing horticultural products. The heat exchanger has a structure comprising a heat exchange surface provided for heating or cooling a substrate. The structure is configured to support a substrate, thereby forming a carrier plate having a carrier surface such that the heat exchange surface forms the carrier surface. The heat exchanger includes or is configured to mate with one or more mounts that are configured to suspend the heat exchanger to the bracket. The structure of the heat exchanger is configured to be self-supporting for supporting the substrate at least between the one or more mounts such that a bottom surface of the structure opposite the heat exchange surface faces the ambient environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of a substrate for growing horticultural products and also to a substrate carrier and / or support provided with such a heat exchanger. Background Art

[0002] Horticultural products, such as mushrooms, fruits, vegetables or mycelium, are often cultivated in a controlled environment, for example in an indoor facility, where growing conditions such as light, humidity and temperature can be monitored and regulated. The products are grown on layers of a substrate such as soil, sawdust or straw, which may be supported by carrier plates arranged on multiple levels in a rack.

[0003] The optimal temperature and humidity of the substrate may vary over time, depending on the cultivation stage of the product. For example, during the growth stage, mild substrate conditions may be desirable to promote product growth, while during the harvesting stage, the temperature of the substrate may be increased to reduce the humidity of the substrate to facilitate the harvesting process. Controlling the temperature of the substrate may also be beneficial for other reasons, such as optimizing growing conditions based on the type of horticultural product, the type of substrate, nutrient absorption, seasonal aspects, and the growth stage of the product.

[0004] In conventional arrangements for growing horticultural products, the substrate is supported on a carrier structure, such as a carrier plate, having a specific carrier surface area for supporting the substrate. Due to the weight of the substrate and the horticultural products grown on the substrate, the carrier structure may require a certain thickness to provide sufficient strength and rigidity, such as bending rigidity, across the surface area to support the substrate and the horticultural products without damage or excessive deformation of the structure, such as when the substrate is suspended in a rack or other type of support.

[0005] Strength and rigidity for supporting the substrate and horticultural products can be provided by enclosing or sandwiching the heat exchanger within the carrier structure, for example by placing the heat exchanger within the carrier frame or between the carrier plate and the substrate plate. However, when heating the substrate, the carrier structure can act as a heat sink, causing part of the energy from the heat exchanger and / or the substrate to be transferred to the carrier structure. Conversely, when the heat exchanger is arranged to cool the substrate, part of the heat stored in the carrier structure can be transferred to the heat exchanger and / or the substrate. In this case, the carrier structure thus acts as a heat source.

[0006] Known racks, such as those described in EP2564687, comprise a rack base, a carrier for the substrate supported relative to the rack base, and a heat exchanger for heating and / or cooling the substrate on the carrier. Although this can influence the temperature of the substrate to a certain extent, the controllability of the substrate temperature is still poor, for example due to the internal arrangement of the components and materials used, which affects the heat transfer characteristics of the entire system. Therefore, the energy efficiency of these rack systems and their horticultural yields are suboptimal.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger which has improved controllability of the temperature of a horticultural product substrate. Summary of the invention

[0008] In summary, the present invention provides a heat exchanger for temperature control of a substrate for growing horticultural products. The heat exchanger has a structure including a heat exchange surface, the heat exchange surface being arranged for heating or cooling the substrate. The structure is arranged for supporting the substrate, thereby forming a carrier plate having a carrier surface, so that the heat exchange surface forms the carrier surface. The heat exchanger includes or is configured to cooperate with one or more mountings, which are arranged for suspending the heat exchanger to a support. The structure of the heat exchanger is configured to be self-supporting, for supporting the substrate at least between the one or more mountings, so that the bottom surface of the structure opposite the heat exchange surface faces the surrounding environment.

[0009] By forming a carrier surface, the heat exchange surface directly contacts the substrate. Direct contact is greatly beneficial to the controllability of temperature. In addition, the self-supporting structure of the supporting substrate minimizes the thermal mass between the heat exchanger and the substrate, and thus reduces the heat loss during the heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the substrate. For example, when the heat exchanger is arranged to heat the substrate, any thermal mass (such as between the heat exchanger and the substrate) adjacent to the heat exchanger can serve as a radiator, thereby slowing down the heating process. On the contrary, when the heat exchanger is arranged to cool the substrate, this type of thermal mass can serve as a heat source, thereby slowing down the cooling process. By reducing the number of elements that may contribute to thermal mass adjacent to the heat exchanger, the controllability of temperature and the efficiency of the heat exchanger are improved. It is understandable that the direct heating and cooling mode of the substrate combines the efficiency that the heat exchanger improves due to the amount of thermal mass reduction, and accumulates into significant energy use savings for complete cultivation equipment, making the equipment very durable and environmentally friendly.

[0010] Since the structure of the heat exchanger is self-supporting, no additional support elements are required under the heat exchanger, contrary to conventional heat exchanger systems where the heat exchanger is supported on the bottom of a bracket. In the present invention, there is no additional thermal mass under the heat exchanger. Accordingly, there is no radiator or heat source under the heat exchanger that could interfere with the heating or cooling process, and the controllability of the heat exchanger is thus improved.

[0011] The structure of the heat exchanger may include one or more support members, such as beams, wherein the one or more support members provide structural integrity in a direction parallel to the plane of the carrier plate. The support members may be arranged, for example, transversely, spanning between the long sides of the heat exchanger, or may be arranged, for example, longitudinally, spanning between the short sides of the heat exchanger, or may be arranged diagonally, spanning between the corners of the heat exchanger. This allows other parts of the heat exchanger structure to have a lower stiffness against out-of-plane bending of the carrier plate, because the one or more support members can provide structural integrity to support the heat exchanger against gravity loads, such as gravity loads formed by the deadweight of the heat exchanger, the weight of the substrate and the weight of horticultural products grown thereon.

[0012] Due to the absence of a rack bottom, there may be a risk of substrate pieces falling through the heat exchanger structure and onto horticultural products grown on lower levels (e.g. in the rack). Thus, the structure of the heat exchanger may form an impermeable barrier, which is arranged to prevent substrate material from passing through the structure.

[0013] When the heat exchanger heats or cools the substrate, the structure of the heat exchanger will expand or contract, respectively. Taking into account the dimensions of the heat exchanger forming the carrier plate, the thermally induced expansion and contraction in the plane of the carrier plate will be greatest. When the heat exchanger is mounted on or along its edge, thereby limiting the freedom of movement in the plane of the carrier plate, internal stresses will appear. In order to compensate for the thermally induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger, the structure may include an extendable section, which is configured to extend or shorten in the plane of the carrier plate.

[0014] Preferably, the extendable section is configured to extend or shorten by elastic deformation thereof.The extendable section may, for example, comprise a biasing element, which may be integrated in the structure or may be a separate element.

[0015] In some embodiments, the structure comprises at least two compartments, wherein the extendable section is formed by at least one of the at least two compartments. In this way, elastic deformation of at least one compartment can compensate for heat-induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger, while the compartment can be used, for example, to hold or guide other components of the heat exchanger, such as cables, pipes, channels or fluids.

[0016] Each of the at least two compartments may for example comprise a peripheral outer wall to provide a heat exchange surface. In this way, by reducing the thickness of the peripheral wall between the compartment interior and the matrix, the thermal mass and the resistance to elastic deformation may be reduced.

[0017] The circumferential outer wall may comprise a top section and a bottom section, wherein the top section and the bottom section may be connected to each other at respective opposite end sections in the plane of the carrier plate, and wherein each of the top section and the bottom section may comprise an intermediate section that is bent outwardly relative to the plane of the carrier plate. Thus, both the heat exchange surface and the bottom surface are corrugated, bent or folded, thereby reducing the resistance against elastic deformation of the compartment.

[0018] Preferably, the circumferential outer wall has a rhombus-shaped cross section with a long diagonal and a short diagonal, wherein the long diagonal is in the plane of the carrier plate and wherein the short diagonal is perpendicular to the plane of the carrier plate. Accordingly, expansion of the heat exchanger in the plane of the plate results in an elongation of the long diagonal and a shortening of the short diagonal.

[0019] In order to provide an impermeable barrier to prevent matrix material from passing through the structure of the heat exchanger, at least one of the following: at least two compartments are connected to each other by an elastic element, which is elastically deformable in the plane of the carrier plate; and the heat exchanger is circumferentially provided with one or more elastically deformable elements; wherein at least two compartments are rigidly connected to each other.

[0020] In some embodiments, each of the at least two compartments comprises a channel through which a fluid can flow to heat or cool the heat exchange surface.Thus, the volume within the compartment is used to conduct the fluid.

[0021] The channels may be connected to an energy recovery system arranged to recover energy from the heat generated by the substrate. In this way, the energy efficiency of the heat exchanger may be improved.

[0022] In some embodiments, the structure comprises one or more walls mounted to a carrier plate. In this way, a container or drawer may be formed.

[0023] The one or more mountings for movably mounting the heat exchanger to the support may comprise at least one of the following: a bearing, a track or a bracket or a skid. As a result, a movably mounting device is provided for mounting the heat exchanger directly to the support.

[0024] By arranging the light source on the bottom side of the heat exchanger, the lighting conditions for the horticultural products cultivated on the lower levels in the rack can be controlled, while the waste heat generated by the light source can be (re)used by the heat exchanger, for example by using the waste heat to heat the substrate or by transferring the waste heat to an energy recovery system operably coupled to the heat exchanger.

[0025] Another aspect of the invention relates to a substrate carrier for use in a stand for supporting a substrate for growing horticultural products, the substrate carrier being provided with a heat exchanger as described herein.

[0026] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a support for supporting a substrate for growing horticultural products, wherein the support is provided with a heat exchanger as described herein.

[0027] The support may further comprise an energy recovery system connectable to the heat exchanger for recovering energy from the fluid obtained by the heat exchanger to improve the energy efficiency of the heat exchanger.

[0028] Additionally or alternatively, the scaffold may be provided with a matrix carrier as described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present invention will be further illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger is shown;

[0031] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view showing another or additional embodiment of a heat exchanger including a support member;

[0032] Figure 3 shows a top view of another or additional embodiment of a heat exchanger;

[0033] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of another or further embodiment of a heat exchanger including a compartment;

[0034] Figure 5 A substrate drawer provided with a heat exchanger as described herein is shown;

[0035] Figure 6 A support provided with a heat exchanger as described herein is shown;

[0036] Figure 7 A stand provided with a matrix drawer as described herein is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The present invention is described more fully herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the present invention are shown. For the sake of clarity, the absolute and relative sizes of systems, components, layers and regions may be exaggerated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments may be described with reference to schematic and / or sectional views of possible idealized embodiments and intermediate structures of the present invention. In the specification and the accompanying drawings, the same numbers always refer to the same elements. Relative terms and their derivatives should be interpreted as referring to the orientation described or shown in the drawings being discussed. These relative terms are for the convenience of a clearer description, and unless otherwise stated, it is not required to construct or operate the system in a specific direction.

[0038] Figure 1 An embodiment of a heat exchanger 100 is shown for controlling the temperature of a substrate 200 for growing horticultural products 50, for example as part of a horticultural growing setup. The substrate 200 may be, for example, soil, a layer of sawdust or straw, or any other substrate material suitable for growing horticultural products 50 such as mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, herbs or mycelium. For example, Figure 1 , Figure 3 The horticultural product 50 shown in FIG. 1 represents mushrooms, Figure 2 and Figure 6 The horticultural product 50 shown in FIG. 1 represents a fruit, a vegetable or an herb, and Figure 5 and Figure 7 The horticultural product 50 shown in the figures represents mycelium. The example types of horticultural products 50 shown in these figures are not limited or restricted to the corresponding embodiments of the heat exchangers shown in the corresponding figures. Other combinations of embodiments of the heat exchanger 100 and types of horticultural products 50 may be possible.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the heat exchanger 100 has a structure 110 including, for example, a heat exchange surface 111 on a side of the heat exchanger facing the substrate 200, which is configured to heat or cool the substrate 200. For example, when growing mycelium, heat may be generated by the mycelium in the substrate 200, and the temperature of the substrate 200 may be controlled by having the heat exchanger 100 cool the substrate 200. In other cases, such as when the mycelium is ready to be harvested, the mycelium may be dried by having the heat exchanger 100 heat the substrate 200.

[0040] The structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 is arranged to support the substrate 200, thereby forming a carrier structure, such as a carrier plate having a carrier surface. Accordingly, in contrast to conventional arrangements for cultivating horticultural products, no separate carrier structure is required and the overall thermal mass of the arrangement, which may act as a heat sink or heat source, may be reduced. As a result, the controllability of the temperature of the substrate 200 may be improved and the energy efficiency of the heat exchanger 100 may be increased.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the heat exchange surface 110 forms a carrier surface for carrying the substrate 200. Therefore, when transferring heat between the heat exchanger 100 and the substrate 200, energy losses are minimized, for example by minimizing the thermal mass between the heat exchanger 100 and the substrate 200. To further minimize the thermal mass, the heat exchanger 100 includes or is configured to cooperate with one or more mounts 120, which are configured to suspend the heat exchanger 100 to a support structure, and the structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 is configured to be self-supporting, for supporting the substrate 200 at least between the one or more mounts, for example in a bracket.

[0042] For example, each mounting member 120 may have a contact area through which heat may be transferred between the heat exchanger 100 and the support structure, such as by conduction, when the heat exchanger 100 is suspended from the support structure. To limit the heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the support structure, the contact area may be relatively small. Alternatively, the number of mounting members 120 may be reduced. For example, the total contact area of ​​the combined one or more mounting members 120 may be significantly less than the carrier surface area, such as less than 10% of the carrier surface area, preferably less than 5% of the carrier surface area.

[0043] One or more mounts 120 may be provided, for example, along one or more edges of the heat exchanger 100, for example between opposing edges of the heat exchanger 100. The mounts 120 may be provided for rigidly or movably suspending the heat exchanger 100, for example by including clamping means or bearing means, respectively, or by any combination of rigid and movably suspending means.

[0044] When the heat exchanger 100 is suspended as a carrier plate between mountings 120 for supporting a substrate 200, the structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 is self-supporting. In this way, the bottom surface 112 of the structure 110 opposite the heat exchange surface 111 can face the surroundings. In other words, the bottom surface 112 can be freely approached from the surroundings and / or in direct contact with the surroundings, because it is substantially not covered by supporting elements (such as plates or frames), insulating materials or grids. Thus, for example, when the heat exchanger 100 is suspended in a bracket, the bottom surface 112 can be provided, for example, for heating or cooling a substrate in a layer located below the heat exchanger 100.

[0045] Preferably, the structure 110 forms an impermeable barrier arranged to prevent substrate material, such as sand or soil, from passing through the structure 110 so that any horticultural produce 50 grown on the level below the heat exchanger 100 is not contaminated by the substrate material.

[0046] During normal operating conditions, gravity loads are imposed on the heat exchanger 100, including, for example, the deadweight of the heat exchanger 100, the weight of the substrate 200 and the weight of any horticultural products 50 grown thereon. The structure 110 may be self-supporting, such that, for example, under gravity loads, deformation of the heat exchanger 100 due to bending stresses is within the elastic deformation range, while the deflection of the carrier surface is within a deflection threshold.

[0047] The structure 110 may be made of, for example, an aluminum alloy material, or any other material having relatively high thermal conductivity, Young's modulus, and yield strength but relatively low density, such as a steel alloy, a magnesium alloy, or a brass alloy.

[0048] Alternatively or additionally, the structure 110 can be designed to have a relatively high bending stiffness in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the carrier surface to minimize the deflection of the carrier surface due to gravity loads. For example, by maximizing the height of the structure 110 in a direction perpendicular to the plane P of the carrier plate, the second area moment of the structure 110 around the axis in the plane P of the carrier plate can be increased. Therefore, the out-of-plane bending resistance of the structure 110 can be improved. By maximizing the height H, the structure 110 can maintain a thin wall. In this way, the thermal resistance of the heat exchanger 100 for transferring heat between the heat exchanger 100 and the substrate 200 can be minimized.

[0049] Another synergistic effect of maximizing the height H while minimizing the wall thickness of the structure 110 is that the mass of the heat exchanger 100 can be reduced, and thus the gravity load and thermal mass can be reduced. Accordingly, the structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 can provide improved mechanical properties for supporting the matrix 200, and improved thermal properties for exchanging heat with the matrix 200.

[0050] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger 100 is shown, wherein the structure 110 includes one or more support members 118 that provide structural integrity in a lateral direction parallel to a plane P of the carrier plate. The support members 118, such as beams, rods, brackets, or plates, can be disposed at an offset from the plane P to support the bottom surface 112, for example directly or via an intermediate bushing. The one or more support members 118 can span between the longitudinal edges of the carrier plate, between the lateral edges of the carrier plate, and / or between the corners of the carrier plate. Since the bottom surface 112 of the structure 110 opposite the heat exchange surface 111 is intended to face the surrounding environment, the one or more support members 140 can be relatively slender to minimally obstruct the bottom surface 111, such as Figure 3For example, the support member 118 may comprise a folded plate, for example having a U-shaped profile with legs oriented perpendicular to the plane P of the carrier plate. The support member 118 may be provided with alignment means, such as cutouts or protrusions, for aligning the carrier plate with the support member.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, the structure 110 may also include an extendable section 115. The extendable section is configured to extend or shorten in the plane P of the carrier plate to compensate for the heat-induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger 100, respectively. For example, when the heat exchanger 100 heats the substrate 200, the structure 110 may expand in the plane P of the carrier plate. Since the expansion of the structure 110 may be laterally constrained, for example, due to the heat exchanger 100 being fixed to a bracket or other supporting structure, thermally induced stresses may accumulate in the structure, which may cause irreversible damage to the heat exchanger 100. In this case, the extendable section 115 may shorten, for example, by elastic deformation thereof, to compensate for the thermally induced expansion, thereby preventing the accumulation of stresses in the structure 110. The extendable section 115 may have a relatively low stiffness in the plane P of the carrier plate compared to the rest of the structure 110. For example, the extendable section 115 may include a biasing element that is configured to apply a preload force in the plane P of the carrier plate. When the extendable section 115 has a corrugated and relatively thin wall, eg forming a bellows, the biasing element may for example be integrated in the structure 110. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the mounts 120 may comprise a biasing element or may be elastically deformable in the plane P of the carrier plate.

[0052] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a heat exchanger 100 is provided, wherein the structure comprises a plurality of compartments 115-1, ..., 115-N, for example two or more compartments 115. Here, the extendable section is formed by the compartments 115. The heat exchanging surface 111 and the bottom surface are corrugated, folded or curved, thereby providing an elastically deformable mechanism in the plane P of the carrier plate.

[0053] Each compartment may comprise a circumferential wall having, for example, a top section providing a heat exchange surface 111 and a bottom section providing, for example, a bottom surface 112. The top section and the bottom section may be connected to each other at their respective opposite end sections in the plane P of the carrier plate. Each of the top section and the bottom section may comprise an intermediate section that is bent outwardly relative to the plane P of the carrier plate. Accordingly, each compartment may comprise an eye-shaped or diamond-shaped cross-section, for example a cross-section having a long diagonal D1 and a short diagonal D2. The long diagonal D1 may, for example, be in the plane P of the carrier plate, while the short diagonal D2 may be perpendicular to the surface P of the carrier plate. Thus, thermal expansion of the heat exchanger 100 in the plane P of the carrier plate may be compensated by shortening of the long diagonal D1 and expansion of the short diagonal D2. Alternatively, the long diagonal D1 and the short diagonal D2 may be angled relative to the plane P of the carrier plate, for example to reduce expansion of the short diagonal D2 when the heat exchanger 100 thermally expands in the surface P of the carrier plate.

[0054] By reducing the thickness of the circumferential outer wall 113, the thermal mass of the heat exchanger 100 can be reduced, thereby optimizing its efficiency. In addition, in combination with a circumferential outer wall 113 having a corrugated, folded or curved shape, the stiffness of the compartment 115 in the plane P of the carrier plate can be reduced, thereby increasing the flexibility of the compartment. In this way, the compartment 115 can be extended or shortened in the plane P of the carrier plate to compensate for the heat-induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger by elastic deformation. Instead of all compartments 115-1, ..., 115-N having the same circumferential outer wall 113 design, one or more compartments can have a circumferential inner wall 113 with a relatively low stiffness in the plane P of the carrier plate, while other compartments can have a circumferential outer wall 113 with a relatively high stiffness in the plane P of the carrier plate. This can be achieved, for example, by varying the wall thickness of the circumferential outer wall 113 between the compartments 115. Accordingly, a selected one or more compartments 115 are configured to form an extendable section, thereby having increased flexibility to compensate for thermal expansion of the heat exchanger 100, while other compartments are designed, for example, for structural integrity.

[0055] The compartments 115 can be interconnected by elastic elements 119, which are elastically deformable in the plane P of the carrier plate. Accordingly, the seams between the compartments (whose width can be larger or smaller depending on the temperature of the compartments 115) can be sealed by the elastic elements to provide an impermeable carrier plate for preventing the matrix material from passing through the structure 110.

[0056] The elastic element may be made, for example, of a bent metal sheet or a hollow profile, such as a U-profile or an O-profile, to form a thermally conductive but elastically deformable connection between the compartments 115. Alternatively, the elastic element 119 may be made of a polymer or rubber material to form an insulating connection between the compartments 115. The heat exchanger 100 may also be circumferentially provided with one or more elastically deformable elements 119, while the compartments are rigidly connected to each other, for example by a welded or brazed connection.

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, each compartment 115-1, ..., 115-N can be provided with a channel 150, through which a fluid can flow to heat or cool the heat exchange surface 111. The channel 150 can be made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as a metal such as aluminum, steel or a copper alloy, for example. The channel 150 can be made of the same material as the structure 110, or at least made of the same material as the circumferential outer wall 113. The wall of the channel 150 can be thermally coupled to the circumferential outer wall 113. When a cooling or heating fluid (such as water or oil) passes directly through the channel 150, heat is transferred between the fluid and the matrix 200 via the channel wall and the circumferential outer wall 113. Alternatively, each compartment 115 itself can form a channel for guiding a fluid to heat or cool the heat exchange surface 111.

[0058] The channel 150 may, for example, be part of an energy recovery system for recovering energy from heat generated by the substrate 200. For example, when cultivating mycelium, heat is generated in the substrate 200, which heat may be recovered by transferring the heat to a cooling fluid passing through the channel 150. The energy transferred to the cooling fluid may be stored and reused by the energy recovery system, for example for heating the mycelium substrate during a mycelium harvesting phase.

[0059] Figure 5 A substrate drawer 300 is shown, which is provided with a heat exchanger 100 as described herein. The carrier plate of the heat exchanger 100 is suspended to the drawer wall 180. Accordingly, a drawer is formed for accommodating a substrate 200 and a horticultural product 50, such as mycelium, cultivated thereon. The drawer wall 180 is movably mounted to a support, for example by providing a bearing device 120 on the drawer wall 180. The bearing device may for example comprise a flat bearing profile or a roller bearing engaging with a corresponding roller bearing or bearing profile on the support. Alternatively, the bearing device may be provided directly on the heat exchanger 100, for example on the structure 110 or on the support member 118, for movably mounting the heat exchanger 100 to the support. The one or more mountings 120 for movably mounting the heat exchanger to the support may comprise at least one of the following: a bearing, a track or a bracket or a skid.

[0060] Figure 6 and Figure 7A four-layer rack 500 is shown, wherein each layer is provided with a heat exchanger 100 as described herein. Figure 6 In the embodiment, the heat exchanger 100 is directly suspended from the bracket 500 via the relative mounting members 120. Figure 7 In the embodiment, each heat exchanger 100 is arranged in a substrate drawer 300 , which in turn is suspended in a bracket 500 via opposing bearing devices 120 .

[0061] As described herein, the structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 is self-supporting for supporting the substrate 200 between opposing mountings or bearing arrangements 120 such that a bottom surface 112 of the structure 110 opposite the heat exchanging surface 111 faces the surrounding environment, such as the environment between adjacent levels of the support 500 .

[0062] The bottom side of the heat exchanger 100, such as the bottom surface 112, can be provided with an illumination source 190, such as an LED or UV light source, such as Figure 6 As shown. The light source 190 may, for example, be integrated into the bottom surface 112. Accordingly, the lighting conditions of the underlying substrate and the horticultural products 50 cultivated thereon may be controlled. Beneficially, by mounting the light source 190 directly to or integrating it into the bottom side of the heat exchanger 100, waste heat generated by the light source 190 may be dissipated or recovered by the heat exchanger 100. For example, the waste heat generated by the light source 190 may be used to heat the substrate 200, so that less heat needs to be transferred from the heating fluid of the heat exchanger. Thus, the efficiency of the heat exchanger 100 may be improved. In contrast, in conventional brackets, the light source is mounted to a base plate that is thermally insulated from the heat exchanger and / or the substrate and may therefore not contribute to the efficiency of the heat exchanger.

[0063] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the support may additionally include an energy recovery system 400, which may be connected to the heat exchanger 100 for recovering energy from the fluid (such as water or oil) obtained from the heat exchanger 100. In this way, the efficiency of the heat exchanger may be further improved.

[0064] Therefore, it is believed that the operation and structure of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of clarity and concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention may include embodiments having all or some combinations of the described features.

[0065] The invention is applicable not only to horticultural applications where heat exchangers are used for temperature control of substrates, but also to other technical, agricultural or industrial applications where heat exchangers are used. It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to any of the embodiments described herein and that modifications may be considered within the scope of the appended claims. Kinematic reversals are also considered inherently disclosed and may be within the scope of the invention. In the claims, any reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the claim.

[0066] When used in this specification or the appended claims, the terms "comprises" and "includes" should not be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense, but rather in an inclusive sense. Thus, as used herein, expressions such as "comprises" or "includes" do not exclude the presence of other elements, additional structures, or additional actions or steps other than those listed. Furthermore, the words "one" and "an" should not be interpreted as limited to "only one", but are used to mean "at least one", and do not exclude a plurality. Features not specifically or explicitly described or claimed may additionally be included in the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof.

[0067] Expressions such as "means for..." should be read as: "the component is configured to..." or "the member is constructed to..." and should be interpreted as including equivalents of the disclosed structures. The use of expressions such as "critical", "preferred", "particularly preferred", etc. is not intended to limit the invention. To the extent that structures, materials, or acts are considered essential, they are also not strictly indicated. Additions, deletions, and modifications can generally be made within the scope of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of a substrate for growing horticultural products, the heat exchanger having a structure comprising a heat exchange surface, the heat exchange surface being arranged for heating or cooling the substrate, wherein: The structure is arranged to support the substrate, thereby forming a carrier plate having a carrier surface, so that the heat exchange surface forms the carrier surface, wherein the heat exchanger comprises or is configured to cooperate with one or more mountings, the one or more mountings being used to suspend the heat exchanger to a support, and wherein the structure of the heat exchanger is constructed to be self-supporting, for supporting the substrate at least between the one or more mountings, so that the bottom surface of the structure opposite the heat exchange surface faces the surrounding environment, wherein the structure comprises an extendable section, which is configured to extend or shorten in the plane of the carrier plate for compensating for heat-induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger, respectively.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein: The structure of the heat exchanger includes one or more support members, wherein the one or more support members provide structural integrity in a direction parallel to the plane of the carrier plate.

3. A heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The structure forms an impermeable barrier configured to prevent matrix material from passing through the structure.

4. A heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The extendable section is configured to extend or shorten through elastic deformation thereof.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein: The structure comprises at least two compartments, wherein the extendable section is formed by at least one compartment of the at least two compartments.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein: Each of the at least two compartments comprises a circumferential outer wall to provide the heat exchange surface.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein: The circumferential outer wall comprises a top section and a bottom section, wherein the top section and the bottom section are connected to each other at their respective opposite end sections in the plane of the carrier plate, and wherein each of the top section and the bottom section comprises an intermediate section that is bent outwardly relative to the plane of the carrier plate.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 7, wherein: The circumferential outer wall has a rhombus-shaped cross-section with a long diagonal and a short diagonal, wherein the long diagonal is in the plane of the carrier plate, and wherein the short diagonal is perpendicular to the plane of the carrier plate.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein: At least one of the following: The at least two compartments are connected to each other by an elastic element which is elastically deformable in the plane of the carrier plate; and The heat exchanger is circumferentially provided with one or more elastically deformable elements; wherein the at least two compartments are rigidly connected to one another.

10. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein: Each of the at least two compartments comprises a channel through which a fluid can flow to heat or cool the heat exchange surface.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein: The channel can be connected to an energy recovery system arranged to recover energy from heat generated by the substrate.

12. A heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The structure includes one or more walls mounted to the carrier plate.

13. A heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The one or more mounting members for movably mounting the heat exchanger to the bracket include at least one of the following: a bearing, a track or a bracket or a skid.

14. A heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: A light source is disposed on the bottom side of the heat exchanger.

15. A substrate carrier for use in a stand for supporting a substrate for growing horticultural products, the substrate carrier being provided with a heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. A support for supporting a substrate for growing horticultural products, wherein: The support is provided with a heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1-14.

17. The rack of claim 16, further comprising an energy recovery system connectable to the heat exchanger for recovering energy from fluid captured by the heat exchanger.

18. A stent provided with the matrix carrier according to claim 15.

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