Heat exchanger for temperature control of a substrate for cultivating horticultural products, substrate drawer and stand

Abstract

A heat exchanger for temperature control of a substrate of cultivated horticultural products. The heat exchanger has a structure comprising a heat exchange surface arranged for heating or cooling the substrate. The structure is arranged for supporting the substrate, thereby forming a carrier plate having a carrier surface, such that the heat exchange surface forms the carrier surface. The heat exchanger comprises one or more mountings or is configured to cooperate with one or more mountings arranged for suspending the heat exchanger to a rack. The structure of the heat exchanger is configured to be self-supporting for supporting the substrate at least between the one or more mountings, such that a bottom surface of the structure opposite the heat exchange surface faces the ambient environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a heat exchanger for temperature control of substrates used in the cultivation of horticultural products. The invention also relates to a substrate carrier and / or support incorporating such a heat exchanger. Background Technology

[0002] Horticultural products, such as mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, or mycelium, are typically cultivated in controlled environments, such as indoor facilities, where growth conditions such as light, humidity, and temperature can be monitored and regulated. The products grow on layers of substrates such as soil, sawdust, or straw, which can be supported by carrier plates arranged in multiple tiers within a support structure.

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

[0004] In typical setups for cultivating horticultural products, the substrate is supported on a carrier structure, such as a carrier plate, which has specific carrier surface areas for supporting the substrate. Due to the weight of the substrate and the horticultural products grown on it, the carrier structure may require a certain thickness to provide sufficient strength and stiffness, such as flexural stiffness, across the surface area to support the substrate and horticultural products without damaging or excessively deforming the structure, for example, when the substrate is suspended in a bracket or other type of support.

[0005] The strength and rigidity required to support the substrate and horticultural products can be provided by enclosing or clamping 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 radiator, transferring a portion of the energy from the heat exchanger and / or the substrate into the carrier structure. Conversely, when the heat exchanger is configured to cool the substrate, a portion 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 supports, such as the one described in EP2564687, include a support base, a carrier for supporting the substrate relative to the support base, and a heat exchanger for heating and / or cooling the substrate on the carrier. While this can influence the substrate temperature to some extent, the controllability of the substrate temperature remains 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 and horticultural yield of these support systems are suboptimal.

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a heat exchanger that provides improved controllability of the temperature of horticultural product substrates. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In summary, the present invention provides a heat exchanger for temperature control of a substrate for cultivating horticultural products. The heat exchanger has a structure including a heat exchange surface configured for heating or cooling the substrate. The structure is configured to support the substrate, thereby forming a carrier plate with a carrier surface, such that the heat exchange surface forms the carrier surface. The heat exchanger includes or is configured to cooperate with one or more mounting members configured to suspend the heat exchanger to a support. The structure of the heat exchanger is constructed to be self-supporting, supporting the substrate at least between one or more mounting members, such 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. This direct contact greatly benefits temperature controllability. Furthermore, the self-supporting structure supporting the substrate minimizes the thermal mass between the heat exchanger and the substrate, thereby reducing heat loss during heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the substrate. For example, when the heat exchanger is configured to heat the substrate, any thermal mass adjacent to the heat exchanger (e.g., between the heat exchanger and the substrate) can act as a radiator, thus slowing the heating process. Conversely, when the heat exchanger is configured to cool the substrate, such thermal mass can act as a heat source, thus slowing the cooling process. By reducing the number of elements adjacent to the heat exchanger that might contribute to thermal mass, temperature controllability and heat exchanger efficiency are improved. It is understood that the direct heating and cooling of the substrate, combined with the increased efficiency of the heat exchanger due to the reduced amount of thermal mass, accumulates into significant energy savings for the entire cultivation system, making the equipment highly durable and environmentally friendly.

[0010] Because the heat exchanger is self-supporting, unlike conventional heat exchanger systems where the heat exchanger is supported on a support base, no additional support elements are required below the heat exchanger. In this invention, there is no additional thermal mass below the heat exchanger. Consequently, there are no radiators or heat sources below the heat exchanger that could interfere with the heating or cooling process, thus improving the controllability of the heat exchanger.

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

[0012] Because there is no support base, there is a risk that substrate blocks may fall through the heat exchanger structure and onto horticultural products cultivated on lower levels (e.g., within the support). Therefore, the heat exchanger structure can form an impermeable barrier, which is designed to prevent substrate material from passing through the structure.

[0013] When a heat exchanger heats or cools the substrate, the structure of the heat exchanger will expand or contract, respectively. Considering the size of the heat exchanger forming the carrier plate, the thermally induced expansion and contraction in the plane of the carrier plate will be the greatest. When the heat exchanger is mounted at or along its edges, thereby restricting the degrees of freedom of movement in the plane of the carrier plate, internal stresses will occur. To compensate for the thermally induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger, the structure may include extendable sections configured to extend or shorten within the plane of the carrier plate.

[0014] Preferably, the extendable segment is configured to extend or shorten by its elastic deformation. The extendable segment may, for example, include a biasing element, which may be integrated into the structure or may be a separate element.

[0015] In some embodiments, the structure includes at least two compartments, wherein the extendable section is formed by at least one of the at least two compartments. In this way, the elastic deformation of at least one compartment can compensate for the thermally induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger, while the compartment can, for example, be used 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 include, for example, a circumferential outer wall to provide a heat exchange surface. In this way, by reducing the thickness of the circumferential wall between the interior of the compartment and the matrix, thermal mass and resistance to elastic deformation can be reduced.

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

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

[0019] To provide an impermeable barrier to prevent matrix material from penetrating the structure of the heat exchanger, at least one of the following is provided: at least two compartments are interconnected by an elastic element that 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 interconnected.

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

[0021] The channel can be connected to an energy recovery system configured to recover energy from the heat generated by the substrate. This improves the energy efficiency of the heat exchanger.

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

[0023] One or more mounting components for movably mounting the heat exchanger to the bracket may include at least one of the following: bearings, rails or brackets, or skids. The result is a movable mounting arrangement for directly mounting the heat exchanger to the bracket.

[0024] By placing a light source on the bottom side of the heat exchanger, the lighting conditions for horticultural products cultivated on the lower levels of the support 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 operatively coupled to the heat exchanger.

[0025] Another aspect of the invention relates to a substrate carrier used in a support for carrying a substrate for cultivating horticultural products, the substrate carrier being provided with a heat exchanger as described herein.

[0026] Another aspect of the invention relates to a support for holding a substrate for cultivating horticultural products, wherein the support is provided with a heat exchanger as described herein.

[0027] The support may also include an energy recovery system that can be connected to the heat exchanger to recover energy from the fluid obtained by the heat exchanger in order to improve the energy efficiency of the heat exchanger.

[0028] Alternatively or alternatively, the scaffold may be provided with a matrix carrier as described herein. Attached Figure Description

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

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

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

[0032] Figure 3 A top view showing another or additional embodiment of the heat exchanger;

[0033] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view is shown of another embodiment of a heat exchanger including a compartment;

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

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

[0036] Figure 7 A bracket with a substrate drawer as described in this article is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The invention is described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention. For clarity, the absolute and relative dimensions of systems, components, layers, and regions may be exaggerated in the drawings. Embodiments can be described with reference to schematic and / or cross-sectional views of possible idealized embodiments and intermediate structures of the invention. In the specification and drawings, the same numbers always refer to the same elements. Relative terms and their derivatives should be interpreted as referring to the orientations described or shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for clarity of description and, unless otherwise stated, do not require the system to be built or operated in a particular orientation.

[0038] Figure 1 An embodiment of a heat exchanger 100 for temperature control of a substrate 200 for cultivating horticultural products 50 is shown, for example, as part of a horticultural growth setup. The substrate 200 can 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 50 garden products shown represent mushrooms. Figure 2 and Figure 6 The 50 gardening products shown represent fruits, vegetables, or herbs, and Figure 5 and Figure 7 The horticultural product 50 shown in these figures represents mycelium. The example types of horticultural products 50 shown in these figures are not limited to or restricted to the corresponding embodiments of the heat exchangers shown in the respective figures. Other combinations of embodiments of the heat exchanger 100 and types of horticultural products 50 are possible.

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

[0040] The structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 is configured to support the substrate 200, thereby forming a carrier structure, such as a carrier plate having a carrier surface. Accordingly, unlike conventional setups for cultivating horticultural products, a separate carrier structure is not required, and the total thermal mass of the setup that can act as a radiator or heat source can be reduced. As a result, the temperature controllability of the substrate 200 can be improved, and the energy efficiency of the heat exchanger 100 can be increased.

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

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

[0043] One or more mounting members 120 may be disposed, for example, along one or more edges of the heat exchanger 100, such as between opposite edges of the heat exchanger 100. The mounting members 120 may be configured to suspend the heat exchanger 100 rigidly or movably, for example by including clamping devices or bearing devices respectively, or by any combination of rigid and movable suspension devices.

[0044] When the heat exchanger 100 is suspended as a carrier plate between the mounting members 120 that support the 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 surrounding environment. In other words, the bottom surface 112 can be freely accessed from and / or in direct contact with the surrounding environment because it is essentially not covered by supporting elements (such as plates or frames), insulation material, or grids. Therefore, for example, when the heat exchanger 100 is suspended in a support, the bottom surface 112 can be configured, for example, to heat or cool the substrate in the layer located below the heat exchanger 100.

[0045] Preferably, structure 110 forms an impermeable barrier, which is configured to prevent substrate materials such as sand or soil from passing through structure 110, so that any horticultural products 50 cultivated on the tier below heat exchanger 100 are not contaminated by the substrate material.

[0046] During normal operating conditions, a gravity load is applied to the heat exchanger 100, which includes, for example, the weight of the heat exchanger 100 itself, the weight of the substrate 200, and the weight of any horticultural product 50 grown thereon. The structure 110 may be self-supporting, such that, for example, under a gravity load, the deformation of the heat exchanger 100 due to bending stress is within the range of elastic deformation, while the deflection of the carrier surface is within a deflection threshold.

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

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

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

[0050] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of heat exchanger 100 is shown, wherein structure 110 includes one or more support members 118 that provide structural integrity in a transverse direction parallel to the plane P of the carrier plate. Support members 118, such as beams, rods, brackets, or plates, may be positioned offset from plane P to support the bottom surface 112, for example, directly or via an intermediate bushing. One or more support members 118 may span between the longitudinal edges of the carrier plate, between the transverse edges of the carrier plate, and / or between the corners of the carrier plate. Since the bottom surface 112 of structure 110, opposite the heat exchange surface 111, is intended to face the surrounding environment, one or more support members 140 may be relatively elongated to minimize obstruction of the bottom surface 111, such as… Figure 3As shown. For example, support member 118 may include a folded plate, such as having a U-shaped profile with legs oriented perpendicular to a plane P of the carrier plate. 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, structure 110 may further include an extendable section 115. The extendable section is configured to extend or shorten within the plane P of the carrier plate to compensate for the thermally induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger 100, respectively. For example, when the heat exchanger 100 heats the substrate 200, structure 110 may expand within the plane P of the carrier plate. Since the expansion of structure 110 may be laterally constrained, for example, due to the heat exchanger 100 being fixed to a bracket or other support structure, thermally induced stress may accumulate within the structure, potentially causing irreversible damage to the heat exchanger 100. In this case, the extendable section 115 may shorten, for example through its elastic deformation, to compensate for the thermally induced expansion, thereby preventing stress accumulation within structure 110. Compared to the rest of structure 110, the extendable section 115 may have relatively low stiffness within the plane P of the carrier plate. For example, the extendable section 115 may include a biasing element configured to apply a preload force within the plane P of the carrier plate. When the extendable section 115 has corrugated and relatively thin walls, such as forming a bellows, the biasing element can be integrated into the structure 110, for example. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the mounting elements 120 may include 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 includes a plurality of compartments 115-1, ..., 115-N, for example, two or more compartments 115. Here, extendable sections are formed by the compartments 115. The heat exchange 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 include 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 and bottom sections may be connected to each other at their respective opposite end sections in the plane P of the carrier plate. Each of the top and bottom sections may include an intermediate section that curves outward relative to the plane P of the carrier plate. Accordingly, each compartment may include an eye-shaped or rhomboid cross-section, for example, a cross-section having a long diagonal D1 and a short diagonal D2. The long diagonal D1 may be, for example, 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, the thermal expansion of the heat exchanger 100 in the plane P of the carrier plate can be compensated by the shortening of the long diagonal D1 and the expansion of the short diagonal D2. Alternatively, the long diagonal D1 and the short diagonal D2 can be angled relative to the plane P of the carrier plate, for example, reducing the 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. Furthermore, by incorporating a corrugated, folded, or curved circumferential outer wall 113, the stiffness of the compartments 115 in the plane P of the carrier plate can be reduced, thereby increasing the flexibility of the compartments. In this way, the compartments 115 can extend or shorten within the plane P of the carrier plate to compensate for the thermally induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger through 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 relatively low-stiffness circumferential inner wall 113 in the plane P of the carrier plate, while other compartments can have a relatively high-stiffness circumferential outer wall 113 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, one or more selected compartments 115 are configured to form an extendable section, thereby having increased flexibility to compensate for the 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 joints between the compartments (the width of which may be larger or smaller depending on the temperature of the compartment 115) can be sealed by the elastic elements to provide an impermeable carrier plate for preventing matrix material from passing through the structure 110.

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

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, each compartment 115-1, ..., 115-N may be provided with a channel 150 through which fluid can flow to heat or cool the heat exchange surface 111. The channel 150 may be made, for example, of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as a metal like aluminum, steel, or a copper alloy. The channel 150 may be made, for example, of the same material as structure 110, or at least of the same material as the circumferential outer wall 113. The walls of the channel 150 may 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 substrate 200 via the channel walls and the circumferential outer wall 113. Alternatively, each compartment 115 itself may form a channel for guiding fluid to heat or cool the heat exchange surface 111.

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

[0059] Figure 5 A substrate drawer 300 is shown, which is equipped with a heat exchanger 100 as described herein. A carrier plate of the heat exchanger 100 is suspended to a drawer wall 180. Accordingly, a drawer is formed for receiving substrate 200 and horticultural products 50, such as mycelium, cultivated thereon. The drawer wall 180 is movably mounted to a support, for example, by providing bearing devices 120 on the drawer wall 180. The bearing devices may, for example, include flat bearing profiles or roller bearings that engage with corresponding roller bearings or bearing profiles on the support. Alternatively, the bearing devices may be directly mounted on the heat exchanger 100, for example on structure 110 or support member 118, for movably mounting the heat exchanger 100 to the support. One or more mounting elements 120 for movably mounting the heat exchanger to the support may include at least one of the following: bearings, rails or brackets or skids.

[0060] Figure 6 and Figure 7A four-layer support structure 500 is shown, with each layer equipped with a heat exchanger 100 as described herein. Figure 6 In this configuration, the heat exchanger 100 is directly suspended from the bracket 500 via the opposing mounting piece 120. Figure 7 In this configuration, each heat exchanger 100 is housed in a matrix drawer 300, which is suspended in a bracket 500 by a corresponding bearing assembly 120.

[0061] As described herein, the structure 110 of the heat exchanger 100 is self-supporting and is used to support the matrix 200 between opposing mountings or bearing assemblies 120, such that the bottom surface 112 of the structure 110 opposite the heat exchange surface 111 faces the surrounding environment, such as the environment between adjacent layers of the support 500.

[0062] A light source 190, such as an LED or UV light source, can be provided on the bottom side of the heat exchanger 100, for example, the bottom surface 112. Figure 6 As shown. The light source 190 can, for example, be integrated into the bottom surface 112. Accordingly, the lighting conditions for the underlying substrate and the horticultural products 50 grown thereon can be controlled. Advantageously, by mounting the light source 190 directly to or integrating it into the bottom side of the heat exchanger 100, the waste heat generated by the light source 190 can be dissipated or recovered by the heat exchanger 100. For example, the waste heat generated by the light source 190 can be used to heat the substrate 200, thus requiring less heat to be transferred from the heating fluid of the heat exchanger. Therefore, the efficiency of the heat exchanger 100 can be improved. In contrast, in conventional supports, the light source is mounted to the bottom plate, which is insulated from the heat exchanger and / or the substrate, and therefore may 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 can 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 can 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 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 invention may include embodiments having all or some of the described features.

[0065] This invention is applicable not only to horticultural applications using heat exchangers for substrate temperature control, but also to other technological, agricultural, or industrial applications employing heat exchangers. Those skilled in the art will understand that the invention is not limited to any of the embodiments described herein, and modifications can be contemplated within the scope of the appended claims. Kinematic reversal is also considered inherently disclosed and may be within the scope of this invention. In the claims, no reference numerals should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0066] When used in this specification or the appended claims, the terms “comprising” and “including” should not be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense, but rather in an inclusive sense. Therefore, as used herein, expressions such as “comprising” or “including” do not exclude the presence of other elements, additional structures, or additional actions or steps besides those listed. Furthermore, the words “a” and “an” should not be construed 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 be additionally included in the structure of the invention without departing from its scope.

[0067] Expressions such as “apparatus for…” should be read as “the component is configured as…” or “the member is constructed as…” 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. Similarly, structures, materials, or actions are not strictly indicated to the extent deemed necessary. Additions, deletions, and modifications can generally be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A support (500) for supporting a substrate (200) for cultivating horticultural products (50), wherein, The support is provided with a heat exchanger (100) for temperature control of the substrate. The heat exchanger has a structure (110) including a heat exchange surface (111) configured for heating or cooling the substrate. The structure (110) is configured to support the substrate, thereby forming a carrier plate with a carrier surface, such that the heat exchange surface forms the carrier surface. A mounting member (120) suspends the heat exchanger (100) at or along its edge to the support. The structure (110) is configured to be self-supporting, for supporting the matrix at least at one of the mounting members or at least between the plurality of mounting members without additional support elements below the heat exchanger, such that the bottom surface (112) of the structure opposite the heat exchange surface (111) faces the surrounding environment, wherein the structure (110) includes an extendable section (115) configured to extend or shorten laterally in the plane of the carrier plate between the mounting members to compensate for thermally induced contraction or expansion of the heat exchanger, respectively.

2. The bracket (500) according to claim 1, wherein, The structure (110) of the heat exchanger includes one or more support members (118), wherein the one or more support members provide structural integrity in a direction parallel to the plane of the carrier plate.

3. The stent (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The structure (110) forms an impermeable barrier, which is configured to prevent matrix material from passing through the structure.

4. The stent (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The extendable section (115) is configured to extend or shorten by its elastic deformation.

5. The bracket (500) according to claim 4, wherein, The structure (110) includes at least two compartments, wherein the extendable section (115) is formed by at least one of the at least two compartments.

6. The stent (500) according to claim 5, wherein, Each of the at least two compartments includes a circumferential outer wall (113) to provide the heat exchange surface (111).

7. The stent (500) according to claim 6, wherein, The circumferential outer wall (113) includes 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 includes an intermediate section that is curved outward relative to the plane of the carrier plate.

8. The bracket (500) according to claim 7, wherein, The circumferential outer wall (113) has a rhomboid cross section with a long diagonal and a short diagonal, wherein the long diagonal lies in the plane of the carrier plate and wherein the short diagonal is perpendicular to the plane of the carrier plate.

9. The stent (500) according to claim 8, wherein, the following At least one of the following: The at least two compartments are interconnected by an elastic element (119) capable of elastic deformation in the plane of the carrier plate; and The heat exchanger (100) is circumferentially provided with one or more elastic elements (119) capable of elastic deformation; wherein the at least two compartments are rigidly connected to each other.

10. The bracket (500) according to claim 5, wherein, Each of the at least two compartments includes a channel (150) through which fluid can flow to heat or cool the heat exchange surface (111).

11. The stent (500) according to claim 10, wherein, The channel (150) can be connected to an energy recovery system configured to recover energy from the heat generated by the substrate.

12. The stent (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The structure (110) includes one or more walls (180) mounted to the carrier plate.

13. The bracket (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more mounting members (120) for movably mounting the heat exchanger to the bracket include at least one of the following: bearing, rail or bracket or skid.

14. The stent (500) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, A light source (190) is provided on the bottom side of the heat exchanger.

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