An external light liquid storage cooling agricultural container system and a collaborative regulation method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses an externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system and its collaborative control method, belonging to the field of agricultural facility technology. The system includes: a planting container module, whose inner wall of the enclosure structure integrates a capillary mesh for radiative heat exchange to regulate the temperature of the planting space; an externally mounted power cabin module, independent of the planting container module, internally integrating a reversible heat pump unit, a liquid-cooled main unit, a liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet, and a power distribution control cabinet; and standardized detachable interface components to achieve rapid fluid and electrical connection between the two modules. The collaborative control method collects air temperature and humidity, crop canopy temperature, and minimum wall temperature in real time, calculates the dew point temperature, and outputs the required water supply temperature based on the canopy temperature deviation. Simultaneously, it uses the higher of the following values ​​as a lower limit for the safe water supply temperature to prevent condensation, ensuring that radiative cooling does not condense in high-humidity environments. This invention achieves decoupling of the planting space and power equipment, resource utilization of waste heat, and active anti-condensation control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of agricultural facility technology, and in particular to an externally mounted photovoltaic storage and liquid cooling agricultural container system and its coordinated control method. Background Technology

[0002] Containerized plant factories are modular agricultural production facilities that integrate hydroponics, artificial light sources, and environmental control systems within a standard shipping container. They are suitable for space-constrained environments such as urban communities, ocean-going vessels, and island outposts. Currently, these facilities generally adopt an integrated structure, where the planting system, environmental control equipment, artificial light sources and their power supplies, power distribution cabinets, control cabinets, and energy storage batteries are all installed inside the same container or attached to its exterior wall. This structural form has the following technical drawbacks: 1. Traditional air conditioning systems have high energy consumption and low integration of photovoltaic and energy storage. Existing containerized plant factories generally use vapor compression air conditioning (HVAC) systems to handle all sensible and latent heat loads. In practice, air conditioning system energy consumption typically accounts for 16%-54% of the total energy consumption of a containerized plant factory, making it the largest energy-consuming unit besides LED supplemental lighting. Due to the large surface area to volume ratio of containers and the limited thermal insulation capacity of the enclosure structure, the air conditioning operates at high loads year-round, with electricity costs accounting for 15%-25% of total operating costs.

[0003] In recent years, some solutions have attempted to introduce photovoltaic (PV) power generation and energy storage batteries to reduce operating costs, but most adopt a simple superposition model of "external PV panels + independent energy storage cabinets." The power flow between PV power generation, energy storage charging, and load power consumption lacks a matching design tailored to the time-dependent characteristics of containerized planting loads. Furthermore, LED supplemental lighting and energy storage batteries generate a large amount of low-temperature waste heat during operation, which existing solutions forcibly exhaust outside the container through the air conditioning system. This not only fails to utilize the heat but also increases the cooling load on the air conditioning. The PV, energy storage, air conditioning, and waste heat recovery subsystems operate independently, lacking a unified energy and thermal management architecture, making it difficult to improve the overall system energy efficiency.

[0004] 2. Integrated Structure Limits Expandability and Equipment Disrupts the Planting Environment. Existing containerized plant factories generally adopt an integrated structure, where the planting system, air conditioning equipment, power distribution cabinet, control cabinet, and even energy storage batteries are all installed inside the same container or attached to its outer wall. This structure brings multiple problems: First, strong heat sources such as air conditioning compressors and condensers are integrated inside the container or close to the container wall, and some heat re-enters the planting space through structural thermal bridges or radiation, resulting in parasitic energy consumption; second, the equipment compartment typically occupies 15%-25% of the container's volume, squeezing out valuable space that could be used for cultivation; third, vibrations, noise, and airflow disturbances generated by equipment operation affect the uniformity of crop growth; fourth, personnel must enter the container for equipment maintenance, and opening the container door allows outside air, dust, and microorganisms to enter, disrupting the cleanliness of the planting environment and the continuity of production.

[0005] More importantly, the integrated structure requires each container to be equipped with a complete set of power equipment independently. When multiple containers need to be deployed in clusters, there is a serious problem of redundant investment in equipment, and the energy between the containers cannot be shared and dispatched, making it difficult to form an energy-interconnected distributed farm network. As a result, the marginal cost of large-scale deployment remains high.

[0006] 3. The condensation problem of radiant cooling in high-humidity agricultural environments remains unresolved. To reduce air conditioning energy consumption and improve the growing environment, radiant cooling technology has been widely used in the construction industry due to its advantages such as high heat exchange efficiency, no draft, and uniform temperature. However, in containerized plant factories, the relative humidity inside the container is maintained at 60%-85% year-round to meet the transpiration needs of crops, and the air dew point temperature is typically in the range of 12-18℃. The water supply temperature to the radiant cooling surface needs to be lower than room temperature to achieve effective cooling, which easily falls below the air dew point temperature, resulting in condensation on the pipe walls or radiant panel surface. Condensation dripping onto the plant canopy can induce diseases such as gray mold and downy mildew, posing a serious threat to production safety.

[0007] Existing anti-condensation measures are mostly designed for building environments, such as increasing water supply temperature and adding centralized dehumidification systems. However, there are fundamental differences between building environments and plant factory environments. The moisture load generated by human activities in buildings is relatively stable and low, while in plant factories, crop transpiration dynamically and drastically changes with the photoperiod and growth stage, resulting in large fluctuations and high peak values ​​in moisture load. Some existing technical solutions propose planting racks or wall panel structures with condensate collection, but these rely solely on passive collection and lack active prevention and control measures. Other solutions propose applying a hydrophobic coating to the surface of the radiant panels to accelerate condensate runoff, but the durability of this hydrophobic coating in high-humidity agricultural environments and frequent disinfectant cleaning is questionable. Currently, there is no systematic solution that can reliably solve the condensation problem of radiant cooling from both structural and control perspectives in a dynamic high-humidity environment of 70%-85%RH, and is compatible with the modular architecture of containerized plant factories.

[0008] In summary, existing container plant factories have multiple technical contradictions in terms of physical structure, energy utilization, and control strategies. We urgently need a modular container plant factory solution that decouples the power equipment from the planting compartment and has active anti-condensation radiative cooling and distributed photovoltaic energy storage and flexible energy management capabilities to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Purpose of the invention: To provide an externally mounted optical storage and liquid cooling agricultural container system and its coordinated control method, so as to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art.

[0010] Technical solution: An externally mounted photovoltaic storage and liquid cooling agricultural container system, comprising: The planting container module forms a closed planting space inside. The inner wall of the enclosure structure of the planting space is integrated with a capillary mesh, which is used to regulate the temperature inside the planting space through radiative heat exchange. The external power cabin module is a physical unit independent of the planting container module, and it integrates a reversible heat pump unit, a liquid cooling host, a liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet and a power distribution control cabinet. The standardized detachable interface assembly includes a first interface panel disposed at the bottom of the planting container module and a second interface panel disposed at the external power cabin module. The two are detachably connected via connectors, which include fluid connectors and electrical connectors. The reversible heat pump unit supplies refrigerant or heat to the capillary network through the interface component; the liquid cooling host supplies coolant to the LED liquid cooling plate in the planting container module through the interface component; the liquid cooling host is connected to the liquid cooling plate of the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet to form a unified liquid cooling circulation loop.

[0011] Furthermore, the inner wall of the enclosure structure includes a thermally conductive and hydrophilic decorative panel, the capillary mesh, a graphene thermally conductive film covering it, and a polyurethane insulation board arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside; a condensation collection groove is provided at the bottom of the inner wall of the enclosure structure along the longitudinal direction of the box, and the condensation collection groove is connected to a condensate collection device.

[0012] Furthermore, the planting container module is also equipped with an independent fresh air dehumidifier, which maintains a slight positive pressure inside the container by supplying more air than exhausting it.

[0013] Furthermore, the agricultural container system also includes a photovoltaic array mounted on top of the planting container module; the photovoltaic array is connected to a DC bus via an MPPT controller, and the DC bus directly drives the reversible heat pump unit and the liquid-cooled host; the liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet is connected in parallel to the DC bus; the grid interface is connected to the AC side via an inverter as a backup power source.

[0014] Furthermore, the planting container module is equipped with multi-layer cultivation racks, each layer of which integrates LED plant grow lights. An aluminum-based microchannel liquid cooling plate is pressed onto the back of the LED plant grow lights. The inlet and outlet of the liquid cooling plate are connected in parallel to the main supply and return liquid pipes via self-sealing quick connectors. A temperature sensor is embedded in the surface of the liquid cooling plate.

[0015] Furthermore, the main liquid supply pipe of the liquid cooling host branches to the liquid cooling plates of each layer in the planting container module, and is also connected to the liquid cooling plate of the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet in the external power cabin module, so that the LED waste heat and the energy storage battery waste heat share the same liquid cooling circulation loop.

[0016] Furthermore, one of the external power cabin modules can be connected to multiple planting container modules simultaneously through multiple sets of standardized detachable interface components; multiple planting container modules share the reversible heat pump unit, the liquid cooling host, and the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet.

[0017] An externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system and its coordinated control method include the following steps: Step 1: Obtain the currently planted crop variety and its growth stage, and retrieve the target canopy temperature T corresponding to the current growth stage for that variety from the preset light formula database. canopy set This will be used as the target value for subsequent temperature control.

[0018] Step 2: Collect the following data in real time using the sensor system: Air temperature and humidity sensors placed at different heights within the planting space were used to collect air temperature T. air and relative humidity (RH); based on the collected T air Calculate the current dew point temperature T using RH and RH. d .

[0019] The actual temperature T of the crop canopy is collected by non-contact infrared temperature sensors installed above each layer of the cultivation rack. canopy actual ; The lowest wall temperature T was collected using a wall temperature probe attached to the wall of the capillary network return water pipe. wall min .

[0020] Step 3: Calculate the required water supply temperature and the safe water supply temperature; 3.1: Calculate the required water supply temperature T water cal The actual temperature T of the canopy canopy actual With the target temperature T of the canopy canopy set The deviation input is preset to the PID control algorithm, and the output is the required water supply temperature T. water calThis refers to the capillary water supply temperature required to meet the temperature needs of crop growth. 3.2: Calculate the safe water supply temperature T water safe The dew point temperature T calculated in step 2 is used as the starting point for the dew point temperature. d Plus the preset safe temperature difference ΔT safe Obtain the safe water supply temperature T water safe =T d +ΔT safe This refers to the minimum allowable water supply temperature to prevent condensation on the wall surface, where ΔT safe The setting range is 1.0~3.0℃; 3.3: Determine the operating water supply temperature by taking the larger value between the required water supply temperature and the safe water supply temperature as the final operating water supply temperature, i.e., T. water =max(T water cal T water safe ); Step 4: Identify and resolve constraint conflicts, compare T water cal With T water safe Size relationship: If T water cal ≥T water safe This indicates that the cooling demand has not exceeded the safety constraints, and we proceed directly to step 5. If T water cal <T water safe This indicates that the anti-condensation constraint limits the cooling capacity, and the system cannot operate at the required water supply temperature; at this time, the coordination strategy is activated: 4.1: Prioritize increasing the capillary network circulation flow rate to improve the convective heat transfer coefficient and enhance cooling capacity without reducing the supply water temperature; 4.2: Simultaneously increase the operating power of the independent fresh air dehumidifier to reduce the relative humidity of the air in the planting space, thereby lowering the dew point temperature T. d To ensure a safe water supply temperature T water safe This leads to a decrease, expanding the safe cooling space; 4.3: Recalculate T water cal and T water safe If T at this time water cal ≥T water safe This indicates that the coordination strategy has resolved the constraint conflict, and proceeds to step 5; 4.4: If T still exists after coordination water cal <T water safe Then, within the crop's allowable tolerance range, the target canopy temperature T is set. canopy set Increase the step size by one step and return to step 3.1 to recalculate the required water supply temperature until the constraint conflict is resolved. One step size is 0.5~1.0℃.

[0021] Step 5: Execute control output; 5.1: Based on the finally determined water supply temperature T water Adjust the compressor frequency of the reversible heat pump unit to stabilize its outlet water temperature at T. water ; 5.2: Adjust the opening of the electric valve leading to the capillary mesh to match the water supply to the capillary mesh with the current heat load; 5.3: Monitor the lowest wall temperature T wall min To ensure that it is always higher than T d +ΔT safe min , where ΔT safe min This is the preset lower limit for the safe temperature difference; if T wall min Upon reaching this warning line, immediately and forcibly upgrade T. water To T d +ΔT safe min Temperatures above +1.0℃ serve as a safety protection measure.

[0022] Step 6: Execute repeatedly, return to Step 2, and enter the next control cycle to achieve continuous dynamic regulation.

[0023] Furthermore, the coordinated regulation method also includes a feedforward control step: Before the LED supplementary light is turned on, the water supply temperature of the capillary network is lowered to a preset low temperature value for cold storage within a first preset time period; after the LED supplementary light is turned on, the water supply temperature is quickly raised back to the specified water supply temperature. Based on the trend of crop transpiration rate changes monitored by the weighing sensor in the cultivation tray, future humidity changes can be predicted, and the power of the dehumidifier and the water supply temperature of the capillary network can be adjusted in advance.

[0024] Furthermore, the coordinated control method also includes energy dispatching steps: Obtain the real-time power generation of the photovoltaic array, the state of charge of the liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet, and the current total system load; When the photovoltaic output exceeds the load, photovoltaic power is used first to drive the reversible heat pump unit and liquid cooling host, and the surplus power is used to charge the energy storage battery. When the photovoltaic output is less than the load, the energy storage battery will be used to supplement the power first, and when the energy storage is insufficient, the grid power supply will be switched. When the ambient temperature is below a set threshold, the waste heat from the LEDs and the waste heat from the energy storage battery collected by the liquid cooling system are heated by the reversible heat pump unit and then supplied to the capillary network for heating.

[0025] Beneficial Effects: The overall energy efficiency of the system is significantly improved. On the one hand, by replacing traditional forced convection air conditioning with capillary network radiant heat exchange, the sensible heat load and latent heat load are decoupled. The capillary network bears all the sensible heat load, and the small dehumidifier bears all the wet load. On the other hand, through a photovoltaic-storage-direct-flexible power supply topology, photovoltaic power prioritizes direct driving of the reversible heat pump unit and liquid-cooled host, reducing AC / DC conversion losses. The energy storage battery smooths peak and valley loads, reducing grid dependence. Low-temperature waste heat generated by LED supplemental lighting and energy storage batteries is collected through a unified liquid-cooled circulation loop. When the ambient temperature is below a set threshold, it is boosted by the reversible heat pump unit and supplied to the capillary network for heating, realizing the resource utilization of waste heat and further reducing heating energy consumption. The synergistic effect of these multiple energy-saving mechanisms significantly improves the overall energy efficiency of the system compared to traditional air conditioning solutions.

[0026] Maximizing planting space and supporting large-scale expansion: By integrating all power equipment, such as reversible heat pump units, liquid-cooled main units, and liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinets, into independent external power cabin modules, the internal space of the planting container modules is used for crop cultivation, eliminating the interference of large heat and noise sources such as compressors and energy storage batteries on the planting environment. Equipment maintenance is completed independently within the power cabin, without entering the planting space, eliminating the risk of external pollutants entering and ensuring production continuity and environmental cleanliness. More importantly, one external power cabin module can simultaneously connect to multiple planting container modules through multiple sets of standardized detachable interface components, with each container sharing power equipment. This significantly reduces redundant equipment investment and marginal costs when deploying multiple containers in clusters, providing a cost-effective system architecture for the large-scale promotion of distributed container farms.

[0027] A reliable solution for preventing condensation in radiant cooling under high humidity conditions. This invention provides a synergistic solution from both structural and control dimensions for the high humidity environment of plant factories, enabling the safe and reliable application of radiant cooling technology in dynamic high-humidity agricultural environments, while balancing energy efficiency and production safety. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the agricultural container system in this invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the enclosure structure in this invention; Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the collaborative regulation method in this invention.

[0029] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 1. Planting container module; 11. Inner wall of enclosure structure; 12. Thermally conductive and hydrophilic decorative panel; 13. Capillary mesh mat; 14. Graphene thermally conductive film; 15. Polyurethane insulation board; 2. External power cabin module; 3. Standardized detachable interface assembly; 31. First interface panel; 32. Second interface panel; 33. Connector. Detailed Implementation

[0030] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well-known in the art have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the invention.

[0031] Example 1: This example provides an externally mounted optical storage and liquid cooling agricultural container system, using a planting container module 1 modified from a standard shipping container and an externally mounted power cabin module 2 as specific examples for illustration.

[0032] like Figures 1-2 As shown, the agricultural container system in this embodiment consists of an independent planting container module 1 and an external power cabin module 2, which are connected by a standardized detachable interface component 3.

[0033] The planting container module 1 is converted from a standard shipping container, forming a closed planting space inside. The enclosure structure is further integrated with capillary mesh mat 13 after adding an insulation layer to the inner wall of the original corrugated steel plate.

[0034] The inner wall 11 of the enclosure structure adopts a composite wall panel structure, consisting of the following layers from the inside out: the inner layer is a thermally conductive and hydrophilic decorative panel 12, specifically an aluminum foil-faced calcium silicate board. This board has microporous hydrophilic properties, allowing it to briefly absorb moisture when a small amount of condensation occurs under extreme conditions, releasing it naturally as the ambient humidity decreases, thus preventing the formation of water droplets. The aluminum foil finish also has high infrared reflectivity, efficiently reflecting the radiative cooling energy from the capillary network into the planting space, reducing ineffective loss of cooling energy to the outside of the enclosure walls.

[0035] The middle layer consists of a capillary mesh 13 and a graphene thermally conductive film 14 covering it. The capillary mesh 13 is made of PP-R material, which has advantages such as resistance to acid and alkali corrosion, hydrolysis resistance, and long service life, making it suitable for high-humidity agricultural environments and environments requiring regular cleaning with disinfectants. The mesh is fixed to the keel with plastic clips and can be spliced ​​according to the dimensions of the box wall. The graphene thermally conductive film 14 covers the surface of the mesh, which can evenly diffuse the cold energy generated by the capillaries along the wall surface, eliminate hot and cold streaks in the inter-tube areas, and ensure that the uniformity of the wall temperature distribution is controlled within ±0.3℃, fundamentally preventing the risk of condensation caused by localized low temperatures.

[0036] The outer layer is a polyurethane insulation board 15, covered with an aluminum foil vapor barrier layer, tightly attached to the inside of the container corrugated sheet. The joints of the insulation boards are sealed with polyurethane foam sealant, and the overlaps of the vapor barrier layer are sealed with aluminum foil tape to ensure the overall airtightness of the enclosure structure.

[0037] A V-shaped condensation collection trough is installed at the bottom of the inner wall 11 of the enclosure structure along the longitudinal direction of the box. The condensation collection trough is made of bent steel plate with an installation slope of 3‰, and the lowest point is connected to the condensate collection tank via a hose. The collected condensate can be reused for nutrient solution preparation after simple filtration. Under normal control operation, the condensation collection trough is in a dry state; only in the extremely rare event of extreme abnormality in the control system or an unexpected drop in wall temperature below the dew point, the condensation collection trough acts as a physical safety net to guide any possible condensate into the collection tank, ensuring that not a drop falls onto the plant canopy.

[0038] The planting container module 1 also includes an independent integrated fresh air dehumidifier. This unit is a refrigeration dehumidifier type, installed at the upper part of one end of the container. The integrated fresh air dehumidifier has independent fresh air ducts and exhaust ducts. The fresh air duct introduces outside air through rainproof louvers on the side wall of the container, and the fresh air inlet is equipped with both pre-filters and medium-efficiency filters to ensure the cleanliness of the introduced fresh air. The exhaust duct slowly delivers the dehumidified and condensed air into the planting space through the top air supply vent, with the supply air volume exceeding the exhaust air volume to achieve low-speed airflow. The integrated fresh air dehumidifier maintains a slight positive pressure of 5-10 Pa inside the container by ensuring the supply air volume is slightly greater than the exhaust air volume.

[0039] The planting container module 1 is equipped with multi-layer cultivation racks. Each cultivation rack integrates LED plant grow lights, and an aluminum-based microchannel liquid cooling plate is press-fitted to the back with thermally conductive silicone grease. The dimensions of the liquid cooling plate are adapted to the LED light panel. The liquid inlet and outlet of the liquid cooling plate are connected in parallel to the main supply and return liquid pipes via self-sealing quick-connect couplings, which ensure no coolant leakage during the disassembly and maintenance of the cultivation racks. An NTC thermistor temperature sensor is embedded in the surface of the liquid cooling plate to monitor the LED light panel temperature in real time, providing feedback signals for adjusting the speed of the liquid cooling unit.

[0040] The planting container module 1 is also equipped with a sensor system, specifically including: Air temperature and humidity sensors. The sensors are installed at three longitudinal positions: the front, middle, and rear of the enclosure. Each position has two heights (upper and lower) and multiple measuring points. The arithmetic mean of these points is used as the control input values ​​for the air temperature and relative humidity inside the enclosure.

[0041] Non-contact infrared temperature sensor. One sensor is installed above each cultivation rack, with the probe pointing vertically downwards at the center of the crop canopy area for non-contact measurement of the actual temperature of the crop canopy.

[0042] Wall temperature probes were attached to the return water pipes of the capillary mesh mat 13 on both sides and the front and rear ends of the planting space. The lowest value of the four sets of readings was taken as the lowest wall temperature T. wall min Input control system.

[0043] Weighing sensors. One sensor is installed at each of the four corners below each cultivation tray. The total weight of a single cultivation tray is obtained by summing the weights of the four corner sensors. The weighing sensors are used to monitor the total mass change of the nutrient solution and crops in the cultivation trays in real time. The crop transpiration rate is calculated from the mass reduction rate, providing input for feedforward control.

[0044] The externally mounted power cabin module 2 is a physical unit independent of the planting container module 1, constructed using a steel frame structure and waterproof sealing panels. The cabin can be installed underground, on the ground, or in an adjacent independent space. In this embodiment, the cabin is installed in an underground concrete pit below the front end of the planting container module 1, and the pit is equipped with a sump and a drainage pump.

[0045] The modular hospital integrates the following: Reversible heat pump unit. In cooling mode, the heat pump supplies chilled water at 15~20℃ to the capillary network 13; in heating mode, the heat pump switches the four-way valve to supply hot water at 30~35℃ to the capillary network 13. The evaporator / condenser side of the heat pump unit exchanges heat with the coolant circuit of the liquid cooling system through a plate heat exchanger.

[0046] Liquid-cooled main unit. It consists of a variable frequency circulating pump, a stainless steel plate heat exchanger, and an external air-cooled heat exchanger. The liquid supply port and return port of the liquid-cooled main unit are connected to the liquid-cooled quick-connect male connector of the second interface panel 32 on the top of the container via ball valves and insulated pipelines.

[0047] Liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet. The bottom of the battery modules is equipped with an aluminum serpentine liquid cooling plate, which is connected to the coolant circulation loop of the liquid cooling unit via hoses and quick connectors, sharing the same liquid cooling unit as the LED liquid cooling plate. The energy storage battery cabinet has a built-in BMS (Battery Management System) that monitors the voltage, temperature, state of charge, and health status of each cell in real time, and communicates with the power distribution control cabinet via a protocol.

[0048] Power distribution control cabinet. Integrates solar charging controller, pure sine wave inverter, PLC programmable logic controller, touch screen human-machine interface, 4G wireless communication module, AC / DC switching contactor and protection device.

[0049] The container is equipped with a second interface panel 32, which corresponds to the quick-connect connectors of the first interface panel 31 at the bottom of the planting container module 1. It is equipped with liquid cooling supply male connector, liquid cooling return male connector, refrigerant liquid pipe male connector, refrigerant gas pipe male connector and multi-core electrical aviation male connector, all of which are self-sealing quick-connect connectors with guide pins and O-rings.

[0050] The standardized detachable interface assembly 3 includes a first interface panel 31 and a second interface panel 32. The first interface panel 31 is sealed and installed in the front opening area of ​​the planting container module 1 and welded and sealed to the bottom waterproof tray. The first interface panel 31 integrates a liquid cooling supply quick-connect female connector, a liquid cooling return quick-connect female connector, a refrigerant liquid quick-connect female connector, a refrigerant gas quick-connect female connector, and a multi-core electrical aviation connector female connector. The second interface panel 32 is correspondingly provided with a guide hole, a liquid cooling supply male connector, a liquid cooling return male connector, a refrigerant liquid pipe male connector, a refrigerant gas pipe male connector, and an electrical aviation connector male connector. The first interface panel 31 and the second interface panel 32 are detachably connected via a connector 33, which includes a fluid connector and an electrical connector.

[0051] A photovoltaic array is mounted on the top of the planting container module 1. It is bolted to the original container corner fittings via aluminum alloy rails. The output of the photovoltaic array is connected to the 48V DC bus via an MPPT controller. The DC bus directly drives the DC inverter compressor of the reversible heat pump unit and the DC brushless circulating pump of the liquid-cooled host, eliminating the need for inverter and rectification stages and reducing AC-DC conversion losses. The liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet is connected in parallel to the DC bus as an energy buffer unit. The grid interface is connected to the AC side via an inverter. When neither the photovoltaic output nor the energy storage discharge can meet the load demand, the system automatically switches to grid power.

[0052] Example 2 is a collaborative control method based on Example 1, executed by a PLC in the power distribution control cabinet. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the specific steps are as follows: Step 1: Obtain the target canopy temperature. The power distribution control cabinet has a preset light formula database that stores the target canopy temperatures for various crops at different growth stages. After the operator selects the currently planted crop variety and growth stage, the PLC automatically retrieves the corresponding target canopy temperature T. canopy set .

[0053] Step 2: Sensor Data Acquisition and Dew Point Temperature Calculation. The PLC collects the following sensor data through analog input and communication modules: air temperature T air Relative humidity (RH): Take the arithmetic mean of multiple air temperature and humidity sensors.

[0054] Dew point temperature T d According to the collected T air RH was calculated using the dew point temperature calculation formula.

[0055] Actual canopy temperature T canopy actual The weighted average of measurements taken by multiple infrared temperature sensors for each layer of the crop canopy is calculated.

[0056] Minimum wall temperature T wall minTake the lowest value from multiple sets of wall temperature probe readings.

[0057] Step 3: Calculate the required water supply temperature and the safe water supply temperature.

[0058] 3.1: Calculate the required water supply temperature T water cal The actual canopy temperature T canopy actual With the target temperature T of the canopy canopy set The deviation input is preset to the PID control algorithm, and the controller output is the required water supply temperature T. water cal The preset PID control algorithm can be implemented using proportional-integral-derivative (PI-DI) control, fuzzy control, model predictive control, or other closed-loop control algorithms based on temperature deviation. The specific algorithm can be selected according to the crop variety and planting process requirements. In a preferred embodiment, a classic PID control algorithm is used. By adjusting the proportional coefficient, integral time, and derivative time parameters, the actual canopy temperature stably tracks the target temperature, and the corresponding capillary network water supply temperature is output.

[0059] 3.2: Calculate the safe water supply temperature T water safe Dew point temperature T d Plus the preset safe temperature difference ΔT safe To obtain the safe water supply temperature T water safe This refers to the minimum allowable water supply temperature to prevent condensation on the wall surface. ΔT safe It can be set within a preset range.

[0060] 3.3: Determine the operating water supply temperature. Take the larger of the required water supply temperature and the safe water supply temperature as the final operating water supply temperature, i.e., T. water =max(T water cal T water safe ).

[0061] Step 4: Identify and resolve constraint conflicts Compare T water cal With T water safe Size relationship: If T water cal ≥T water safe This indicates that the cooling demand has not exceeded the safety constraints, and we can proceed directly to step 5.

[0062] If T water cal <T water safe This indicates that the anti-condensation constraint limits the cooling capacity, and the system cannot operate at the required water supply temperature. At this point, a coordination strategy is activated: Prioritize increasing the capillary network circulation flow rate to improve the convective heat transfer coefficient and enhance cooling capacity without reducing the supply water temperature; Simultaneously increase the operating power of the independent fresh air dehumidifier unit to reduce the relative humidity of the air in the planting space, thereby lowering the dew point temperature T. d To ensure a safe water supply temperature T water safe This leads to a decrease, expanding the safe cooling space; Recalculate and determine if the constraint conflict has been resolved; proceed to step 5. If conflicting constraints still exist after coordination, then within the crop's allowable tolerance range, the target canopy temperature T will be adjusted. canopy set Increase the step size by one step (the cumulative increase of this step size shall not exceed the maximum temperature tolerance offset value preset by the crop variety), return to step 3.1 to recalculate the required water supply temperature, until the constraint conflict is resolved.

[0063] Step 5: Execute control output. Based on the final determined water supply temperature T. water Adjust the compressor frequency of the reversible heat pump unit to stabilize its outlet water temperature at T. water Adjust the opening of the electric valve leading to the capillary mesh 13 to match the water supply of the capillary mesh 13 with the current heat load; continuously monitor the lowest wall temperature T. wall min To ensure that the water supply temperature is always higher than the dew point temperature plus a preset safety margin, if the warning line is reached, the water supply temperature will be forcibly increased immediately as a safety protection measure.

[0064] Step 6: Execute in a loop. Return to Step 2 to enter the next control cycle, achieving continuous dynamic regulation.

[0065] This embodiment also includes feedforward control: LED switch pre-adjustment. Before the LED supplementary light is turned on, the water supply temperature of the capillary network is lowered to a preset low temperature value for cold storage within a preset time. After the LED supplementary light is turned on, the water supply temperature is quickly raised back to the execution water supply temperature or safety limit determined in step 3 to avoid cross-risk windows caused by excessively low wall temperature and sudden rise in dew point temperature due to the start of evaporation.

[0066] Transpiration rate feedforward. The transpiration rate of the crop is calculated by acquiring changes in mass through a weighing sensor beneath the cultivation tray. When the transpiration rate exceeds a preset threshold, future humidity changes are predicted based on the upward trend of the transpiration rate. The dehumidifier power and capillary network water supply temperature are adjusted in advance to proactively counteract impending humidity surges.

[0067] This embodiment also includes energy dispatching, which operates in parallel with the control steps described above: Obtain the real-time power generation of the photovoltaic array, the state of charge of the liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet, and the current total system load.

[0068] When the photovoltaic output exceeds the load, photovoltaic power is used first to drive the reversible heat pump unit and liquid cooling host, and the surplus power is used to charge the energy storage battery.

[0069] When the photovoltaic output is less than the load, the energy storage battery will be used to supplement the power first, and when the energy storage is insufficient, the grid power supply will be switched.

[0070] When the ambient temperature is below the set threshold, the waste heat from the LED and the waste heat from the energy storage battery collected by the liquid cooling system is heated by the reversible heat pump unit and then supplied to the capillary network 13 for heating, thus realizing the recovery and utilization of waste heat.

[0071] Example 3 is essentially the same as Example 1, except that: one external power container module 2 is connected to multiple planting container modules 1 simultaneously through multiple sets of standardized detachable interface components 3. Multiple planting container modules 1 can each grow different crops, and the target canopy temperature for each module can be set independently. The power distribution control cabinet independently controls the temperature, humidity, and light parameters for each module, while simultaneously coordinating the energy distribution of the liquid cooling unit and the energy storage battery cabinet.

[0072] The liquid cooling unit's main supply pipe is divided into multiple branches within the container, each equipped with an independent electric regulating valve. These valves independently adjust the liquid cooling flow rate of each box based on feedback from the temperature sensors on the LED light panels of each box. The reversible heat pump unit supplies chilled or hot water at different temperatures to the capillary network 13 of multiple planting boxes via multiple sets of refrigerant distribution pipes and electronic expansion valves.

[0073] In terms of energy allocation and scheduling, when photovoltaic output is insufficient, energy storage batteries prioritize supplying power to the planting boxes with the largest temperature deviations or the highest temperature sensitivity. Once the temperature requirements of all boxes are met, the remaining power is then evenly distributed to the LED supplemental lighting drivers in each box. This priority scheduling strategy ensures that, under limited energy supply, the most temperature-sensitive crops are given priority protection, reducing the risk of overall yield loss.

[0074] The preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the inventive concept, various equivalent transformations can be made to the technical solutions of the invention, and all such equivalent transformations fall within the protection scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system, characterized in that, include: The planting container module (1) forms a closed planting space inside. The inner wall (11) of the enclosure structure of the planting space is integrated with a capillary mesh (13). The capillary mesh (13) is used to regulate the temperature in the planting space by means of radiative heat exchange. The external power cabin module (2) is a physical unit independent of the planting container module (1), and it integrates a reversible heat pump unit, a liquid cooling host, a liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet and a power distribution control cabinet. The standardized detachable interface assembly (3) includes a first interface panel (31) located at the bottom of the planting container module (1) and a second interface panel (32) located at the external power cabin module (2), which are detachably connected by a connector (33); The reversible heat pump unit supplies refrigerant or heat to the capillary network (13) through the interface component; the liquid cooling host supplies coolant to the LED liquid cooling plate in the planting container module (1) through the interface component; the liquid cooling host is connected to the liquid cooling plate of the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet to form a unified liquid cooling circulation loop.

2. The externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall (11) of the enclosure structure includes a thermally conductive and hydrophilic decorative panel (12), a capillary mesh (13), a graphene thermally conductive film (14) covering it, and a polyurethane insulation layer (15) arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside; the bottom of the inner wall (11) of the enclosure structure is provided with a condensation collection groove along the longitudinal direction of the box body, and the condensation collection groove is connected to a condensate collection device.

3. An externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The planting container module (1) is also equipped with an independent fresh air dehumidifier. The fresh air dehumidifier maintains a slight positive pressure inside the container by supplying more air than exhausting air.

4. The agricultural container system with external photoelectric storage and liquid cooling according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a photovoltaic array installed on top of the planting container module (1); the photovoltaic array is connected to the DC bus via an MPPT controller, and the DC bus directly drives the reversible heat pump unit and the liquid cooling host; the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet is connected in parallel to the DC bus; the grid interface is connected to the AC side via an inverter as a backup power source.

5. An externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The planting container module (1) is equipped with a multi-layer cultivation rack. Each cultivation rack is integrated with an LED plant supplement light. An aluminum-based microchannel liquid cooling plate is pressed onto the back of the LED plant supplement light. The liquid inlet and outlet of the liquid cooling plate are connected in parallel to the main supply and return liquid pipe through self-sealing quick connectors. A temperature sensor is embedded on the surface of the liquid cooling plate.

6. An externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The main liquid supply pipe of the liquid cooling host branches to the liquid cooling plates of each layer in the planting container module (1), and is connected to the liquid cooling plate of the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet in the external power cabin module (2), so that the LED waste heat and the energy storage battery waste heat share the same liquid cooling circulation loop.

7. An externally mounted photovoltaic-cooled liquid-cooled agricultural container system according to claim 6, characterized in that, One of the external power cabin modules (2) is connected to multiple planting container modules (1) simultaneously through multiple sets of the standardized detachable interface components (3); the multiple planting container modules (1) share the reversible heat pump unit, the liquid cooling host and the liquid cooling energy storage battery cabinet.

8. A method for coordinated control of an agricultural container system based on any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Obtain the currently planted crop variety and its growth stage, and retrieve the target canopy temperature T corresponding to the current growth stage for that variety from the preset light formula database. canopy set And use it as the target value for subsequent temperature control; Step 2: Collect the following data in real time using the sensor system: Air temperature and humidity sensors placed at different heights within the planting space were used to collect air temperature T. air and relative humidity (RH); based on the collected T air Calculate the current dew point temperature T using RH and RH. d ; The actual temperature T of the crop canopy is collected by non-contact infrared temperature sensors installed above each layer of the cultivation rack. canopy actual ; The lowest wall temperature T was collected using a wall temperature probe attached to the wall of the return water pipe of the capillary mesh (13). wall min ; Step 3: Calculate the required water supply temperature and the safe water supply temperature; 3.1: Calculate the required water supply temperature T water cal The actual temperature T of the canopy canopy actual With the target temperature T of the canopy canopy set The deviation input is preset to the PID control algorithm, and the output is the required water supply temperature T. water cal This refers to the capillary water supply temperature required to meet the temperature needs of crop growth. 3.2: Calculate the safe water supply temperature T water safe The dew point temperature T calculated in step 2 is used as the starting point for the dew point temperature. d Plus the preset safe temperature difference ΔT safe Obtain the safe water supply temperature T water safe =T d +ΔT safe This refers to the minimum allowable water supply temperature to prevent condensation on the wall surface, where ΔT safe The setting range is 1.0~3.0℃; 3.3: Determine the operating water supply temperature. Take the larger of the required water supply temperature and the safe water supply temperature as the final operating water supply temperature, i.e., T. water =max(T water cal T water safe ); Step 4: Identify and resolve constraint conflicts, compare T water cal With T water safe Size relationship: If T water cal ≥T water safe This indicates that the cooling demand has not exceeded the safety constraints, and we proceed directly to step 5. If T water cal <T water safe This indicates that the anti-condensation constraint limits the cooling capacity, and the system cannot operate at the required water supply temperature; at this time, the coordination strategy is activated: 4.1: Prioritize increasing the capillary network circulation flow rate to improve the convective heat transfer coefficient and enhance cooling capacity without reducing the supply water temperature; 4.2: Simultaneously increase the operating power of the independent fresh air dehumidifier to reduce the relative humidity of the air in the planting space, thereby lowering the dew point temperature T. d To ensure a safe water supply temperature T water safe This leads to a decrease, expanding the safe cooling space; 4.3: Recalculate T water cal and T water safe If T at this time water cal ≥T water safe This indicates that the coordination strategy has resolved the constraint conflict, and proceeds to step 5; 4.4: If T still exists after coordination water cal <T water safe Then, within the crop's allowable tolerance range, the target canopy temperature T is set at... canopy set Increase the step size by one step and return to step 3.1 to recalculate the required water supply temperature until the constraint conflict is resolved. One step size is 0.5~1.0℃. Step 5: Execute control output; 5.1: Based on the finally determined water supply temperature T water Adjust the compressor frequency of the reversible heat pump unit to stabilize its outlet water temperature at T. water ; 5.2: Adjust the opening of the electric valve leading to the capillary mesh (13) to match the water supply of the capillary mesh (13) with the current heat load; 5.3: Monitor the lowest wall temperature T wall min To ensure that it is always higher than T d +ΔT safe min , where ΔT safe min This is the preset lower limit for the safe temperature difference; if T wall min Upon reaching this warning line, immediately and forcibly upgrade T. water To T d +ΔT safe min Temperatures above +1.0℃ serve as a safety protection measure. Step 6: Execute repeatedly, return to Step 2, and enter the next control cycle to achieve continuous dynamic regulation.

9. The coordinated regulation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes feedforward control steps: Before the LED supplementary light is turned on, the water supply temperature of the capillary network is lowered to a preset low temperature value for cold storage within a first preset time period; after the LED supplementary light is turned on, the water supply temperature is quickly raised back to the specified water supply temperature. Based on the trend of crop transpiration rate changes monitored by the weighing sensor in the cultivation tray, future humidity changes can be predicted, and the power of the dehumidifier and the water supply temperature of the capillary network can be adjusted in advance.

10. The coordinated regulation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes energy dispatching steps: Obtain the real-time power generation of the photovoltaic array, the state of charge of the liquid-cooled energy storage battery cabinet, and the current total system load; When the photovoltaic output exceeds the load, photovoltaic power is used first to drive the reversible heat pump unit and liquid cooling host, and the surplus power is used to charge the energy storage battery. When the photovoltaic output is less than the load, the energy storage battery will be used to supplement the power first, and when the energy storage is insufficient, the grid power supply will be switched. When the ambient temperature is lower than the set threshold, the waste heat from the LED and the waste heat from the energy storage battery collected by the liquid cooling system will be supplied to the capillary network mat (13) for heating after the temperature is raised by the reversible heat pump unit.

Images