Growth promotion method of photosynthetic organisms, and growth promotion device of photosynthetic organisms

Abstract

To provide a growth promotion method of photosynthetic organisms and a growth promotion device of photosynthetic organisms.SOLUTION: A temperature and humidity inside a raising facility of photosynthetic organisms, and any one or more of the carbon dioxide concentration, oxygen concentration or photosynthesis activity amount of photosynthetic organisms are measured, and on the basis of a measured result, any of air taken from outside the raising facility of photosynthetic organism, combustion exhaust of hydrocarbon fuel, and mixture gas of air outside the facility and the combustion exhaust is supplied while heating or cooling and humidifying or dehumidifying by using either one or both of renewable energy electric power and renewable energy heat such that the temperature and humidity inside the facility can be maintained at a temperature and humidity suitable for raising photosynthetic organisms.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms, which promote the growth of photosynthetic organisms such as plants and algae that perform photosynthesis, and which, through said growth promotion, cause carbon dioxide contained in the air and in the combustion exhaust of hydrocarbon fuels to be absorbed and fixed in the photosynthetic organisms. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to curb emissions of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, there is a demand to reduce the use of fossil fuels in the agricultural sector, including greenhouse horticulture and plant factories that use vinyl greenhouses.

[0003] Meanwhile, in current typical horticultural facilities, in order to promote the growth of photosynthetic organisms within the facility, a common method is to burn fossil fuels such as kerosene or LP gas during times when photosynthetic activity is active and carbon dioxide within the facility is lacking, and then dilute some of the combustion exhaust with air from within the facility and supply it to supply carbon dioxide, or to procure carbon dioxide gas from outside the facility to promote growth. However, while these methods consume fossil fuels to promote the growth of photosynthetic organisms, not all of the carbon dioxide in the supplied gas is absorbed and fixed by the photosynthetic organisms, and so the unabsorbed carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere and accumulates, contributing to global warming.

[0004] In relation to these issues, a method has been proposed for reducing the emission of carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas generated by combustion in power generation facilities and waste treatment facilities that use fossil fuels or biomass (Patent Document 1), as well as a method for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide contained in combustion exhaust gas while promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms by using the carbon dioxide contained in the combustion exhaust gas generated at waste incineration facilities to cultivate the photosynthetic organisms (Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7242774 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-1219521 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described above, conventional technology can separate and capture carbon dioxide generated when fossil fuels or biomass fuels are burned, promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms while having the photosynthetic organisms absorb and fix the carbon dioxide contained in the combustion exhaust, thereby making it possible to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. However, this technology has the following four challenges.

[0007] First, both methods involve separating and capturing carbon dioxide from combustion exhaust gases for use. The carbon dioxide separation and capture process involves purification treatment of the combustion exhaust gases, such as removing soot and acidic gas components, and the separation and capture process involving the absorption of carbon dioxide into absorbent materials and regeneration of the absorbent materials that have absorbed carbon dioxide. These processes consume a large amount of energy and have the problem of requiring large, complex equipment.

[0008] In addition, while capturing carbon dioxide from exhaust gas from the combustion of fossil fuels or waste treatment or garbage incineration derived from fossil fuels can reduce carbon dioxide emissions derived from fossil fuels, it cannot contribute to reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide that has already accumulated in the atmosphere and its concentration has increased.In addition, capturing carbon dioxide from exhaust gas from the combustion of biomass-derived fuels or waste can contribute to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but as mentioned above, there is an issue that the large amount of energy consumed in the exhaust gas purification process and the carbon dioxide separation and capture process reduces the net amount of carbon dioxide reduction.

[0009] In addition, power generation facilities that use fossil fuels or woody biomass, and waste treatment facilities that incinerate waste, both have difficulty in frequent start-and-stop operations and flexible output control, and there is an increased risk of incomplete combustion due to a drop in combustion temperature, particularly during low-load operation. For this reason, the power generation equipment and incinerators used at these facilities are operated continuously day and night, or under specified conditions during certain time periods. Meanwhile, the absorption and fixation of carbon dioxide by photosynthetic organisms is limited to the light-receiving time periods during which photosynthetic activity is possible, and the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed and fixed also depends greatly on the amount of light. As a result, there is a large difference between the time periods during which carbon dioxide can be separated and captured by continuous day and night operation of power generation equipment and combustion equipment, and the time periods during which carbon dioxide can be absorbed and fixed and the amount of carbon dioxide that can be absorbed and fixed in facilities for cultivating photosynthetic organisms. Since the latter is usually limited in both time and quantity, much of the amount of the separated and fixed carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere without being absorbed and fixed, which poses the issue of accumulation of greenhouse gases.

[0010] For example, in facilities that use sunlight as a light source for photosynthesis, such as vinyl greenhouse horticultural facilities and algae cultivation facilities that use open pools, even if carbon dioxide can be separated and collected from combustion exhaust at night when photosynthesis is difficult or on cloudy or rainy days when the amount of photosynthesis is reduced, it cannot be absorbed and fixed by photosynthetic organisms. In facilities that use artificial light as a light source for photosynthesis to solve this problem, the large amount of electricity consumed to emit artificial light results in a decrease in the net amount of carbon dioxide absorbed and fixed.

[0011] Possible methods for solving the above-mentioned problems include burning biomass fuel only during times when photosynthetic activity is active, purifying the carbon-neutral combustion exhaust, and supplying it to the facility, or drawing in outside air containing carbon dioxide that has accumulated in the atmosphere and supplying it directly to the facility.However, with either method, the supply temperature of the gas supplied to the facility must be controlled to a temperature suitable for the growth of the photosynthetic organisms cultivated within the facility, otherwise the photosynthetic organisms may be damaged or their growth may be inhibited by temperature changes within the facility.

[0012] For example, if high-temperature biomass combustion exhaust is purified and supplied into the facility or if high-temperature outside air is supplied into the facility during the daytime in summer when the temperature inside the facility rises, the temperature inside the facility will be heated beyond the temperature suitable for the growth of photosynthetic organisms, damaging the photosynthetic organisms or inhibiting their growth.In addition, if low-temperature outside air is supplied into the facility during the daytime in winter when the temperature inside the facility drops, the photosynthetic organisms will be damaged by the cold air or their growth will be inhibited.

[0013] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a method for reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by using either electricity or heat, or both, from renewable energy sources to supply air containing carbon dioxide, or combustion exhaust of hydrocarbon fuel, or a mixture of these, from outside a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms to the photosynthetic organisms after controlling the temperature and humidity to suitable levels for the growth of the photosynthetic organisms, thereby promoting the growth of the photosynthetic organisms with the carbon dioxide in the supply gas while maintaining an appropriate temperature and humidity within the cultivation facility, and absorbing and fixing the carbon dioxide in the supply gas, thereby reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and a photosynthetic organism growth promotion device that applies this method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the photosynthetic organism growth promotion device of the present invention comprises a renewable energy power generation facility, a cultivation facility supply gas temperature control facility that controls the temperature of the gas supplied to the cultivation facility by heating or cooling either the air drawn in from outside the cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms, the combustion exhaust of a hydrocarbon fuel, or a mixture of the air and the combustion exhaust, using the electric power generated by the renewable energy power generation facility or cold or hot heat of renewable energy origin obtained from a renewable energy heat utilization facility, and a cultivation facility supply gas temperature control facility that is operated by the electric power generated by the renewable energy power generation facility and controls the temperature of the gas supplied to the cultivation facility. and a blower that supplies gas that has been heated or cooled by a heater into the cultivation facility, and one or more of the supply timing, supply period, and supply amount of the cultivation facility supply gas are controlled and supplied in accordance with one or more measurement results of the carbon dioxide concentration within the cultivation facility, the oxygen concentration within the cultivation facility, and the photosynthetic activity amount of the photosynthetic organisms.This prevents a decrease in the carbon dioxide concentration within the cultivation facility while maintaining a temperature suitable for the growth of the photosynthetic organisms within the cultivation facility during the period of photosynthetic activity of the photosynthetic organisms within the cultivation facility, and promotes the growth of the photosynthetic organisms.

[0015] It is desirable to provide the device with a function for adjusting both the temperature and humidity of the supplied gas by adding a function for measuring the humidity within a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms and, depending on the measurement results, controlling the humidity of the gas supplied into the facility to either the humidity within the cultivation facility or an appropriate humidity determined depending on the growth process of the photosynthetic organisms using a humidity regulator operated by power generated by a renewable energy power generation facility that constitutes the device.

[0016] Furthermore, it is desirable for the device to be equipped with a power storage system that stores surplus electricity when there is surplus power generation output from a renewable energy power generation facility that provides the power to operate the device, or when there is surplus power supply capacity in the grid, so that the stored electricity can be supplied when the power demand related to the operation of the device cannot be met with the output from the power generation facility alone.

[0017] In addition, a heat storage type temperature control device may be provided that stores the excess heat via a heat medium when there is a surplus of cold or hot heat obtained from the power generation output from the renewable energy power generation equipment or cold or hot heat obtained from the renewable energy heat utilization equipment, and when it is necessary to lower the temperature inside the cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms, cools the cultivation facility by circulating a low-temperature heat medium whose temperature has been lowered by cold heat inside the facility, and when it is necessary to raise the temperature inside the cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms, circulates a high-temperature heat medium whose temperature has been raised by hot heat inside the facility to heat the cultivation facility, thereby controlling the temperature so that the temperature inside the cultivation facility can be maintained at an appropriate temperature for photosynthetic organisms.

[0018] Furthermore, by installing multiple photosynthetic organism growth promotion devices that utilize renewable energy electricity and multiple photosynthetic organism growth promotion devices that utilize renewable energy heat side by side, if one of the devices alone cannot control or maintain the carbon dioxide concentration or temperature within the photosynthetic organism cultivation facility to a state suitable for the photosynthetic organisms, the other device can supply a supplementary supply gas containing temperature-controlled carbon dioxide, making it possible to control either the carbon dioxide concentration or the temperature, or both, of the entire photosynthetic organism cultivation facility to a state suitable for the cultivation of photosynthetic organisms.

[0019] Thus, the present invention is a method for promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms by controlling the temperature and humidity in a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms while supplying carbon dioxide gas required for photosynthesis using either or both of renewable energy electric power or renewable energy heat, the method comprising: a cultivation facility condition assessment step of measuring and assessing at least one of the temperature and humidity in the cultivation facility and the carbon dioxide concentration, the oxygen concentration, or the amount of photosynthetic activity of the photosynthetic organisms; a cultivation facility supply gas temperature control step of controlling the temperature of a cultivation facility supply gas by heating or cooling with heat or cold energy obtained from the renewable energy electric power or the renewable energy heat, either the air taken in from outside the facility, the combustion exhaust of a hydrocarbon fuel, or a mixture of the air and the combustion exhaust, based on the results obtained in the assessment step; and and a cultivation facility supply gas control step of controlling the humidity of the gas supplied to the cultivation facility by a humidity regulator operated by electric power generated by the renewable energy power generation facility, electric power stored in an electric storage facility, or electric power received from a power grid; and a cultivation facility supply gas control step of controlling one or more of the supply timing, supply period, and supply amount of the gas supplied to the cultivation facility, and the temperature and humidity of the gas supplied to the cultivation facility, based on the results obtained in the grasping step, by a blower operated by electric power generated by the renewable energy power generation facility, electric power stored in an electric storage facility, or electric power received from a power grid.

[0020] The renewable energy power generation equipment constituting the device of the present invention may be any one or more of the following: solar power generation equipment, solar thermal power generation equipment, wind power generation equipment, hydroelectric power generation equipment, biomass power generation equipment, geothermal power generation equipment, hot spring heat power generation equipment, and temperature difference power generation equipment.The renewable energy heat utilization equipment constituting the device of the present invention may be any one or more of the following: solar heat utilization equipment, river heat utilization equipment, sewage heat utilization equipment, lake water or seawater heat utilization equipment, biomass or biogas combustion heat utilization equipment, biomass fermentation heat utilization equipment, geothermal or hot spring heat utilization equipment, geothermal heat or groundwater heat utilization equipment, and snow and ice heat utilization equipment. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, in a facility for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, a small and simple device configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize carbon dioxide contained in the atmosphere and in the combustion exhaust of hydrocarbon fuels, control the temperature and humidity suitable for the growth of photosynthetic organisms, and absorb and fix carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and combustion exhaust in the photosynthetic organisms while promoting their growth, without being subject to the consumption of fossil fuels or electricity derived from fossil fuels, the operating constraints of power generation equipment and incineration treatment equipment, or the need to procure and supply carbon dioxide gas for growth promotion from outside.

[0022] In particular, by limiting the gas supplied to a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms to the air outside the cultivation facility, or limiting the hydrocarbon fuel to biomass resources such as biogas or wood, it becomes possible to use electricity and heat from renewable energy sources to promote the growth of the photosynthetic organisms while absorbing and fixing carbon dioxide accumulated in the atmosphere in the photosynthetic organisms by promoting photosynthesis. In particular, when the gas supplied to a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms is limited to air, a large amount of air supply is required due to the low carbon dioxide concentration, but the present invention can be applied to many locations where the device is installed and operated, as long as the location is not restricted by the procurement of fuel, can obtain the electricity and heat from renewable energy sources required for the operation of the device, and can supply air.

[0023] Furthermore, when operating this device, if surplus electricity is generated from renewable energy power generation facilities or from the grid, the surplus electricity from the grid can be used to operate this device, or the electricity used to operate this device can be stored and used. This makes it possible to effectively utilize surplus electricity, particularly with the widespread use of solar power generation, and to absorb and fix carbon dioxide in photosynthetic organisms. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus for promoting growth of photosynthetic organisms according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a heating section and a cooling section for controlling the supply gas temperature of a supply gas temperature control device constituting an apparatus for promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms according to the present invention. FIG.

[0026] [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus for promoting growth of photosynthetic organisms according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and is not limited to the present embodiment.

[0028] (First embodiment)

[0029] First, an apparatus for promoting growth of photosynthetic organisms according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, this device is composed of an intake supply fan 3 that draws in air from outside the cultivation facility, containing carbon dioxide necessary for the growth of photosynthetic organisms, and supplies it into the cultivation facility while maintaining the temperature and humidity inside the cultivation facility 2 in which photosynthetic organisms 1 are cultivated at a temperature and humidity suitable for the growth of the photosynthetic organisms, a gas flow path switching damper 4 that switches the gas supply flow path between when the supply gas is heated and when it is cooled, a gas temperature control device 5 that heats or cools the gas circulating in accordance with the switching damper, a gas humidity control device 6 that humidifies or dehumidifies the gas heated or cooled by the gas temperature control device, and a gas supply pipe 7 that sends the gas whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted by the device to the vicinity of the photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility, and supplies it as gas containing carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and controlled to a temperature and humidity suitable for the growth of the photosynthetic organisms.

[0031] The flow rate, temperature and humidity of the gas supplied into the cultivation facility through the gas supply pipe are controlled by the supply gas characteristics control device 10 based on the measurement results of the temperature and humidity measuring device 8 and the carbon dioxide concentration measuring device 9 installed near the photosynthetic organisms cultivated in the cultivation facility. The speed of the intake supply fan 3 is controlled to control the flow rate of the supply air containing carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, thereby controlling the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the cultivation facility. The flow path of the intake air is controlled by a damper that switches between heating and cooling the supply gas, and the amount of heating or cooling when heating or cooling the gas flowing through the gas temperature control device is controlled to control the amount of humidification or dehumidification when humidifying or dehumidifying the gas flowing through the gas humidity control device after the temperature control of the supply gas is performed. This makes it possible to minimize the changes in temperature and humidity caused by the gas supplied into the cultivation facility, or to control the temperature and humidity to the set temperature and humidity according to the cultivation process of the photosynthetic organisms, while also optimally controlling the amount of carbon dioxide supplied into the cultivation facility.

[0032] In addition, in the above-mentioned gas temperature control device and gas humidity control device, the energy for heating or cooling the gas supplied to the cultivation facility, and the energy for humidifying or dehumidifying it are generated from renewable energy electricity, making it possible to switch between heating or cooling and humidifying or dehumidifying the supplied gas, and to control the amount of heating or cooling and the amount of humidification or dehumidification, without using fossil fuels or electricity derived from fossil fuels.

[0033] That is, when cool, low-humidity outside air is heated in winter and the like, and then humidified before being supplied to the inside of the cultivation facility, the cool air that has been dust-removed through the dust-removing filter 11 as shown in the figure is heated by the rod-shaped halogen heater 12 installed in the device in the process of circulating from the bottom to the top of the gas temperature control device, and the heated gas is further humidified by supplying drain water, rainwater or tap water discharged from the gas temperature control device to an electrically driven ultrasonic vibrator in the gas humidity control device before being supplied to the facility. On the other hand, when hot and humid outside air is cooled in summer and the like, the temperature is reduced and the air is dehumidified before being supplied to the cultivation facility. In this system, the gas flow path is switched using a gas flow path switching damper, and the high-temperature air that has been cleaned of dust and sucked in and blown out is circulated from the top to the bottom of the gas temperature control device.In the process, the air is cooled by absorbing heat using a low-temperature refrigerant flowing through a heat exchange path installed in the device, while the moisture in the air is condensed and liquefied and recovered as drain water.If further dehumidification is required, the gas humidity control device circulates gas through an electrically driven Peltier cooler section to dehumidify the gas before supplying it to the facility, making it possible to switch between heating and cooling, and humidification and dehumidification of the supply air, and to control the amount of heating and cooling, and the amount of humidification and dehumidification.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view of the temperature control device, in the gas temperature control device, when the gas to be supplied to the cultivation facility flows through the cylindrical flow path and is heated, electricity is applied to a rod-shaped halogen heater 12 located in the center of the cylindrical flow path. When the gas is cooled, a low-temperature refrigerant for cooling the gas is circulated through a heat transfer medium flow path 13 formed between the gas flow path in the cylinder and the rectangular housing, and the cylindrical flow path wall serves as a heat exchange surface to remove heat from the gas and reduce its temperature, thereby cooling the gas during its flow. The low-temperature refrigerant for cooling the gas drives a refrigerant compressor 15 for an electrically driven heat pump refrigerator equipped with a radiator 14 that exhausts heat upward from the supply gas intake port outside the cultivation facility. By using this refrigerator, it is possible to cool the intake air and supply it to the cultivation facility without drawing in outside air whose temperature has been increased by heat radiation from the radiator.

[0035] Furthermore, in addition to the intake supply fan and supply gas flow path switching damper mentioned above, the driving power for the equipment constituting this device, such as a halogen heater for heating the supply gas, an electrically driven heat pump refrigerator for cooling the supply gas, a humidifier and dehumidifier for controlling the humidity of the supply gas, and a supply gas characteristic control device that measures the flow rate, temperature, and humidity of the supply gas and issues control commands according to the measurement results, is all configured to be supplied with power generated by a solar power generation facility 16 attached to the device and stored in a power storage system 18 via a grid-connected power conditioner 17.Since this device is configured to operate using power generated by a renewable energy power generation facility attached to the device, surplus power from the power grid, or stored power stored in the power storage system, it is possible to minimize carbon dioxide emissions related to the temperature control of the cultivation facility using this device and the supply of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.

[0036] With the above configuration, in a facility for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, by using a small, simple device configuration and renewable energy, it is possible to effectively utilize carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to promote the growth of the photosynthetic organisms while also absorbing and fixing it within the photosynthetic organisms. Second embodiment

[0037] Next, a schematic diagram showing an apparatus for promoting growth of photosynthetic organisms according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, this device has the same feature as the first embodiment in that it supplies gas containing carbon dioxide, which is necessary for growing photosynthetic organisms, into a cultivation facility while controlling the temperature and humidity, thereby absorbing and fixing carbon dioxide while promoting the growth of the photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility, but the means of implementation is different.

[0039] Specifically, the difference is that the gas supplied to promote the growth of photosynthetic organisms is not the air from outside the cultivation facility, but the combustion exhaust gas of biogas containing high concentrations of carbon dioxide, which is generated when biogas power generation equipment 19 is operated using biogas containing carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon gases such as methane and obtained during fermentation of biomass, and air from outside the cultivation facility.

[0040] Also, the method of cooling the gas mixture differs in that it is cooled by cold water obtained when an absorption chiller 20 is driven using the heat of high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from the biogas power generation facility, and by low-temperature groundwater pumped up from a well by a well water pump 21. That is, the gas mixture flow path is switched by a gas flow path switching damper to form a cooling flow path, and while the gas mixture flows down from the top to the bottom of the gas temperature control device, the cold water flows in the flow path around the gas mixture flow path from the bottom to the top of the temperature control device, so that the gas mixture is cooled in the temperature control device and then supplied to the cultivation facility.

[0041] When the temperature inside the facility is to be heated or maintained at a constant temperature while the above-mentioned mixed gas is being supplied, the above-mentioned absorption chiller is not operated and the high-temperature exhaust gas from the biogas power generation facility is supplied to the facility as is or after partially lowering its temperature by radiating heat using a temperature control device, or the mixed gas may be additionally heated by passing electricity from the biogas power generation facility through a halogen heater and then supplied.

[0042] With the above configuration, a mixture of carbon dioxide contained in biogas, carbon dioxide generated by the combustion of hydrocarbon fuel contained in biogas, and carbon dioxide contained in the air can be supplied to the cultivation facility in small quantities, resulting in a mixture with a high carbon dioxide concentration and rich carbon dioxide content.This makes it possible to cultivate photosynthetic organisms while heating or keeping the facility warm, and to efficiently absorb and fix carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by the photosynthetic organisms while minimizing energy consumption from fossil fuels.In addition, when cultivating photosynthetic organisms while cooling and dehumidifying the facility, it is possible to efficiently absorb and fix carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by the photosynthetic organisms while minimizing energy consumption from fossil fuels by converting the thermal energy contained in biomass resources into cold energy or using the cold energy contained in groundwater as renewable energy. [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, when the supply gas is heated by the gas temperature control device, a heat medium heated by solar heat, biomass combustion heat, geothermal heat, or hot spring heat is circulated through a heat exchange flow path while storing the hot heat in a heat storage tank, and when the supply gas is cooled, the heat medium circulated through the heat exchange flow path may be cooled with the cold heat of river water, seawater, or snow and ice meltwater, and the cold heat may be stored in a heat storage tank while circulating through the heat exchange flow path to cool the gas.

[0044] Similarly, the renewable energy power generation equipment used to drive this device is not limited to solar power generation, but it is also possible to set up temperature difference power generation equipment such as wind power generation, hydroelectric power generation, wood biomass power generation, geothermal power generation, and hot spring heat power generation, and use the electricity obtained from renewable energy sources.

[0045] As described above, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative, and anything that has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea described in the claims of the present invention and exhibits similar effects is included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1...Photosynthetic organisms 2. Photosynthetic organism cultivation facility 3. Intake supply fan 4. Gas flow path switching damper 5. Gas temperature control device 6. Gas Humidity Control Device 7. Gas supply pipe 8. In-facility temperature and humidity measuring device 9. Carbon dioxide concentration measuring device in the facility 10. Supply gas characteristic control device 11 Dust removal filter 12 Rod-shaped halogen heater 13 Heat transfer medium passage 14...Radiator 15...Refrigerant compressor for heat pump refrigerator 16. Solar power generation equipment 17. Grid-connected power conditioner 18. Energy storage system 19 Biogas power generation facility 20. Absorption chiller 21. Well water pump

Claims

1. A photosynthetic organism growth promotion device comprising: a renewable energy power generation facility; a gas temperature control facility that uses the power generated by the power generation facility to heat or cool either air drawn in from outside a facility for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, combustion exhaust of a hydrocarbon fuel, or a mixture of the air and the combustion exhaust, to control the temperature of the gas; and a blower that operates using the power generated by the power generation facility and supplies the gas heated or cooled by the gas temperature control facility to the photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility, wherein one or more of the timing, supply period, and supply amount of the gas to the photosynthetic organisms are controlled and supplied in accordance with one or more measurement results of carbon dioxide concentration, oxygen concentration, or photosynthetic activity of the photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility, and the supply temperature of the gas is controlled using the gas temperature control facility to be either the temperature in the cultivation facility or an appropriate temperature determined in accordance with the growth process of the photosynthetic organisms.

2. A photosynthetic organism growth promotion device comprising: a renewable energy power generation facility; a gas temperature control facility for controlling the temperature of any of the following gases: air drawn in from outside a facility for cultivating photosynthetic organisms, combustion exhaust of a hydrocarbon fuel, or a mixture of the air and the combustion exhaust, by cooling the gas with cold heat obtained from a renewable energy heat utilization facility or heating the gas with hot heat; and a blower operated by the power generated by the power generation facility and supplying the gas heated or cooled by the gas temperature control facility to the photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility, wherein one or more of the timing, supply period, or supply amount of the gas to the photosynthetic organisms are controlled and supplied in accordance with one or more measurement results of the carbon dioxide concentration, oxygen concentration, or photosynthetic activity of the photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility, and the supply temperature of the gas is controlled using the gas temperature control facility to be either the temperature in the cultivation facility or an appropriate temperature determined in accordance with the growth process of the photosynthetic organisms.

3. A photosynthetic organism growth promotion device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the humidity within a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms is measured, and the humidity of the gas supplied to the facility is controlled according to the measurement results to be either the humidity within the cultivation facility or an appropriate humidity determined according to the growth process of the photosynthetic organisms, using a humidity regulator operated by power generated by a renewable energy power generation facility that constitutes the device.

4. A photosynthetic organism growth promotion device characterized in that the photosynthetic organism growth promotion device described in claims 1 to 3 is connected to an electric power grid, and when the power demand related to the operation of the device cannot be covered by the power output from a renewable energy power generation facility for operating the device alone, the shortfall in power demand is covered by receiving power from the grid, thereby controlling the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration within a photosynthetic organism cultivation facility even when the power demand cannot be covered by the power generation facility alone.

5. 5. A photosynthetic organism growth promotion apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a storage battery system, wherein the storage battery system stores surplus power when the apparatus is operated with the power output of a renewable energy power generation equipment constituting the apparatus, or when surplus power is generated in the connected power grid, or both of the time periods, and when the power demand related to the operation of the apparatus cannot be covered, the apparatus is operated by preferentially using the stored power supply from the storage battery without receiving and using grid power, and when the amount of power stored in the storage battery is not enough to cover the power demand related to the operation of the apparatus, the apparatus switches to receiving and using grid power, and the shortfall in power demand is covered by receiving power from the grid power, thereby controlling the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration within the photosynthetic organism cultivation facility even when the power demand for operating the apparatus cannot be covered by the power generation equipment and storage equipment alone.

6. The photosynthetic organism growth promotion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heat storage tank for heating or cooling a heat medium with surplus generated power and storing the surplus generated power when there is surplus power output from the renewable energy power generation equipment, and the photosynthetic organism growth promotion apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a heat storage tank for heating or cooling a heat medium with surplus heat when there is surplus hot or cold heat obtained from the renewable energy heat utilization equipment, and further comprising a device for controlling the temperature within the photosynthetic organism growth promotion facility by heating the facility with the stored hot heat when it is necessary to increase the temperature within the facility, and by cooling the facility with the stored cold heat when it is necessary to lower the temperature within the facility.

7. A photosynthetic organism growth promotion device characterized in that a plurality of photosynthetic organism growth promotion devices as described in claims 1 to 6 are arranged in parallel, and when one device alone cannot control the carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity within a photosynthetic organism cultivation facility to a carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity suitable for growing photosynthetic organisms, another device supplies gas with an adjusted carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity, thereby controlling at least one of the carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and humidity within the entire photosynthetic organism cultivation facility to a state suitable for growing photosynthetic organisms.

8. The method for promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms by supplying carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis while maintaining the temperature and humidity in a cultivation facility for photosynthetic organisms using either or both of renewable energy electric power or renewable energy heat, the method comprising: a step of determining a state in the cultivation facility for measuring and determining at least one of the temperature and humidity in the cultivation facility and the carbon dioxide concentration, the oxygen concentration, or the amount of photosynthetic activity of the photosynthetic organisms; a step of controlling a temperature of gas supplied to the cultivation facility for heating or cooling, with hot heat or cold heat obtained from the renewable energy electric power or the renewable energy heat, any one of air taken in from outside the facility, combustion exhaust of a hydrocarbon fuel, or a mixture of the air and the combustion exhaust, based on the results obtained in the step of determining; and a step of controlling a temperature of gas supplied to the cultivation facility for heating or cooling, with hot heat or cold heat obtained from the renewable energy electric power or the renewable energy heat, the gas heated or cooled in the step of controlling the temperature of gas supplied to the cultivation facility. The method for promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms includes a cultivation facility supply gas humidity control process for controlling the humidity of the gas supplied to the cultivation facility using a humidity regulator operated by power generated by a power generation facility, power stored in a power storage facility, or power received from a power grid, and a cultivation facility supply gas control process for supplying the gas whose temperature and humidity have been controlled in the above process by a blower operated by either power generated by the renewable energy power generation facility, power stored in a power storage facility, or power received from a power grid, by controlling one or more of the supply timing, supply period, and supply amount of the supply gas into the cultivation facility based on the results obtained in the grasping process, thereby preventing a decrease in the carbon dioxide concentration in the cultivation facility and promoting the growth of the photosynthetic organisms while maintaining a temperature and humidity suitable for the growth of photosynthetic organisms in the cultivation facility during the period when the photosynthetic organisms are photosynthetically active in the cultivation facility.

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