Temperature control system and temperature control method

Abstract

This invention provides a temperature control system that enables miniaturization of the heat source when adjusting the temperature of crop growth points using localized air conditioning. [Solution] The temperature control system 1 is a piping through which a fluid flows that adjusts the temperature of the growing points of the roots 23 by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 via the heat storage layer 102 through heat exchange with the heat storage layer 102 located below the cultivation layer 103 where the roots 23 of the crop 21 are placed. The system comprises a first pipe 3 installed to pass through the heat storage layer 102, a blower 5 that adjusts the temperature by blowing air onto the growing points above the roots 23 of the crop 21, a second pipe 9 that branches off from the first pipe 3, passes through the blower 5 and returns to the first pipe 3, and adjusts the temperature of the air by heat exchange between the air blown from the blower 5 and the fluid, an adjustment unit 11 connected to the first pipe 3 that adjusts the temperature of the fluid flowing in from the first pipe 3 and sends it back to the first pipe 3, and a circulation pump 12 provided in the first pipe 3 that circulates the fluid between the adjustment unit 11 and the first pipe 3 and the second pipe 9.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature control system and a temperature control method.

Background Art

[0002] There are facilities for cultivating crops indoors, such as greenhouses, in order to protect crops from wind, rain, and pests and to cultivate crops regardless of the season. On the other hand, in such facilities, in summer, the temperature inside rises due to sunlight, and in winter, even indoors, the temperature drops as the outside air temperature decreases. Therefore, a temperature control system is required to adjust the temperature of agricultural crops to an appropriate range for growth. As such a system, cooling the entire space inside a greenhouse consumes a huge amount of energy. Therefore, techniques for locally cooling crops using humidified cold air or fine mist are known (Patent Documents 1 and 2). In addition, a technique for adjusting the temperature of the roots of crops by controlling the temperature of a heat storage layer provided below a water retention mat provided under the culture medium is also known (Patent Document 3). Furthermore, a technique for locally cooling the roots of crops by cooling a pot filled with a culture medium from the outside is also known (Non-Patent Document 1). In addition, a technique for cooling the roots by cooling the nutrient solution during hydroponic cultivation is also known (Non-Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

[0005] However, since crops do not have only one growth point, when adjusting the temperature of multiple growth points using the technologies described in Patent Documents 1-3 and Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to provide multiple heat sources for temperature adjustment. As a result, the heat sources become large, and energy consumption cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

[0006] This invention was made to solve these problems, and its objective is to provide a temperature control system and a temperature control method that enable miniaturization of the heat source when adjusting the temperature of the growing point of a crop using localized air conditioning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The temperature control system of the present invention is a piping through which a fluid flows that adjusts the temperature of the growing points of the roots of crops grown indoors by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer via the heat storage layer through heat exchange with the heat storage layer located below the cultivation layer where the roots of the crops are located. The system comprises: a first pipe installed to pass through the heat storage layer; a blower unit that adjusts the temperature of the growing points above the roots of the crops indoors by blowing air onto the growing points above the roots of the crops; a second pipe that branches off from the first pipe, passes through the blower unit, and returns to the first pipe, and adjusts the temperature of the air by heat exchange between the air blown from the blower unit and the fluid; an adjustment unit connected to the first pipe that adjusts the temperature of the fluid that flows in from the first pipe and sends it back to the first pipe; and a circulation pump provided in the first pipe that circulates the fluid between the adjustment unit, the first pipe, and the second pipe.

[0008] Furthermore, the temperature adjustment method of the present invention uses a temperature adjustment system comprising: a piping through which a fluid flows to adjust the temperature of the growing point of the roots of crops grown indoors by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer via the heat storage layer through heat exchange with the heat storage layer located below the cultivation layer where the roots of crops grown indoors are located, the first piping being installed to pass through the heat storage layer; a blower unit adjusting the temperature of the growing point above the roots of crops indoors by blowing air onto the growing point above the roots of the crops; a second piping branching off from the first piping, passing through the blower unit and returning to the first piping, adjusting the temperature of the air by heat exchange between the air blown from the blower unit and the fluid; an adjustment unit connected to the first piping that adjusts the temperature of the fluid that flows in from the first piping and sends it back to the first piping; and a circulation pump provided in the first piping that circulates the fluid between the adjustment unit, the first piping and the second piping, and the temperature adjustment method of the present invention uses a temperature adjustment system comprising: a measurement step of measuring the temperature of the fluid in the first piping; and a stop step of stopping the operation of the blower unit when the temperature of the fluid measured in the measurement step falls outside a predetermined temperature range. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a temperature control system and a temperature control method that enable miniaturization of the heat source when adjusting the temperature of the growing point of a crop using localized air conditioning. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an agricultural greenhouse equipped with a temperature control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This flowchart shows an example of a temperature control method using the temperature control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The present invention will be described below in accordance with preferred embodiments. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, in the embodiments shown below, some illustrations and descriptions of certain components are omitted. It goes without saying that, regarding the details of the omitted technologies, publicly known or well-known technologies are applied as appropriate, to the extent that they do not contradict the content described below.

[0012] First, with reference to Figure 1, the configuration of an agricultural greenhouse for cultivating crops whose temperature has been controlled by a temperature control system according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an agricultural greenhouse equipped with a temperature control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] The agricultural greenhouse 100 shown in Figure 1 is an agricultural facility such as a vinyl greenhouse, used for cultivating crops 21 indoors. Planters 101, which are pots in which crops 21 are planted, are installed inside the agricultural greenhouse 100. The planters 101 shown in Figure 1 extend in a predetermined direction, in this case direction A in Figure 1. The planters 101 are also provided with a cultivation layer 103 and a heat storage layer 102. The cultivation layer 103 is a layer that supplies water and nutrients to the roots 23 of the crops 21, and is a growing medium such as soil that covers the roots 23, but if the roots 23 are moisture-sensitive roots, it may also be a space in which the roots 23 are housed. The heat storage layer 102 is a layer filled with a heat storage material such as water or sand to regulate the temperature of the roots 23 of the crops 21, and is located below the cultivation layer 103. In this configuration, multiple crops 21 are planted in the planters 101 along direction A. Although Figure 1 shows only one row of crops 21 as an example, in reality, multiple planters 101 are also provided along direction A on the far and near sides of the figure, so crops 21 are planted in multiple rows depending on the number of planters 101. This concludes the explanation of the configuration of the agricultural greenhouse 100.

[0014] Next, the configuration of the temperature control system will be described with reference to Figure 1. The temperature control system 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a first pipe 3, an air blower 5, a second pipe 9, an adjustment unit 11, and a circulation pump 12. The temperature control system 1 also comprises a measuring unit 14 and a control unit 19. The temperature control system 1 also comprises a cultivation layer sensor 15 and an indoor temperature sensor 17.

[0015] The first pipe 3 is a pipe through which a fluid adjusts the temperature of the growing point of the roots 23 of the crops 21, described later, by adjusting the temperature of the growing layer 103 via the heat storage layer 102 through heat exchange with the heat storage layer 102 located below the growing layer 103 where the roots 23 of the crops 21 grown indoors are placed. The first pipe 3 is installed to pass through the heat storage layer 102. The first pipe 3 shown in Figure 1 comprises an upstream pipe 3a, a return pipe 3b, and a downstream pipe 3c.

[0016] The upstream pipe 3a is a pipe through which a fluid such as water that exchanges heat with the heat storage layer 102 flows, and it passes through the heat storage layer 102 along direction A where the crop 21 is planted. The upstream pipe 3a shown in Figure 1 is buried within the heat storage layer 102. The upstream pipe 3a adjusts the temperature of the heat storage layer 102 through heat exchange between the fluid flowing through the pipe and the heat storage layer 102, and further adjusts the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 through heat exchange between the heat storage layer 102 and the cultivation layer 103. When the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 is adjusted, the temperature of the roots 23 in contact with the cultivation layer 103 is also adjusted through heat exchange with the cultivation layer 103. Therefore, by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer 103, the temperature of the roots 23 can also be adjusted. The crop 21 has parts called growth points where cell division is active, and one of the growth points is located in the roots 23. Therefore, by adjusting the temperature of the growth point in the root 23 to a temperature that promotes cell division, it is possible to promote the absorption of water and nutrients by the root 23 in the cultivation layer 103 and the subsequent cell division, thereby promoting the growth of the crop 21 through photosynthesis. Furthermore, it is known that for some crops 21, if the temperature of the root 23 is lowered below a predetermined temperature, a phenomenon called cooling stress occurs, in which water absorption from the root 23 is suppressed, causing an increase in the sugar content of the leaves and fruits. Therefore, it is also possible to increase the sugar content of the crop 21 by adjusting the temperature of the root 23 below a predetermined temperature. The relationship between the temperature of the heat storage layer 102 and the temperature of the cultivation layer 103, as well as the relationship between the temperature of the cultivation layer 103, the temperature of the growth point of the root 23, and the temperature that increases sugar content, can be determined in advance through experiments or other means.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the downstream end of the upstream pipe 3a extends at least to the location where the crop 21 is planted.

[0018] The return pipe 3b is a U-shaped pipe that turns back the first pipe 3 to reverse the direction of fluid flow, and one end thereof is connected to the downstream end of the upstream pipe 3a. The downstream pipe 3c is a pipe through which the fluid flows after exchanging heat with the heat storage layer 102, and is connected to the other end of the return pipe 3b. The direction of the fluid flow through the downstream pipe 3c is opposite to the direction of the fluid flow through the upstream pipe 3a. Note that the return pipe 3b is a pipe through which the fluid flows after exchanging heat with the heat storage layer 102 and may not contribute much to the temperature adjustment of the heat storage layer 102 depending on the temperature of the fluid after heat exchange, so it does not necessarily need to pass through the heat storage layer 102. On the other hand, if the return pipe 3b is exposed indoors in the agricultural house 100 so as not to pass through the heat storage layer 102, the fluid flowing through the return pipe 3b may unintentionally exchange heat with the indoor air and the temperature of the fluid may change. Therefore, the return pipe 3b may pass through the heat storage layer 102.

[0019] The air blower unit 5 is a local air conditioning device that adjusts the temperature of the growth point of the crop 21 by blowing air onto the growth point above the roots 23, in this case the upper end 25 of the stem. When blowing air onto the growth point at the upper end 25 of the stem, the air blower unit 5 is installed inside the agricultural greenhouse 100, in this case above the cultivation layer 103, and is equipped with a fan coil 5a and a duct 5b. The fan coil 5a is a device that takes in air from inside the agricultural greenhouse 100, adjusts the temperature and airflow rate, and then blows it into the duct 5b. A known fan coil unit equipped with a blower and a heat exchanger (not shown) can be exemplified. The duct 5b is a device that blows air from the fan coil 5a onto the growth point above the roots 23 of the crop 21, in this case the upper end 25 of the stem. One end is connected to the blower of the fan coil 5a, and the air outlet 6 is provided above the crop 21. A vinyl duct can be exemplified as a specific structure of the duct 5b. The growth points of crop 21 exist not only in the roots 23 but also at the upper end 25 of the stem. Therefore, by blowing air from above onto the upper end 25 of the stem of crop 21 and adjusting the temperature of the growth points at the upper end 25 to a temperature that promotes cell division, the growth of crop 21 can be promoted. The relationship between the airflow rate and temperature and the temperature of the growth points at the upper end 25 of the stem of crop 21 can be determined in advance through experiments or other means. Furthermore, it is preferable that the air blower 5 can also adjust the humidity of the air it blows out by dehumidifying the air taken in during cooling using a heat exchanger, as this can suppress diseases of crop 21. Also, since the outside temperature differs at different times of day, such as between day and night, the temperature inside the agricultural greenhouse 100 also differs. Therefore, the temperature and airflow rate of the air blown out by the air blower 5 may be changed according to the time of day to correspond to the temperature fluctuations inside the agricultural greenhouse 100 caused by fluctuations in the outside temperature. Furthermore, while Figure 1 illustrates the upper end 25 of the stem as a growth point above the roots 23 of the crop 21, the location of the growth point above the roots 23 differs depending on the type of crop 21, for example, whether the crop 21 is a leafy vegetable, a root vegetable, or a climbing plant. Therefore, the installation position of the air blower 5 should be set appropriately according to the type of crop 21. Also, if there are multiple growth points above the roots 23, multiple air blowers 5 and air outlets 6 may be provided.

[0020] The second pipe 9 is a pipe for adjusting the temperature of the flowing air by heat exchange between the air blown from the blower section 5 and the fluid,branching from the first pipe 3, passing through the blower section 5and then returning to the first pipe 3.Specifically, the second pipe 9 includes a lead-out pipe 9a, a pipe 9b within the coil, and a return pipe 9c.The lead-out pipe 9a is a pipe branching from the upstream pipe 3a of the first pipe 3, one end of which is connected to the middle of the upstream pipe 3a, and a part of the fluid flowing through the upstream pipe 3a flows in.The pipe 9b within the coil is a pipe through which the fluid that exchanges heat with the air blown from the blower section 5 flows, and is connected to the other end of the lead-out pipe 9a and provided so as to pass through a heat exchanger (not shown) of the fan coil 5a.The return pipe 9c is a pipe for returning the fluid after heat exchange with the air blown from the blower section 5 to the first pipe 3, one end of which is connected to the pipe 9b within the coil, and the other end of which is connected to the downstream pipe 3c of the first pipe 3.In addition, when there are a plurality of blower sections 5, a plurality of second pipes 9 may be provided.

[0021] The adjusting section 11 is a device for adjusting the temperature of the fluid flowing in from the downstream pipe 3c of the first pipe 3 and sending it out to the upstream pipe 3a of the first pipe 3, and is connected to the first pipe 3.More specifically, in the adjusting section 11, an inflow section 20 through which the fluid flows is connected to the downstream pipe 3c, and a sending section 22 for sending out the fluid is connected to the upstream pipe 3a.The structure of the adjusting section 11 is not particularly limited as long as it has a function of adjusting the fluid to a desired temperature, and for example, a device having a heat exchange function such as a chiller can be exemplified.In addition, when the crops 21 are planted in a plurality of rows, since a plurality of first pipes 3 are provided for each row of the crops 21, the plurality of first pipes 3 are connected to the adjusting section 11 via the header pipe 13.

[0022] The circulation pump 12 is a device for applying pressure to the fluid to circulate the fluid between the adjusting section 11 and the first pipe 3, and is provided in the upstream pipe 3a of the first pipe 3.In FIG. 1, since the second pipe 9 branches from the first pipe 3, the circulation pump 12 also has a function of circulating the fluid between the adjusting section 11 and the second pipe 9 via the first pipe 3.The structure of the circulation pump 12 is not particularly limited as long as it can apply pressure to the fluid such that the fluid can be circulated between the adjusting section 11, the first pipe 3, and the second pipe 9.

[0023] In this way, the temperature control system 1 adjusts the temperature of the growing points of the roots 23 of the crop 21 by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 via the first pipe 3. The temperature control system 1 also adjusts the temperature of the growing points at the upper ends 25 of the stems of the crop 21 by blowing air, whose temperature has been adjusted via the second pipe 9 branched from the first pipe 3, onto the upper ends 25 of the stems of the crop 21 via the air blower 5. In this configuration, even when adjusting the temperature of the growing points of the roots 23 and the growing points at the upper ends 25 of the stems with localized air conditioning, that is, when adjusting the temperature of multiple growing points with localized air conditioning, only one heat source adjustment unit 11 is needed. Therefore, the temperature control system 1 can miniaturize the heat source when adjusting the temperature of the growing points of the crop 21 with localized air conditioning.

[0024] The measuring unit 14 is a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the fluid in the first pipe 3 delivered from the circulation pump 12, and is installed downstream of the circulation pump 12 in the upstream pipe 3a of the first pipe 3. The structure of the measuring unit 14 is not particularly limited, as long as it can measure the fluid temperature with the desired accuracy and does not easily corrode when in contact with the fluid.

[0025] The control unit 19 is a computer that controls the operation of the blower unit 5 and is connected to the fan coil 5a of the blower unit 5 to control the drive of the fan coil 5a. For example, the control unit 19 adjusts the temperature and airflow of the wind generated by the fan coil 5a. The control unit 19 is electrically connected to the measuring unit 14 and receives information indicating the temperature of the fluid measured by the measuring unit 14.

[0026] The control unit 19 controls the operation of the fan coil 5a based on the temperature of the fluid measured by the measuring unit 14. For example, if the temperature of the fluid measured by the measuring unit 14 falls outside a predetermined temperature range, the control unit 19 stops the operation of the fan coil 5a, for example, by stopping the operation of the air blower 5. The predetermined temperature range is, for example, the range of fluid temperatures that can adjust the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 to a temperature that promotes cell division at the growth points of the roots 23. In this configuration, if the temperature of the fluid delivered from the circulation pump 12 falls outside the predetermined temperature range, the crops 21 will no longer be exposed to airflow, and only the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 will be adjusted.

[0027] The reason why the air blower 5 stops operating when the fluid temperature falls outside the predetermined temperature range is as follows: As shown in Figure 1, the second pipe 9 branches off from the first pipe 3, and the adjustment unit 11 adjusts the temperature of both the cultivation layer 103 (heat storage layer 102) and the air blower 5. In this structure, the fluid needs to exchange heat with both the heat storage layer 102 and the air. Therefore, when both the heat storage layer 102 and the air are cooled, the fluid temperature rises due to heat exchange compared to when only one is cooled. Thus, in summer, the fluid temperature tends to rise above the upper limit of the predetermined temperature range. Also, when both the heat storage layer 102 and the air are heated, the fluid temperature decreases due to heat exchange compared to when only one is heated. Thus, in winter, the fluid temperature tends to fall below the lower limit of the predetermined temperature range. In this way, when the fluid temperature falls outside the predetermined temperature range, it becomes difficult to adjust the temperatures of both the heat storage layer 102 and the air simultaneously. On the other hand, the growth point of the roots 23 of the crop 21 has a greater influence on the growth of the crop 21 than the growth point above the roots 23, in this case the growth point at the upper end 25 of the stem. Therefore, if the temperature of the fluid falls outside the predetermined temperature range and it becomes difficult to adjust the temperature of both the heat storage layer 102 and the airflow, the control unit 19 stops the operation of the air blower 5 and prioritizes adjusting the temperature of the heat storage layer 102. By prioritizing the temperature adjustment of the heat storage layer 102 in this way, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the fluid from falling outside the predetermined temperature range, and the temperature of the heat storage layer 102, which has a large influence on promoting photosynthesis, can be adjusted to a value closer to the target temperature.

[0028] The control unit 19 may be connected to the adjustment unit 11 and the circulation pump 12 to control the operation of the adjustment unit 11 and the circulation pump 12 based on the fluid temperature measured by the measurement unit 14. For example, the control unit 19 may control the fluid temperature in the adjustment unit 11 and the pressure applied to the fluid by the circulation pump 12 so that the temperature of the roots 23 can be adjusted to a temperature that promotes cell division at the growth point of the roots 23. The control unit 19 may also control the fan coil 5a based on the fluid temperature measured by the measurement unit 14 to adjust the temperature of the air blown from above onto the upper end 25 of the stem of the crop 21 so that the temperature of the upper end 25 of the stem becomes a temperature that promotes cell division. Note that in the case of high temperatures inside the agricultural greenhouse 100, such as in summer, it may be possible to lower the temperature of the upper end 25 of the stem of the crop 21 to a temperature that promotes cell division simply by blowing air on it, without actively adjusting the temperature with the fan coil 5a. On the other hand, when the temperature inside the agricultural greenhouse 100 is low, such as in winter, it is difficult to raise the temperature of the upper end 25 of the stem of the crop 21 to a temperature that promotes cell division by simply blowing air on it. Therefore, it is preferable to control the air temperature to be higher than the indoor temperature. The control unit 19 may also adjust the airflow according to the growth stage of the crop 21.

[0029] The cultivation layer sensor 15 is a sensor that measures the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 and is installed in the cultivation layer 103 as needed. The cultivation layer sensor 15 is electrically connected to the control unit 19 and transmits information indicating the measured temperature of the cultivation layer 103 to the control unit 19. If the cultivation layer sensor 15 is installed, the control unit 19 may control the operation of the adjustment unit 11 and the circulation pump 12 so that the temperature of the roots 23 is adjusted to a temperature that promotes cell division at the growth point of the roots 23, based on the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 measured by the cultivation layer sensor 15. Any known temperature sensor can be used as the cultivation layer sensor 15, as long as it can measure the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 with the desired accuracy.

[0030] The indoor temperature sensor 17 is a sensor that measures the indoor temperature of the agricultural greenhouse 100 and is installed inside the agricultural greenhouse 100 as needed. The indoor temperature sensor 17 is electrically connected to the control unit 19 and transmits information indicating the measured temperature to the control unit 19. When the indoor temperature sensor 17 is installed, the control unit 19 may control the drive of the fan coil 5a to adjust the temperature and airflow of the wind based on the indoor temperature measured by the indoor temperature sensor 17. Note that the closer the indoor temperature sensor 17 is to the crop 21, the closer the measured temperature will be to the temperature of the growth point at the upper end 25 of the stem, but the more likely the indoor temperature sensor 17 is to come into contact with the crop 21. Therefore, the indoor temperature sensor 17 should be installed as close to the crop 21 as possible, for example, within a range where it does not come into contact with the crop 21. Any known temperature sensor can be used as the indoor temperature sensor 17, as long as it can measure the indoor temperature with the desired accuracy. The above is a description of the configuration of the temperature control system 1.

[0031] Next, an example of a temperature control method using the temperature control system 1 will be briefly described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a temperature control method using the temperature control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the control unit 19 drives the circulation pump 12 to circulate fluid between the adjustment unit 11 and the first pipe 3 and the second pipe 9. Furthermore, based on the temperature measured by the cultivation layer sensor 15, the control unit 19 drives the adjustment unit 11 so that the temperature of the roots 23 can be adjusted to a temperature at which cell division at the growth point of the roots 23 is promoted by heat exchange between the fluid and the heat storage layer 102. The control unit 19 also drives the fan coil 5a to generate air with a temperature and airflow that can adjust the temperature of the growth point at the upper end 25 of the stem of the crop 21 to a temperature at which cell division is promoted, based on the temperature of the indoor temperature sensor 17. The generated air is directed from above the crop 21 to the upper end 25 of the stem of the crop 21 via the duct 5b.

[0032] In this process, the control unit 19 instructs the measurement unit 14 to measure the temperature of the fluid in the first pipe 3 and obtains information indicating the measured temperature (S1 in Figure 2, measurement step). Next, the control unit 19 determines whether the temperature of the fluid measured by the measurement unit 14 is outside a predetermined temperature range (S2 in Figure 2). If it is determined to be outside the predetermined temperature range, the process proceeds to S3; otherwise, it proceeds to S4. If the control unit 19 determines in S2 that the fluid temperature is outside the predetermined temperature range, it stops the operation of the fan coil 5a and stops the operation of the blower 5 (S3 in Figure 2, stop step). If the control unit 19 determines in S2 that the fluid temperature is not outside the predetermined temperature range, it continues to drive the fan coil 5a (S4 in Figure 2). The above is an example of the operation of the temperature control system 1.

[0033] As described above, the temperature control system 1 of this embodiment includes a first pipe 3 for adjusting the temperature of the growth points of the roots 23 of the crop 21, a blower 5 for adjusting the temperature of the growth points of the upper ends 25 of the stems of the crop 21, a second pipe 9, an adjustment unit 11, and a circulation pump 12. In this configuration, the temperature of the growth points of the roots 23 of the crop 21 is adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer 103 by the first pipe 3. Furthermore, the temperature control system adjusts the temperature of the growth points of the upper ends 25 of the stems of the crop 21 by blowing air whose temperature has been adjusted in the second pipe 9, which is branched from the first pipe 3, onto the upper ends 25 of the stems of the crop 21 through the blower 5.Therefore, when adjusting the temperature of the growth points of the roots 23 and the growth points of the upper ends 25 of the stems with localized air conditioning, that is, when adjusting the temperature of multiple growth points with localized air conditioning, only one adjustment unit 11, which is the heat source, is needed.Therefore, the temperature control system 1 makes it possible to miniaturize the heat source when adjusting the temperature of the growth points of the crop 21 with localized air conditioning.

[0034] Furthermore, the temperature control system 1 of this embodiment includes a measuring unit 14 and a control unit 19 that stops the operation of the air blower 5 when the temperature of the fluid measured by the measuring unit 14 falls outside a predetermined temperature range. In this configuration, when the temperature of the fluid discharged from the circulation pump 12 falls outside the predetermined temperature range, the air does not blow on the crops 21, and only the temperature of the heat storage layer 102 is adjusted. In this way, when it is difficult to adjust the temperature of both the heat storage layer 102 and the air, the operation of the air blower 5 is stopped and priority is given to adjusting the temperature of the heat storage layer 102, thereby allowing the temperature of the growth point of the roots 23, which has a large impact on promoting photosynthesis, to be adjusted closer to the target temperature.

[0035] Although the present invention has been described above based on embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and other technologies may be combined as appropriate to the extent possible. Furthermore, publicly known or well-known technologies may be combined as appropriate to the extent possible. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 1: Temperature control system 3: First piping 5: Air blower 9: Second piping 11:Adjustment section 12: Circulation pump 14: Measuring part 19: Control Unit 21: Crops 23 :root 25:Top edge 102: Heat storage layer 103:Cultivation layer

Claims

1. A piping through which a fluid flows adjusts the temperature of the root growth points of crops by adjusting the temperature of the cultivation layer via the heat storage layer through heat exchange with a heat storage layer located below the cultivation layer where the roots of crops grown indoors are located, comprising a first piping installed to pass through the heat storage layer, The aforementioned indoor unit includes a fan that blows air onto the growing point of the crop above the root to adjust the temperature of the growing point above the root, A second pipe that branches off from the first pipe, passes through the air blowing section, and returns to the first pipe, and adjusts the temperature of the air by heat exchange between the air blown from the air blowing section and the fluid, An adjustment unit connected to the first pipe adjusts the temperature of the fluid flowing in from the first pipe and sends it back to the first pipe, A circulation pump provided in the first piping, which circulates the fluid between the adjustment unit and the first and second piping, Equipped with A temperature control system characterized by the following features.

2. A measuring unit provided in the first piping for measuring the temperature of the fluid delivered from the circulation pump, A control unit connected to the blower unit and the measuring unit, which stops the operation of the blower unit when the temperature of the fluid measured by the measuring unit falls outside a predetermined temperature range, Equipped with The temperature control system according to claim 1, characterized in that

3. A temperature control system is used that includes a piping through which a fluid flows to adjust the temperature of the growing points of the roots of crops grown indoors, by adjusting the temperature of the growing layer via the heat storage layer through heat exchange with the growing layer located below the growing layer where the roots of the crops are located, the first piping being installed to pass through the heat storage layer, a blower unit adjusting the temperature of the growing points above the roots of the crops indoors by blowing air onto the growing points above the roots of the crops, a second piping branching off from the first piping and returning to the first piping through the blower unit, adjusting the temperature of the air through heat exchange between the air blown from the blower unit and the fluid, an adjustment unit connected to the first piping that adjusts the temperature of the fluid flowing in from the first piping and sends it back to the first piping, and a circulation pump provided in the first piping that circulates the fluid between the adjustment unit and the first and second piping. A measurement step of measuring the temperature of the fluid in the first pipe, A stopping step is performed in which the operation of the blower unit is stopped when the temperature of the fluid measured in the measurement step falls outside a predetermined temperature range. Equipped with A method for controlling temperature, characterized by the features described above.

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