Plant factory system

Abstract

We provide plant factory systems that improve CO2 utilization efficiency. [Solution] The plant factory system according to this disclosure includes a DAC unit for recovering carbon dioxide from the outside air, at least one plant factory unit for cultivating plants using carbon dioxide supplied from the DAC unit, a harvest prediction means for predicting the growth rate or harvest time of cultivated plants based on environmental data and image data of cultivated plants acquired from the plant factory unit, a supply condition determination means for determining supply conditions including at least one of the concentration, flow rate, or supply timing of carbon dioxide supplied to the plant factory unit according to the harvest prediction result obtained by the harvest prediction means, and a supply control means for supplying carbon dioxide from the DAC unit to the plant factory unit based on the supply conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant factory system, and particularly to a plant factory system that supplies carbon dioxide recovered using a DAC (Direct Air Capture) device to a plant factory unit. Background Art

[0002] In conventional plant factories, there has been a problem that CO₂ (carbon dioxide) supply is not coordinated with harvest prediction, resulting in low CO₂ utilization efficiency.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for increasing the CO₂ concentration in a greenhouse using DAC. However, there is no description about controlling the supply amount of carbon dioxide based on the measurement values of a CO₂ sensor, nor is there any description about controlling the supply amount of carbon dioxide based on harvest prediction information.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes that DAC supplies carbon dioxide to the enclosed space in a plant factory, and controls the supply amount of carbon dioxide by referring to the detection value of a carbon dioxide concentration sensor. However, there is no description about controlling the supply amount of carbon dioxide based on harvest prediction information.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a technique for supplying carbon dioxide into a plant factory using DAC. However, there is no description about controlling the supply amount of carbon dioxide based on the measurement values of a CO₂ sensor, nor is there any description about controlling the supply amount of carbon dioxide based on harvest prediction information. Prior Art Literature Patent Documents

[0006] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2025-085861 Patent Document 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-047898 Patent Document 3 WO-A-2022-014652 publication [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a plant factory system that improves CO2 utilization efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The plant factory system according to the first invention is A DAC unit that captures carbon dioxide from the outside air, A plant factory unit that cultivates plants using carbon dioxide supplied from the DAC unit, A harvest prediction means that predicts the growth rate or harvest time of cultivated plants based on environmental data and / or image data of cultivated plants acquired from the plant factory unit, A supply condition determination means that determines supply conditions including at least one of the concentration, flow rate, or supply timing of carbon dioxide supplied to the plant factory unit, in accordance with the harvest prediction results obtained by the harvest prediction means, A supply control means for supplying carbon dioxide from the DAC unit to the plant factory unit based on the aforementioned supply conditions, It is characterized by being equipped with [the following features].

[0009] According to the first invention, the growth rate or harvest time of cultivated plants is predicted, and the conditions for supplying carbon dioxide to the plant factory unit by the DAC unit are determined accordingly. Based on these conditions, carbon dioxide is supplied from the DAC unit to the plant factory unit, thereby increasing CO2 utilization efficiency.

[0010] The plant factory system according to the second invention is, in the plant factory system according to the first invention, The aforementioned DAC unit is capable of supplying carbon dioxide to multiple plant factory units. The supply condition determination means is characterized by individually determining the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to each plant factory unit based on the harvest prediction results for each plant factory unit.

[0011] According to the first invention, the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to multiple plant factory units can be controlled integrally.

[0012] The plant factory system according to the third invention is a plant factory system according to the first or second invention, An adjustment calculation means that performs calculations to adjust the shipping time or cultivation period based on the harvest forecast results and demand information, The system is further characterized by comprising a supply condition updating means that causes the supply condition determination means to update the supply conditions for carbon dioxide based on the results of calculations performed by the adjustment calculation means.

[0013] According to the third invention, the shipping time or cultivation period is adjusted based on demand information in addition to the harvest forecast results, and the conditions for supplying carbon dioxide to the plant factory unit by the DAC unit are updated based on the results, thereby improving logistics efficiency.

[0014] The plant factory system according to the fourth invention is, in the plant factory system according to the third invention, The calculation is characterized by being an optimization calculation that adjusts the shipping time or cultivation period using a physiological model of the plant based on temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration during the cultivation period.

[0015] According to the fourth invention, since the calculation for adjusting the shipping time or cultivation period is performed based on a physiological model, highly accurate calculation results can be obtained.

[0016] The plant factory system according to the fifth invention is a plant factory system according to the third or fourth invention, Said adjustment calculation means, as said demand information, after receiving an order from a planned supply destination of harvested plants, selects an optimal plant factory unit for responding to shipment from among a plurality of plant factory units in consideration of the growth status of plants, transaction conditions, and a delivery route or delivery time, and determines the shipment time or cultivation period of cultivated plants for the selected plant factory unit so as to match said order, Said supply condition updating means is characterized in that it causes said supply condition determining means to update the supply conditions of carbon dioxide for the selected plant unit so as to achieve the determined shipment time or cultivation period.

[0017] According to the fifth invention, an optimal plant factory unit for responding to an order from a planned supply destination of harvested plants is selected, the shipment time or cultivation period is determined for the selected plant factory unit so as to match the order, and the supply conditions of carbon dioxide are updated so as to achieve the determined shipment time or cultivation period. Therefore, logistics efficiency can be further improved, and profitability is also enhanced.

[0018] A plant factory system according to the sixth invention is the plant factory system according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein the plant factory unit is installed in a vacant house.

[0019] According to the sixth invention, a vacant house is selected as the installation site for the plant factory unit, thereby contributing to effective utilization of social assets. Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, a plant factory system that improves CO2 utilization efficiency can be obtained. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] External view showing an example of a plant factory unit included in the plant factory system according to the embodiment [Figure 2] Schematic diagram showing an example of a water circulation route in the plant factory unit of Figure 1 [Figure 3] Schematic diagram showing an example of a space where a plant factory unit will be installed (Figure 1). [Figure 4] Overall configuration diagram showing an example of a plant factory system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Schematic diagram of examples of various sensors in the plant factory unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing an example of processing by the harvest prediction unit of a plant factory system, as shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Figure 1 is an external view showing an example of a plant factory unit in the plant factory system of the embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a water circulation path in the plant factory unit of Figure 1.

[0023] The example plant factory unit 20 consists of a rack 21, each approximately the size of one tatami mat, into which all the elements of a plant factory are incorporated. It is highly portable and designed to be installed anywhere, such as in a vacant apartment room. Compared to large-scale plant factories, such a plant factory unit 20 has significantly lower initial costs and can contribute to society by improving food self-sufficiency, alleviating labor shortages, and promoting employment.

[0024] The structure is as follows: Thick plastic pipes 22 are placed horizontally and stacked at intervals within a rack 21 in several layers. A water tank 23 is placed at the bottom of the rack 21, and water 29 from the water tank 23 is pumped up by a pump 24 and supplied to the top pipe 22. The supplied water 29 flows sequentially to the pipes 22 below, and is collected from the bottom pipe 22 into the water tank 23. Holes for planting seedlings of plants 12 are provided on the top surface of each pipe 22, aligned along the axis, and a sponge-like floor, which serves as soil for growing the seedlings, is arranged in the axial direction within each pipe 22.

[0025] LED lamps 25 are installed above each level of pipe 22 to enable plant photosynthesis. The pumps, lamps, etc., are controlled by a computer (not shown in the diagram). Rack 21 is equipped with an environmental sensor 26 that monitors environmental data such as CO2 concentration, temperature, and humidity in the space, and a camera 27 that images the plants 12 being grown.

[0026] If tap water is stored in tank 23 as water 29, there is no need to replenish or replace the water 29 for about a year, and because it is constantly circulating, the water 29 will not spoil or deteriorate. Nutrients only need to be mixed into the water 29 in tank 23. In this way, the plant factory unit 20 is maintenance-free.

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a space in which the plant factory unit 20 will be installed. To prevent contamination by foreign objects such as insects, the plant factory unit 20 is expected to be installed in a closed space 1, such as a room in an empty apartment building. When the plant factory unit 20 is placed in the closed space 1, carbon dioxide will become depleted as photosynthesis progresses, so a direct air capture (DAC) unit 10 that fixes carbon dioxide from the air is incorporated.

[0028] The DAC unit 10 incorporates a type of filter, and by passing outside air through it, carbon dioxide is adsorbed onto the filter. When the filter is heated to raise its temperature, the adsorbed carbon dioxide is released. A hole is made in the wall of the enclosed space 1, and a duct 11 is passed through it to take in outside air, adsorb carbon dioxide, and the carbon dioxide released by heating is supplied to the plants 12 planted in the pipe 22.

[0029] Even when multiple plant factory units 20 are installed in a single enclosed space 1, only one DAC unit 10 can be installed corresponding to the enclosed space 1. On the other hand, as illustrated in Figure 1, the DAC unit 10 can also be installed for each plant factory unit 20 so as to be integrated into the rack 21.

[0030] Figure 4 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a plant factory system according to this embodiment. The plant factory system 100 in this example includes a DAC unit 10, a plant factory unit 20, a harvest prediction unit 30, a supply condition determination unit 40, a supply control unit 50, an adjustment calculation unit 60, and a supply condition update unit 70. One or more plant factory units 20 are installed in a closed space 1. A DAC unit 10 is installed in each closed space 1 or in each plant factory unit 20. In the example in Figure 4, a DAC unit 10 is installed in each closed space 1.

[0031] In the example shown in Figure 4, the harvest prediction unit 30, the supply condition determination unit 40, the supply control unit 50, the adjustment calculation unit 60, and the supply condition update unit 70 are implemented by a server 3 connected to the network 5. In other words, the computer programs that implement these processing means are installed on the server 3, which is a type of computer. The server 3 exchanges data with the DAC unit 10 and the plant factory unit 20 via the network 5.

[0032] Network 5 is the internet in the example shown in Figure 4. Network 5 may also be a LAN (Local Area Network), or it may be replaced with a simple wiring that allows communication. In the example shown in Figure 4, a single server 3 communicates with DAC units 10 and plant factory units 20 installed in multiple enclosed spaces 1.

[0033] The DAC unit 10 draws in carbon dioxide from the outside air and recovers and concentrates it using an adsorbent. The recovered carbon dioxide is then converted into high-concentration carbon dioxide gas through a desorption process and supplied to the closed space 1 or each plant factory unit 20.

[0034] The plant factory unit 20 has environmental sensors 26 such as a temperature and humidity sensor, a CO2 concentration sensor, a light intensity sensor, a moisture sensor, and an electrical conductivity (EC) sensor, as well as a camera 27. These environmental sensors 26 and camera 27 acquire growth environment data and plant image data and transmit them to the server 3. A separate communication unit may be provided, and the environmental sensors 26 and camera 27 may communicate with the server 3 through the communication unit.

[0035] The harvest prediction unit 30 analyzes the data transmitted from the plant factory unit 20 and calculates the plant growth stage, the planned harvest date, and the estimated harvest yield.

[0036] The supply condition determination unit 40 determines the supply conditions, such as the concentration, flow rate, and timing of CO2 supplied to the plant factory unit 20, according to the calculated harvest date and estimated harvest yield.

[0037] The supply control unit 50 controls the DAC unit 10 to supply CO2 from the DAC unit 10 to the plant factory unit 20 based on the determined supply conditions. The DAC unit 10 has a communication function to communicate with the server 3.

[0038] As described above, the plant factory system 100 generates harvest prediction information based on environmental data and image data acquired by environmental sensors 26 and cameras 27 installed in the plant factory unit 20. Based on the generated harvest prediction information, it determines the conditions for supplying CO2 from the DAC unit 10, which recovers CO2 from the outside air, to the plant factory unit 20. CO2 is then supplied from the DAC unit 10 to the plant factory unit 20 according to these conditions. "Harvest prediction information" refers to prediction information regarding the timing and yield of plant harvests (for example, the weight of grown plants).

[0039] Although not shown in the diagram, a harvest forecast information display unit can be provided to display the generated harvest forecast information. This allows the plant factory manager to harvest and ship the produce in a timely manner based on the displayed harvest forecast period. The harvest forecast information display unit is, for example, a communication device or computer that receives the forecast results sent from the server 3 via the network 5 by the harvest forecast unit 30 and displays them on a screen or the like.

[0040] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of examples of various sensors in the plant factory unit 20. Environmental data acquired by the environmental sensor 26 includes, for example, CO2 concentration, temperature and humidity, light intensity, moisture, and pH and EC concentration of the nutrient solution (an indicator of nutrient concentration).

[0041] Returning to Figure 4, the adjustment calculation unit 60 optimizes the delivery route and destination based on the harvest forecast information and order information from the demand side, which is the plant supply destination 120, taking into account the delivery distance, carbon dioxide emissions, freshness retention rate, and transaction conditions, and performs calculations to adjust the shipping time or cultivation period according to the optimization results.

[0042] The supply condition update unit 70 causes the supply condition determination unit 40 to update the CO2 supply conditions based on the calculation results of the adjustment calculation unit 60.

[0043] For example, after receiving orders from 120 plant suppliers (restaurants, vegetable shops, etc.) that will accept the harvested plants, the system selects the most suitable plant factory unit 20 from among several plant factory units 20, taking into account the plant's growth status, transaction conditions such as sales period, sales price, and quantity, as well as delivery routes and times. For example, the optimal plant factory unit 20 is selected based on the following conditions: that it meets the sales timing and quantity requirements considering the growth status of the plants; that the delivery route and time are as short as possible; and that the sales price can be as low (or high) as possible. For multiple factors, such as delivery route, time, and sales price, a weighted average of these factors can be calculated by assigning appropriate weights to each, and the plant factory unit 20 with the highest or lowest weighted average can be selected. Not limited to weighted averages, it is also possible to define some evaluation function with each factor as a variable and select the plant factory unit 20 with the highest or lowest evaluation function. Based on these results, the amount of carbon dioxide supplied by the DAC unit 10 is controlled for the selected plant factory unit 20 to achieve the shipping deadline.

[0044] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing by the harvest prediction unit 30 of the plant factory system 100. As an example, the harvest prediction unit 30 analyzes plant image data transmitted from the plant factory unit 20 using a deep learning model (e.g., a convolutional neural network (CNN), Transformer, or a time-series learning model such as LSTM) to calculate the leaf area, leaf area growth rate, chlorophyll content index, and photosynthetic activity index for each individual plant. Furthermore, carbon dioxide absorption is non-invasively estimated by applying a plant physiological model (e.g., the Farquhar model) based on light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and relative humidity, using estimated leaf area and environmental data as input. The harvest prediction unit 30 calculates the growth rate by integrating these estimated values ​​over time, and predicts the harvest time and estimated harvest yield based on this growth rate.

[0045] Returning to Figure 4, the adjustment calculation unit 60 performs calculations to adjust the shipping time or cultivation period based on the harvest timing and growth rate prediction results obtained by the harvest prediction unit 30, as well as demand information from the plant supply destination 120. This calculation is performed based on a plant physiological model that represents the relationship between temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration during the cultivation period and the growth rate of the plants, and generates control indicators to adjust the growth progress.

[0046] The supply condition determination unit 40 determines the supply conditions for carbon dioxide supplied from the DAC unit 10 based on the predicted growth rate and harvest time for each plant factory unit 20, as predicted by the harvest prediction unit 30, and the calculation results from the control calculation unit 40. The aforementioned supply conditions include at least one of the carbon dioxide supply concentration, supply flow rate, and supply timing, and are set individually for each plant factory unit 20, for example. The supply control unit 50 controls the adsorption mode and desorption mode of the DAC unit 10 based on the supply conditions and performs feedback control to dynamically adjust the amount of carbon dioxide supplied.

[0047] With the above configuration, carbon dioxide from the outside air recovered by the DAC unit 10 is used for plant photosynthesis in the plant factory unit 20, and the carbon dioxide supply conditions are controlled based on the harvest prediction results and control calculations. This enables the supply of carbon dioxide according to the plant's growth stage and harvest time, and as a result of integrated control of carbon dioxide capture, supply, and utilization, it is possible to realize a plant factory system with high carbon dioxide utilization efficiency. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1…Enclosed space 3…Server 5…Network 11... Duct 12…Plants 21... Rack 22... Pipe 23... Aquarium 24... Pump 25…LED lamps 26…Environmental sensors 27... Camera 29…Water 10…DAC Unit 20…Plant factory unit 30…Harvest Forecasting Department 40... Supply Conditions Determination Section 50…Supply Control Unit 60...Adjustment calculation section 70…Supply conditions update department 100... Plant factory system 120…Plant supply destination

Claims

1. A DAC unit that captures carbon dioxide from the outside air, A plant factory unit that cultivates plants using carbon dioxide supplied from the DAC unit, A harvest prediction means that predicts the growth rate or harvest time of cultivated plants based on environmental data and / or image data of cultivated plants acquired from the plant factory unit, A supply condition determination means that determines supply conditions, including at least one of the concentration, flow rate, or supply timing of carbon dioxide supplied to the plant factory unit, according to the harvest prediction result obtained by the harvest prediction means, A supply control means for supplying carbon dioxide from the DAC unit to the plant factory unit based on the aforementioned supply conditions, An adjustment calculation means that performs calculations to adjust the shipping time or cultivation period based on the harvest forecast results and demand information, A supply condition update means that causes the supply condition determination means to update the supply conditions for carbon dioxide based on the results of the calculation by the adjustment calculation means, A plant factory system characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. The DAC unit is capable of supplying carbon dioxide to multiple plant factory units. The plant factory system according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply condition determination means individually determines the amount of carbon dioxide supplied to each plant factory unit based on the harvest prediction results for each plant factory unit.

3. In the plant factory system according to claim 1 or 2, The plant factory system is characterized in that the calculation is an optimization calculation that adjusts the shipping time or cultivation period using a physiological model of the plant based on temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration during the cultivation period.

4. In the plant factory system according to claim 1 or 2, The adjustment calculation means, after receiving an order from a planned recipient of harvested plants as demand information, selects the most suitable plant factory unit from among multiple plant factory units, taking into consideration the plant's growth status, transaction conditions, and delivery route or delivery time, and determines the shipping time or cultivation period of the cultivated plants for the selected plant factory unit to match the order. The plant factory system is characterized in that the supply condition updating means causes the supply condition determination means to update the carbon dioxide supply conditions for the selected plant factory unit in order to achieve the determined shipping time or cultivation period.

5. In the plant factory system according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned plant factory unit is a plant factory system characterized by being installed in a vacant house.

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