Adjustable CO2 Emitters for Greenhouse Plant Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural systems for delivering CO2 to crops, particularly in hoop houses and greenhouses, face limitations in maintaining close proximity to plants as they grow, leading to reduced efficiency and increased costs, and also struggle with humidity and odor control, which can result in mold and odor nuisances.
Innovation Solution
A CO2 gas delivery system with height-adjustable emitters suspended above plant support surfaces, integrated with a gas controller, vaporizer, and optional odor and humidity control features to maintain optimal CO2 levels and manage humidity and odor, ensuring efficient gas distribution and plant growth while minimizing interference during harvest and reducing mold and odor issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed-position CO2 emitters are used, then the system structure is simple, but the emitters cannot maintain close proximity to plants as they grow, reducing delivery efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the CO2 emitter position adjustable rather than fixed. The emitter can be vertically positioned at different heights along the plant growth cycle, allowing it to maintain close proximity to the plant canopy as plants grow taller. This dynamic positioning capability resolves the contradiction by enabling operational flexibility without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The emitter system is segmented into multiple adjustable components that can be independently positioned. The CO2 distribution system is divided into multiple emitters that can be separately adjusted to different heights, allowing each emitter to serve plants at different growth stages. This segmentation enables flexible positioning while maintaining system manageability.
2Productivity
If CO2 delivery proximity to plants is maximized, then gas delivery efficiency is improved, but the system becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic positioning of emitters allows the system to maintain optimal CO2 delivery proximity throughout plant growth without requiring complex automated adjustment mechanisms. The simplicity of the adjustment mechanism keeps system complexity low while achieving high productivity through sustained close proximity delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The same emitter structure serves multiple functions: it delivers CO2 efficiently at close proximity to plants while also being adjustable to accommodate different plant sizes and growth stages. This multi-functionality achieves high productivity without proportionally increasing system complexity.
3Productivity
If emitters remain close to plants throughout growth, then CO2 delivery efficiency is maintained, but interference during harvest operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic adjustability of emitter height allows operators to position emitters close to plants during growth phases for efficient CO2 delivery, then raise or remove them during harvest operations to eliminate interference. This same dynamic capability that maintains productivity also enables ease of operation during different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The emitter positioning follows periodic action: emitters are positioned close to plants during growth phases, then adjusted to different positions during harvest phases. This periodic repositioning maintains CO2 delivery efficiency during growth while ensuring harvest operations can proceed without interference.
4Quantity of substance
If liquid CO2 is used in the supply system, then storage capacity is increased, but vaporization and pressure control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pneumatic principles by employing liquid CO2 storage with vaporization mechanisms and pressure regulators. This approach leverages well-established pneumatic technology to achieve high storage capacity while managing the inherent complexity of phase change and pressure control through standard engineering components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures maximum CO2 delivery proximity to plants throughout their growth cycle, reduces costs, and effectively mitigates humidity and odor issues, enhancing plant growth and production while allowing for easy integration with existing systems and efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a vaporizer connected to the pressure builder to convert liquid CO2 to CO2 gas
Data Source
AI summary
A system and adjustable apparatus for applying CO2 gas to improve Cannabis production. The system includes upstream and downstream stages or subsystems. The upstream subsystem receives and stores gas, particularly CO2 gas. It monitors the environment of the downstream subsystem, determines when and how to apply gas to plants growing in the downstream system, acquires gas stored in the upstream subsystem, and distributes it to the downstream system. It also has various monitoring, command and control, management, and reporting features. The downstream subsystem includes one or more plant growth areas or plots, gas distribution means, such as gas conduits, tubes or lines from the midstream subsystem, and the high efficiency, adjustable gas applicator, and various sensing and monitoring devices communicatively connected to the upstream subsystem. Also disclosed are odor mitigation and humidity control features.