Autonomous Blower System for Crop Microclimate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural areas often face challenges in uniformly protecting crops from freezing temperatures, mildew, smoke from wildfires, and pest control due to the limitations of stationary air blowers that may not cover all microclimates effectively.
Innovation Solution
A mobile autonomous blower system equipped with sensors and a control module that navigates through agricultural areas to adjust air circulation based on environmental and positional data, providing targeted air movement to prevent freezing, dry crops, disperse smoke, and control pests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If stationary air blowers are used to protect crops, then air circulation can be provided to prevent freezing and control pests, but the coverage is limited and cannot effectively protect all microclimates uniformly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the stationary blower into a mobile autonomous vehicle that can move through the agricultural field. The vehicle navigates along predetermined paths and adjusts its position dynamically to access different microclimates, ensuring uniform protection across the entire crop area rather than being limited to a fixed location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through autonomous navigation and operation. The mobile blower vehicle autonomously determines its own path, activates blowers at appropriate locations, and adjusts operations based on environmental conditions without requiring continuous human intervention, thereby maintaining reliable protection across all areas.
2Reliability
If mobile autonomous blower system is deployed, then uniform protection across microclimates is achieved, but device complexity increases due to sensors, navigation, and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile autonomous vehicle serves multiple functions: it acts as a transportation platform, houses sensor arrays for environmental monitoring, contains navigation systems for autonomous positioning, and integrates controllable blowers for air circulation. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single unified platform, managing complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where sensors continuously monitor environmental conditions and crop status, providing data to the control system. This feedback loop enables the autonomous vehicle to adjust its navigation and blower operations in real-time, ensuring uniform protection while the automated feedback process manages operational complexity.
3Ease of operation
If stationary blowers are used, then installation and operation are simple, but the system cannot adapt to different microclimates and crop conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static to dynamic operation, where the mobile autonomous vehicle can change its position, orientation, and operational parameters in response to varying microclimates and crop conditions. This dynamic adaptability allows the same system to effectively serve multiple agricultural needs without requiring complex manual reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous vehicle performs self-adjustment based on sensor input, automatically adapting to different microclimates and crop stages without human intervention. The system self-determines optimal blowers activation, navigation paths, and operational parameters, maintaining ease of operation while achieving high adaptability.
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 mobile autonomous blower system effectively addresses the limitations of stationary blowers by providing uniform protection across different microclimates, reducing crop damage from freezing, mildew, and pests, while also assisting in pollination and pest control.
Implementation Method 1
The air blower system may be configured to circulate air among the crops along the navigation path
Data Source
AI summary
An example method of air circulation among crops may include obtaining an indication of mitigation work to be performed on a crop within an agricultural area using air movement. The method may also include obtaining a navigation path to follow within the agricultural area based on the mitigation work to be performed. The method may further include directing movement of an air blower system along the navigation path. The air blower system may be configured to circulate air among the crops along the navigation path. The method may also include obtaining data from one or more sensors associated with the air blower system while the air blower system is moved along the navigation path. The data may be related to the mitigation work to be performed. The method may further include directing adjustment of an operating condition of the air blower system based on the data.