Automated CEA Facility Layout With Centralized Crop Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial-scale controlled environment agriculture facilities face challenges in optimizing facility layouts to minimize operating costs and capital expenditures, including efficient space utilization, total flow distance of products, and compliance with fire and building regulations, while maintaining high crop yield and quality.

Innovation Solution

A controlled environment agriculture system comprising a controlled growth environment with vertical tower conveyance systems and a central processing system, including stations for seeding, harvesting, and cleaning, optimized for efficient layout and automation to enhance space utilization and reduce operational costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automated conveyance systems and processing stations are integrated into the facility, then productivity and automation extent are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop processing efficiencyVSAvoidfacility system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The facility is divided into distinct functional modules including a controlled growth environment with vertical tower conveyance systems, a central processing system with harvesting stations, and supporting infrastructure. Each module operates semi-independently while being coordinated through the central control system, allowing for easier maintenance and reduced overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The vertical tower conveyance system serves multiple functions: transporting crop modules through the growth environment, moving towers to harvesting stations, and facilitating automated processing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If vertical tower conveyance systems are implemented, then space utilization is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefacility space utilizationVSAvoidconveyance system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from traditional horizontal farm layouts to vertical tower structures that utilize the third dimension (height). Multiple crop modules are stacked vertically and conveyed through the growth environment using vertical conveyance mechanisms, dramatically increasing space utilization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple crop modules are nested within the vertical tower structure, with each tower containing multiple levels of plant containers stacked vertically. This nested arrangement maximizes the use of available space within the facility footprint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If centralized processing stations are used for harvesting and cleaning, then productivity is improved, but loss of time increases due to product flow distance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop handling efficiencyVSAvoidproduct flow distance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The harvesting station, cleaning station, and repotting station are merged into a single integrated central processing system. Crop modules move through all these operations in sequence at the same location, eliminating the need for multiple separate processing areas and reducing total flow distance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The central processing system operates continuously with crop modules flowing through harvesting, cleaning, and repotting operations without interruption. The conveyance system maintains continuous movement of modules through the growth environment to and from the processing station, minimizing idle time and waiting periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12527267B2Production facility layout for automated controlled environment agriculture

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 MJNN LLC

AI summary

Facility layouts and configurations for an automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture. In particular implementations, the core of the facility comprises a controlled growth environment and a central processing system. The controlled growth environment includes systems for exposing crops housed in modules, such as grow towers, to controlled environmental conditions. The central processing system may include various stations and functionality both for preparing crop-bearing modules to be inserted in the controlled growth environment, for harvesting crops from the crop-bearing modules after they have been extracted from the controlled growth environment, and for cleaning or washing crop-bearing modules for re-use. The remaining aspects of the crop production facility—such as seeding stations, propagation facilities, packaging stations and storage facilities—are arranged to achieve one or more desired efficiencies relating to capital expenditures or operating costs associated with an automated crop production facility.