Floating Carrier Segmentation for Bulk Aquaponics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cultivation systems for crops on water in basins face challenges in scaling up production while maintaining buoyancy and mechanical handling capabilities, particularly for crops like lettuce, which require bulk production and automation.
Innovation Solution
The development of sturdy and strong floating carriers with a pivot mechanism and a transport system that allows for mechanical processing and handling, including lifting and reorientation, to facilitate efficient cultivation and processing of crops, while minimizing space and enabling precise control over growth locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the size of floating carriers is scaled up for bulk production, then productivity increases, but the buoyancy and mechanical strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The floating carrier is divided into multiple segments or compartments along its length, with each segment providing independent buoyancy support. This segmentation allows the overall structure to achieve large scale for bulk production while each individual segment maintains sufficient mechanical strength and buoyancy to support crops and withstand handling operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional tray-like floating carriers are used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but the ability to engage with mechanical processing equipment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The floating carrier design incorporates standardized engagement features such as recesses, protrusions, or attachment points that enable the same structure to serve multiple functions: maintaining buoyancy, supporting crops, and interfacing with various mechanical processing equipment including lifts and pivot mechanisms. This universal interface design facilitates automation while keeping the overall structure relatively simple to manufacture.
3Extent of automation
If elongate floating carriers are used for automation, then extent of automation increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floating carrier incorporates flexible or adjustable elements that allow it to adapt dynamically to different handling positions and orientations during automated processing. The structure can flex or reconfigure slightly to accommodate engagement with mechanical equipment without requiring complex rigid mechanisms, thus enabling automation while controlling structural complexity.
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
This solution enables far-reaching automation and bulk production of crops like lettuce, allowing for efficient mechanical handling and processing, including lifting and reorientation, while minimizing space requirements and ensuring precise control over growth locations, thus addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
Side walls extending downward during use enclose an air layer in order to impart buoyancy to these known tray-like floating carriers
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a floating carrier and a cultivation system for crops such as lettuce in floating carriers on water. The cultivation system comprises a basin comprising at least one elongate production pond with an infeed end on a short side and an opposite outfeed end and with water therein, a number of elongate floating carriers, the length of which corresponds to the width of the elongate production pond and which move in an orientation transversely of a longitudinal direction of the elongate production pond through the production pond from the infeed end to the outfeed end at a rate corresponding to bringing the crops to full growth, which floating carriers each comprise a number of growth locations for the crops where holders for the crops or roots of the crops extend into the water, and a transport system comprising a lifting mechanism and conveyors.