Fluid-Cooled LED Lighting Fixture for Vertical Farm Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems face high energy costs due to the cooling load generated by artificial lighting systems, particularly LED-based fixtures, which dissipate heat and increase humidity, leading to increased air conditioning energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A fluid-cooled LED-based lighting fixture integrated with a coolant circuit that captures heat generated by LED modules, reducing the cooling load and energy input by circulating fluid coolant through the fixture and utilizing a hydronics system to recycle waste heat for temperature regulation, potentially eliminating the need for air conditioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If LED-based lighting fixtures are used in CEA systems, then illumination intensity and energy efficiency are improved, but heat generation increases the cooling load and air conditioning energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the waste heat generated by LED modules using a coolant circuit and converts it into a useful resource by distributing it through hydronics loops to heat the growth area or water reservoir. This transforms the harmful thermal energy that increased cooling loads into a beneficial heating source, potentially eliminating the need for separate heating systems and significantly reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting fixture is designed with integrated coolant circuits that serve multiple functions: cooling the LED modules to maintain their operational temperature and simultaneously capturing waste heat for potential reuse. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to perform both lighting and thermal management tasks, reducing the need for separate cooling and heating systems.
2Loss of energy
If fluid cooling systems are integrated with lighting fixtures, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling system with the lighting fixture by integrating coolant circuits directly into the fixture structure. The coolant pipes are positioned in thermal contact with the LED modules, and the same fluid circulation system serves both cooling and heat recovery functions. This consolidation reduces the number of separate systems needed and simplifies installation while maintaining high heat removal efficiency.
3Use of energy by moving object
If waste heat is recycled through hydronics systems, then energy efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a coolant fluid as an intermediary to transfer thermal energy from the LED modules to the growth environment. The fluid circulation system acts as a mediator that connects the lighting fixture to the hydronics loops, enabling heat recovery without requiring direct thermal contact between the LED components and the growth area. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system architecture while achieving high energy efficiency.
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
Significantly reduces energy consumption by minimizing heat transfer to the environment and utilizing waste heat for temperature control, leading to substantial energy savings and increased energy availability for additional lighting or crop growth.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid-cooled light emitting diode (LED)-based lighting fixture... coupled to a fluid cooling system... that flows fluid coolant through the lighting fixture to capture heat generated by one or more LED modules
Implementation Method 2
The lighting fixture may also function as an integrated sensor platform... coupled to a hydronics system that utilizes waste heat generated by the lighting fixture... for various applications such as regulating the temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A controlled agricultural environment includes a vertically-stacked multiple-level growing area and a fluid-cooled LED-based lighting system including multiple fluid-cooled LED-based lighting fixtures disposed in the vertically-stacked multiple-level growing area. The environment also includes a hydronics system having a coolant circuit fluidically coupled to the fluid-cooled LED-based lighting system and multiple secondary heating loops to separately heat each level of the vertically-stacked multiple-level growing area. Each lighting fixture comprises a frame having one or more channels, one or more LED modules thermally coupled to the frame, control circuitry coupled to the frame and electrically coupled to the LED module(s) to receive AC power and to supply regulated electrical power to the LED module(s), and one or more pipes thermally coupled to the channel(s) and fluidically coupled to the coolant circuit to carry a fluid coolant that extracts heat generated by the LED module(s).