Greenhouse Carbon Dioxide Supply Device with Periodic Refill Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carbon dioxide supply devices face limitations in accumulating and supplying carbon dioxide efficiently, particularly when the accumulated amount reaches its upper limit, leading to reduced effectiveness in utilizing carbon dioxide produced by heating.
Innovation Solution
A carbon dioxide supply device that includes an accumulation unit, flow paths, and a control unit to manage the flow of exhaust gas and air, allowing for alternate accumulation and supply processes during heating and non-heating periods, enabling efficient storage and distribution of carbon dioxide beyond the device's capacity through a refill process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If carbon dioxide is accumulated in a tank during heating periods, then carbon dioxide can be supplied to greenhouses during non-heating periods, but the accumulated amount reaches an upper limit and cannot accumulate more carbon dioxide
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic accumulation and supply operations, alternating between accumulating carbon dioxide during heating periods and supplying it during non-heating periods. This periodic cycling allows the system to maximize carbon dioxide utilization by continuously switching between storage and distribution modes, preventing the tank from reaching a permanent upper limit state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accumulates carbon dioxide in advance during heating periods before the non-heating period begins. By performing preliminary accumulation when carbon dioxide is readily available from heating processes, the system prepares sufficient carbon dioxide supply for upcoming non-heating periods, ensuring continuous availability without waiting until the tank is full.
2Device complexity
If the accumulation unit has a fixed capacity, then the device structure is simple, but the total amount of carbon dioxide that can be accumulated during heating period is limited by the capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic accumulation and supply cycles to overcome the fixed capacity limitation. By alternating between filling the accumulation unit during heating periods and emptying it during non-heating periods, the system effectively accumulates multiple times the physical capacity of the tank over the heating period, maintaining simple hardware while achieving large total accumulation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If carbon dioxide is supplied continuously to the greenhouse, then carbon dioxide concentration is maintained, but carbon dioxide produced by heating is not fully utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary accumulation of carbon dioxide during heating periods when carbon dioxide is abundantly available from combustion. By storing carbon dioxide in advance rather than attempting continuous supply, the system captures and preserves carbon dioxide that would otherwise be wasted, then releases it during non-heating periods to maintain greenhouse concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extends the useful action of carbon dioxide supply across both heating and non-heating periods through periodic cycling. Instead of limiting supply only to heating periods or attempting inefficient continuous supply, the accumulation-supply cycle ensures carbon dioxide is captured during heating and delivered during non-heating, maintaining continuous beneficial effect on plant growth while maximizing utilization of heating-produced carbon dioxide.
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 configuration allows for increased accumulation and supply of carbon dioxide during heating periods and non-heating periods, effectively utilizing more carbon dioxide produced by heating, while maintaining stable carbon dioxide concentrations for plant growth.
Implementation Method 1
an accumulation unit that accumulates carbon dioxide included in the exhaust gas
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A carbon dioxide supply device includes an accumulation unit, an accumulation flow path, a supply flow path, and a control unit. The accumulation unit accumulates carbon dioxide included in an exhaust gas produced by heating in a greenhouse for cultivating plants. The accumulation flow path guides the exhaust gas to the accumulation unit. The supply flow path guides air to the greenhouse via the accumulation unit. The control unit executes accumulation control and supply control. In the accumulation control, carbon dioxide included in the exhaust gas produced by heating during a heating period is accumulated in the accumulation unit. In the supply control, air is guided through the supply flow path during a non-heating period, and carbon dioxide accumulated in the accumulation unit is supplied to the greenhouse. Further, during the heating period, if a start condition is satisfied during the accumulation control, a refill process is executed wherein the supply control and the accumulation control are executed alternately.