Hydroponic Light-Collecting Apparatus for Natural Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydroponic systems that rely on closed environments require artificial light sources, leading to high electricity costs and potential heat-related issues for plant growth, which increases operational expenses and can negatively affect plant health.
Innovation Solution
A hydroponic system that utilizes vertically arranged culture panels with a light-collecting apparatus featuring reflecting plates to harness and efficiently distribute natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting and minimizing heat-related problems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If artificial light sources are installed in closed hydroponic systems, then plants can grow in controlled environments without pesticides, but electricity costs increase and heat emission affects plants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light source from artificial sources and replaces it with natural sunlight. The system opens the previously closed environment to utilize external natural light, removing the need for energy-consuming artificial lighting while maintaining the controlled hydroponic culture environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a light-reflecting board as an intermediary element that captures natural sunlight and redirects it to the plant culture area. This mediator enables the system to utilize external natural light effectively while maintaining the controlled indoor hydroponic environment
2Reliability
If artificial light sources are installed in closed hydroponic systems, then plants can grow in controlled environments without pesticides, but heat from light sources negatively affects plant health
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heat-generating artificial light sources from the system and replaces them with natural sunlight, thereby eliminating the harmful heat emission problem while maintaining reliable pesticide-free production
Solution Approach 2:
The light-reflecting board serves as a thermal neutral intermediary that redirects sunlight without adding heat, unlike artificial light sources that emit significant heat. This mediator provides illumination while avoiding the heat-related damage to plants
3Use of energy by moving object
If natural light is used instead of artificial light sources, then electricity costs are reduced, but the system requires opening the closed environment
Solution Approach 1:
The light-reflecting board acts as an intermediary that enables the system to maintain its closed structure while still accessing natural light. The reflector captures sunlight from outside and redirects it inward, allowing the environment to remain enclosed for protection while utilizing natural illumination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the spatial dimension by positioning light-reflecting boards at strategic locations to capture and redirect sunlight into the culture area. This dimensional approach allows natural light penetration without requiring the entire structure to be open
4Illumination intensity
If light-collecting apparatus with reflecting plates is used, then natural light is efficiently distributed to plants, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light-collecting apparatus is segmented into multiple independent light-reflecting boards that can be individually positioned and adjusted. Each board serves as a separate light redirecting unit, allowing flexible configuration to optimize light distribution without requiring a complex integrated system
Solution Approach 2:
The light-reflecting boards are made from simple, inexpensive materials such as reflective foil or white boards. These simple components are easier and cheaper to manufacture and replace compared to complex artificial lighting systems, reducing overall device complexity while achieving effective light distribution
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 efficient plant growth at a low cost and high culture density by leveraging natural light, reducing equipment costs and heat-related stress on plants, while maintaining a controlled environment.
Implementation Method 1
a light-collecting apparatus (3) for taking natural light from the outside to irradiate the culture object P with the light
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A hydroponic system 1 is provided with a light-collecting apparatus 3 having a pair of reflecting plates 31 a that are vertically arranged in parallel with a culture surface 23 of a culture panel 21 of a hydroponic unit 2. During a process in which natural light taken from a light-collecting opening 30 propagates while repeatedly reflected by opposing reflecting surfaces of a reflecting plates 31 a, by allowing seedlings p that are transplanted into the culture panel 21 to be irradiated with the light through a light-emitting hole 32 bored in the reflecting plate 31a, a culture object can be grown efficiently at a low cost by taking natural light from the outside.