Indoor Garden Climate Control with Rotatable Grow Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indoor gardening systems lack versatility in climate control, failing to efficiently regulate multiple grow chambers for different plant species and environments, leading to undesirable growth conditions due to uncontrolled gas concentration variations.
Innovation Solution
A gardening appliance with a climate control system featuring a rotatable grow module and a climate control system that includes evaporator plenums, duct systems, and damper systems to independently regulate temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations in multiple grow chambers by recirculating or refreshing air, allowing for adaptable growing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional climate control systems are used in indoor garden centers, then temperature and humidity can be regulated, but versatility for adapting to different plants and environments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The grow chamber is divided into multiple independently controllable zones or sections, each with its own climate control capabilities. This segmentation allows different plant types to be grown in different zones with customized environmental conditions, thereby increasing versatility without requiring entirely separate systems for each plant type.
Solution Approach 2:
The climate control system is designed to perform multiple functions - regulating temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations - within a single integrated framework. This multi-functionality allows the same system to adapt to various plant species and growth stages, improving versatility while managing complexity through unified control architecture.
2Reliability
If conventional climate control systems regulate temperature and humidity, then growing conditions can be maintained, but gas concentration variations caused by plant growth remain uncontrolled
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors and control mechanisms that continuously monitor gas concentrations (such as CO2 levels) within the grow chamber. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts ventilation, air circulation, or chemical injection to maintain optimal gas concentrations, ensuring reliable growing conditions while adapting to plant metabolic needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple environmental parameters - including temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations - based on plant growth stage and species requirements. By enabling independent control of these parameters, the system maintains reliable growing conditions while providing the adaptability needed to address gas concentration variations.
3Device complexity
If conventional indoor garden centers use single grow chambers, then structure is simple, but versatility for different plant species is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The grow chamber is divided into multiple independently controllable zones or sections, each with its own climate control capabilities. This segmentation allows different plant types to be grown in different zones with customized environmental conditions, thereby increasing versatility without requiring entirely separate systems for each plant type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements - such as movable dividers, adjustable shelving, and dynamic climate control settings - that allow the grow chamber structure to adapt to different plant species and growth requirements. This dynamic capability enables a single chamber to serve multiple functions while maintaining structural simplicity.
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
The system provides versatile and efficient climate control, enabling optimal growing conditions for various plant species by independently managing temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations in multiple grow chambers, improving plant growth and reducing the need for external water sources through efficient water reuse.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator plenum housing an evaporator, a fan assembly operably coupled to the evaporator plenum for urging a flow of air through the evaporator plenum
Implementation Method 2
a first damper system operably coupled to the first recirculation duct system and the first ambient duct system, the first damper system being movable between a recirculation position where the first ambient duct system is in a closed position and a refresh position where the first recirculation duct system is in a closed position
Data Source
AI summary
An indoor gardening appliance includes a grow module rotatably mounted within a liner to at least partially define a first grow chamber and a second grow chamber. A climate control system includes an evaporator plenum housing an evaporator, a fan assembly for urging air through the evaporator plenum, recirculation ducts for independently circulating air through the first grow chamber and the second grow chamber, and ambient duct systems for independently circulating fresh ambient air through the first grow chamber and the second grow chamber. A system of dampers selectively opens or closes each respective recirculation duct and ambient duct system for independent climate control of the first grow chamber and the second grow chamber.