Self-Sufficient Indoor Green Wall System with Automated Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for maintaining green walls in enclosed environments face challenges such as high maintenance requirements, limited self-sufficiency, and difficulties in providing consistent irrigation and adequate lighting, especially in large or underground spaces.
Innovation Solution
An indoor system comprising a load-bearing structure with growing receptacles, a feeding system for water and nutrients, a photostimulation system using LED lights, and a control system that automatically adjusts these components based on detected variables like carbon dioxide levels, to create a self-sufficient green wall system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If green walls are installed in enclosed environments, then aesthetic and environmental benefits are improved, but maintenance requirements and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs automatic irrigation through sensors and controllers that monitor soil moisture and activate water delivery without manual intervention. LED lighting systems automatically adjust based on plant needs and environmental conditions, eliminating the need for manual maintenance while preserving aesthetic and environmental benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, and soil moisture levels. This feedback information is processed by controllers that automatically adjust irrigation and lighting operations, reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining optimal plant conditions
2Device complexity
If periodic irrigation is used, then system complexity is reduced, but plant health and reliability deteriorate due to prolonged water deficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous or near-continuous irrigation through automated drip irrigation lines that deliver water on-demand based on sensor feedback. This eliminates the interruptions inherent in periodic irrigation while maintaining simple system architecture, ensuring consistent plant health and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical irrigation operations with an automated controller that manages water delivery based on electronic sensor signals. This substitution maintains system simplicity while ensuring reliable and consistent plant watering, eliminating the trade-off between complexity and reliability
3Reliability
If permanent water connection is established, then irrigation reliability is improved, but installation complexity and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the irrigation network into modular units with self-contained water delivery systems. Each module can operate independently with its own water storage and delivery mechanism, eliminating the need for permanent centralized water connections while maintaining reliable irrigation. This segmentation reduces installation complexity and environmental impact
4Productivity
If adequate lighting is provided for photosynthesis, then plant growth is improved, but energy consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic LED lighting that automatically adjusts intensity, duration, and spectrum based on real-time plant needs and environmental conditions. This dynamic adjustment optimizes photosynthesis and plant growth while minimizing energy consumption, eliminating the need for fixed high-energy lighting arrangements
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes lighting parameters such as intensity, duration, and spectral composition based on monitored environmental variables and plant growth stages. This parameter optimization enables adequate lighting for photosynthesis while reducing overall energy consumption, addressing the contradiction between productivity and energy use
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 enables easier and more efficient maintenance of green walls, ensuring consistent hydration and light exposure, thereby promoting healthy plant growth and enhancing the aesthetic and environmental benefits of green walls in enclosed spaces.
Implementation Method 1
a photostimulation system (11) comprising one or more light sources (13) capable of illuminating said at least one plant (8) for its natural cycle, such as for example for chlorophyll synthesis
Implementation Method 2
a control system (17) configured for automatically controlling the feeding system (9) and/or the photostimulation system (11) based on the detection of one or more operating variables of one or more of the feeding system (9), the photostimulation system (11) and one or more physical/chemical quantities of the at least one plant (8) and/or the environment surrounding it
Data Source
AI summary
An indoor system for making self-sufficient green walls may include: a load-bearing structure including one or more growing receptacles, wherein each of the one or more growing receptacles includes a growing medium configured to contain, support, and/or feed roots of at least one plant; a feeding system configured to provide water, fertilizers, and/or other nutrients to the at least one plant; a photostimulation system including one or more light sources configured to stimulate photosynthesis processes in the at least one plant; and a control system configured to automatically control the feeding system and/or the photostimulation system based on detection of one or more operating variables of one or more of the feeding system, the photostimulation system, and one or more physical/chemical quantities of the at least one plant and/or an environment surrounding the at least one plant.