Horticultural LED Controller Maximizing PPFD via Dynamic Power Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LED lighting systems for horticulture lack the ability to provide customizable light recipes across a plant's life cycle and often reduce total power output when adjusting color channels, leading to suboptimal Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) for plant growth.

Innovation Solution

A controller system that accepts custom light recipes from various inputs and ensures maximum power delivery to LED lighting elements, maintaining the correct power ratio across different color channels while preventing total power overload, thereby maintaining maximum PPFD regardless of the light recipe.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If LED lighting provides multiple color channels (white, blue, red), then the light can be adapted to different plant needs at different life cycle stages, but the total power output is reduced when disconnecting unused channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight recipe adaptabilityVSAvoidtotal power output

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the power distribution across different color channels based on the selected light recipe. The controller continuously monitors the required power for each channel and reallocates the total power budget to maximize PPFD output for the specific plant growth stage, rather than using fixed power levels for all channels simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the power parameters of individual color channels based on the light recipe requirements. When a specific recipe is selected (e.g., red-only for flowering stage), the controller adjusts the power parameter of that channel to maximum while setting other channels to zero, thereby maintaining maximum total power output while adapting to different plant needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system allows disconnecting unused color channels to match specific plant needs, then the light can be optimized for particular growth stages, but the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight recipe customizationVSAvoidPPFD

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically reallocates the total power budget across available color channels based on the selected light recipe. Instead of fixed power allocation, the controller continuously adjusts power distribution to maximize the sum of PPFD contributions from active channels, ensuring that disconnecting unused channels does not reduce overall PPFD output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the power output parameters of individual channels based on recipe requirements while maintaining the total power budget. When channels are disconnected for a specific recipe, the controller increases the power parameter of active channels to compensate, thereby maintaining maximum PPFD while achieving light optimization for specific growth stages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Power

If maximum power is delivered to all color channels simultaneously, then the total PPFD is maximized, but the power distribution cannot be optimized for specific plant life cycle stages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetotal power outputVSAvoidlight recipe optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts power distribution across color channels based on real-time recipe requirements and plant growth stage. The controller continuously monitors which channels should be active and reallocates total power to maximize PPFD for the current growth stage, enabling both high power output and optimized spectral composition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the power parameters of individual color channels based on the selected light recipe and plant needs. The controller adjusts each channel's power parameter to match the optimal spectrum for the current growth stage while maintaining the total power budget, thereby achieving both maximum PPFD and recipe optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 ensures consistent maximum power delivery to LED lighting elements, optimizing PPFD for plant growth by dynamically adjusting power distribution based on the light recipe, ensuring that plants receive the necessary light spectrum and intensity throughout their life cycle.

Implementation Method 1

The transition from high intensity discharge (HID) lighting to light emitting diode (LED) lighting has offered new advantages

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight Emitting Diode: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentUS11051459B2Apparatus to provide maximum PPFD light recipes to horticultural lighting

Publication Date: 2021.07.06 NATARELLI DAVID JOHN

AI summary

A control device for horticultural lighting applications which allow for the creation of nearly unlimited color selection while maintaining constant power output across the multiple LED light engines connected to it.