LED Grow Light Array with Segmented Bars for Uniform Canopy Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LED grow lights suffer from hot spots, uneven light distribution, poor light penetration into plant canopies, and high energy consumption, which can lead to reduced photosynthesis and increased microbial growth, posing challenges for plant growth and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An LED grow light array with multiple light bars, each containing discrete photosynthetic and antimicrobial LED chips of varying wavelengths, controlled by a microprocessor to ensure even light distribution, eliminate hot spots, and optimize energy usage through pulsing and varying power delivery to individual bars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If quantum board/dots LED grow lights are used to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but hot spots are created causing plant damage and light distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the LED grow light into multiple separate light bars instead of using a single quantum board. Each light bar contains a manageable array of LEDs that can be independently controlled. This segmentation eliminates the hot spot problem by distributing light emission across multiple separated sources rather than a dense concentrated array, while maintaining cost-effectiveness through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements individual control of each light bar through separate PWM dimming control, allowing different parts of the grow light to have different intensity levels. This local quality control enables optimization of light distribution across the growing area, preventing hot spots in high-intensity zones while ensuring adequate illumination in lower-intensity zones, thereby eliminating uniform light distribution problems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple light bars are used to reduce hot spots, then hot spots are eliminated, but light intensity decreases at edges of growing area reducing photosynthesis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of light bar intensity through PWM dimming, allowing the system to adjust the brightness of individual light bars based on spatial requirements. This dynamic adjustment capability enables higher intensity at edge positions to compensate for light decay, while maintaining lower intensity at center positions to prevent hot spots, thereby resolving the contradiction between eliminating hot spots and maintaining adequate edge illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different intensity levels to different light bars based on their position in the array. Edge light bars are controlled to provide higher intensity to compensate for the inverse-square law light decay, while center light bars provide lower intensity to avoid hot spots. This localized quality adjustment ensures uniform photosynthetic activity across the entire growing area.
3Illumination intensity
If more intense light is used to penetrate plant canopy, then light penetration is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic PWM control to adjust light bar intensity based on real-time requirements for canopy penetration. Rather than continuously operating at maximum intensity, the system dynamically increases power to specific light bars when canopy penetration is needed, then reduces power when sufficient penetration is achieved. This dynamic adjustment maintains effective light penetration while minimizing overall energy consumption through time-varying intensity control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic pulsing of light bars to deliver intense light for canopy penetration during specific time intervals, followed by reduced intensity periods. This periodic action allows the plants to receive necessary high-intensity light for penetration without continuous exposure, thereby achieving effective canopy penetration while reducing average energy consumption through intermittent high-power delivery.
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 solution enhances light penetration and uniformity, increases photosynthesis, reduces microbial growth, and minimizes energy consumption, leading to improved crop yields and reduced energy costs.
Implementation Method 1
An LED, a light emitting-diode, being a semiconductor diode which glows when a voltage is applied
Implementation Method 2
supporting plant growth... increase photosynthesis
Implementation Method 3
UV light can be used to reduce microorganism
Data Source
AI summary
A LED grow light array and method for controlling thereof, aimed at increasing plant canopy light penetration without stationary hot spots, providing antimicrobial light to eliminate microorganism on plants, providing pulsing canopy penetrating and microbial light without a dark period, and reducing energy consumption, the LED grow light array comprising: a LED grow light array, the array comprising at least four light bars, wherein the light bars comprise discrete photosynthetic LED chips of different types based on the wavelength of light they emit, the light they emit being either blue, red, or white light, or a combination thereof, wherein blue light wavelength ranges from 405 nm to 450 nm, red light wavelength ranges from 630 nm to 720 nm, and white light is a combination of wavelengths that ranges from 400 nm to 700 nm, each type of photosynthetic LED chip forming a set of chips; wherein the bars are in a series and spaced evenly over a given plant growing area; wherein the light bars further comprise discrete antimicrobial LED chips of different types based on the wavelength of light they emit, the light being light with antimicrobial properties between the wavelengths of 100 nm and 405 nm, each type forming a set of chips; wherein each light bar comprises a circuit board to mount said discrete photosynthetic and antimicrobial LED chips thereon; at least one LED driver to provide power to the LED chips; at least one microprocessor to control the at least one LED driver; and a lighting program sent to the microprocessor designed to control the at least four light bars and the sets of photosynthetic and antimicrobial LED chips individually.