Modular Hydroponic Gutter Carrier for Density Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydroponic systems face challenges in scaling up production capacity due to the labor-intensive process of transplanting crop units, which becomes economically unfeasible as production increases, and require significant human intervention and material usage.
Innovation Solution
A hydroponic system featuring carriers that guide multiple gutters, allowing for the removal of gutters from carriers to provide more space for crop units without individual transplanting, optimizing surface density and reducing material usage by using non-self-supporting, narrower gutters that are more cost-effective and flexible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If individual transplanting is used to provide more space for crop units, then crop growth space is improved, but labor requirements and production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the gutter into modular sections that can be independently removed from the carrier. Instead of transplanting individual crop units, entire gutter sections are segmented and removed, providing more space for remaining crop units while reducing labor to handling sections rather than individual plants.
Solution Approach 2:
Gutter sections are extracted from the carrier system to provide additional growth space for crop units. This extraction approach allows the system to increase crop growth space without requiring individual transplanting operations, thereby maintaining productivity while improving plant conditions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional self-supporting gutters are used, then structural stability is improved, but material usage and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier acts as an intermediary support structure that replaces the need for self-supporting gutters. The carrier provides the necessary structural stability, allowing gutters to be constructed from lighter, less material-intensive components while maintaining overall system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire gutter self-supporting and material-intensive, the system applies support locally through the carrier at specific intervals. This allows the gutter to use minimal material while the carrier provides the necessary structural stability where needed.
3Device complexity
If fixed gutter spacing is used, then system simplicity is improved, but surface area utilization and crop density optimization decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from fixed gutter spacing to dynamic, adjustable spacing. Gutter sections can be removed from the carrier at different positions and frequencies, allowing the spacing between remaining gutters to be optimized based on crop growth stage, crop type, and surface area utilization requirements while maintaining relatively simple system operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Hydroponic system for cultivating a crop, comprising a guide for guiding a plurality of carriers in a predetermined area, and wherein the guide is configured to guide the carriers in a first directionwhich extends from a first edge to a second edge of the area,wherein each carrier is configured to carry at least two parallel gutters, and wherein at least one of the at least two gutters is removable from the carrier,and wherein each gutter is configured to contain a plurality of crop units of the crop.