Modular Plant Wall With Removable Irrigation And Capillary Breaks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant walls face issues with uneven nutrient distribution and over-irrigation, leading to inconsistent plant growth and damage from excessive or inadequate water, and the inefficiency of integrated irrigation pipes that complicate module replacement.
Innovation Solution
A modular plant wall system with a drainage channel and capillary breaks in the growing medium, allowing for controlled water delivery and drainage, and a removable module design that separates irrigation systems from the modules for easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If irrigation pipes are integrated with wall components, then water delivery is ensured, but module replacement becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional components: wall modules containing growing medium and plants, and a separate irrigation network with pipes and distributors. This segmentation allows modules to be independently removed and replaced without affecting the irrigation system, resolving the contradiction between reliable water delivery and efficient module replacement.
2Use of energy by moving object
If water is fed into upper components, then upper plants are irrigated, but excess water trickles down causing over-irrigation of lower plants
Solution Approach 1:
Water distributors are introduced as intermediary components that intercept water flow between upper and lower wall components. These distributors receive water from upper levels and redistribute it to lower levels, preventing direct trickling and over-irrigation while ensuring balanced water delivery to all plant levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates drainage channels and water collection mechanisms that capture excess water from upper components and redirect it through the irrigation network to lower components. This feedback loop prevents water loss and ensures uniform water distribution across all levels, eliminating the harmful effect of over-irrigation.
3Quantity of substance
If nutrients are delivered with irrigation water, then plants receive nutrition, but valuable nutrients are lost through drainage
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers nutrients that would otherwise be lost through drainage by capturing nutrient-containing water in drainage channels and redirecting it back into the irrigation network. This recycling process prevents nutrient loss and ensures continuous nutrient supply to plants, resolving the contradiction between nutrient delivery and nutrient conservation.
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
Ensures even water and nutrient distribution across all levels, preventing plant damage from over-irrigation and under-irrigation, and allows for easy module replacement without disrupting the irrigation system, promoting consistent plant growth and efficient maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The capillary break includes a capillary membrane
Implementation Method 2
A permeable membrane and impermeable membrane comprises the drainage membrane
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A plant wall and module for growing plants is disclosed in which the plant wall and module provide for the controlled delivery of water and nutrients to plants located on the plant wall and module. The plant wall may include a matrix of modules, each module filled with an inert growing medium. The inert growing medium preferably includes openings in which plants are secured and from which plants can grow from the growing medium. An irrigation system delivers water and nutrients to each module and may be removed and replaced from the plant wall without removal of the irrigation system. In addition, a drainage channel, such as a rear drainage channel, is formed so that excess water may exit from the modules. Capillary breaks may also be provided within the growing medium of each module to aid in the distribution of water and nutrients throughout the growing medium.