Multi-Story Horizontal Trellising for Continuous Indoor Crop Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertical trellising systems face challenges in compactization and yield optimization, particularly in indoor controlled environments, where typical yields are limited to about 350 Kg/m2 floor.
Innovation Solution
A multi-story horizontal trellising system (MSHTS) with vertically erected stories, each comprising an array of growing boxes and horizontal trellising wires, equipped with features like light emitters, CO2 detectors, and NTP decontaminating systems, optimized for continuous plant cultivation through a 'Leaders & Chasers' method, ensuring high yields of up to 700 Kg/m2 floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If vertical trellising systems are used, then space utilization is improved, but yield per square meter floor is limited to about 350 Kg/m2
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical trellising to horizontal trellising along overhead wires, changing the growth dimension from vertical to horizontal. Plants are trained to grow along horizontal wires at head height, allowing multiple plants per vertical column across multiple stories, thereby increasing yield per floor area while maintaining compact vertical space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the growing space into multiple horizontal stories stacked vertically, with each story containing multiple horizontal trellis lines. This segmentation allows independent cultivation zones at different heights, enabling continuous production cycles across multiple levels simultaneously, thus increasing overall productivity per floor area.
2Productivity
If horizontal trellising wires are used with multiple stories, then yield per square meter floor increases to about 700 Kg/m2, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overhead wire system serves multiple functions: it acts as the trellis structure for plant support, the framework for multiple horizontal stories, the guide for plant training, and the basis for the Leaders & Chasers cultivation method. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate structural elements, simplifying the overall system despite increased productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic plant training where vines are actively guided and repositioned along the wires during growth. The Leaders & Chasers method dynamically assigns roles to different plants based on their growth stage, with leading plants being replaced by chasing plants, creating a flexible, adaptive cultivation system that optimizes yield without requiring rigid structural complexity.
3Productivity
If the Leaders & Chasers method is implemented for continuous cultivation, then continuous yielding is achieved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares chasing plants in advance in the same growing boxes or adjacent positions before they are needed to replace leading plants. This preliminary cultivation allows seamless transitions without interrupting production, as chasing plants are already grown and ready to take over the leading position, simplifying the operational aspect of continuous cultivation.
Solution Approach 2:
The Leaders & Chasers method ensures continuous productive action by maintaining plants in different growth stages simultaneously along the trellis. While leading plants are being harvested, chasing plants continue to grow and mature in the same space, eliminating idle periods and ensuring uninterrupted yield generation throughout the cultivation cycle.
Data Source
AI summary
Vertical trellising agriculture is used in indoor and outdoor applications. Drawbacks of vertical trellising are known in the art, and usually concerns aspects related difficulties in compactization of the modules and cascading the production, especially in indoor controlled environments, where typical yields are up to about 350 Kg/m2 floor. The present invention discloses multi-story horizontal trellising systems and modules thereof; and provides a modular vertically stackable trellising means with greater yields per square meter floor.