Multi-Wavelength Plant Cultivation Light Source for Active Ingredients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light sources for plant cultivation primarily focus on photosynthesis and lack additional functions to enhance the content of active ingredients beneficial to humans in plants, such as chlorophylls, flavonoids, anthocyanins, chlorogenic acids, and sesquiterpene lactones.
Innovation Solution
A plant cultivation light module comprising a first light source emitting visible light, a second light source emitting longer wavelength light, and a third light source emitting shorter wavelength light, controlled by a controller to generate specific light patterns that increase the content of active ingredients in plants, including ultraviolet light for the Asteraceae family.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional light sources (incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps) are used for plant cultivation, then plant photosynthesis is supported, but the content of active ingredients (chlorophylls, flavonoids, anthocyanins, chlorogenic acids, sesquiterpene lactones) in plants is not enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is segmented into multiple LED modules, each emitting light at specific wavelengths (blue, red, green, yellow-green) to target different photosynthetic pigments and active ingredient synthesis pathways. This segmentation allows selective enhancement of active ingredients while maintaining photosynthesis.
Solution Approach 2:
The LED-based light source is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: supporting photosynthesis, enhancing active ingredient content, and providing controllable spectral composition. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the light source adaptable to different plant cultivation goals.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple light sources with different wavelength compositions are used to enhance active ingredients, then the content of active ingredients increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple LED modules emitting different wavelengths are merged into a single integrated light source unit with a unified controller. This combining approach maintains the benefits of multi-wavelength illumination while reducing device complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source incorporates adjustable wavelength composition and intensity control, allowing dynamic adaptation to different plant species and cultivation stages. This dynamic capability enables the system to optimize active ingredient enhancement without requiring multiple fixed light sources.
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 effectively enhances the content of active ingredients like chlorophylls, flavonoids, anthocyanins, chlorogenic acids, and sesquiterpene lactones in plants while maintaining their inherent color, using a controlled combination of visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light patterns.
Implementation Method 1
The active layer is disposed on the first semiconductor layer to emit a light having a specific wavelength due to a band gap difference in an energy band depending on a material used to form the active layer
Implementation Method 2
The first light emitter includes a first light emitter configured to emit first light having peak wavelength in a visible range and a second light emitter configured to emit second light having a longer peak wavelength to the first light
Data Source
AI summary
A light source can include at least one light emitter and is configured to emit a first light during a region of a light period and emit both the first light and a second light of a different wavelength during a remaining region of the light period. The emitter can include semiconductor layers and an active layer configured to emit light having a specific wavelength due to a band gap difference in an energy band depending on a material used to form the active layer. A plant cultivation device can include the light source and a main body in which a plant can be grown. The light period can be configured to increase a content of an active ingredient in the plant. The first light can have a longer peak wavelength than a peak wavelength of the second light.