Predictive Plant Climate Control System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current greenhouse climate control systems are inefficient in providing optimal amounts of water, nutrients, CO2, and light to plants at the right time, leading to suboptimal growth and resource wastage, as they react impulsively to measured parameters without considering the plants' future consumption patterns or the delay between water uptake and transpiration.
Innovation Solution
A method that predicts future water uptake and transpiration by measuring flow parameters over 90 minutes and adjusts the supply of water, CO2, and light accordingly, compensating for a delay of 5-30 minutes between changes in water uptake and transpiration to maintain stable water content in plants, using a predetermined smooth curve aligned with the plants' circadian rhythm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional climate control systems operate to alter conditions as soon as environmental parameters exceed pre-set bounds, then the greenhouse climate is actively controlled, but the control is impulsive and does not account for plant consumption patterns or delays between water uptake and transpiration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting future transpiration rates based on current environmental conditions and plant characteristics, then adjusts consumable supply in advance to match the predicted future consumption needs rather than reacting impulsively to current measurements. This eliminates the time loss between measurement and appropriate response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring environmental parameters and plant responses, then using this information to refine predictions and adjust consumable supply dynamically. The feedback loop accounts for the delay between water uptake and transpiration by measuring transpiration rates and adjusting water supply accordingly.
2Speed
If the supply of consumables is adjusted immediately based on current measurements, then the control system responds quickly, but it creates oscillations and does not provide stable conditions for plant growth
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting future transpiration rates based on current environmental conditions and plant characteristics, then adjusts consumable supply in advance to match the predicted future consumption needs rather than reacting impulsively to current measurements. This eliminates the time loss between measurement and appropriate response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a time delay compensation mechanism that anticipates the lag between water uptake and transpiration. This cushioning effect smooths out the control response, preventing oscillations while maintaining adequate response speed to changing conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems use pre-set bounds with different values at different times of day, then some temporal variation is accounted for, but the control still does not optimize resource efficiency or account for plant consumption patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by transitioning from static pre-set bounds to dynamic, continuously adjusting consumable supply rates. The supply rate is dynamically adapted based on real-time environmental conditions, predicted plant consumption patterns, and the specific temporal phase of the circadian rhythm, optimizing resource efficiency while maintaining temporal adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements parameter changes by adjusting consumable supply rates based on the phase of the circadian rhythm and current environmental conditions. Rather than using fixed pre-set bounds, the supply parameters are continuously modified to match the predicted temporal consumption patterns of the plants, improving resource efficiency.
4Loss of energy
If the flow of water and CO2 and light incident on plants is controlled based on predicted future consumption capacity, then resource efficiency is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring environmental parameters and plant responses, then using this information to refine predictions and adjust consumable supply dynamically. The feedback loop accounts for the delay between water uptake and transpiration by measuring transpiration rates and adjusting water supply accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by using naturally occurring circadian rhythm patterns and environmental parameter relationships to generate predictions, rather than requiring complex external control algorithms. The system leverages the plants' own biological rhythms to guide resource delivery, reducing the need for sophisticated control logic.
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
This approach ensures plants receive the right amount of resources at the right time, reducing fluctuations and stress, leading to improved growth and resource efficiency, with potential yield increases of up to 20% compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
the flow parameters being indicative of transpiration by the plants, and/or water uptake by the plants
Implementation Method 2
compensating for a delay of 5-30 minutes between changes in water uptake and transpiration to maintain stable water content in plants
Implementation Method 3
using a predetermined smooth curve aligned with the plants' circadian rhythm
Data Source
AI summary
A method of cultivating plants in which a quantity of one or more consumables that is fed to the plants at a given time is controlled based on a prediction of a capacity of consumption of said plants at a time in the future relative to the given time using a function of capacity of consumption for said plants that varies over time, and is compensated for a difference between an indication of real consumption of said plants at a time in the past relative to the given time and a theoretical capacity of consumption of said plants determined for said time in the past using said function.