Rail-Mounted Plant Modules for Vertical Farming Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vertical farming systems face challenges in heat management and plant harvesting and seeding efficiency, with high power densities and complex logistics leading to increased operational costs and reduced growing environment efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A plant growing system with a rail-based design that allows for tool-free exchange of plant containment devices and uses a liquid working medium to regulate air temperature, eliminating the need for air conditioning and simplifying the harvesting and seeding process by integrating a cooling and heating device to manage temperature and humidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high power density lighting is used to illuminate plants in vertical farming, then plant growth efficiency is improved, but heat management becomes more difficult and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lighting function and cooling function into a single integrated unit. The light source assembly includes LEDs mounted on a heat sink structure that also serves as a cooling element. Liquid coolant flows through channels in the heat sink, simultaneously removing heat from the LEDs and providing cooled air to the plants through integrated fans, thus resolving the contradiction between high power density lighting and heat management difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The light source assembly is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: providing illumination for plant growth, cooling the LEDs through integrated heat sinks, circulating coolant through pump systems, and providing forced convection cooling to plants via fans. This multi-functional design allows the same structure to address both productivity enhancement and heat management challenges
2Temperature
If air is used for cooling in vertical farms, then heat removal is achieved, but the low heat capacity and heat conductivity of air require large volumes and high flow rates, increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from using air alone for cooling to using a liquid coolant system. Liquid coolant with high heat capacity flows through heat sink channels, efficiently absorbing heat from LEDs. The system includes pumps to circulate the liquid and fans to facilitate evaporation and convection, creating a hybrid cooling system that reduces the complexity associated with high-volume air flow requirements
3Productivity
If plant containment devices are tightly stacked to maximize space utilization, then vertical farming density is improved, but harvesting and seeding operations become more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the plant growing system into modular plant containment devices that can be independently handled. Each module contains complete growing, lighting, and cooling systems, allowing individual units to be quickly removed, harvested, or replaced without disturbing adjacent modules. This segmentation enables efficient plant management operations while maintaining high vertical density through modular stacking
4Ease of operation
If traditional agriculture methods are used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but water consumption is excessive and environmental impact is negative
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the state of water from being freely evaporated in traditional agriculture to being contained and recirculated in a closed-loop hydroponic system. Nutrient-rich water is pumped to plants, absorbs nutrients through roots, and is then collected and reused. This parameter change in water management dramatically reduces water consumption while maintaining operational simplicity through automated circulation systems
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 solution reduces operational expenses, enhances growing environment efficiency, and simplifies plant management by controlling temperature through a liquid medium, eliminating the need for air conditioning and streamlining the harvesting and seeding processes.
Implementation Method 1
the plant growing system is configured to control the temperature of the air surrounding the plant containment device by regulating the temperature of a liquid working medium circulated through the irrigation channel
Implementation Method 2
a 50 times lower heat conductivity. Therefore, to efficiently remove a lot of power thermally in a confined, small space like a vertical farm, a lot of air has to be moved fast
Implementation Method 3
integrating a cooling and heating device to manage temperature and humidity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3~4a
AI summary
The invention relates to a system (100) for vertical farming. The system (100) comprises at least one plant containment device (200), at least one light source (203) and a frame (215) with at least one rail (204) extending horizontally from a back wall of the frame (215). The at least one plant containment device (200) comprises a plant holding compartment (202) to hold at least one plant (50) and an irrigation channel (210). The at least one light source (203) is arranged on a bottom side of the at least one rail (204), wherein a top side of the rail (204) is shaped complementary to a bottom side of the plant containment device (200). The plant containment device (200) is configured to be arranged on the top side of the rail (204) without fixing it to the rail (204), wherein the plant growing system (100) is configured to control the temperature of the air (214) surrounding the plant containment device (200) by regulating the temperature of a liquid working medium inside the irrigation channel (210).