Rotating Drum Hydroponics Nutrient Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plant growing systems, such as rotating drum hydroponics, face challenges with high energy costs for lighting and inefficient water use, leading to nutrient waste and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A horticultural apparatus with a rotating drum equipped with a ring, drive system, light source, and a feed arrangement that includes filters, valves, flow meters, and a computer-controlled system for optimizing water and fertilizer delivery based on plant measurements, using moisture sensors and injectors to provide precise nutritional support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a rotating drum system is used to reduce lighting energy costs, then energy efficiency is improved, but water waste and nutrient contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different treatments to different zones of the plant root system. The upper portion receives aerosolized nutrient solution while the lower portion remains in a water reservoir, creating localized quality differences that optimize both nutrient delivery and water retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The root system is divided into two segments: an upper segment exposed to aerosol nutrient mist and a lower segment immersed in water. This segmentation allows independent optimization of nutrient delivery efficiency and water conservation for each segment.
2Reliability
If continuous water supply is provided to plants, then plant growth is maintained, but water waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous water supply, the system uses periodic aerosolization of nutrient solution. The aerosol mist is delivered in cycles, providing necessary moisture and nutrients while allowing evaporation and drainage between cycles, thus reducing water waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical irrigation system is replaced with an aerosol delivery system. This substitution uses fluid dynamics and evaporation principles to provide water and nutrients in a controlled, efficient manner that reduces overall water consumption.
3Productivity
If precise nutrient delivery is implemented, then growth efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aerosolization system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it delivers water, delivers nutrients, controls humidity, and provides cooling. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems while maintaining precise delivery control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges water delivery and nutrient delivery into a single aerosol stream. By combining these functions into one integrated system, the patent achieves precise nutrient delivery without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 optimizes plant growth by reducing energy costs, minimizing water waste, and ensuring precise nutrient delivery, thereby enhancing growth efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
a light source within said drum
Implementation Method 2
each of said cells having a moisture sensor associated therewith; said feed arrangement including a sensor trigger adapted to contact each moisture sensor to receive information as to the status of each of the cells
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for optimizing the growth of a plant by taking a measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium, calculating the optimal nutritional requirement of the plant based on the measurement, and then injecting an optimal amount of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of water, fertilizer and a combination of water and fertilizer into the container. A rotating drum apparatus is provided for the practice of the invention.