Sealed Plant Cultivation Cabinet With Segmented Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant cultivation apparatuses face issues with contamination, dew condensation, pest penetration, and inadequate carbon dioxide supply, while also lacking effective ventilation and user-exposed ventilation structures.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a cabinet with an inner case and outer case, insulated by a material, featuring an evaporator for temperature control, a door for sealing, a suction duct for ventilation, and a discharge duct for air circulation, along with a blower assembly and pre-filter to maintain a sanitary environment and prevent pest entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cultivation space is sealed to maintain a controlled environment, then temperature and humidity control are improved, but dew condensation occurs due to moisture from plant respiration
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system is segmented into separate suction and discharge paths. The suction duct introduces fresh air through the rear surface, while the discharge duct exhausts moist air through the lower surface. This segmentation allows controlled air exchange without compromising the sealed environment, preventing dew condensation while maintaining temperature and humidity control.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cultivation space is sealed to prevent pest penetration, then contamination is reduced, but carbon dioxide supply becomes insufficient for plant growth
Solution Approach 1:
The suction duct acts as an intermediary channel that introduces fresh air containing carbon dioxide into the sealed cultivation space through the rear surface. This intermediary structure enables gas exchange without creating open pathways that would allow pest penetration, thus maintaining both contamination prevention and adequate carbon dioxide supply.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If ventilation ducts are provided to improve air circulation, then contamination is prevented, but the ventilation structure becomes exposed to users
Solution Approach 1:
The suction and discharge ducts are nested within the cabinet structure. The suction duct is formed to pass through the rear surface, and the discharge duct passes through the lower surface, with both ducts integrated into the cabinet's internal architecture. This nesting approach allows the ventilation system to function without exposing complex structures to users, maintaining a clean and simple appearance.
4Device complexity
If a fixed nutrient solution recovery container is used, then the structure is simple, but water supply management and washing become inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply system transitions from a fixed container to a dynamic, detachable configuration. The water tank can be removed and repositioned, and the water supply pipes can be disconnected and reconnected. This dynamic design maintains structural simplicity while significantly improving ease of operation for water supply management and washing activities.
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 solution ensures constant humidity control, prevents contamination, secures carbon dioxide supply, and maintains a sealed environment while improving ventilation performance without exposing ventilation components, thus maintaining a clean and efficient cultivation space.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator provided inside the cultivation space to adjust a temperature of the cultivation space
Implementation Method 2
an insulating material disposed in a space between the inner case and the outer case
Implementation Method 3
a compressor configured to be disposed in the machine room and to compress the refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
a heat dissipation fan configured to be disposed in the machine room and configured to dissipate heat generated by the compressor to the outside
Implementation Method 5
a suction duct formed to pass through the insulating material from the upper portion of the cabinet and through which outside air flows therein
Implementation Method 6
a discharge duct formed to pass through the insulating material from a lower surface of the cabinet to discharge air inside the cultivation space to the machine room
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for cultivating plants includes a cabinet including an outer case, an inner case forming a cultivation space, and an insulating material disposed between the inner case and the outer case; an evaporator configured to adjust a temperature of the cultivation space; a door configured to open and close the cultivation space; a cultivation shelf disposed inside of the cultivation space, on which a seed package containing plants for cultivation is seated; a water supply module configured to supply water to the cultivation shelf; a machine room having a separate space formed under the cultivation space; a compressor disposed in the machine room and connected to the evaporator to compress a refrigerant; a heat dissipation fan disposed in the machine room and configured to dissipate heat generated by the compressor to the outside; a suction duct that passes through the insulating material and through which outside air flows therein; and a discharge duct that passes through the insulating material to discharge air inside of the cultivation space to the machine room.