Substrate-Free Pulsed Aeroponic Growth for Direct Root Feeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aeroponic systems using growth substrates like rock wool, hydroughton, perlite, vermiculite, clay pellets, sand, gravel, or sawdust increase costs and decrease efficiency by retaining moisture and nutrients, leading to attenuated plant growth and limited yield.
Innovation Solution
A system for pulsed aeroponic plant growth without a substrate, utilizing a growth platform with ring-shaped frames and apertures, a high-pressure nutrient delivery system with atomizing nozzles, and a controller to manage pressure and pulse sequences for precise nutrient and cleaning agent application, including hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid, to optimize nutrient absorption and prevent root rot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If growth substrates (rock wool, perlite, vermiculite, clay pellets, sand, gravel, or sawdust) are used to support plant roots and deliver water and nutrients, then plant support and moisture retention are improved, but system cost and weight increase while water and nutrient delivery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the growth substrate entirely from the system, extracting the problematic element that caused both moisture retention and efficiency loss. The roots are suspended in air without any substrate, eliminating the source of water evaporation and nutrient binding while maintaining plant support through alternative means (net pots or support structures).
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a high-pressure pump and nozzle assembly to deliver nutrient solution in pulsed sprays directly to the roots. This pneumatic-hydraulic approach replaces the passive moisture retention of substrates with active, controlled delivery, ensuring efficient water and nutrient transfer directly to roots without loss to evaporation or binding.
2Quantity of substance
If growth substrates are used to retain moisture, then water availability to roots is improved, but water waste through evaporation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic pulsed spraying of nutrient solution to the roots using a timer-controlled high-pressure pump and nozzle assembly. This periodic delivery ensures roots receive adequate water and nutrients during spray pulses while the air-gap environment prevents continuous evaporation losses associated with substrate-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
By removing the substrate entirely, the system eliminates the surface area through which evaporation occurs. Water is delivered directly to roots in controlled pulses without being retained in a substrate matrix, thereby preventing evaporation losses while maintaining water availability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If growth substrates are used to support roots, then root stability is improved, but nutrient binding to substrate increases reducing nutrient absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is completely removed from the system, eliminating the source of nutrient binding. Roots are supported by net pots or simple support structures that provide mechanical stability without chemical properties that would bind nutrients, ensuring all nutrients in the solution remain available for root absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The high-pressure pulsed spray system delivers nutrient solution directly to roots with sufficient force to ensure thorough coating and absorption. This direct hydraulic delivery bypasses any substrate interaction, guaranteeing that nutrients are transferred efficiently from solution to root without being bound or retained by substrate materials.
4Productivity
If continuous nutrient delivery is used to maintain optimal feed conditions, then plant growth is improved, but water and nutrient waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulsed spraying controlled by a timer to deliver nutrient solution in intermittent bursts rather than continuous flow. This periodic action maintains optimal nutrient feed conditions for plant growth while significantly reducing water and nutrient waste by delivering solution only when roots are actively positioned to absorb it, rather than continuously flooding the system.
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
Enhances plant growth efficiency by ensuring precise nutrient delivery and prevention of root rot, reducing water waste and manual intervention, while maintaining optimal nutrient feed conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A high-pressure pump may be utilized to deliver the nutrient solution through the nozzle assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A system for pulsed aeroponic plant growth without using a media substrate to support plant roots includes a growth platform, a mixing tank, and a hydraulic delivery system, wherein the growth platform is shaped to form multiple apertures, each configured to support a growth ring, and the hydraulic delivery system includes sensors, a high pressure pump, multiple inline valves, and multiple micro-sprayers, the high pressure pump, inline valves, and micro-sprayers being hydraulically coupled to the mixing tank. The mixing tank is configured to combine nutrients in water to generate a nutrient solution for a nutrient solution mist for release through micro-sprayers located in proximity to one or more growth rings, and the hydraulic delivery system is configured to pulse the release of the nutrient solution mist during a feeding cycle at a selected pulse-width.