Vertical Plant Growing Systems for Uniform Lighting and Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertical growing systems face challenges with weight, portability, ease of cultivation, ventilation, overheating, humidity control, lighting access, light distribution, and irrigation efficiency, making them bulky and difficult to use effectively.
Innovation Solution
A vertical growing system with vertically arranged plant supports, overhead support structures, and lighting apparatus that allows for a wide and uniform canopy, integrated cooling and ventilation systems, and a reclaim irrigation system, reducing the need for external supports and optimizing space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lighting apparatus is placed close to plant supports to enhance crop yield, then lighting efficiency improves, but heat dissipation becomes problematic causing overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting apparatus is oriented vertically rather than horizontally, changing the spatial dimension of light delivery. This vertical orientation allows the light sources to be positioned close to the plant canopy while directing light downward, improving lighting efficiency without compromising heat dissipation through the vertical structure and surrounding air flow paths.
2Volume of moving object
If overhead support structure is eliminated to reduce system size, then portability improves, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The plant support structure and lighting support structure are merged into a single integrated vertical assembly. The plant support apparatus includes vertical supports that simultaneously serve as structural elements for both plant cultivation and lighting apparatus mounting, eliminating the need for separate overhead support structures while maintaining structural stability through the combined design.
3Productivity
If plant supports are arranged horizontally in stacked configuration to maximize crop yield, then production increases, but system becomes bulky and difficult to move
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from horizontal stacking of plant supports to a vertical arrangement where plant supports are positioned vertically. This vertical configuration allows multiple plant supports to be stacked in a compact vertical space, maximizing crop yield per unit floor area while keeping the overall system footprint small and improving portability compared to horizontal stacked configurations.
4Illumination intensity
If lighting apparatus is positioned to create wide canopy coverage, then light distribution improves, but heat transfer to plants increases causing overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical supports and structural elements of the plant support apparatus serve as intermediary heat dissipation pathways. These structures are positioned between the lighting apparatus and the plants, providing thermal pathways that conduct heat away from the plants while allowing the lighting apparatus to maintain positions optimized for light distribution across the canopy.
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 system enhances crop yield by allowing close proximity of lighting to plants, improving heat dissipation and airflow, while reducing system size and water consumption, and facilitating easy movement and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The lighting apparatus may include: one or more lighting support structures, where each lighting support structure may include a first side including a first engagement region having at least two mounting surfaces collectively forming a substantially V-shape
Implementation Method 2
the lighting apparatus is structurally configured to create a relatively wide and uniform canopy, and to facilitate heat dissipation therefrom
Implementation Method 3
The vertical growing system may include a cooling system and/or a ventilation system
Implementation Method 4
The vertical growing system may include an irrigation system that may be supported on the overhead support structure
Data Source
AI summary
The present teachings include a vertical growing system for plants suitable for high crop yield using hydroponic growing techniques. An exemplary vertical growing system includes one or more plant supports having a vertical arrangement structurally configured to increase production in a growing space. One or more lighting apparatus may be arranged vertically and located adjacent to the plant supports, where the lighting apparatus is structurally configured to create a relatively wide and uniform canopy, and to allow the lighting apparatus to be in relatively close proximity to plant supports. Embodiments may also or instead include an overhead support structure eliminating the requirement for other supports around the cultivation area thereby reducing the overall size of the growing system, a cooling system and/or a ventilation system (either of which may be supported by the overhead support structure), and an irrigation system that may be supported on the overhead support structure.