JP2003250367A - Plant culturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for culturing a plant by spraying a culture solution to the root of the plant and forming the flow of air containing the mist of the culture solution to keep the humidity in a culture box to an optimum level and achieve the prevention of the drying of leaves and the supply of nutrients and forming an environment suitable for the culture to prevent the abrupt change of temperature by the flow of air and carbon dioxide gas. <P>SOLUTION: The outer box 1 of the apparatus has heat-insulation property and airtightness and the opening of the box is closable with a lid. The culture box 7 placed in the outer box 1 is provided with a reflection material such as aluminum foil on the inner faces. The inside of the culture box 7 is divided with a culture bed 9 into an upper culture chamber 14 and a lower spray chamber 15. The culture chamber 14 is illuminated by a fluorescent lamp 18. Cleaned outer air is introduced into the culture box 7 after controlling the temperature of the air. The mist of the culture solution to be sprayed to the root is introduced into the culture chamber 14 together with the flow of air and carbon dioxide gas. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the growth of plants by using an artificial light source of low heat generation type or non-heat generation type and by controlling the nutrient solution, circulating air and carbon dioxide gas with high precision and in good balance. The present invention relates to a plant cultivation device capable of forming an optimum cultivation environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various techniques for artificially providing an optimal environment for growing plants and cultivating high-quality plants at an early stage have been tried. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-15537
No. 3, the inner wall of the cultivation room in all directions is covered with a reflective surface,
Electric power cost is reduced by using a fluorescent lamp as a light source,
Further, a technique is disclosed in which heat failure is prevented. In addition, a technique of supplying carbon dioxide gas directly or by mixing it with a nutrient solution has been proposed.

[0003]

However, in the prior art, since the temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, etc. of the cultivation room are controlled in various ways, there is a drawback that an optimum environment for growing plants cannot be provided. . For example, the temperature around the plant is lowered by 1 to 2 degrees due to the transpiration effect of the plant's respiration, but since the conventional cultivation apparatus merely supplies air to the cultivation room, uneven temperature and humidity are formed. There is a drawback that is done.
Further, since the nutrients are supplied to the plants only from the root part, there is a drawback that the nutrients cannot be sufficiently supplied. Furthermore, although the leaf portion cannot be dried even if a fluorescent lamp is used as a light source, no technique has been proposed in consideration of this drying prevention.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and the humidity in the cultivation box is obtained by spraying the nutrient solution on the root part of the plant and flowing the air containing the mist-like nutrient solution. To prevent leaf dryness and to supply nutrients, and since the temperature in the cultivation box does not change significantly due to flowing air and carbon dioxide gas supplied,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a plant cultivation device that can form an environment suitable for growing plants.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The means of the present invention configured to solve the above-mentioned problems includes an outer box having a heat insulating property and an airtight property, and an opening portion of which can be sealed by a lid,
Provided in the outer box with a gap, the inner surface consists of a cultivation box covered with a reflective material, and a plate body having a plurality of planting holes formed therein. A cultivation bed that defines a spraying chamber at the bottom, a luminescent body that is provided in the cultivation box and illuminates the cultivation room, and a nutrient solution spray pipe that sprays the nutrient solution from below onto the cultivation floor is supplied with the nutrient solution. A nutrient solution spraying device,
An air circulator that takes in and circulates the outside air into the cultivation box, and a gas supply device that supplies carbon dioxide to the cultivation box, and the air circulation device adjusts the outside air that has been purified and taken in to the room temperature. It is circulated in the cultivation box, and the gas supply device adjusts carbon dioxide gas to room temperature and supplies it to the cultivation box.

The cultivation floor is preferably constructed so that it can be carried out from the opening of the outer box.

Further, it is preferable to use a fluorescent lamp or a light emitting diode as the light emitting body.

The air circulated in the cultivation box is preferably mixed with the atomized nutrient solution in the spray chamber.

Further, the gas cylinder of the gas supply device is
It may be installed in a nutrient solution storage tank of the nutrient solution spraying device.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the figure, 1 indicates an outer box made of a cube. Reference numeral 2 denotes a box body that constitutes the outer box 1. The box body 2 has a structure having an opening 2E on the front side from a bottom 2A, left and right side walls 2B and 2B, a rear wall 2C and a ceiling 2D, The box body 2 has a structure in which the frame material 3 is covered with a heat insulating material 4, and a waterproof material 5 such as vinyl chloride is attached to the inner and outer surfaces thereof to have a heat insulating property, an airtight property, and a waterproof property. Further, the lid body 6 that is hinged to the box body 2 and that opens and closes the opening 2E so as to be able to seal is also configured by the heat insulating material 4 and the waterproof material 5 to have a heat insulating, airtight, and waterproof structure. I am doing it.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a cultivation box provided in the outer box 1 with a gap on the upper and left and right sides. The cultivation box 7 is constructed in a box shape with the front side open from the floor board 7A, the left and right side boards 7B and 7B, the rear board 7C, and the top board 7D, and the inner surface is covered with a reflective material such as an aluminum foil or an aluminum board. Yes, each side plate 7B
Vent holes 8, 8, ... Are formed in the. Reference numeral 9 indicates a cultivation floor provided in the cultivation box 7. The cultivating floor 9 includes a pair of supporting step portions 10 and 10 which are provided to protrude substantially opposite the middle steps of the side plates 7B and 7B of the cultivating box 7, the supporting step portions 10 and 10, and the floor plate 7.
A support plate 11, 11 standing upright with A and a large number of planting holes 12A, 12A formed in a flat plate shape with a non-water-absorbing material such as polyurethane and having a constricted lower side are arranged. The floor main body 12 is configured to be supported by the support step portions 10 and 10 through the rollers 13, 13, ... The cultivated plant A can be easily taken out and transplanted.

Thus, in the cultivation box 7, the cultivation floor 9 defines a substantially upper half space in the cultivation chamber 14 and a lower half space in the spray chamber 15. Then, one end is opened to the cultivation chamber 14, the other end is opened to the spray chamber 15, and the air introduction pipes 16 and 16 having the electromagnetic on-off valve and the blower fan inside and the carbon dioxide gas introduction having the electromagnetic on-off valve A pipe 17 is connected to the support step 10 and the support plate 11, and air is allowed to flow between the cultivation chamber 14 and the spray chamber 15 by the air introduction pipes 16, 16. Further, carbon dioxide gas is blown into the cultivation room 14 by the carbon dioxide gas introduction pipe 17.

Next, 18 is a fluorescent lamp which is provided on the top plate 7C of the cultivation box 7 and illuminates the inside of the cultivation room 13. Instead of the fluorescent lamp 18, red and blue light emitting diodes may be used. On the other hand, the nutrient solution spraying device 21 is located on the floor plate 7A of the cultivation box 7 located in the cultivation room 14, and the nutrient solution spraying pipes 21F, 21F, 21F are formed with a number of upward spray nozzles.
Is installed.

Here, the nutrient solution spraying device 21 is installed outside the outer box 1 and has a heat-insulating nutrient solution storage tank 21A for storing the nutrient solution, and the concentration of the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution storage tank 21A is adjusted. A nutrient solution controller 21B, a storage container 21C arranged near the outer box 1 for temporarily storing the nutrient solution,
A feed pump 21E for supplying a nutrient solution to the storage container 21C through a liquid supply pipe 21D, and a discharge pump 21G for pressure-feeding the nutrient solution in the storage container 21C to discharge it in a spray form from the nutrient solution spray pipe 21F. , The discharge pump 21G and the nutrient solution spray pipe 21
It is composed of a communication pipe 21H connected between F and a nutrient solution return pipe 21J having one end opened to the bottom plate 7A of the cultivation box 7 and the other end communicating with the nutrient solution storage tank 21A.
A makeup faucet 27K is provided in 1A.

Reference numeral 25 denotes an air circulation device for circulating clean and optimal temperature air in the cultivation room 14. Reference numeral 26 is a supply cylinder that constitutes the air circulation device 25 and introduces outside air into the outer case 1. The supply cylinder 26 is opened in the outer case 1 and has a ceiling portion 2D.
Suction fan 27 with a purification filter installed inside
Is provided. Further, 28 is an exhaust pipe for discharging the air in the outer box 1 to the outside, and the exhaust pipe 28 is opened in the outer box 1 and stands upright on the ceiling portion 2D, and an exhaust fan with a filter 29 is provided inside. Is provided.

Numeral 30 is an air flowing device for flowing the purified air sent into the outer box 1 in the cultivation chamber 14. The air flowing device 30 is located in the ventilation hole 8 and is a side plate of the cultivation box 7. 7B, the air supply fan 31, the exhaust fan 32 installed on the other side plate 7B, the one side plate 7B and the other side plate 7B.
The dampers 33 and 33 provided in the cultivation room 14 are used to clean the purified air in the outer box 1 by the air flow device 30.
It is designed to be introduced into the container, flowed, and discharged to the outer box 1 side. In addition, the air introduced into the cultivation room 14 is the air introduction pipe 1
6 and 16 cause the inside of the spray chamber 15 to flow and supply oxygen to the root portion B.

Reference numeral 35 denotes a purified warm air circulation pipe. The purified warm air circulation pipe 35 has an air supply port 35A on one end side and an exhaust port 35B on the other end side which are inserted into the outer case 1 and open inside the outer case 1, Box 1
The intermediate portion 35C extending to the outside of the vehicle is folded back in the hot water heat storage tank 39 described later, and the air circulation pump 36 is provided on the way.
Is provided. The air supply port 35A and the exhaust port 35B can be opened and closed by an electromagnetic on-off valve 37, and the air supply port 3A
A purification filter 38 is provided at 5A.

Reference numeral 39 denotes a hot water type heat storage tank for heating the circulating air to a desired temperature. The hot water type heat storage tank 39 is a tank main body 3 that stores hot water inside by forming a closed structure with a heat insulating material.
9A, a hot water heating means 39B such as a heat pump, a boiler or an electric heater for heating the hot water to a desired temperature, a hot water controller 39C for controlling the temperature, the water amount, the internal pressure and the like of the hot water, and a makeup tap 39D. Configured.

On the other hand, 40 is a purified cold air supply pipe, and the purified cold air supply pipe 40 has an air supply port 40A on one end side in the outer case 1.
The opening 40B is opened in the outer box 1 by inserting it into the outer casing 1, the inflow port 40B on the other end side is opened in the cooling tank 45 described later, and the air supply port 40A is provided with an electromagnetic on-off valve 41. Reference numeral 43 is a purified cold air return pipe, and the purified cold air return pipe 43 is a return port 4 on one end side.
3A is inserted into the outer box 1 to open in the outer box 1, and the discharge port 43B on the other end side is opened to the cooling tank 45.
Is provided with an electromagnetic on-off valve (not shown). A suction pump 44 is provided in the middle of the purified cold air return pipe 43.

Reference numeral 45 denotes a refrigerant type cooling tank for cooling the circulating air to a desired temperature. The cooling tank 45 is constructed in a closed structure by a heat insulating material and has a tank body 4 for storing a refrigerant such as ice therein.
5A and a coolant cooling means 45B such as a heat pump or a refrigerator for cooling the coolant to a desired temperature. A dehumidifying pipe 46 is connected between the tank main body 45A and the purified warm air circulation pipe 35 so that dry cold air is supplied to maintain the humidity of the humid circulating air at an appropriate humidity. Then, in order to keep the temperature of the air in the cultivation box 7 heated or cooled by the hot water heat storage tank 39 and the refrigerant cooling tank 45 described above optimally, the temperature sensors provided in the cultivation box 7 each The devices 21, 25, 51 are controlled as a whole, and the inside of the cultivation box 7 is controlled to an optimum temperature and humidity by flowing humid air into the cultivation box 7.

Further, 51 is a carbon dioxide gas supply means for releasing carbon dioxide gas into the cultivation box 7, and the carbon dioxide gas supply means 5
1 is a gas cylinder 52 installed in the nutrient solution storage tank 21A
And, connected to the gas cylinder 52, the carbon dioxide cultivation box 7
And a magnetic flow control valve 54 provided on the gas pipe 53 for controlling the amount of carbon dioxide gas released.

Reference numeral 55 denotes a building which constitutes a plant factory. The building 55 has a floor 55A and walls 55B and 55 surrounding four sides.
.. and a roof 55C, a suction fan 56 provided with a filter is provided at the opening of one side wall 55B of the pair of opposing walls 55B, 55B, and an exhaust fan is provided at the opening of the other side wall 55B. 57 is provided, and the outside air sucked by the suction fan 56 flows in the building 55 and is discharged to the outside by the exhaust fan 57. Then, the outer boxes 1 are installed in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of stages in the building 55 and are individually controlled. Further, the hot water storage tank 39 and the refrigerant cooling tank 45 are installed outside the building 55 so as not to be affected by the temperature.

The plant cultivating apparatus according to this embodiment has the above-mentioned structure, and its operation will be described below.
The nutrient solution storage device 2 is installed in the cultivation box 7 by the nutrient solution spraying device 21.
Nutrients, pH, EC, and temperature-adjusted nutrient solution are supplied from 1A via a storage container 21C.
It sprays from the spray nozzle of F toward the root part extending below the cultivation floor 9. In addition, the sprayed nutrient solution is used in the spray chamber 15
The humidity can be maintained by mixing with purified air.

Further, the air circulation device 25 purifies the outside air and takes it into the outer box 1, further purifies it by the purifying filter 38, and when the temperature of the air detected by the temperature sensor is lower than the cultivation temperature, the hot water system is used. It is heated to a desired temperature by the heat storage tank 39 and supplied into the outer box 1, and the cultivation room 1 of the cultivation box 7
4 is made to flow at a slight wind speed. Moreover, the humidity of the air is maintained by mixing the mist-like nutrient solution with the air that has flowed from the cultivation room 14 into the spraying room 15, and is supplied to the root part and at the same time flows into the cultivation room 14 to be absorbed by the leaf part. . On the other hand, when the temperature of the air is higher than the cultivation temperature, the refrigerant type cooling tank 45
The air is cooled to a desired temperature by the above method and supplied to the cultivation box 7 to flow in the same manner.

Further, the cultivation box 7 has a carbon dioxide gas supply means 51.
The carbon dioxide gas is supplied by the flow rate control valve 54 based on the detection result of a gas concentration sensor (not shown). The gas cylinder 52 is the nutrient solution storage tank 21.
By keeping the temperature of the carbon dioxide gas supplied by being housed in A at about the same temperature as the nutrient solution, the temperature inside the cultivation box 7 does not change suddenly.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, since the fluorescent lamp which is a low heat source or the light emitting diode which is a non-heat source is used as the light source necessary for cultivating the plant, the temperature inside the cultivation box 7 becomes high. The leaves do not burn due to heat,
The power consumption can also be significantly reduced compared to the conventional technology. In addition, the nutrients of the nutrient solution supplied to the plant, PH, E
C, temperature, the temperature and humidity of the circulating purified air, the concentration and temperature of the supplied carbon dioxide, etc. are controlled with high precision so that they can be gently changed without causing a sudden change. It is possible to provide the optimal environment for.

[0027]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above in detail, it has the following effects. (1) The temperature and humidity of the circulating air are gently changed, and highly accurate control is performed to promote plant growth. (2) By flowing the nutrient solution in a mist state in the cultivation box,
Since the nutrients can be supplied to both the root part and the leaf part, the plant can be grown in a balanced manner and physiological disorders can be prevented as much as possible. (3) Since the light emitter is configured to prevent the temperature rise in the cultivation room by using a fluorescent lamp or a light emitting diode, it is possible to prevent burning of the leaves of the plant due to high heat and to significantly reduce power consumption. Can be reduced to (4) The circulating air can maintain the humidity of the circulating air by being mixed with the atomized nutrient solution in the spray chamber. (5) Since the gas cylinder of the gas supply device is installed in the nutrient solution storage tank of the nutrient solution spraying device to supply the cultivation box with carbon dioxide gas that has no temperature difference from the nutrient solution, the effect of temperature changes on the plants Can be resolved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overall configuration of a plant cultivation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which an outer box and a cultivation box are cut.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the longitudinal direction of the outer box.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the width direction of the outer box.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 outer box 2E opening 7 cultivation boxes 9 cultivation floor 12A planting hole 14 cultivation room 15 Spray chamber 18 fluorescent light 21 Nutrient spray device 21F nutrient solution spray tube 25 Air circulation device 51 Carbon dioxide gas supply device 52 gas cylinder

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An outer box having heat insulation and airtightness, the opening of which is configured to be sealed by a lid, and a cultivation which is provided with a gap in the outer box and whose inner surface is covered with a reflective material. Box, comprising a plate body having a plurality of planting holes formed therein, a cultivation room provided in the cultivation box to define a cultivation room in the upper part and a spray room in the lower part, and the cultivation box provided in the cultivation box, Luminous body for irradiating the chamber, a nutrient solution spraying device for supplying the nutrient solution to the nutrient solution spraying pipe for spraying the nutrient solution from below to the cultivation floor, and an air circulation device for taking in and circulating the outside air in the cultivation box, It comprises a gas supply device for supplying carbon dioxide gas to the cultivation box, the air circulation device is circulated in the cultivation box by adjusting the outside air that has been purified and taken in to room temperature, the gas supply device is a carbon dioxide gas A plant cultivating apparatus, which is adjusted to room temperature and supplied to the cultivating box. 2. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation floor is configured to be carried out from an opening of the outer box. 3. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitter is a fluorescent lamp or a light emitting diode. 4. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, wherein the air circulating in the cultivation box is mixed with the atomized nutrient solution in the spray chamber. 5. The plant cultivation device according to claim 1, wherein the gas cylinder of the gas supply device is installed in a nutrient solution storage tank of the nutrient solution spraying device.