JP2004520847A - Aqueous solution supply device and cooling device for hydroponics - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus with a liquid tank (14) for supplying a solution to a plant and a solution supply method are disclosed. An injection tube (30) for discharging the solution is provided for flowing the solution along the wall of the tank. A cooling device for cooling the wall is provided for cooling the solution flowing along the wall. An improved version of the refrigerator can be used for the tank. An opening is provided in the wall of the tank, a blower fan (52) is installed, and air is blown into the tank to mix air into the solution inside.

Description

【Technical field】
[0001]
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for plant fertilizer supply and water supply. The invention particularly relates to an apparatus and a method for providing the supply and cooling of aerated solutions to the roots of hydroponically grown plants.
[Background Art]
[0002]
In hydroponics of plants, an aqueous solution is supplied to the roots of the plants. For example, a solution is sprayed on the root, or the root is suspended in a cultivation solution filled with the solution. The solution is basically water in which fertilizers and nutrients are dissolved. For the best growth of the plant, it is necessary to supply an aerated solution to the roots and keep the temperature within a certain temperature range. Typically, the optimum temperature of the root is lower than that required for the plant parts above the root. Plant roots are located in cool ground, and above the plant stems are in the air warmer than ground.
[0003]
Therefore, in hydroponics, the aqueous solution is typically cooled using a cooling device before being supplied to the roots of the plant. This cooling device is usually separate from the tank in which the solution is stored. In addition, solutions require aeration to optimize plant growth. A separate venting device is generally required. Such vents are cumbersome to install and relatively expensive.
[0004]
Dale, U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,595, discloses a liquid storage tank that utilizes a float to maintain a constant liquid volume. The liquid is heated or cooled as it flows through the hose.
[0005]
Glendenning U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,168 discloses an environmentally controlled greenhouse. The hydroponic plant floor is installed on the heat exchanger.
[0006]
Australian Patent 9187730 discloses a method of plant hydroponics that keeps the roots relatively cool.
[0007]
U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,294 to Lohoesa discloses a plant growth method in which a compressed air blower is connected to a pipe network and a continuous supply of compressed air is provided.
[0008]
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,435 to Springer discloses a miniature climate controller for heating and / or cooling plants.
[0009]
Other patents relating to the thermal management of hydroponics include EP500848 and US4780899. The latter discloses a nutrition tank. The water is heated in the tank. The European patent discloses a tank with a float.
[0010]
U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,353 discloses a nutrition supply system that includes a tank and a float for maintaining a liquid level.
[0011]
An aerated filter tank is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,942.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
[0012]
However, the prior art does not disclose a device that stores and cools an aqueous solution and mixes in air as simple and economical as the present invention.
[0013]
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved economical and reliable device that can prepare an aqueous solution for plant roots.
[0014]
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved device for storing and cooling such aqueous solutions.
[0015]
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device that uses an opaque container to control the growth of algae.
[0016]
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for mixing air into an aqueous solution without the need for a separate instrument.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0017]
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supplying an aqueous solution to a plant. The apparatus includes a tank having an inner wall. A liquid passage is provided for flowing liquid along the inner wall of the tank. A cooling device for cooling the inner wall so as to cool the liquid flowing along the inner wall is also provided.
[0018]
Preferably, an opening is provided in the inner wall of the tank, and a blower fan is attached to the opening to feed air into the tank to mix the liquid with the air.
[0019]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of treating an aqueous solution for a plant. The method includes providing a liquid storage tank and providing an aqueous pool within the tank. The inner wall is cooled to cool the liquid.
[0020]
Air is forcibly supplied into the tank from above the liquid pool, and air is mixed into the liquid.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0021]
1 supplies the aqueous solution 12 in a tank 14 to the roots 16 of a plant 18. The tank has a top wall 20, a bottom wall 22, and a side wall (inner wall) 24. In the case of this embodiment, a water supply pipe 30, which is an injection pipe, is provided near the upper wall of the tank, and injects the liquid along the side inner wall of the tank in the direction of the arrow. The side walls are vertical in this embodiment and provide the front face 80, the rear face 82, and the side faces 84, 86 of the device as shown in FIG.
[0022]
In this embodiment, the tank utilizes an improved box-type cooling device 40, such as that typically used in home refrigerators, as shown in FIG. Such devices are used because they are economical and reliable and are suitable for storing the liquid pool 12, as shown in FIG. The side wall, top wall and bottom wall of the cooling device have a heat insulating structure. The wall includes an inner member 44 and an outer member 46, with insulation 48 laminated therebetween. Typically, the outer member is a painted iron plate and the inner member is a plastic or rust-proof metal plate. These are basically the same as standard refrigerators. The walls are cooled in a conventional manner by freon-filled tubes. Thus, the cooling device 40 provides a closed tank for the device. The upper wall 20 can be opened by a hinge 46 in a conventional manner. However, in the closed state, the inside of the tank is substantially hermetically separated from a blower fan 57 described later.
[0023]
Refrigerator modifications are minimal, providing an opening 50 in the back wall of the refrigerator and installing a blower fan 52 as shown in FIG. The blower fan is installed above the water surface 54 of the aqueous solution pool 12 of the tank. The blower fan of this embodiment is a computer cooling fan. Other fans may be used. The blower blows air into the cooling device in the direction of arrow 60 in FIG. An opening is also provided for a nutrient solution transport tube extending through the wall between the freon filled tubes.
[0024]
The liquid level in the tank is maintained by a float mechanism 64 shown in FIG. The float mechanism includes a float 66 mounted on an arm 68 operatively connected to a valve on a tray 70. Alternatively, the float mechanism may be similar to a toilet water tank system that regulates the amount of water. The valve of this embodiment receives water from domestic water supply and opens and closes to maintain the level of liquid 12 in the tank.
[0025]
There is a pump 70 connected to a vertical pipe 72. The vertical pipe is connected to the water injection pipe 30. In the present embodiment, the injection pipe extends partially along the front wall 80, the rear wall 82, and the side wall 84 of the cooling device 40. As described above, the injection pipe is adjacent to the upper wall of the cooling device and injects the liquid along the inner wall 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid flows down the inner wall to the liquid pool 12. The liquid is now cooled. This is because the inner wall is cooled by the inner freon filling tube.
[0026]
There is a water supply tube 90 connected to a vertical pipe 72 to supply liquid to the roots 16 of the plant 18. The jet head 92 jets water toward the root 16.
[0027]
There is a saucer 94 that receives the liquid dripping from the root and returns it to the tank via the water passage 98.
[0028]
Tray 70 is illustrated in detail in FIG. The water control valve is housed inside the housing 120. There is also a storage unit 130 for storing fertilizer and the like. The tray also houses a temperature controller 140 and a food meter 142. In this embodiment, the food meter sensor 144 is mounted on a plate 146 connected to the wing nut 148. The temperature sensor 150 is also mounted on the plate.
[0029]
The tank 14 contains a cooling device 40 and is filled with a solution containing fertilizers and other hydroponic substances. However, the device can also be diverted for ground cultivation of plants. A part of the inner wall 24 may be exposed to the lower side of the injection pipe 30, and the liquid may flow along the exposed wall to be cooled as shown by an arrow 32 in FIG.
[0030]
The depth of the liquid pool 12 is adjusted by the float 64. When the water level falls below a predetermined level, water is supplied. The liquid is pumped up to the injection pipe 30 by the pump 70. The pump also pumps liquid through a vertical pipe 72 and through a pipe 90 to a jet head 92. The liquid is sprayed toward the root 16. Excess liquid is received in tray 94 and returned to the tank via tube 98.
[0031]
Air is injected into the water of the tank by the blower fan 52. Therefore, a separate aeration device is not required. Accordingly, the present invention provides an integrated tank, aeration and cooling device.
[0032]
Modifications and improvements of the preferred embodiment described above are within the scope of the invention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
[0033]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for supplying an aqueous solution to a plant according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the tank.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tank.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an integrated tray / adjustment device.

Claims (22)

An apparatus for supplying a liquid to a plant,
A tank with walls,
A liquid passage for discharging liquid to flow along the inner wall of the tank;
A cooling device for cooling the inner wall to cool liquid flowing along the inner wall;
A liquid supply device comprising: The tank has an upper wall, a liquid passage is provided near the upper wall, the tank houses a liquid pool below the liquid passage, and liquid flowing along the inner wall is provided to the liquid pool. 2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is supplied. 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, wherein the wall is provided vertically. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the wall is insulated. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the tank is a substantially closed type. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerator is an improved refrigerator. The liquid supply device according to claim 6, wherein the refrigerator is a box-type refrigerator. 6. The liquid supply device according to claim 5, wherein an opening is provided in a wall of the tank, and a blower fan is provided in the opening to blow air into the tank and mix air into the liquid therein. . 3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, further comprising a pump operatively connected to the liquid passage for pumping liquid from the liquid pool into the passage. 3. A liquid supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means for adjusting the depth of the liquid pool is provided. The liquid supply device according to claim 10, wherein the water depth adjusting means includes a float mechanism. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid passage extends to at least a part of an upper wall of the tank. 13. The liquid supply device according to claim 12, wherein the liquid passage has a plurality of separated openings to eject the liquid. A method of treating a liquid to be supplied to a plant,
Providing a tank for the liquid;
Providing a liquid pool in the tank;
Cooling the tank to cool the liquid;
A method comprising: Further comprising adjusting the depth of the liquid pool;
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the tank has a wall extending above the liquid pool, and liquid is ejected along the wall into the liquid pool. The method of claim 15, wherein liquid is delivered from the liquid pool above the liquid pool and flows along a wall, the wall being cooled to cool the liquid. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein air is forcibly supplied into the tank from above the liquid pool and mixed with the liquid. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the liquid is directed from the tank to the plant. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the liquid is returned from the plant to the tank. A liquid supply device for adjusting a liquid for plants,
A box-shaped cooling device having an interior, a top wall, a bottom wall, a side wall and an opening;
A blower fan installed at the opening to send air into the cooling device;
An injection pipe extending around the inside of the cooling device adjacent to the side wall and the upper wall,
A supply pipe for supplying liquid to the injection pipe,
Means for adjusting the liquid in the liquid pool in the cooling device, wherein the liquid ejected from the injection pipe flows along the side wall and returns to the liquid pool;
A water supply pipe for guiding liquid from the cooling device to the plant,
A pipe returning liquid from the plant to the cooling device;
A liquid supply device comprising: 21. The liquid supply device according to claim 20, wherein the liquid adjusting means includes a float mechanism. 21. The liquid supply device according to claim 20, wherein the blower fan is provided above the liquid pool.