JP2013034402A - Hydroponic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydroponic device allowing to enjoy plant growing conditions, intended for cost reduction and miniaturization, and causing no overflow of nutritious liquid.SOLUTION: This hydroponic device is such that a plurality of cultivation trays 3 each storing hydroponic nutritious liquid 27 are installed in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction in a cultivation chamber 2c in a showcase 2, each of the cultivation trays 3 stores the nutritious liquid individually without circulating the nutritious liquid 27 between the other cultivation trays 3, and bubbles are produced in the nutritious liquid 27 in each of the cultivation trays 3 by supplying air from an air pump 10 to an air blowing hose 16 through an air hose 12 followed by blowing the air in the nutritious liquid 27.

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydroponic cultivation apparatus for hydroponically cultivating a plant, and more particularly, to a hydroponic cultivation apparatus that can appreciate the growth state of a plant from the outside.

  Interest in hydroponics that can grow pesticide-free vegetables is growing due to the recent increase in health-consciousness.

  In this type of hydroponic cultivation apparatus, a plurality of cultivation trays for hydroponically cultivating plants are installed in multiple stages in the vertical direction in the cultivation room. Each cultivation tray stores a nutrient solution for hydroponics, and a light source for irradiating the plant with light is installed above each cultivation tray.

  Each cultivation tray is sequentially connected up and down with a circulation pipe for circulating the nutrient solution, and the nutrient solution from the nutrient solution tank installed below is pumped up by a circulation pump and supplied to the uppermost cultivation tray. The cycle is repeated from the top cultivation tray to the bottom cultivation tray, the bottom cultivation tray, and then back to the nutrient tank. Is done.

JP 2009-34064 A

  In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for hydroponic cultivation equipment that allows hydroponic cultivation and appreciating its growth in stores, offices, etc., but such hydroponic cultivation equipment has limited installation space. Therefore, miniaturization is required.

  However, in the circulation type hydroponic cultivation apparatus for circulating the nutrient solution, it is necessary to secure a space for installing the circulation pump and the nutrient solution tank, which hinders downsizing of the device. In addition, in order to save the installation space of the circulation pump, there is a device using a simple type pump that is thrown into the nutrient solution tank as the circulation pump, but the throw-in type simple type pump is prone to failure and has a short life. There is another problem.

  In addition, the nutrient solution is reduced by plant absorption, evaporation, etc., so it is necessary to replenish the reduced amount, but when circulating the nutrient solution, grasp the total amount of nutrient solution flowing through the circulation channel However, if the worker is not a skilled worker, the amount of nutrient solution supplied to the nutrient tank tends to be large. For this reason, when cleaning the cultivation tray, harvesting plants, or planting new plants, etc., when the operation is stopped and the circulation pump is stopped, the nutrient solution in the circulation channel is moved downward by gravity. It flows back to the nutrient solution tank and overflows from the nutrient solution tank to contaminate the surroundings, and the overflowed nutrient solution also causes failure of the apparatus.

  Further, since the nutrient solution from the nutrient solution tank circulates in each of the plurality of cultivation trays, it is not possible to obtain a nutrient solution having a different component or concentration for each cultivation tray. It is not possible to cultivate plants with different growth stages.

  Moreover, although the cultivation room where each cultivation tray is arrange | positioned is adjusted to room temperature, since a nutrient solution tank is normally installed in the machine room isolated by the said cultivation room and the heat insulation wall, a nutrient solution tank The temperature of the nutrient solution varies depending on the outside air temperature. Circulation of the nutrient solution having such temperature fluctuation adversely affects the room temperature adjustment of the cultivation room, and the room temperature adjustment may become unstable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is capable of appreciating the growth status of plants, reducing the size and cost, and further preventing the nutrient solution from overflowing. It aims at providing the hydroponic cultivation apparatus with favorable property.

  (1) The present invention is a hydroponic cultivation apparatus for hydroponically cultivating a plant, and includes a showcase in which an internal cultivation room can be viewed from the outside, and the nutrient solution for hydroponic cultivation is provided in the cultivation room. A plurality of cultivation trays to be stored respectively are installed in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction, and each of the cultivation trays is to be stored individually without circulating the nutrient solution between other cultivation trays, An air supply means for generating air bubbles by supplying air to the nutrient solution of each cultivation tray is provided.

  The showcase only needs to be able to see the inside cultivation room, and at least a part of the surface constituting the showcase is preferably made of a transparent material such as transparent glass or acrylic resin so that the inside can be seen. For example, you may comprise a door, a window, etc. with a transparent material.

  According to the present invention, since the cultivation room in the showcase can be visually observed from the outside, it is possible to appreciate the growth situation of the plant, and the cultivation tray is individually distributed without distributing nutrient solution between other cultivation trays. The so-called non-circulation system that does not circulate the nutrient solution is no longer necessary, so there is no need for a circulation pump or a nutrient solution tank to circulate the nutrient solution, reducing the number of parts and reducing costs and downsizing. You can plan. Moreover, since air is supplied to the nutrient solution of each cultivation tray to generate bubbles, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution can be increased.

  In addition, in the conventional example of the circulation method for circulating the nutrient solution, a circulation pump that is driven by relatively large electric power was necessary to pump the nutrient solution up to the uppermost stage of the cultivation tray installed in multiple stages and circulate it. According to the present invention, the running cost can be reduced by the amount of the circulation pump that consumes much power. In addition, the circulation pump of the type that is thrown into the nutrient tank to save space is prone to failure due to aging deterioration of waterproof performance. It can be operated.

  In addition, since it is not a circulation system that circulates the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution tank to each cultivation tray, even when the device is stopped when cleaning the cultivation tray, harvesting plants, or newly planting, the nutrient solution tank is fed The liquid will not overflow.

  Furthermore, since each cultivation tray stores the nutrient solution individually, it is possible to individually adjust the components and concentration of the nutrient solution for each tray. Plants can be cultivated.

  (2) In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the air supply means includes an air pump that pumps air, a supply line that supplies the air from the air pump to the cultivation tray, and air from the supply line. A jetting unit that jets the nutrient solution into the nutrient solution to generate bubbles.

  According to this embodiment, the compressed air from the air pump is ejected from the ejection part into the nutrient solution through the supply pipe line to generate bubbles, so that the amount of dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution can be increased. .

  Further, since the air pump generally consumes less electric power than a circulation pump (water pump) that circulates nutrient solution, the running cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional one.

  (3) In another embodiment of the present invention, the supply pipe is a pipe having elasticity, and the jet section is a jet hole formed in the pipe having elasticity.

  According to this embodiment, the supply pipe line can be constituted by an elastic pipe, for example, a rubber or resin hose, and the jet part is constituted by a jet hole formed in the hose or the like. It is effective in reducing costs and is easy to handle and install.

  (4) In still another embodiment of the present invention, the cultivation tray has a liquid level confirmation window for confirming the liquid level of the stored nutrient solution.

  According to this embodiment, it becomes easy to grasp the amount of nutrient solution decreased in each cultivation tray and the amount of supplement when the nutrient solution is added. Moreover, in a cultivation tray, a fertilizer may be dissolved in water directly and a nutrient solution may be prepared, but the preparation operation becomes easy in such a case.

  (5) In another embodiment of the present invention, an air conditioning passage that is partitioned from the cultivation room and through which the air in the cultivation room flows, a heater that is installed in the air conditioning passage and heats the air, and the air conditioning passage A cooler that cools the air installed in the air, a blower that sucks air from the cultivation room and blows it out through the air conditioning passage, and the heater so that the temperature in the cultivation room becomes a set temperature. And a controller for controlling the cooler.

  In the conventional example of the circulation method in which the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution tank is circulated to each cultivation tray, the nutrient solution tank is usually installed outside the cultivation room, so the temperature of the nutrient solution fluctuates due to the influence of the outside air temperature. According to this embodiment, since the nutrient solution stored in each cultivation tray is in the cultivation room whose room temperature is adjusted, the solution temperature is stabilized.

  According to the present invention, the growth state of the plant and the like can be appreciated, and the circulation pump and the nutrient solution tank for circulating the nutrient solution become unnecessary, so that the cost can be reduced and the apparatus can be downsized. Further, since no nutrient solution is circulated, no trouble such as overflow of the nutrient solution from the nutrient solution tank occurs when the apparatus is stopped. Since air is supplied to the nutrient solution of each cultivation tray to generate bubbles, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution can be increased.

It is a front view of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention. It is a vertical side view of FIG. It is a vertical side view which shows the flow of the air in a cultivation room, and the flow of the air to the nutrient solution of a cultivation tray. It is a disassembled perspective view, such as an air ejection hose and a fixed planting plate, assembled in a cultivation tray. It is a perspective view which shows the ejection state of the air from the air ejection hose in the nutrient solution of a cultivation tray. (A) It is a perspective view of the cultivation tray with which the fixed planting plate was mounted | worn, (b) is an expanded sectional view of the principal part of the state which planted the plant.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view thereof.

  The hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 includes a box-shaped showcase 2, and an opening / closing door 2 c made of colorless and transparent glass is provided on the front of the showcase 2 so that the internal cultivation room 2 a can be seen from the outside. It is slidable in the left and right (left and right in FIG. 1) direction.

  In the cultivation room 2a, a plurality of cultivating shelves 11 in a vertical direction, in this example, four tiers, are laid between two columns 25 that are installed on both the left and right sides. On each cultivation shelf 11, the cultivation tray 3 for cultivating the plant 26 is placed while storing the nutrient solution 27.

  The cultivation tray 3 is a shallow rectangular container having an open upper surface, and stores a nutrient solution 27 and is mounted with a planting plate 17 for planting a plant 26 in the opening.

  Each cultivation tray 3 stores the nutrient solution 27 individually without circulating the nutrient solution 27 between the other cultivation trays 3. On the lower surface of the cultivation shelf 11 above each cultivation tray 3, a plurality of light sources 7 that irradiate light to the plants 26, in this example, four, for example, fluorescent lights are installed. The light source 7 is not limited to a fluorescent lamp, but may be an LED, a high-pressure sodium lamp, or a combination thereof. In the case of LEDs, LEDs with different wavelengths may be combined so that the wavelength can be selected according to the type of plant and the growth situation.

  An air conditioning passage 29 partitioned from the cultivation room 2a is formed from the upper ceiling to the back of the cultivation room 2a, and the upper ceiling serves as a blowing means for circulating air between the cultivation room 2a and the air conditioning passage 29. A circulation fan 4 is provided. The air conditioning passage 29 is provided with an evaporator 6 that cools the air from the circulation fan 4 and a heater 5 that heats the air.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of air in the cultivation room 2a and the air conditioning passage 29 and also showing the flow of air from the air pump 10 described later to the cultivation tray 3, and the white arrow A indicates the cultivation room 2a and The black arrow B indicates the air flow from the air pump 10 to the cultivation tray 3.

  In FIG. 3, the air flow in the cultivation room 2 a and the air conditioning passage 29 is as shown by the white arrow A, and the air in the cultivation room 2 a is sucked by the upper circulation fan 4 and the evaporator 6. After being cooled by the heater 5 and further heated and adjusted by the heater 5, the air is blown out between the cultivation shelves 11 through the air-conditioning passages 29 on the back and from the outlets, and between each cultivation tray 3 and the cultivation shelf 11. The circulation of being sucked into the upper circulation fan 4 again is repeated, whereby the temperature in the cultivation room 2a is adjusted to the set temperature.

  The evaporator 6 is a part of the refrigerator, and the compressor 22, which is another component of the refrigerator, the condenser 23 that performs heat dissipation, and the like are a machine room below the cultivation room 2a as shown in FIG. 2b. In the machine room 2b, an air pump 10 and an electric box (not shown) are installed. The electrical box contains a power supply unit that supplies power to each unit, an operation unit that performs various settings, a control unit that controls each unit, and a leakage breaker that detects power leakage and stops supplying power. . As shown in FIG. 1, an exterior cover 8 is attached to the front of the machine room 2b, and an exterior panel 9 having an air inlet is attached.

  In the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 of this embodiment, each cultivation tray 3 stores the nutrient solution 27 individually without circulating the nutrient solution 27 between the other cultivation trays 3 in a so-called non-circulation method. is there. For this reason, in order to supply oxygen to the nutrient solution 27 in each cultivation tray 3, it comprises as follows.

  That is, in this embodiment, so-called bubbling is performed in which air is pumped into the nutrient solution 27 of each cultivation tray 3 and is blown into the nutrient solution 27 to generate bubbles. For this reason, the air pump 10 that pumps air, the air hose 12 that constitutes a supply pipe that supplies air from the air pump 10 to each upper cultivation tray 3, and the air hose 12 that is connected to the air hose 12, air is fed into the nutrient solution 27. And an air ejection hose 16 for generating bubbles.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the air pump 10 is installed in the machine room 2b. One end of the air hose 12 is connected to the air pump 10, and the other end of the air hose 12 is branched into a plurality of air jets. Connected to hose 16. An air ejection hole is formed in the air ejection hose 16 as will be described later, and is disposed in the nutrient solution 27 of the cultivation tray 3. In this embodiment, the air pump 10 is continuously driven in conjunction with the drive of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1, but as another embodiment, it may be driven intermittently.

  The air compressed and pressurized by the air pump 10 is supplied to each cultivation tray 3 via the air hose 12 as shown by the black arrow B in FIG. 3 and is further laid in the nutrient solution 27 of the cultivation tray 3. Bubbles are generated by being ejected from the ejection holes of the air ejection hose 16 thus made.

  As shown in FIG. 4, each cultivation tray 3 is a shallow rectangular container whose upper surface is opened, and a transparent liquid level confirmation window 21 for confirming the liquid level of the nutrient solution 27 on the front wall surface. Is provided. The liquid level confirmation window 21 is rectangular and has a scale along one side thereof. The liquid level of the nutrient solution 27 in the cultivation tray 3 can be confirmed from the outside of the open / close door 2 c through the transparent liquid level confirmation window 21. In addition, a discharge port 30 for discharging the nutrient solution is formed at a corner of the bottom surface of the cultivation tray 3 and a discharge pipe 31 is connected thereto.

  Both ends of the air ejection hose 16 are connected to the branched ends of the air hose 12 for supplying air from the air pump 10, and the branched air hose 12 and the air ejection hose 16 are continuous in an annular shape. A large number of air ejection holes 16 a are formed in the air ejection hose 16, and the air ejection hose 16 is laid in a meandering state at the bottom of the cultivation tray 3. When air from the air pump 10 is pumped to the air ejection hose 16, as shown in FIG. 5, air is ejected from the ejection holes 16 a of the meandering air ejection hose 16, and bubbles 32 are generated in the nutrient solution 27. Occurs.

  In this embodiment, the air pump 10, the air hose 12, and the air ejection hose 16 constitute air supply means for supplying air to the nutrient solution 27 of each cultivation tray 3 and ejecting it.

  An air ejection hose 16 is laid on the cultivation tray 3 to store the nutrient solution 27, and two fixed planting plates 17 are attached to the top opening as shown in FIG. The fixed planting plate 17 has a fixed planting portion 17a having a large number of circular openings 17c, and a bent portion 17b bent downward from both ends in the front-rear direction of the fixed planting portion 17a. The bent portion 17b is bent so that the fixed planting portion 17a can be mounted in parallel with being spaced apart from the bottom surface of the cultivation tray 3, and in this state, the fixed planting plate 17 has the cultivation tray 3 as shown in FIG. 6 (a). Installed inside.

  The seedling cap 18 is inserted and held in the opening 17c of the planting part 17a. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 (b), the seedling cap 18 has a stepped cylindrical shape with an upper end and a lower end opened. At the upper end of the cap, a hook 18a that engages with the opening edge of the planting portion 17a is formed. Is provided. The seedling cap 18 can be attached to the opening 17c of the planting part 17a by engaging the ridge 18a with the opening edge. The seedling cap 18 contains a water absorbent 20 that holds the root of the plant 26. The water absorbing body 20 is composed of a sponge body or a porous body into which the nutrient solution 27 can permeate, and has a shape equivalent to the internal space of the growth cap 18. The water absorber 20 is held in the growth cap 18 in contact with a step portion 18 b provided in the middle of the growth cap 18.

  A nutrient solution 27 is stored in the cultivation tray 3. As shown in FIG. 6 (b), the nutrient solution 27 is stored in the cultivation tray 3 in such a liquid amount that the water absorbing body 20 in the seedling raising cap 18 located below the planting part 17a is immersed.

  According to the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 having the above configuration, it is possible to appreciate the growth status of the plants 26 in the cultivation room 2a in the showcase 2 through the open / close door 2c made of transparent glass, and to circulate the nutrient solution. Since the circulation pump and the nutrient solution tank as in the conventional example of the method are not required, the cost can be reduced and the size can be reduced. As a result, for example, it is possible to promote use in a store or office where the installation space is limited.

  In this embodiment, a relatively small air pump 10 is required, but with a relatively large electric power to pump up the nutrient solution to the uppermost stage of the cultivation tray installed in multiple stages as in the conventional example of the circulation method. Since the circulating pump to drive becomes unnecessary, a running cost can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the conventional example of the circulation system, unless it is a skilled worker, it is difficult to grasp the total amount of nutrient solution flowing through the circulation channel, and the amount of nutrient solution replenished to the nutrient solution tank becomes large.
When cleaning the cultivation tray, harvesting plants, or planting new plants, etc., when the equipment is stopped and the circulation pump is stopped, the nutrient solution flowing through the circulation channel returns to the nutrient solution tank and the nutrient solution is removed from the nutrient solution tank. In the present invention, since the nutrient solution in the cultivation tray is not circulated, the nutrient solution tank is unnecessary and the nutrient solution does not overflow from the nutrient solution tank.

  In addition, when cleaning or replacing each cultivation tray, in the conventional example of the circulation method, since the upper and lower cultivation trays are connected by a circulation pipe, it is necessary to stop the circulation of the nutrient solution by stopping the device However, in the present invention, since the nutrient solution is stored for each cultivation tray, it is not necessary to stop the apparatus when cleaning or replacing each cultivation tray.

  Therefore, when the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention is installed in a store, an office, or the like, it is possible to easily work even if it is not a skilled worker.

  Moreover, since each cultivation tray 3 has stored the nutrient solution separately, since it becomes possible to prepare the component and density | concentration of a nutrient solution for every cultivation tray 3, a kind and growth for every cultivation tray 3. Plants with different stages can be cultivated. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the light source 7 of each cultivation tray 3 according to the type of plant to be cultivated and the growth stage.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air compressed by the air pump 10 is pumped upward via the air hose 12, branched for each cultivation tray 3, reaches the air ejection hose 16 in the nutrient solution 27, and its ejection hole 16a. Since air is blown out from this to generate bubbles, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the nutrient solution 27 can be increased. Moreover, since the nutrient solution 27 can be agitated by ejecting air in the nutrient solution 27 to generate bubbles, it is possible to avoid the temperature of the nutrient solution 27 from becoming uneven. Moreover, since the air ejection hose 16 is installed meandering, air bubbles can be generated uniformly in the cultivation tray 3.

  Moreover, when the light from the light source 7 is irradiated to the nutrient solution 27 containing a large amount of nutrients of the plant 26, algae are likely to be generated in the nutrient solution 27. Therefore, in the conventional example of the circulation system in which the cultivation trays 3 are connected to each other by a circulation pipe or the like and the nutrient solution 27 is circulated, the circulation pipe is clogged with algae, but the present invention in which the nutrient solution 27 is not circulated is There is no such trouble.

  Moreover, since the nutrient solution 27 is stored in the cultivation tray 3 and installed in the cultivation room 2a adjusted to the room temperature, the solution temperature of the nutrient solution 27 is stable, and the ambient temperature is reduced as in the conventional example of the circulation method. It does not fluctuate under the influence.

  In the above-described embodiment, air is ejected from the air ejection hose 16 in which the air ejection holes 16a are formed. However, the air ejection hose 16 is not limited to the air ejection hose. It may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hydroponic cultivation apparatus 2 Showcase 2a Cultivation room 2b Machine room 2c Opening / closing door 3 Cultivation tray 4 Circulating fan 5 Heater 6 Evaporator 7 Light source 10 Air pump 11 Cultivation shelf 12 Air hose 16 Air ejection hose 16a Air ejection hole 17 Planting plate 18 Seedling seedling Cap 26 Plant 27 Nutrient solution

Claims (5)

A hydroponic cultivation apparatus for hydroponically cultivating a plant,
It has a showcase that allows the inside cultivation room to be seen from the outside.
In the cultivation room, a plurality of cultivation trays each storing a nutrient solution for hydroponics are installed in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction,
Each said cultivation tray is stored separately, without distributing the said nutrient solution between other cultivation trays,
Provide air supply means for supplying air to the nutrient solution of each cultivation tray to generate bubbles,
Hydroponic cultivation apparatus characterized by that. The air supply means includes
An air pump that pumps air;
A supply line for supplying the air from the air pump to the cultivation tray;
An ejection part for generating air bubbles by ejecting air from the supply pipeline into the nutrient solution of the cultivation tray;
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 1. The supply pipe is a pipe having elasticity;
The ejection part is an ejection hole formed in a pipe having elasticity,
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 2. The cultivation tray has a liquid level confirmation window for confirming the liquid level of the stored nutrient solution,
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An air conditioning passage that is partitioned from the cultivation room and through which the air in the cultivation room flows;
A heater installed in the air conditioning passage for heating air;
A cooler installed in the air conditioning passage for cooling air;
Blowing means that sucks air from the cultivation room and blows it out through the air conditioning passage to the cultivation room;
A controller for controlling the heater and the cooler so that the temperature in the cultivation room becomes a set temperature;
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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