JP2014027922A - Plant cultivation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plant cultivation apparatus capable of optimizing photon flux density with which a plant is irradiated according to a type of a plant and a growth status of a plant.SOLUTION: A plant cultivation apparatus is equipped with: a mounting section 2 on which a cultivation tank planting a plant therein is mounted; and an LED illumination device which is arranged above the mounting section 2 and uses only LED packages 12 which emit photon flux density required for the growth of the plant in the cultivation tank mounted on the mounting section 2. The plant cultivation apparatus has a square cultivation region 5 in a plan view above the mounting section 2 and at a height position between roots and leaves of the plant planted in the cultivation tank. Assuming that a length of both right/left sides 5a of the cultivation region 5 be L, 30% or more of LED packages 12 out of the total number of LED packages 12 in the LED illumination device are arranged above belt-like portions 7,9 formed between straight lines 6,8, which connect points PA,PB positioned at length portions of 0.3×L from both front/rear ends of both right/left sides 5a, and both front/rear sides 5b,5c.

Description

  The present invention relates to a plant cultivation apparatus that uses only an LED package on which an LED chip is mounted as a light source, and is used in, for example, a plant factory, a vegetable factory, a seedling raising apparatus, or the like.

  In this specification and claims, the top and bottom of FIG.

  As a plant cultivation device using artificial light as a light source, the plant includes a cultivation rack having a placement unit for placing a cultivation tank in which a plant is planted, and an illumination device arranged at an interval above the placement unit, The lighting device includes a plurality of straight tube type external electrode fluorescent lamps arranged in parallel, and a plurality of LED packages arranged in the length direction of the external electrode fluorescent lamp between adjacent external electrode fluorescent lamps. There is known a lighting device in which the distance between adjacent external electrode fluorescent lamps is closer to the outer side than the inner side in the arrangement direction of the external electrode fluorescent lamps (see Patent Document 1).

  However, according to the illumination device described in Patent Document 1, since a plurality of external electrode fluorescent lamps are used, the power consumption cost increases. Further, the life of the external electrode fluorescent lamp and the LED is different, and the life of the external electrode fluorescent lamp is shorter than that of the LED, so that the maintainability is lowered.

JP 2006-320314 A

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, optimize the photon flux density irradiated to the plant according to the type of plant and the growth status of the plant, reduce the power consumption cost and maintainability. It is providing the plant cultivation apparatus provided with the illuminating device which can be improved.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects.

1) Photon flux density required for the growth of plants in a plurality of placement units on which cultivation tanks in which plants are planted are placed, and in the cultivation tanks placed on the placement units at intervals above the placement units LED lighting device using only the LED package that emits
There is a cultivation area at a height position between the root and the leaf of the plant planted in the cultivation tank placed on the placement section above the placement section, and the plant has a root on the lower side of the cultivation area. As it spreads out, it is arranged so that the leaves are on the upper side,
The length of a straight line connecting each point of the periphery of the cultivation area and the center is L, and a line connecting a point located at a length portion of 0.3 × L from the periphery in the straight line, and the periphery A plant cultivation device in which 60% or more of LED packages of all LED packages of the LED lighting device are arranged so as to be located above at least a part of the formed belt-shaped portion.

  The cultivation area of 2) is square when viewed from the plane, and the length of two sides parallel to each other is L, and the point is located at a length of 0.3 × L from one end in the length direction of the two sides 0.3 × L from the upper part of the belt-like portion formed between the straight line connecting each other and the side connecting one end in the length direction of the two sides and from the other end in the length direction of the two sides Each of the LED packages of the LED lighting device is disposed above a band-like portion formed between a straight line connecting points located in the length portion and a side connecting the other ends in the length direction of the two sides. The plant cultivation apparatus according to 1) above, wherein LED packages having a number of 30% or more are arranged.

  3) The total of the number of LED packages arranged above one of the two belt-like portions and the number of LED packages arranged above the other belt-like portion is the LED lighting device. The plant cultivation apparatus according to 2), which is 100% of the total number of LED packages.

  4) The number of LED packages disposed above one of the two strip portions is equal to the number of LED packages disposed above the other strip portion. ) Or 3) The plant cultivation apparatus.

  5) A package row is formed by arranging a plurality of LED packages on a straight line extending in the length direction of the belt-like portion, and a plurality of package rows are formed above the two belt-like portions. The plant cultivation device according to any one of 2) to 4), which is disposed at intervals in the width direction of the belt-shaped portion.

  6) The plant cultivation device according to 5) above, wherein the light of the LED package disposed at both ends in the length direction of the strip-shaped portion in the package row reaches the both ends in the length direction of the strip-shaped portion in the cultivation region.

  According to the plant cultivation apparatus of the above 1) to 6), since it is equipped with an LED illumination device that uses only an LED package that emits the photon flux density necessary for the growth of the plant in the cultivation tank placed on the placement unit, the external Compared with the plant cultivation apparatus described in Patent Document 1 that includes an illumination device in which an electrode fluorescent lamp and an LED package are used, the power consumption cost can be reduced and the maintainability is improved.

  Moreover, the length of the straight line which connects each point and the center of the periphery of a cultivation area is set to L, The line which connected the point located in the length part of 0.3 * L from a periphery in the said straight line, and the said periphery Since the LED packages of 60% or more of all the LEDs of the LED lighting device are arranged so as to be positioned above at least a part of the band-shaped portion formed between them, the cultivation tank placed on each placement portion It is possible to equalize the photon flux density emitted to the entire cultivation area after using the minimum number of LED packages necessary to secure the photon flux density necessary for plant growth, and to reduce the equipment cost and power consumption. Cost can be reduced.

  According to the plant cultivation apparatus of the above 2) to 5), the cultivation region is square when viewed from the plane, and the length of two sides parallel to each other is set to L, and 0. Above the band-like portion formed between the straight line connecting the points located in the 3 × L length portion and the side connecting the lengthwise ends of the two sides, and the length of the two sides Above the band-shaped portion formed between the straight line connecting the points located in the length portion of 0.3 × L from one end in the length direction and the side connecting the one end in the length direction of the two sides, Since 30% or more of the LED packages in each LED lighting device are arranged, the minimum number required to secure the photon flux density necessary for the growth of the plants in the cultivation tank placed on the placement unit. Light emitted to the entire cultivation area after using the LED package It is possible to effectively equalize the child flux density, it is possible to reduce the equipment cost and power consumption costs.

  According to the plant cultivation apparatus of 6), it is possible to prevent a range where light emitted from the LED package does not reach from occurring in the cultivation area.

It is a front view which shows schematic structure of the plant cultivation apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the LED package with respect to the cultivation area | region of the plant cultivation apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows the implementation method of the experiment example performed in order to demonstrate the effect of the plant cultivation apparatus of this invention, and a comparative experiment example.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention is applied to hydroponic cultivation of plants.

  In the following description, the left and right sides of FIGS. 2 and 3 are referred to as the left and right sides, the lower side of FIGS. 2 and 3 is the front side, and the opposite side is the rear side.

  In the following description, the term “aluminum” includes an aluminum alloy in addition to pure aluminum, except when expressed as “pure aluminum”.

  FIG. 1 shows the whole structure of the plant cultivation apparatus of this invention, and FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show the structure of the principal part.

  In FIG. 1, the plant cultivation device (1) includes a plurality of placement units (2) supported at intervals in the vertical direction by support columns (not shown), and intervals above the placement units (2). The LED lighting device (3) arranged, and a supply device (not shown) for supplying moisture and nutrients to plants such as vegetables planted in the cultivation tank (4) placed on the mounting portion (2) ing.

  The plant cultivation device (1) is located above each placement unit (2) and between the roots and leaves of the plants planted in the cultivation tank (4) placed on the placement unit (2). The plant has a cultivation area (5), and the plant is arranged so that the roots spread on the lower side of the cultivation area (5) and the leaves are present on the upper side. In the case of hydroponics of this embodiment, the upper side of the cultivation tank (4) is covered with a cover (20), and illustration is omitted, but the plant is placed in a through hole formed in the cover (20). The root of the plant extends below the cover (20), the stem of the plant extends through the through hole of the cover (20), and the leaf extends above the cover (20). Has spread. And the cultivation area | region (5) exists in the upper surface of a cover (20).

  The LED lighting device (3) is an LED that emits a photon flux density necessary for the growth of plants in the cultivation tank (4) placed on each placement unit (2) (hereinafter simply referred to as light quantity). Only the package is used. In addition, the LED illumination device (3) is provided on the placement portion (2) located above each placement portion (2) except for the placement portion (2) at the upper end, and the placement portion at the upper end. Regarding (2), the LED lighting device (3) is provided by suitable means. Then, plants such as vegetables in the cultivation tank (4) placed on the placing part (2) are irradiated with LED light by the LED lighting device (1) and supplied with moisture and nutrients, and further plant cultivation By controlling the temperature in the room where the device (1) is installed, the growth of the plant is promoted and the plant is efficiently harvested.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cultivation area | region (5) of a plant cultivation apparatus (1) is a rectangle long in the left-right direction seeing from a plane. The length of two right and left sides (5a) parallel to each other in the cultivation area (5) is L, and is located at a length of 0.3 × L from one end (front end) in the length direction of both left and right sides (5a) A front belt-like part (7) formed between a straight line (6) that connects points (PA) and a front side (5b) that connects one end (front end) in the length direction of the left and right sides (5a) A straight line (8) connecting points (PB) located at 0.3 × L length from the other end (rear end) in the length direction of both the left and right sides (5a), and the left and right sides All the LEDs of the LED lighting device (3) above the rear strip (9) formed between the rear side (5c) connecting the other ends (rear ends) in the length direction of (5a) More than 30% of the LED packages are arranged.

  In other words, the length of a straight line connecting each point and the center of the periphery of the cultivation region (5) is L, and the line connecting points located at a length portion of 0.3 × L from the periphery in the straight line; The belt-shaped portions (7) and (9) are aligned so that at least a part of the belt-shaped portion formed between the peripheral edges, i.e., above the front belt-shaped portion (7) and the rear belt-shaped portion (9). Thus, 60% or more of the LED packages of all LED packages of the LED lighting device (3) are arranged.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of LED packages (12) are arranged by arranging them on a straight line extending in the length direction (left-right direction) of both strip portions (7) and (9). The package row (11) thus arranged is arranged above the belt-like portions (7) and (9) at intervals in the width direction (front-rear direction) of the belt-like portions (7) and (9). Each package row (11) includes an LED package (12) mounted with a red LED chip and an LED package (12) mounted with a blue LED chip, for example, between two adjacent blue LED packages (12). The same number of red LED packages (12) are arranged. All the package rows (11) are covered with a transparent cover (3a) (see FIG. 1). Although not shown, all the LED packages (12) in each package row (11) may be mounted on one base, or a plurality of bases on which a plurality of LED packages (12) are mounted are left and right. You may arrange | position along with the direction. As is well known, the LED package 12 is mounted with one or more LED chips.

  In addition, a plurality of LED packages (12) mounted in a straight tube LED lamp that is long in the left-right direction in a state where the LED package (12) is mounted on the base, and an LED lighting device including a plurality of straight tube LED lamps is mounted on each mounting portion (2 ) May be disposed above. Furthermore, an LED lighting device is configured by appropriately arranging a plurality of LED lamps having one or a plurality of LED packages (12), and each LED lighting device is mounted on each mounting portion (2). It may be arranged above.

  Here, the number of the LED packages (12) arranged above one of the two front and rear belt-like portions (7) and (9), and the LED package arranged above the other belt-like portion. The total number of (12) is 100% of the number of all LED packages (12) of the LED lighting device (3) and / or of the two front and rear strips (7) (9) It is preferable that the number of LED packages (12) arranged above one band-like portion is equal to the number of LED packages (12) arranged above the other band-like portion. Furthermore, the light of the LED package (12) arranged at the lengthwise ends (left and right ends) of the two strip portions (7) and (9) is the two strip portions (7) and (9) of the cultivation region (5). It is preferable that it reaches at both ends in the length direction.

  The package row (11) does not have to be disposed over the entire width in the front-rear direction of the two front and rear strip portions (7), (9), and may be disposed only in a part in the width direction. For example, you may arrange | position only to the part which has a width | variety of 1/3 from the front side edge (5b) of a front side strip | belt-shaped part (7), or only the part which has a width | variety of 2/3. Moreover, only the part which has the width | variety of 1/3 from the rear side (5c) of a back side strip | belt-shaped part (9). Or you may arrange | position only in the part which has a width | variety of 2/3. Furthermore, an intermediate strip portion (13) formed between two straight lines (6) and (8) in the cultivation region (5), that is, an intermediate strip portion between the front strip portion (7) and the rear strip portion (9). The package row (11) may be arranged above the portion (13) or may not be arranged at all. When the package row (11) is disposed above the intermediate strip portion (13), naturally, the LED package (12) included in the package row (11) disposed above the intermediate strip portion (13). ) Is less than 40% of the total number of LED packages (12) of the LED lighting device (3).

  Hereinafter, experimental examples conducted for verifying the effect of the plant cultivation apparatus (1) of the present invention will be described together with comparative experimental examples.

Experimental example and comparative experimental example The length L in the front-rear direction of the left and right sides (5a) of one cultivation area (5): 600 mm, and the length L1 in the left-right direction of the front and rear sides (5b) (5c): 1300 mm .

  Also, 36 red LED packages (12) mounted with one red LED chip (Showa Denko, HRP-350F) and 12 blue LED chips (Showa Denko, GH2GR450G) mounted 12 The blue LED packages (12) are arranged in a straight line so that the blue LED packages (12) are equally spaced, that is, the three red LED packages (12) are positioned between the adjacent blue LED packages (12). 20 package rows (11) are prepared, and the LED illumination device (3) is configured by the 20 package rows (11). The red LED package (12) and the blue LED package (12) have a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction, the length in the front-rear direction on both the left and right sides (5a) is 3 mm, and the length in the left-right direction on both sides 4 mm, and in each package row (11), the pitch, which is the distance between the centers of adjacent LED packages (12), is 27 mm.

  And an appropriate number of package rows (11) are arranged at equal intervals in the front-rear direction at a height of 20 cm above both front and rear belt-like portions (7) and (9) of the cultivation region (5), and further, the intermediate belt-like portion By placing a suitable number of package rows (11) at equal intervals in the front-rear direction at a height position of 20 cm above (13), or by not arranging them, both front and rear belt-like portions (7) of the cultivation region (5) The number of LED packages (12) disposed above (9) and the intermediate strip portion (13) was variously changed.

  In Experimental Examples 1-4 and Comparative Experimental Example 1, the package row (11) is equally spaced in the front-rear direction across the entire front-rear width of the front and rear belt-like parts (7), (9) of the cultivation region (5). Arranged (Sequence condition 1). In Experimental Examples 5 to 7 and Comparative Experimental Examples 2 to 3, only the part having a width of 2/3 from the front side (5b) of the front belt part (7) of the cultivation region (5) and the rear belt part ( 9) The package row (11) was arranged at equal intervals in the front-rear direction only in the portion having a width of 2/3 from the rear side (5c) (arrangement condition 2). In Experimental Examples 8 to 10 and Comparative Experimental Examples 4 to 5, only the part having a width of 1/3 from the front side (5b) of the front belt part (7) of the cultivation region (5), and the rear belt part ( 9) The package row (11) was arranged at equal intervals in the front-rear direction only in the portion having a width of 1/3 from the rear side (5c) (arrangement condition 3).

  In Experimental Examples 5 to 10 and Comparative Experimental Examples 2 to 5, between the front belt-like portion (7) and the middle belt-like portion (13), and the rear belt-like portion (9) and the middle belt-like portion (13) Between these, there is a portion where the package row (11) is not arranged above.

At this time, the package row (11), the strips adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction above the belt-like portions (7), (9), and (13), and the package rows (11) at the front and rear ends and the belt-like portions (7) ( 9) The package rows (11) at both the front and rear ends of the package row (11) arranged above the front and rear side edges of (13) are positioned to be located directly above the front and rear side edges of each strip portion. Arranged. Further, the distance between the center of the LED package (12) at the left and right ends of each package row (11) and the left and right sides (5a) of the experiment area was set to 15.5 mm. Table 1 shows the number of package rows (11) and the number of LED packages (12) arranged above the front and rear belt-like portions (7) and (9) and the intermediate belt-like portion (13) of the cultivation area (5). .

  In Table 1, the LED package number ratio represents the ratio of the number of LED packages (12) present in each strip-like portion (7), (9), and (13) to the number of all LED packages (12).

In this state, the cultivation area (5) is irradiated by the LED illumination device (3), and the nine points shown in FIG. 2 (P1 to P9), that is, the points on the left and right ends of the front side (5b) of the cultivation area (5) ( (P1) (P3) and the center point in the left-right direction (P2), the center point in the front-rear direction of both left and right sides (5a) (P4) (P6), the center point in the whole (P5), and the rear side ( 5c) Measure the amount of light at the left and right end points (P7) and (P9) and the center point in the left and right direction (P8), and measure the average amount of light at 9 points (P1 to P9), the amount of light with the maximum and minimum amounts The difference and the light amount difference ratio obtained by dividing the light amount difference by the average light amount were obtained. The results are shown in Table 2.

  From the results shown in Table 2, 30 above the number of all LED packages (12) of the LED lighting device (3) above the front belt-like portion (7) and the rear belt-like portion (9) of the cultivation region (5), respectively. In Experimental Examples 1 to 10 in which the number of LED packages (12) of at least% is arranged, the light quantity difference rate is 50% or less, and the light quantity emitted to the entire cultivation area (5) is effectively reduced. It is uniform. On the other hand, in Comparative Experimental Examples 1 to 5, the light quantity difference rate exceeds 90%, and the light quantity emitted to the entire cultivation area (5) is not uniform.

  In the said embodiment, although the plant cultivation apparatus is applied to the hydroponic cultivation of a plant, it is not limited to this, It is applicable also to the soil cultivation cultivation of a plant. In this case, the plant is planted in the soil put in the cultivation tank, the soil surface of the cultivation tank is covered with the cover, and the cultivation area is provided on the upper surface of the cover. Moreover, a cultivation area | region may be provided in the surface of the soil of a cultivation tank.

  The plant cultivation device according to the present invention is suitably used in plant factories, vegetable factories, seedling raising devices and the like using LED lighting devices as artificial light sources.

(1): Plant cultivation equipment
(2): Placement section
(3): LED lighting device
(4): Loading tank
(5): Cultivation area
(5a): Left and right sides
(5b): Front side
(5c): Rear side
(6) (8): Straight line
(7): Front strip
(9): Rear strip
(11): Package column
(12): LED package
(13): Middle band

Claims (6)

A plurality of placement units for placing the cultivation tank in which the plant is planted, and a photon flux density necessary for the growth of the plant in the cultivation tank placed on the placement unit at an interval above the placement unit. With LED lighting device using only LED package,
There is a cultivation area at a height position between the root and the leaf of the plant planted in the cultivation tank placed on the placement section above the placement section, and the plant has a root on the lower side of the cultivation area. As it spreads out, it is arranged so that the leaves are on the upper side,
The length of a straight line connecting each point of the periphery of the cultivation area and the center is L, and a line connecting a point located at a length portion of 0.3 × L from the periphery in the straight line, and the periphery A plant cultivation device in which 60% or more of LED packages of all LED packages of the LED lighting device are arranged so as to be located above at least a part of the formed belt-shaped portion. The cultivation area is square when viewed from the plane, and the length of two sides parallel to each other is L, and the points located in the length portion of 0.3 × L from one end in the length direction of the two sides are connected. Above the belt-like portion formed between the straight line and the side connecting the lengthwise ends of the two sides, and a length portion of 0.3 × L from the other lengthwise end of the two sides 30% or more of the total LED packages of the LED lighting device, respectively, above the band-like portion formed between the straight line connecting the points located at the side and the side connecting the other ends in the length direction of the two sides. The plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of LED packages is arranged. The sum of the number of LED packages disposed above one of the two strip portions and the number of LED packages disposed above the other strip portion is the total of the LED lighting device. The plant cultivation device according to claim 2 which is 100% of the number of LED packages. The number of LED packages arranged above one of the two belt-like portions is equal to the number of LED packages arranged above the other belt-like portion. 3. The plant cultivation apparatus according to 3. A plurality of LED packages are arranged at intervals on one straight line extending in the length direction of the band-shaped portion to form a package row, and the plurality of package rows are band-shaped portions above the two band-shaped portions. The plant cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the plant cultivation apparatus is disposed at intervals in the width direction. The plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein light of LED packages arranged at both ends in the length direction of the strip-shaped portion in the package row reaches the both ends in the length direction of the strip-shaped portion in the cultivation region.

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