JP2016015895A - Hydroponics apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydroponics apparatus capable of suppressing temperature changes of culture solution.SOLUTION: A hydroponics apparatus comprises: a main pipe; a plurality of branch pipes which branch approximately from above the main pipe so as to be fluidly connected to the main pipe, and disposed at approximately the same height to each other; a cultivation container disposed inside each of the plurality of branch pipes; and a tank which is fluidly connected to both ends of the main pipe, and stores liquid circulating through the main pipe, the branch pipes and the cultivation containers. According to the constitution, the main pipe for supplying culture solution from the tank to the cultivation container is disposed below the cultivation container, so that the main pipe can be also buried underground together with the branch pipes and the cultivation containers disposed inside the branch pipes, and temperature changes of the culture solution can be suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydroponic cultivation apparatus.

  Hydroponics is a cultivation method in which plants are grown using an aqueous solution (hereinafter referred to as “culture solution”) in which nutrients necessary for plant growth are dissolved without using soil. Compared with conventional cultivation methods using soil, the productivity is high, and since no soil is used, there is little influence of germs and pests and the use of agricultural chemicals can be reduced.

  By the way, in hydroponics, since the temperature of the culture solution changes due to the influence of outside air temperature, solar radiation, and the like, it is difficult to grow plants particularly in a high temperature zone such as a desert.

  As a hydroponic cultivation apparatus that solves such a problem, there is one described in Patent Document 1. In such a hydroponic cultivation apparatus, the cultivation container is buried in the ground, thereby suppressing the temperature change of the culture solution.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-2667724

  However, in the hydroponic cultivation apparatus described above, only the cultivation container is buried in the ground, and therefore other culture solution circulation sections, for example, piping for supplying the culture solution to the cultivation container, Since the storage tank and the like are still affected by the outside air and the like, there has been a problem that the temperature change of the culture solution cannot be sufficiently suppressed. Therefore, such a hydroponic cultivation apparatus has to have a temperature control means in order to keep the temperature of the culture solution constant, and has a problem that the apparatus becomes large and expensive, and the running cost is increased. It was.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hydroponic cultivation apparatus that can suppress a temperature change of a culture solution even in a high-temperature zone such as a desert.

The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to the present invention is
Main piping,
A plurality of branch pipes branched substantially upward from the main pipe so as to be fluidly connected to the main pipe and disposed at substantially the same height;
A cultivation container disposed inside each of the plurality of branch pipes;
A tank that is fluidly connected to both ends of the main pipe and stores the liquid that circulates through the main pipe, the branch pipe, and the cultivation container;

  According to such a configuration, since the main pipe for supplying the culture solution from the tank to the cultivation container is arranged below the cultivation container, together with the branch pipe and the cultivation container arranged therein, the main pipe Piping can also be buried in the ground, and the temperature change of the culture solution can be suppressed.

  The tank may be disposed below the branch pipe.

  According to such a configuration, since the tank can be buried in the ground together with the branch pipe and the main pipe, the temperature change of the culture solution can be more effectively suppressed.

  Moreover, the said cultivation container may be detachable with respect to the said branch pipe.

  According to such a configuration, the maintainability of the cultivation container is improved.

  Moreover, the said cultivation container may have the separator which interrupts | blocks the root of a plant on the bottom face.

  According to such a configuration, the root of the plant is blocked by the separator, and the root does not enter the branch pipe and the main pipe, so that the durability of the apparatus can be improved.

The cultivation apparatus further includes a desalination apparatus,
The liquid stored in the tank may be supplied from the desalination apparatus.

  According to such a configuration, hydroponic cultivation can be performed using raw water such as seawater by a desalination apparatus.

  As described above, according to the hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to the present invention, the main pipe can be buried in the ground together with the branch pipe and the cultivation container. Hydroponic cultivation is possible even in areas with significant changes.

It is the schematic which shows the basic composition of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the cultivation container, branch pipe, and main piping of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, all of these embodiments are illustrative and do not give a limited interpretation of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of the entire hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment mainly branches from the main pipe 20 so as to be fluidly connected to the main pipe 20, and is disposed substantially at the same height. The plurality of branch pipes 30, the cultivation container 40 disposed inside each of the plurality of branch pipes 30, and fluidly connected to both ends of the main pipe 20, and the main pipe 20, the branch pipe 30, and the cultivation container And a tank 50 for storing a liquid circulating in 40.

  The material of the main pipe 20 is not particularly limited as long as the culture medium can be circulated. Vinyl chloride resin is preferred because it is inexpensive and has excellent durability.

  The main pipe 20 is not limited to a straight line, and may be bent or the like as long as it does not hinder the circulation of the culture solution. Changes can be made as appropriate according to the installation location of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10.

  The cross-sectional shape of the main pipe 20 is not particularly limited as long as it does not hinder circulation of the culture solution. When a cylindrical pipe is used for the main pipe 20, for example, a pipe having a diameter of 100 to 125 mm can be used.

  The branch pipe 30 branches from the main pipe 20 substantially upward. The branch pipe 30 and the main pipe 20 are fluidly connected so that the culture solution circulates.

  The material of the branch pipe 30 is not particularly limited as long as the culture medium can be circulated. Vinyl chloride resin is preferred because it is inexpensive and has excellent durability.

  The branch pipe 30 may be coupled to the main pipe 20 as a separate part from the main pipe 20, or the branch pipe 30 and the main pipe 20 may be integrally formed like a T-shaped pipe.

  A cultivation container 40 can be arranged inside the branch pipe 30, and plants are cultivated in the cultivation container 40. The plurality of branch pipes 30 branched from the main pipe 20 have substantially the same height in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the water level of the culture solution in the cultivation container 40 arrange | positioned at the branch pipe 30 can be made substantially the same.

  The branch pipe 30 may be branched from the main pipe 20 at equal intervals. Thereby, the cultivation container 40 arrange | positioned in the branch pipe 30 can be arrange | positioned at equal intervals, and the cultivation environment of the plant in each of the cultivation containers 40 can be made substantially equal.

  The material of the cultivation container 40 will not be specifically limited if a culture solution is circulated and a plant can be grown inside. Vinyl chloride piping is inexpensive and has excellent durability.

  The shape of the cultivation container 40 is a substantially cylindrical shape with the top opened in FIG. 1, but the shape is not limited thereto, and is particularly limited as long as it can cultivate a plant by circulating a culture solution inside. Not. It is also possible to use a rectangular parallelepiped shape or the like.

  The cultivation container 40 is preferably detachable from the branch pipe 30. Since the plant is cultivated in the cultivation container 40, it is expected that the cultivation container 40 deteriorates faster than other parts due to the influence of the roots and dirt of the plant. Therefore, by making it possible to replace the cultivation container 40, the maintainability is improved and the durability of the entire apparatus 10 can be improved.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the branch pipe 30 branched from the main pipe 20 and the cultivation container 40 disposed in the branch pipe 30. The cultivation container 40 includes a separator 41 on the bottom surface. The separator 41 allows water (culture solution) and air (oxygen) to pass through, but the roots of the plant grown in the cultivation container 40 are blocked at this portion and do not enter the branch pipe 30 and the main pipe 20. Thereby, deterioration of the branch pipe 30 and the main piping 20 resulting from root growth can be prevented. In addition, as described above, if the cultivation container 40 can be attached to and detached from the branch pipe 30, the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 can be continuously used by replacing only the cultivation container 40 that is quickly deteriorated. Durability can be improved.

  The material of the separator 41 is not particularly limited as long as it can pass water and air and can block the root. Although a general agricultural root-proof sheet can be used, since the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 can withstand continuous use for several decades, porous silica is inexpensive and has excellent durability. The one consisting of is preferred.

  The cultivation container 40 may include a plant support material (not shown) for supporting the plant inside. As the plant support material, a water-retaining medium such as rock wool or rock husk can be used.

  In the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, since the main pipe 20 is disposed below the branch pipe 30 where the cultivation container 40 is installed, the main pipe 20 is also used together with the cultivation container 40 and the branch pipe 30. Can be buried in the ground. Therefore, since most of the circulation of the culture solution can be buried in the ground, the temperature change of the culture solution due to outside air or the like can be effectively suppressed.

  In addition, when using this apparatus 10 in high temperature areas, such as a desert, you may provide a heat radiator. By circulating the culture solution to the radiator at night, the temperature of the culture solution can be lowered by radiation cooling.

  The tank 50 is fluidly connected to both ends of the main pipe 20 so that the culture solution circulates. The culture solution stored in the tank 50 is supplied to the cultivation container 40 via the main pipe 20 and the branch pipe 30.

  As described above, in the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the main pipe 20 can be buried in the ground together with the branch pipe 30, but by arranging the tank 50 below the branch pipe 30. The tank 50 can be buried in the ground together with the branch pipe 30 and the main pipe 20. By carrying out like this, the temperature change of a culture solution can be suppressed more effectively.

  In order to circulate the culture solution, the tank 50 includes a culture solution circulation pump (not shown). The culture solution sent from the tank 50 to the main pipe 20 is supplied to the cultivation container 40 through the branch pipe 30.

  The culture solution is supplied from below the cultivation container 40 via the separator 41. Since the entire system is fluidly connected in series, the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 is excellent in the circulation of the culture solution and is suitable for growing plants.

  In hydroponics, the water level of the culture solution in the cultivation container 40 is important for growing plants in a healthy and efficient manner. If the root of the plant is always immersed in the culture solution, it will die by root rot, and if the root cannot absorb enough culture solution, it will die by depletion. In some hydroponic cultivation devices, the culture solution is absorbed only by the tip portion of the root of the plant, while the root is respired only by the root portion of the plant. Both methods are performed, and the growing method using only a part of the root causes problems such as slow growth of the root. Therefore, it is preferable to regularly change the water level of the culture solution with respect to the roots.

  Therefore, the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 may include a water level adjustment mechanism (not shown). The water level of the culture solution in the cultivation container 40 is adjusted by such a water level adjustment mechanism.

  As one form of the water level adjusting mechanism, the highest point (hereinafter referred to as “water level level set point”) is provided in the culture fluid flow path that continues from the tank 50 to the main pipe 20. Such a water level set point is set to a structure that can be changed manually or automatically, for example, by using an extendable pipe provided with a bellows or the like. Since the water level set point becomes the water level of the culture solution in the cultivation container 40 due to the principle of the water head pressure, the water level of the culture solution in the cultivation container 40 can be adjusted by moving the water level level set point up and down in the vertical direction. it can.

  Further, as another form of the water level adjusting mechanism, it is possible to cooperate with a pump that feeds the culture solution from the tank 50 to the main pipe 20 and a valve provided in the middle of the flow path where the culture solution returns from the main pipe 20 to the tank 50. The water level may be adjusted. If the valve is closed and the culture solution is delivered by a pump, the water level rises due to an increase in water pressure. From this state, by reducing the pump discharge rate and / or opening the valve, the water pressure decreases and the water level also decreases. Thus, the cooperation between the pump and the valve makes it possible to adjust the water level of the culture solution in the cultivation container 40 together with the circulation amount of the culture solution.

  It is as follows when the effect about the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 concerning this embodiment demonstrated above is put together.

  (1) The hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment uses the cultivation container 40, the branch pipe 30, and the main pipe 20 buried in the ground. Since the temperature is more stable in the ground than in the atmosphere, the temperature of the culture medium circulating in the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 does not increase so much even in the hot summer, and does not decrease much even in the cold winter season. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a temperature control means for the culture solution that is required in the conventional hydroponic cultivation device, or it can be reduced in size, thereby reducing the size, simplification, and cost of the device. realizable.

(2) The cultivation container 40 is detachable from the branch pipe 30 and is excellent in maintainability. Therefore, it is possible to replace the cultivation container 40 that is earlier deteriorated than other parts. Moreover, since the separator 41 is provided on the bottom surface of the cultivation container 40, the roots of the plant do not enter the branch pipe 30 and the main pipe 20. By these, durability of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 can be improved.

(3) Since the branch pipe 30 and the main pipe 20 are connected, when they are buried in the ground, they are easy to handle and excellent in workability.

(4) Since the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 is fluidly connected in series, the culture medium is excellent in circulation and suitable for plant growth.

(5) The present hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 does not spill a culture solution as in a conventional hydroponic cultivation apparatus, but circulates the culture solution. Only the culture solution needs to be replenished, and the water use efficiency is very good. Therefore, it can be used in places where it is difficult to secure water (deserts, contaminated areas, etc.).

(6) The cultivation containers 40 are independent of each other. Thereby, even if a disease occurs in a certain cultivation container 40, it is possible to suppress the damage from spreading to other cultivation containers 40.

(Second Embodiment)
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus 60 according to the second embodiment has a hydrothermal cultivation apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment further including a solar heat utilization type desalination apparatus.

  A solar heat utilization type desalination apparatus refers to an apparatus for obtaining fresh water by heating and evaporating raw water such as seawater by solar thermal energy. There are various heating / evaporation methods, such as those that evaporate under reduced pressure and those that evaporate under normal pressure. By using such devices, infrastructure such as power sources and water can be used in desert areas. Water for hydroponics can be secured even in an area where facilities are not necessarily sufficient, and hydroponics is possible.

(Third embodiment)
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus 70 according to the third embodiment includes a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane) type desalination apparatus in addition to the hydroponic cultivation apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment.

  Reverse osmosis membrane-type desalination devices have been used for the purpose of obtaining fresh water by removing sodium ions from raw water such as seawater. However, recent experiments have confirmed that cesium ions and strontium ions can also be removed. Yes. Therefore, by providing a reverse osmosis membrane type desalination device, water contaminated by radioactivity can be purified and used for hydroponics.

  Note that the hydroponic cultivation apparatuses 10, 60, and 70 described above are assumed to be buried in the ground and used. Needless to say, it can be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Hydroponic cultivation apparatus 20 Main piping 30 Branch pipe 40 Cultivation container 41 Separator 50 Tank 60 Hydroponic cultivation apparatus 70 Hydroponic cultivation apparatus

Claims (8)

Main piping,
A plurality of branch pipes branched substantially upward from the main pipe so as to be fluidly connected to the main pipe and disposed at substantially the same height;
A cultivation container disposed inside each of the plurality of branch pipes;
A hydroponic cultivation apparatus comprising: a tank that is fluidly connected to both ends of the main pipe and that stores a liquid that circulates through the main pipe, the branch pipe, and the cultivation container. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tank is disposed below the branch pipe. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation container is detachable from the branch pipe. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cultivation container has a separator that blocks plant roots on a bottom surface. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the separator is made of porous silica. The cultivation apparatus further includes a desalination apparatus,
The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the liquid stored in the tank is supplied from the desalination apparatus. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the desalination apparatus is a solar heat utilization type. The hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the desalination apparatus is a reverse osmosis membrane type.

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