JP2878885B2 - Plant growing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plant growing apparatus that promotes or regulates the growth of plants by adjusting the environment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is conventionally known as a plant growing apparatus for promoting or adjusting the growth of plants.

The plant growing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a nutrient solution supplying device 101, a growing room device 102, and a control device 103.
1 and the growth room device 102 by controlling the growth room device 102
The plant 104 inside is bred.

A nutrient solution supply device 101 is provided in a nutrient solution tank 106 in which a nutrient solution 105 necessary for growing a plant 104 is stored, and in the nutrient solution tank 106 based on a control signal from the control device 103. A water cooler 107 for adjusting the temperature of a certain nutrient solution 105; and a plurality of nutrient solutions for measuring the temperature and pH of the nutrient solution 105 in the nutrient solution tank 106 and supplying the measurement result to the control device 103. Sensor 108
A nutrient solution mixing device 109 that discharges a stock solution into the nutrient solution tank 106 via a pipe 112 based on a control signal output from the control device 103 to adjust the pH, EC, and the like of the nutrient solution 105; Two pipes 110 and 111 inserted into the nutrient solution tank 106 and the control device 103
Pumps out the nutrient solution 105 in the nutrient solution tank 106 through the pipe based on the control signal output from the
And a pump 114 that supplies the nutrient solution to the nutrient solution tank 10 by controlling the nutrient solution mixing device 109 and the hot / cold water unit 107 based on a control signal output from the control device 103.
In addition to adjusting the temperature, pH, EC, etc. of the nutrient solution 105 in 6 to the optimum values for growing plants, the pump 114 pumps out the nutrient solution 105 in the nutrient solution tank 106 and passes it through a pipe 113. The nutrient solution 105 is supplied to the growing room device 102 and the nutrient solution 105 discharged from the growing room device 102 is taken in via a pipe 110 and returned into the nutrient solution tank 106.

[0005] The growing room apparatus 102 includes a growing room 117 having a ceiling formed to allow light transmission, a plurality of light sources 118 disposed above the growing room 117 and supplying light into the growing room 117, The plant 104 is placed in the growing room 117 and takes in the nutrient solution 105 supplied from the nutrient solution supply device 101 via a pipe 113 to grow the plant 104.
6, a growth bed 119, a heating / cooling machine 120 disposed in the growth room 117, and adjusting the temperature in the growth room based on a control signal from the control device 103, and a ceiling side in the growth room 117. And the control device 10
And a humidifying source 121 for adjusting the humidity in the growing room 117 based on the control signal from the control unit 3 and a temperature and a humidity provided in the growing room 117 and controlling the measurement result in the growing room 117. Thermo-hygrometer 1 to be supplied to the device 103
22 while controlling the heating / cooling device 120 and the humidification source 121 based on the control signal from the control device 103 to adjust the temperature and humidity in the growing room 117 to an optimal environment for growing the plant 104, The nutrient solution 105 supplied through the pipe 113 is guided to the growing bed 109, and the nutrient solution 105 discharged from the growing bed 109 is transferred to the pipe 110.
The plant 104 planted on the breeding bed 119 is grown while being guided to the nutrient solution tank 106 outside the breeding room.

The control device 103 includes a keyboard 125 having various keys, a control command input from the keyboard, an output of the nutrient solution sensor 108, and a thermo-hygrometer 12.
2 to generate a control command and supply it to the nutrient solution supply device 101 or the growing room device 102.
U126 and a CRT 127 for displaying display data and the like output from the CPU 126, and generates a control command based on the operation contents of the keyboard 125, the output of the nutrient solution sensor 108, the output of the thermo-hygrometer 122, and the like. Then, this is supplied to the nutrient solution supply device 101 and the growth room device 102 to control them, and the plant 104 in the growth room 117 is grown in an optimal environment.

[0007]

However, in the conventional plant growing apparatus described above, the heating and cooling machine 12 is used to maintain the temperature and humidity around the foliage of the plant 104 at the set temperature and humidity.
0 to keep the temperature of the nutrient solution 105 supplied to the rhizosphere of the plant 104 at the set water temperature.
07 is required.

For this reason, there is a problem that the equipment cost is increased by the amount required for the two heating / cooling sources.

Further, since Freon gas or the like is used as a refrigerant for the heater / cooler 120 or the like, a supply pipe or a heat exchanger capable of withstanding the expansion pressure of the Freon gas or the like is required. In order to make the distribution uniform, a large number of heat exchangers must be arranged in the growth room 117, and there has been a problem that the equipment cost increases accordingly.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can optimize the temperature in the growing chamber and the temperature of the nutrient solution by one set of heating and cooling machines without disposing a refrigerant pipe or the like such as Freon gas in the growing chamber. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plant growing apparatus capable of greatly reducing equipment costs.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, a plant growing apparatus according to the present invention controls a temperature and humidity environment in a growing room to supply a nutrient solution to a growing bed provided in the growing room. In a plant growing apparatus that supplies and grows a plant that is planted on the growing bed, a control that obtains a set temperature of a nutrient solution by performing a predetermined calculation based on a measurement result regarding temperature and humidity with respect to the growing room. A first nutrient solution supply device that adjusts the temperature of the nutrient solution based on the set temperature obtained by the control device; and a nutrient solution that is provided in the growth chamber and is temperature-controlled by the first nutrient solution supply device. A heat exchanger that takes in the liquid and adjusts the temperature in the growth chamber with the heat of the nutrient solution, and a part of the nutrient solution discharged from the heat exchanger is returned to the first nutrient solution supply device;
And a second nutrient solution supply device that supplies the nutrient solution discharged from the breeding bed to the first nutrient solution supply device while supplying the remaining nutrient solution to the breeding bed while temporarily storing the remaining nutrient solution. Features.

[0012]

In the above arrangement, a preset operation is performed by the control device on the basis of the measurement result regarding the temperature and humidity with respect to the growing room to determine the set temperature of the nutrient solution, and the control is performed by the first nutrient solution supply device. The temperature of the nutrient solution is adjusted based on the set temperature obtained by the device, and the nutrient solution whose temperature has been adjusted by the first nutrient solution supply device is taken in by a heat exchanger provided in the growth chamber, and After the temperature in the growth chamber is adjusted by heat, a part of the nutrient solution discharged from the heat exchanger is returned to the first nutrient solution supply device by the second nutrient solution supply device, and the remaining nutrient solution is removed. It is temporarily stored and supplied to the breeding bed in the breeding room,
The nutrient solution discharged from the growing bed is returned to the first nutrient solution supply device.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a plant growing apparatus according to the present invention.

The plant growing apparatus shown in FIG.
The apparatus is provided with nutrient solution supply devices 1 and 2, a growth room device 3, and a control device 4. The control device 4 controls the first and second nutrient solution supply devices 1 and 2 and the growth room device 3. The temperature of the growing room 5 and the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 are optimized to grow the plant 7 in the growing room device 3.

The first nutrient solution supply device 1 includes a nutrient solution tank 8 in which a nutrient solution 6 necessary for growing a plant 7 is stored, and the nutrient solution tank 8 based on a control signal from the control device 4. A water cooler 9 for adjusting the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 therein, and three pipes 10 to 12 inserted into the nutrient solution tank 8.
When turned on by a control signal output from the control device 4, the nutrient solution 6 in the nutrient solution tank 8 is taken in through the pipe 10, and the nutrient solution is fed through the pipe 14 into the growing room. Pump 15 for supplying the device 3
A flow meter 16 for measuring a flow rate of the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the pump 15; and a thermometer 17 for measuring a water temperature of the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the pump 15. Water cooler 9 based on the control signal output from
To control the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 in the nutrient solution tank 8
The nutrient solution in the nutrient solution tank 8 is pumped out by the pump 15 and supplied to the cultivation chamber device 3 through the pipe 14 while adjusting the temperature to a value required for the growth and the cooling of the cultivation room 5. At the same time, the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the growing room device 3 and the nutrient solution 6 supplied from the second nutrient solution supply device 2 are taken in through the respective pipes 11 and 12 and stored in the nutrient solution tank 8. I do.

The second nutrient solution supply device 2 includes a thermometer 21 for measuring the water temperature of the nutrient solution 6 discharged through the pipe 20 on the side of the growth chamber device 3, and a control output from the control device 4. A three-way valve 23 that takes in the nutrient solution 6 whose water temperature has been measured by the water thermometer 21 based on the signal and guides it to a designated one of the two pipes 12 and 22, and a nutrient supplied through the pipe 22. An auxiliary tank 24 for storing the liquid 6,
Temperature, pH and EC of the nutrient solution 6 in the auxiliary tank 24
And a plurality of nutrient solution sensors 25 for supplying the measurement result to the control device 4 and a stock solution in the auxiliary tank 24 via a pipe 26 based on a control signal output from the control device 4. A nutrient solution preparation device 27 that discharges and adjusts the pH, EC, etc. of the nutrient solution 6, a single pipe 28 inserted into the auxiliary tank 24, and a control signal output from the control device 4. A pump 30 for taking in the nutrient solution 6 in the auxiliary tank 24 through the pipe 28 and supplying the nutrient solution 6 to the growth chamber device 3 through a pipe 29; The three-way valve 23 is controlled based on the control signal to guide the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the breeding room device 3 to either the nutrient solution tank 8 or the auxiliary tank 24 to control the nutrient solution preparation device 27 to assist. tank Temperature and pH of the nutrient solution 6 within 4, E
C and the like are adjusted to optimal values for growing the plant 7. Then, the nutrient solution 6 in the auxiliary tank 24 is pumped out by the pump 30, and is pumped through the pipe 29 to the growing room apparatus 3.
To supply.

The growing room apparatus 3 includes a growing room 5 whose ceiling is formed so as to transmit light, a light source 32 disposed above the growing room 5 to supply light into the growing room 5, and a growing room. A thermo-hygrometer 33 arranged outside the growth chamber 5 for measuring the temperature and humidity outside the growth chamber 5; and a nutrient solution 6 arranged plurally in the growth chamber 5 and supplied through the pipe 14. A heat exchanger 34 for adjusting the temperature in the growth chamber 5 by the heat of the nutrient solution 6;
Of the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the second nutrient solution supply device 2
And a nutrient 6 supplied from the second nutrient solution supply device 2 through the pipe 29 to grow the plant 7 and a nutrient solution 6.
And a growing bed 35 that is provided outside the growing chamber 5 and operates based on a control signal output from the control device 4. An air pump 36 for generating air, an air supply pipe 37 for taking in air discharged from the air pump 36 to generate air bubbles in the nutrient solution 6 in the growing bed 35, and a ceiling side in the growing chamber 5. And a radiation sensor 38 that measures the amount of light that enters the growth room 5 and supplies the measurement result to the control device 4. And a temperature / humidity meter 39 for measuring the humidity and supplying the measurement result to the control device 4.
The nutrient solution 6 supplied from the nutrient solution supply device 1 is taken in, and the heat of the nutrient solution 6 is radiated from each of the heat exchangers 34 to adjust the temperature in the growing room 5 to adjust the temperature in the growing room 5. To an environment optimal for growing the plant 7. Then, the nutrient solution 6 supplied from the second nutrient solution supply device 2 is guided to the growing bed 35 via the pipe 29, and the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the growing bed 35 is supplied to the first nutrient solution supply pipe 11. While returning to the nutrient solution tank 8 of the device 1, the growing bed 35
Cultivate the plant 7 planted in the plant.

The control device 4 includes a keyboard 40 having various keys, a control command input from the keyboard 40, an output of the nutrient solution sensor 25, a thermo-hygrometer 33,
39, the output of the radiation sensor 38, each thermometer 17, 2
1 and the output of the flow meter 16 and the like, generate a control command and supply it to the first and second nutrient solution supply devices 1 and 2 and the growing room device 3; And a CRT 42 for displaying display data and the like, the operation contents of the keyboard 40, the output of the nutrient solution sensor 25, the outputs of the thermo-hygrometers 33 and 39, the output of the radiation sensor 38, and the thermometers 17 and 21. A control command is generated based on the output of the
The nutrient solution is supplied to the second nutrient solution supply devices 1 and 2 and the growing room device 3 to control them, and the plants 7 in the growing room 5 are grown in an optimal environment.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, in a normal state, the controller 4 performs the calculation shown in the following equation to determine the amount of heat Q _in flowing into the growth chamber 5.

Q _in = LI · S (1) where LI is the light source 3 measured by the radiation sensor 38
2 [W / m ² ] S: Bottom area [m ² ] of the growing room 5 Next, the controller 4 calculates the following equation to calculate the outflow heat amount Q _OUT flowing out of the growing room 5. Desired.

Q _out = k · (T _in −T _out ) · A (2) where k: thermal conductivity of the growth chamber 5 [W · m ² · ° C. ⁻¹ ] A: surface area of the growth chamber 5 [ m ² ] T _in : Temperature inside the growing room 5 measured by the thermo-hygrometer 39 [° C.] T _out : Temperature outside the growing room 5 measured by the thermo-humidity meter 33 [° C.] Equation (1) based on the following equation,
From the equation (2), the supply / removal heat quantity Qa required to keep the temperature of the growth chamber 5 constant is determined.

Q _a = Q _in -Q _out (3) Next, the controller 4 performs an operation shown in the following equation to determine the set temperature T _{in of the} nutrient solution 6 supplied to each heat exchanger 34.

T _in = −Q _a / (C · _fe ) + T _L (4) where T _L : each heat exchanger 34 measured by the thermometer 21
Temperature of nutrient solution 6 leaving the [℃] Q _a: supply heat required to keep the temperature of the growing chamber 5 constant [W] C: specific heat of the nutrient solution ^{6 [J · m -3 · ℃} -1] f _e : the total flow rate [m ³ / S] of the nutrient solution 6 supplied to each heat exchanger 34 measured by the flow meter 16 and the first value based on the above equation (4) by the control device 4.
The temperature of the nutrient solution 6 measured by the thermometer 17 by controlling the hot and cold water dispenser 9 provided in the nutrient solution supply device 1, that is, the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 supplied to each heat exchanger 34 is determined by the aforementioned ( 4) The temperature of the nutrient solution 6 in the nutrient solution tank 8 is controlled so as to reach the set temperature T _in shown by the equation.

Hereinafter, this operation is repeated at all times, and the first
The hot / cold water dispenser 9 provided in the nutrient solution supply device 1 is controlled so that the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 in the nutrient solution tank 8 is maintained at the value represented by the above formula (4).

Then, the pump 15 is driven based on a control command output from the control device 4, and the nutrient solution 6 is pumped out of the nutrient solution tank 8 provided in the first nutrient solution supply device 1. The heat of the nutrient solution 6 is supplied to the heat exchangers 34 provided in the growing room 5 through the pipes 14, and the heat of the nutrient solution 6 is radiated and absorbed by these heat exchangers 34, and the temperature in the growing room 5 is reduced. It is adjusted and these heat exchangers 3
The nutrient solution 6 discharged from the second nutrient solution 4 is collected by a pipe 20 and is supplied to the second nutrient solution supply device 2 by a three-way valve 23.
The liquid is distributed to the auxiliary tank 24 in the nutrient solution supply device 2 and the nutrient solution tank 8 in the first nutrient solution supply device 1.

At this time, if the temperature in the growth chamber 5 does not reach the preset temperature, the control unit 4 increases the flow rate of the pump 15 and controls the three-way valve 23 to control the first nutrient solution. The amount of the nutrient solution 6 returned to the nutrient solution tank 8 in 1 is increased.

If the humidity in the growing room 5 deviates from the set humidity in parallel with this operation, the controller 4 controls the nutrient solution 6.
Is lowered, and the steam in the growing room 5 is dewed to the heat exchanger 34, so that the humidity in the growing room 5 is adjusted.

Further, the pump 30 is driven based on a control signal output from the control device 4 in parallel with this operation, and the auxiliary tank 24 provided in the second nutrient solution supply device 2 is provided.
The nutrient solution 6 is pumped out from the inside, supplied to a growing bed 35 provided in the growing room 5 through a pipe 29, and the nutrient solution 6 discharged from the growing bed 35 is piped through a pipe 11. It is returned to the nutrient solution tank 8 provided in the first nutrient solution supply device 1.

As described above, in this embodiment, the heat exchangers 34 are arranged in the growth chamber 5 and the heat exchangers 3
The temperature of the nutrient solution 6 supplied to the cultivation room 5 is controlled by controlling the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 supplied to the cultivation room 5, and the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 supplied to the cultivation bed 35 provided in the cultivation room 5 is controlled. Therefore, a single hot / cold water heater 9 can be used for the growth chamber 5 without arranging a refrigerant pipe or the like such as chlorofluorocarbon gas in the growth chamber 5.
Temperature of the nutrient solution 6 and the temperature of the nutrient solution 6 can be optimized,
This can greatly reduce equipment costs.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, the temperature in the growing chamber and the temperature of the nutrient solution can be optimized by one set of heating and cooling machines without arranging a refrigerant pipe or the like such as chlorofluorocarbon gas in the growing chamber. This can greatly reduce equipment costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a plant growing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventionally known plant growing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 first nutrient solution supply device 2 second nutrient solution supply device 4 control device 5 growing room 6 nutrient solution 7 plant 34 heat exchanger 35 growing bed

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plant growing apparatus for feeding a nutrient solution to a growing bed provided in the growing room while controlling a temperature and humidity environment in the growing room to grow a plant planted in the growing bed, A control device for performing a preset calculation based on the measurement result regarding the temperature and humidity for the growing room to obtain a set temperature of the nutrient solution; and adjusting a temperature of the nutrient solution based on the set temperature obtained by the control device. A first nutrient solution supply device, and a heat exchanger that is provided in the growth chamber, takes in the nutrient solution whose temperature has been adjusted by the first nutrient solution supply device, and adjusts the temperature in the growth chamber with the heat of the nutrient solution. A part of the nutrient solution discharged from the heat exchanger is returned to the first nutrient solution supply device, and the remaining nutrient solution is supplied to the growing bed in the growing room while being temporarily stored and discharged from the growing bed. Second returning the nutrient solution to be in the first nutrient solution supply device
A plant growing device, comprising: a nutrient solution supply device.