JP6865383B2 - Environmental control methods in agricultural greenhouses, environmental control devices in agricultural greenhouses - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an environmental control method in an agricultural greenhouse and an environmental control device in an agricultural greenhouse. The present invention particularly relates to an environmental control method in an agricultural house for adjusting the internal environment by using the outside air, and an environmental control device in the agricultural house for adjusting the internal environment by using the outside air.

Agricultural houses generally have ventilation windows on the side walls. An agricultural house having a ventilation window on the ceiling has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, if the internal environment of the agricultural greenhouse is adjusted when cultivating vegetables in the agricultural greenhouse, it is possible to affect the ratio of the components contained in the vegetables, and the effect of increasing the sales may be obtained. As a method of adjusting the internal environment of an agricultural greenhouse, for example, there is a method called quick drop. Quick Drop is an environment in which the ventilation window is opened and cold air is taken into the inside of the agricultural house if the outside air temperature is below the specified temperature with respect to the temperature inside the agricultural house immediately after the solar radiation intensity drops in the evening. It is an adjustment method of. When the quick drop is carried out, the ambient temperature of the plant drops in a short time because the cold air is taken into the inside of the agricultural greenhouse by opening the ventilation window. When the plant is a fruit vegetable, it is expected that the quick drop will cause the transfer of components from the leaves to the fruit, and even when the plant is a root vegetable, the component to the edible part is similar to the fruit vegetable. Is expected to move.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-320983

By the way, if the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature with respect to the temperature inside the agricultural house, there is a high possibility that the humidity inside the agricultural house will be lowered by carrying out the quick drop. Depending on the external environment of the greenhouse, performing a quick drop may reduce the humidity of the surrounding environment of the plant too much.

An object of the present invention is to provide an environmental control method in an agricultural greenhouse and an environmental control device in the agricultural greenhouse, which make it possible to maintain the internal humidity even if a quick drop is performed.

The environmental control method in an agricultural greenhouse according to the present invention has the following steps. The first step is to open the opening of the outer shell surrounding the space where the plant is cultivated. The second step is a step of measuring the humidity in the outer shell during the period in which the outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening. The third step is a first nozzle capable of spraying mist into the space where the plant grows while the outside air is being introduced into the outer shell through the opening, and the space where the plant grows. Among the second nozzles capable of spraying mist between the openings, the humidity before and after introducing the outside air into the outer shell based on the measured humidity value by spraying the mist from the second nozzle. This is a step of humidifying the outer shell so that the value is maintained within a predetermined allowable range.

The environmental control device in the agricultural greenhouse according to the present invention includes a humidity sensor, a control device, and a humidifying device. The humidity sensor is arranged between the opening of the outer shell surrounding the space where the plant is cultivated and the space where the plant grows, and at least during the period when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening. The humidity inside the outer shell is measured. The control device responds to the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor after the opening is opened during the time of sunset when the temperature outside the outer shell is lower than the temperature inside the outer shell. The amount of humidification is determined so that the humidity value is maintained within a predetermined allowable range before and after introducing the outside air into the outer shell. The humidifying device includes a first nozzle capable of spraying mist into a space where the plant grows, the space where the plant grows, and the space where the plant grows while the outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening. Of the second nozzles capable of spraying mist between the openings, the mist is sprayed from the second nozzle to humidify the inside of the outer shell with the humidifying amount determined by the control device.

According to the configuration of the present invention, there is an advantage that the internal humidity of the outer shell can be maintained even if quick drop is performed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing an agricultural house of an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the agricultural greenhouse of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram relating to equipment control in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the control device according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of the agricultural house of the embodiment. 6A and 6B are operation explanatory views relating to one configuration example of the adjusting device according to the embodiment. 7A and 7B are operation explanatory views regarding another configuration example of the adjusting device according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the agricultural greenhouse 30 described below includes an outer shell 20 arranged so as to surround the space for cultivating the plant 40. When the plant 40 is cultivated in the open field, the season in which the plant 40 can be cultivated is generally determined according to the type of the plant 40 and the area where the plant 40 is cultivated. On the other hand, if the environment for cultivating the plant 40 in the agricultural greenhouse 30 is adjusted, the plant 40 can be cultivated in a period different from that in the open field. Further, if the environment for cultivating the plant 40 in the agricultural greenhouse 30 is adjusted, the same type of plant 40 or a different type of plant 40 may be cultivated a plurality of times a year.

The plant 40 cultivated in the agricultural greenhouse 30 can be selected from leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, root vegetables, beans, fruits, flowers and the like. Leafy vegetables are spinach, Japanese mustard spinach, lettuce, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, etc., and fruit vegetables are tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, etc. Root vegetables include radishes, carrots, burdock roots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lotus roots, and taros.

The technique described below is particularly effective for fruit vegetables or root vegetables, but is also applicable to other plants 40. Hereinafter, the case where the plant 40 to be cultivated is a fruit vegetable such as tomato, cucumber, and eggplant will be described. Further, it is assumed that the plant 40 is planted in the soil for hydroponics. However, even when the plant 40 is cultivated on an isolated floor in which a root-proof water-permeable sheet or the like is laid on the soil, the technique described below can be adopted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer shell 20 includes a frame 21 that stands on the ground and a covering body 22 that the frame 21 supports. When the outer shell 20 is installed on the ground, the shape of the outer shell 20 occupying the ground is a rectangular shape having a large aspect ratio. For example, the dimension of the outer shell 20 in the longitudinal direction is about several tens [m], and the dimension of the outer shell 20 in the lateral direction is about several [m].

The frame 21 includes a plurality of arch-shaped main frames 21A and a plurality of connecting frames 21B for connecting the plurality of main frames 21A to each other. Each of the main frames 21A is formed in an arch shape by a pair of linear supports 211 standing on the ground and an arc-shaped bridge 212 that integrally connects the upper ends of the pair of supports 211. The main frame 21A and the connecting frame 21B are formed of metal pipes. As the metal, surface-treated aluminum, zinc-coated iron, or the like is selected. The plurality of main frames 21A are arranged side by side in a row in the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20 (the direction orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 1). Therefore, the pair of supports 211 of one main frame 21A stand apart from each other in the lateral direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) of the outer shell 20. The connecting frame 21B is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20 and is connected to a plurality of main frames 21A.

On the other hand, the covering body 22 is a translucent synthetic resin film and is arranged so as to cover the frame 21. A part of the covering body 22 is provided with an opening 26A for ventilation, an opening 26B serving as an entrance / exit, and the like. Inside the outer shell 20, various facilities such as a watering device 28 for sprinkling water on the plant 40 and a curtain 29 for adjusting the sunlight incident on the outer shell 20 are provided in order to adjust the environment for cultivating the plant 40. Be done. In the following, among various equipments for adjusting the environment for cultivating the plant body 40, the equipments for generating mist in which water is made into fine particles and the equipments for changing the opening degree of the opening 26A will be described.

The mist is used for the purpose of controlling at least one of temperature and humidity in the environment in which the plant 40 is cultivated. Among the environments in which the plant 40 is cultivated, the action of adjusting the temperature is the action of the mist contacting the plant 40 to cool the plant 40 and the action of the mist vaporizing and removing the heat of vaporization from the surrounding air to remove cold air. There is an action to produce. In addition, when mist is generated, the humidity of the environment in which the plant 40 is cultivated rises. In other words, the inside of the outer shell 20 is humidified by the generation of mist.

The outer shell 20 includes a pair of side walls 23 corresponding to the support 211 of the main frame 21A, a roof 24 corresponding to the bridge 212 of the main frame 21A, and a pair of end walls 25 which are both end faces in the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20. have. As shown in FIG. 1, the outer shell 20 is formed in a shape that is convex upward in a cross section that intersects in the longitudinal direction as a whole.

The opening 26A for ventilation is provided on the side wall 23, and the opening 26B used as an entrance / exit is provided on the end wall 25. Depending on the specifications of the agricultural house 30, the opening 26A for ventilation may be provided not only on the side wall 23 but also on the roof 24. The outer shell 20 is provided with a window 27 that moves between a closed position that covers the opening 26A and an open position that opens the opening 26A at a portion corresponding to the opening 26A. The window 27 has a structure in which a transparent sheet is wound around a shaft, and the opening degree of the opening 26A is adjusted according to the amount of the sheet wound around the shaft. The window 27 is arranged so that the upper end portion of the sheet is attached to the outer shell 20 and the shaft is located below the portion where the sheet is attached to the outer shell 20. Further, the power to rotate the shaft is given by the electric motor. If the opening 26A is formed on the side wall 23, the window 27 may be referred to as a side window, and if the opening 26A is formed on the roof 24, the window 27 may be referred to as a skylight.

A sliding door is arranged in the opening 26B which is the entrance / exit. The sliding door selects the open state and the closed state of the opening 26B. Instead of the sliding door, the opening 26B may be overlapped with a sheet that can be moved between a position that covers the opening 26B and a position that opens the opening 26B. It is desirable that at least a part of the periphery of the sheet is attached to the outer shell 20 by a member such as a fastener that enables the connection and separation of the two members.

In the configuration example shown in FIG. 1, the main frame 21A has an arch shape, but the bridge 212 of the main frame 21A may have an inverted V shape, and the bridge 212 has a plurality of vertices instead of one. You may. For example, the bridge 212 of the main frame 21A may have an inverted W shape. Further, the covering body 22 may be glass as long as it is transparent. Since the procedure for assembling the outer shell 20 is general, the description thereof will be omitted.

On the ground surrounded by the outer shell 20, a plurality of (for example, three) ridges 31 are formed in which the soil is raised with respect to the surroundings in order to cultivate the plant 40. The size of one ridge 31 is almost equal to the size of the outer shell 20 in the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20 (for example, about 80%), and is several minutes of the size of the outer shell 20 in the lateral direction of the outer shell 20. It is about 1. A work passage 32 is formed between the adjacent ridges 31 in the lateral direction of the outer shell 20.

A plurality of plant bodies 40 are planted in the plurality of ridges 31 at substantially equal intervals. As the arrangement of the plant body 40 on the ridge 31, single-row planting and double-row planting are widely adopted. Single-row planting means that a plurality of plant bodies 40 are planted in a line along the longitudinal direction of one ridge 31. Double-row planting means planting a plurality of plant bodies 40 in two rows along the longitudinal direction of one ridge 31 as shown in FIG. In both single-row planting and double-row planting, a plurality of plants 40 arranged in a row are planted at substantially equal intervals. Further, in the double-row planting, in the longitudinal direction of the ridge 31, the plant 40 in the other row may be arranged between the two plants 40 adjacent to each other in one row. In this case, assuming that the distance between two adjacent plant bodies 40 in one row is 2d, in the two-row planting, the plant bodies 40 are arranged in different rows for each distance d.

A plurality of nozzles 11 for generating mist are arranged inside the outer shell 20. A water supply pipe 12 is connected to each of the plurality of nozzles 11, and water is supplied through the water supply pipe 12. Each of the plurality of nozzles 11 includes an outlet for generating a mist of fine particles of water supplied through the water supply pipe 12.

The nozzle 11 may be arranged above the passage 32, but it is desirable that the nozzle 11 is arranged above the ridge 31. That is, the nozzle 11 is arranged above the upper surface of the ridge 31 as the ground on which the plant 40 is cultivated. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a part of the plurality of nozzles 11 is arranged between the ridge 31 and the side wall 23 so as to be able to supply mist. That is, the agricultural house 30 includes a nozzle 11 that supplies mist between the space where the plant 40 grows and the opening 26A. In the following, when distinguishing between the nozzle 11 arranged above the ridge 31 and the nozzle 11 capable of supplying mist in the vicinity of the opening 26A, the former will be referred to as the nozzle 11A and the latter will be referred to as the nozzle 11B. However, if it is not necessary to distinguish between the two, the nozzle 11 is described.

The height from the ground (upper surface of the ridge 31) where the plant 40 is cultivated to the nozzle 11 is determined according to the height of the plant 40, and is generally determined to be 50 [cm] or more and 300 [cm] or less. The water supplied to the nozzle 11 may be rainwater, river water, well water or the like as raw water, tap water, or water containing a chemical useful for plants. Hereinafter, it is referred to as water regardless of whether or not the water supplied to the nozzle 11 contains a chemical.

When the plant 40 is planted in the ridge 31, the nozzle 11A arranged above the ridge 31 is not directly above the plant 40, but in the longitudinal direction or the short side of the outer shell 20 with respect to the plant 40. It is desirable that they are arranged at positions that are offset in the direction. Further, it is desirable that one nozzle 11A is provided with a plurality of (for example, two or four) outlets. However, one nozzle 11A may have one outlet. The nozzle 11A is arranged so that the direction in which the mist is blown out is a relatively small angle range (about ± 15 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane) with respect to the horizontal plane (plane along the ground). When the nozzle 11A has only one outlet, the nozzle 11A may be arranged so as to blow out the mist downward.

When the nozzle 11A has two outlets, the nozzle 11A is arranged above the plants 40 arranged in a row so that the mist is blown out along the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20. When the nozzle 11A has four outlets, the nozzle 11A is arranged above the passage 32 if the plant 40 is planted in a single row, and if the plant 40 is planted in a double row, the plants 40 are arranged in two rows. It is desirable that the nozzles 11A be located above the rows. When the nozzle 11A has one outlet and blows out the mist downward, the plant 40 is planted so that at least one plant 40 is located directly below the nozzle 11.

On the other hand, the nozzle 11B that supplies mist in the vicinity of the opening 26A is provided with one outlet, and the direction in which the mist is blown is downward (direction toward the ground) or inward with respect to the vertical plane along the opening 26A. It is arranged so as to be. When the mist is blown inward with respect to the above-mentioned vertical plane, the outlet of the nozzle 11B faces the plant 40 closest to the opening 26A (approximately 30 degrees or less with respect to the above-mentioned vertical plane). Is desirable.

Here, the direction in which the nozzle 11 blows out the mist is the direction in which the mist flies along the center line of the region where the mist immediately after being blown out from the nozzle 11 exists. That is, since the mist is blown out so as to spread from the outlet, the direction in which the mist is blown out from the nozzle 11 is determined by the center line of the region where the mist is present immediately after the mist is blown out. The region where the mist immediately after blowing out exists has a shape such as a circle, an ellipse, or a quadrangle in a cross section orthogonal to the direction in which the nozzle 11 blows out the mist.

It is desirable that the mode of the particle size of the mist blown out from the nozzle 11 is 10 [μm] or more and 100 [μm] or less. It is not essential that the mode of the particle size of the mist blown out from the nozzle 11 is in the above range, but when the mode of the particle size is in this range, the mist does not float for a long period of time and is compared. It falls in a short time. Therefore, the mist does not completely evaporate in the air, and if the plant 40 is not planted in the ridge 31, a part of the mist generated by the nozzle 11 reaches the upper surface of the ridge 31. That is, a part of the mist generated by the nozzle 11 falls on the upper surface of the ridge 31 as the ground for cultivating the plant body 40.

In the configuration example described above, it is assumed that the nozzle 11A is arranged above the ridge 31 and one nozzle 11A blows out mist corresponding to one ridge 31. On the other hand, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a nozzle 11A having two or four outlets is arranged above the passage 32 and mist is blown from one nozzle 11A to two ridges 31.

Regardless of the number of outlets in the individual nozzles 11 and the positional relationship between the plurality of nozzles 11 and the ridges 31, the plurality of nozzles 11 are arranged in a row along the ridges 31. As shown in FIG. 1, since a plurality of ridges 31 are formed inside the outer shell 20, the nozzles 11 are also arranged in a plurality of rows. Water is supplied from the common header 13 to the plurality of water supply pipes 12 connected to the plurality of nozzles 11 arranged in a row. That is, a plurality of headers 13 along the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20 are arranged in the outer shell 20, and one end of the plurality of water supply pipes 12 is connected to each header 13.

The material of the header 13 may be hard or soft, but it is desirable that the material of the water supply pipe 12 is flexible. The header 13 is formed of a material selected from synthetic resin, metal, rubber and the like, and the water supply pipe 12 is formed of a material selected from rubber, synthetic resin and the like. Needless to say, the water supply pipe 12 and the header 13 may be formed of a composite material in which a plurality of materials are combined instead of a single material. By connecting the water supply pipe 12 connected to the nozzle 11 to the header 13 fixed to the frame 21, the nozzle 11 is arranged above the ground in a state of being suspended from the header 13.

By the way, the mist blown out from the nozzle 11 falls, and a part of the mist reaches the ground without disappearing. A part of the mist evaporates without contacting the plant 40, but due to the relatively large particle size of the mist, a relatively large amount of mist reaches the plant 40 and vaporizes after contacting the plant 40. .. Therefore, the plant 40 is cooled relatively well.

However, if mist is generated inside the outer shell 20, the surface of the plant 40 gets wet and the humidity inside the outer shell 20 rises, so that the transpiration action of the plant 40 may be suppressed. When the amount of mist in contact with the plant 40 is excessive, or when the humidity of the environment in which the plant 40 is cultivated is excessive, the possibility of disease or physiological disorder in the plant 40 increases. Physiological disorders mean fissures in the fruit, corking around the calyx, and the like.

Therefore, it is desirable to intermittently generate the mist from the nozzle 11 so that the mist in contact with the plant 40 evaporates in a short time, and adjust the period for generating the mist and the period for stopping the generation of the mist. Further, after the temperature of the plant 40 or the ambient temperature of the plant 40 is lowered by the mist, the mist adhering to the surface of the plant 40 is rapidly vaporized, and the moisture in the air exceeding an appropriate amount is inside the outer shell 20. It is desirable to be discharged quickly from. Since the configuration for satisfying these requirements is not a gist, the description thereof will be omitted.

As is clear from the above description, in the configuration example shown in FIG. 1, the mist is sprayed between the nozzle 11A for spraying the mist in the space where the plant 40 grows and the space where the plant 40 grows and the opening 26A. Nozzle 11B is provided. The time when mist is generated from the nozzle 11A is the time when the outside air temperature is relatively high. On the other hand, the time when mist is generated from the nozzle 11B is the time when the outside air temperature after sunset is relatively low. However, the time when the mist is generated from the nozzle 11B may overlap with the time when the mist is generated from the nozzle 11A.

The control device 50 shown in FIG. 3 indicates the timing at which the mist is generated. A pump 54 is connected to the header 13 that supplies water to the nozzle 11 that blows out the mist, and the water pressurized by the pump 54 is supplied to the nozzle 11. That is, when the control device 50 instructs the operation of the pump 54, the timing at which mist is generated and the amount of mist generated per unit time are determined.

The control device 50 is composed of a computer including a processor that operates according to a program. Inside the outer shell 20, a temperature sensor 51 and a humidity sensor 52A are arranged in the vicinity of the plant 40, and a humidity sensor 52B is arranged in a portion close to the opening 26A separately from the humidity sensor 52A. The control device 50 acquires temperature information measured by the temperature sensor 51, humidity information measured by the humidity sensor 52A, and humidity information measured by the humidity sensor 52B. The humidity sensor 52A is arranged in a space area surrounded by a plurality of plant bodies 40 and measures the humidity representing a community of the plant bodies 40, whereas the humidity sensor 52B has an opening 26A and a plant body 40 growing. The humidity of the outside air, which is arranged between the space and the outer shell 20 and is introduced into the outer shell 20, is measured.

Inside the outer shell 20, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 3, a solar radiation sensor 53 that monitors the intensity of sunlight incident on the outer shell 20 may be arranged. The solar radiation sensor 53 is not essential, but when the solar radiation sensor 53 is provided, the control device 50 also acquires information on the solar radiation intensity measured by the solar radiation sensor 53.

The control device 50 can select a plurality of operation modes. Here, an operation of adjusting the mist blown out from the nozzle 11B will be described mainly based on the humidity information measured by the humidity sensor 52B. The action of adjusting the mist blown out from the nozzle 11A is selected mainly for cooling the plant 40 during the summer daytime. The action of adjusting the mist blown out from the nozzle 11B is selected when performing the quick drop.

The quick drop means that the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20 during the sunset time to lower the temperature inside the outer shell 20 in a short time. That is, the quick drop is performed when the condition that the temperature outside the outer shell 20 is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature with respect to the temperature inside the outer shell 20 is satisfied in the time zone of sunset. During the period of performing the quick drop, the window 27 is closed to keep the inside of the outer shell 20 warm at least in the evening time zone. The period during which these conditions are met will vary from region to region. However, in Japan, there are many periods from mid-autumn to early summer.

The sunset time zone represents a period of about 30 minutes before and after the sunset time, and the evening time zone represents a period of approximately 14:00 or later and up to about 1 hour before the sunset time. Further, when the quick drop is performed, the temperature difference between the temperature inside the outer shell 20 and the air temperature outside the outer shell 20 is preferably, for example, 5 ° C. or higher, and even more preferably 10 ° C. or higher.

When the quick drop is performed, the window 27 is first opened and the opening 26A is opened. By opening the opening 26A, outside air is taken into the outer shell 20, and the air temperature inside the outer shell 20 drops in a short time. Here, the amount of water vapor per unit volume contained in the air introduced from the outside of the outer shell 20 may be significantly lower than the amount of water vapor per unit volume contained in the air inside the outer shell 20. When air containing a small amount of water vapor is introduced into the outer shell 20 through the opening 26A, the plant 40 planted near the opening 26A dries, resulting in hardening of the epidermis, wilting of the epidermis, and the like. This leads to a decrease in commercial value. That is, when the quick drop is carried out, the plant body 40 close to the opening 26A may lose its commercial value by being exposed to the outside air introduced from the opening 26A.

Therefore, during the period in which the quick drop is carried out and the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20 through the opening 26A, the mist is sprayed from the nozzle 11B between the space where the plant 40 grows and the opening 26A. As a result, even the plant 40 closest to the opening 26A comes into contact with the air humidified by the mist, and the possibility that the plant 40 comes into contact with the outside air and dries is reduced. In other words, the humidifying device 55 that humidifies the plant 40 includes a nozzle 11B.

Here, the control device 50 controls the operation of the pump 54 so that the humidification amount increases as the humidity value of the outside air measured by the humidity sensor 52B decreases. That is, the humidifying device 55 includes a pump 54. The humidification amount is the amount of mist generated in a unit time, and the amount of mist generated in a unit time is determined by the flow rate of water supplied to the nozzle 11B. When the mist is blown out from the nozzle 11B in this way, the dry outside air introduced from the opening 26A is humidified. When the timing of mist generation and the amount of mist generated per unit time are appropriately controlled, drying of the plant 40 by the outside air introduced into the outer shell 20 from the opening 26A is suppressed. That is, the humidifying device 55 including the nozzle 11B and the pump 54 is configured.

The timing at which the mist is blown out from the nozzle 11B and the amount of mist generated per unit time are determined by the control device 50 based on the humidity value during the period when the opening 26A is open. That is, the control device 50 acquires the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B during the period when the opening 26A is open, and controls the operation of the pump 54 based on the humidity value. The control device 50 generates mist so that the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B is kept within a predetermined allowable range. This permissible range is set to such an extent that water droplets do not adhere to the plant body 40 as much as possible due to the mist blown out from the nozzle 11B, and the plant body 40 can be prevented from drying.

By the way, in order to keep the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B within an allowable range, it is conceivable to operate the pump 54 so that the mist is continuously blown out from the nozzle 11B. Here, since the period during which the mist is blown out from the nozzle 11B is the period during which the temperature of the outside air introduced from the opening 26A is low, it can be said that the mist does not vaporize and water droplets easily adhere to the plant 40. From this, if the mist is continuously blown out from the nozzle 11B, there is a high possibility that water droplets adhere to the plant body 40.

Therefore, in order to suppress the adhesion of water droplets to the plant body 40, it is desirable to operate the pump 54 so that the mist is intermittently blown out from the nozzle 11B. That is, it is desirable to operate the pump 54 so that the period for generating the mist and the period for stopping the mist are alternately repeated in a relatively short time. In this operation, the drying of the plant body 40 is suppressed by generating the mist, and the moisture adhering to the surface of the plant body 40 is vaporized during the period when the mist is stopped, and the water droplets adhere to the plant body 40. It is suppressed. The period for generating mist and the period for stopping mist are appropriately determined. The longer the period for generating the mist, the more the drying of the plant 40 is suppressed, and the longer the period for stopping the mist, the more the adhesion of water droplets to the plant 40 is suppressed. The period for generating the mist and the period for stopping the mist are determined by the control device 50 according to the humidity measured by the humidity sensor 52B, the temperature of the outside air, and the like.

The control device 50 includes an interface unit 501 that acquires temperature information from the temperature sensor 51 and acquires humidity information from the humidity sensors 52A and 52B. Further, when the solar radiation sensor 53 is arranged on the outer shell 20, the interface unit 501 acquires information on the solar radiation intensity from the solar radiation sensor 53. The processing unit 502 receives the information acquired by the interface unit 501. The processing unit 502 creates an instruction based on the information acquired by the interface unit 501, and gives an instruction to the pump 54 through the drive circuit 503. The drive circuit 503 is a circuit for raising the output of the processing unit 502 to the electric power required for operating the pump 54.

Since the relationship between the temperature monitored by the temperature sensor 51, the humidity monitored by the humidity sensor 52A, the solar radiation intensity monitored by the solar radiation sensor 53, and the operation of the pump 54 is not a gist, the description thereof will be omitted.

The control device 50 shown in FIG. 3 has a configuration that controls only the operation and stop of the pump 54. That is, the processing unit 502 that gives an instruction to the pump 54 instructs the operation of the pump 54 when the humidity value of the humidity monitored by the humidity sensor 52B is less than a predetermined reference value. The reference value is set in the control device 50 based on the possibility that the plant 40 will dry out. Further, when the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B is less than the reference value, the operation of the pump 54 is controlled so that the lower the humidity value, the larger the amount of mist generated per unit time.

As described above, mist is generated when the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B is less than the reference value in a state where the opening 26A is opened and the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20. When the mist starts to be generated, the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B reaches the reference value or more in a short time. Therefore, if the pump 54 is stopped when the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B reaches the reference value, the drying of the plant 40 may not be sufficiently suppressed.

Therefore, it is desirable that the control device 50 continuously operates the pump 54 for a certain operating time after starting the operation of the pump 54. Even if the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B reaches the reference value from the start of the operation of the pump 54 to the elapse of the operation time, the pump 54 continues to operate until the operation time elapses. On the other hand, if the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B does not reach the reference value when the operation time elapses, the operation of the pump 54 continues until the humidity value reaches the reference value.

In order to prevent the pump 54 from stopping in a short time after starting the operation, the control device 50 may be set to a stop value higher than the reference value. In this case, the control device 50 is configured to stop the pump 54 when the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B reaches the stop value after starting the operation of the pump 54. That is, even if the pump 54 starts operation and the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B rises due to the generation of mist, the pump 54 does not stop until the stop value higher than the reference value is reached. Therefore, if the stop value is set appropriately, the humidity is maintained so that the plant 40 does not dry out.

Here, it is not essential that mist is continuously generated from the nozzle 11B during the period from when the control device 50 starts the operation of the pump 54 until the pump 54 is stopped, and the mist is intermittent as described above. It may occur in. That is, the control device 50 controls the pump 54 so that the pump 54 alternately repeats the operation and the stop during the period from the start to the stop of the operation of the pump 54, thereby reducing the amount of water supplied per unit time. You may adjust. The amount of water supplied per unit time can be adjusted by changing the rotation speed of the pump 54, but here, it is adjusted by intermittently repeating the blowing of mist.

That is, the blowing period in which the mist is blown out from the nozzle 11 and the resting period in which the mist is not blown out from the nozzle 11 are repeated, and the length of the blowing period and the resting period is adjusted to supply water per unit time. The amount is adjusted. The blowing period is preferably longer than the time until the mist is stably blown out from all the nozzles 11 after the pump 54 is started, and the time is such that the mist adhering to the plant 40 does not collect and fall. For example, it is set to a degree of several seconds or more and several tens of seconds or less.

FIG. 4 summarizes an operation example when the quick drop is performed with respect to the above-described configuration example. The quick drop is performed when the temperature outside the outer shell 20 is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature with respect to the temperature inside the outer shell 20 (S1: Yes) during the sunset time zone (S2). When the condition of step S1 is satisfied and the user performs a quick drop, the window 27 is opened and the opening 26A is opened. The window 27 is electrically operated by a motor. The window 27 is assumed to be opened according to the user's instruction. However, the control device 50 instructs the window 27 to be opened by using information such as the temperature monitored by the temperature sensor 51, the solar radiation intensity monitored by the solar radiation sensor 53, and the date and time measured by the timer. It may be a configuration.

When the opening 26A is opened and a quick drop is performed, outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20. The humidity sensor 52B measures the humidity inside the outer shell 20 during the period when the outside air is introduced from the opening 26A by the quick drop (S4). Specifically, the control device 50 acquires the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B during the period when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20 from the opening 26A (S3: Yes). The control device 50 is opened by performing a quick drop by using information such as the temperature sensor 51, the solar radiation sensor 53, and the date and time when the timer is measuring, in addition to the information on whether or not the window 27 is open. Recognize that 26A is open. When the window 27 is closed after the quick drop is performed (S3: No), the control device 50 stops the pump 54 without performing the following processing (S12).

When the control device 50 acquires the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B, this humidity value is compared with the reference value (S5). When the humidity value is larger than the reference value (S5: No), the pump 54 is instructed to stop (S10). On the other hand, when the humidity value is equal to or lower than the reference value (S5: Yes), the control device 50 instructs the pump 54 to operate and generates mist (S6). Further, the amount of mist generated (that is, the amount of humidification) in a unit time is determined based on the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B, and the operation of the pump 54 is controlled according to the amount of humidification (S7).

Here, it is assumed that the stop condition of the pump 54 after the pump 54 starts the operation is a time when a certain operation time has elapsed from the start of the operation. After instructing the operation of the pump 54, the control device 50 determines whether or not the operation time has elapsed (S8). When the operating time elapses (S8: Yes) and the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B is larger than the reference value (S9: Yes), the pump 54 is stopped (S10). When the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B is equal to or lower than the reference value (S9: No) when the operation time has elapsed (S8: Yes), the pump 54 is continuously operated (S11). The process returns to step S3 regardless of whether the pump 54 is stopped or the pump 54 is continuously operated. That is, the control device 50 generates mist that the plant 40 may dry until the window 27 is closed.

When the opening 26A is open (S3: Yes) and the humidity value exceeds the reference value (S5: No), the pump 54 is stopped because it is not necessary to generate mist (S10). ). Further, until the operation time elapses in step S8 (S8: No), the process returns to step S7 to adjust the amount of mist generated based on the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B. Although not shown in FIG. 4, in step S7, the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B is taken in.

As described above, since the operation and stop of the pump 54 are controlled by the control device 50 based on the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor 52B, the humidifying device 55 including the pump 54 and the nozzle 11B is controlled by the control device 50. It can be said that it will be done.

By the way, in the above-described configuration example, the nozzle 11A mainly used for cooling the plant body 40 and the nozzle 11B mainly used for humidifying at the time of quick drop are arranged in the agricultural house 30. Nozzle 11A is provided exclusively for blowing out mist during the day, and nozzle 11B is provided exclusively for blowing out mist during sunset hours. In other words, the time zone in which the nozzle 11A blows out the mist and the time zone in which the nozzle 11B blows out the mist are different. From this, there is a possibility that the nozzle 11A and the nozzle 11B can be shared by one nozzle 11.

The configuration example shown in FIG. 5 shows a configuration in which the position of the nozzle 11 can be changed. As described above, the nozzle 11 is supplied with water from the header 13 through the water supply pipe 12. Since the water supply pipe 12 is flexible, when the intermediate portion of the water supply pipe 12 is supported by the support rod 14, the water supply pipe 12 between the support rod 14 and the nozzle 11 hangs down from the support rod 14. Therefore, when the nozzle 11 is moved in the lateral direction of the outer shell 20, the nozzle 11 moves on an arc centered on the support rod 14 with the distance between the support rod 14 and the nozzle 11 as a radius.

In the configuration example shown in FIG. 5, when the support rod 14 is located above the ridge 31 and no external force is applied to the nozzle 11, the nozzle 11 is substantially directly below the support rod 14 as shown by the solid line in FIG. Located in. Further, in a state where an external force in a direction approaching the opening 26A is applied to the nozzle 11, the nozzle 11 is located above the portion between the ridge 31 and the opening 26A, as shown by the broken line in FIG. Therefore, the nozzle 11 can be treated in the same manner as the nozzle 11A at the position of the solid line, and can be treated in the same manner as the nozzle 11B at the position of the broken line.

Since the nozzle 11 moves on the arc described above, the direction of the air outlet can be changed according to the position of the nozzle 11. In the configuration example of FIG. 5, the direction in which the mist is blown out is along the horizontal plane when the nozzle 11 is in the position of the solid line, and the direction in which the mist is blown out is obliquely downward when the nozzle 11 is in the position of the broken line. In this configuration example, when the nozzle 11 is at the position of the broken line, mist is blown from the nozzle 11 toward the plant 40, so that the effect of suppressing the drying of the plant 40 can be enhanced when the quick drop is performed. it can.

By the way, in order to apply an external force to the nozzle 11, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a string-shaped body 15 coupled to a plurality of nozzles 11 or a plurality of water supply pipes 12 and one end of the string-shaped body 15 are used. A configuration including a reel 16 for winding and feeding the portion is adopted. Here, FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic plan views in which a plurality of nozzles 11 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the ridge 31 are projected onto the ground. That is, a plurality of nozzles 11 (or water supply pipes 12) arranged in a row are connected to one string-like body 15. The reel 16 includes a motor as a power source, and winds and unwinds the string-shaped body 15 according to the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the motor. The other end 151 of the string 15 is fixed in place, and the center of rotation of the reel 16 is positioned along the longitudinal direction of the outer shell 20 away from the fixed end 151 of the string 15. To do. A straight line passing through the fixed end portion 151 of the string-shaped body 15 and the rotation center of the reel 16 passes through a portion of the outer shell 20 near the side wall 23 with respect to the support rod 14.

FIG. 6A corresponds to the solid line of FIG. 5 and shows a state in which the string-shaped body 15 is extended from the reel 16. In this state, since no external force acts on the nozzle 11, the nozzle 11 is located substantially directly below the support rod 14 due to its own weight. FIG. 6B corresponds to the broken line in FIG. 5 and shows a state in which the string-like body 15 is wound on the reel 16. In this state, the nozzle 11 is located closer to the side wall 23 than the support rod 14 by receiving an external force from the string-shaped body 15 in the direction approaching the side wall 23. That is, the string-shaped body 15 and the reel 16 constitute an adjusting device 56 for moving the nozzle 11.

As another example of the adjusting device 56, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a plurality of string-like bodies 17 connected one-to-one to a plurality of nozzles 11 or a plurality of water supply pipes 12 and a plurality of string-like bodies 17 A configuration may be adopted including a winding rod 18 for winding and feeding out one end portion. Here, FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic plan views in which a plurality of nozzles 11 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the ridge 31 are projected onto the ground as in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In the adjusting device 56, the other end of each of the plurality of string-like bodies 17 is connected to the nozzle or the water supply pipe 12. The winding rod 18 includes a motor as a power source, and winds and unwinds the string-shaped body 17 according to the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the motor. The winding rod 18 is arranged at a portion closer to the side wall 23 than the support rod 14.

FIG. 7A corresponds to the solid line of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7B corresponds to the broken line of FIG. That is, in the state where the string-shaped body 17 is extended from the winding rod 18 as shown in FIG. 7A, the nozzle 11 is located directly below the support rod 14 due to its own weight. Further, in the state where the string-shaped body 17 is wound around the winding rod 18 as shown in FIG. 7B, since the nozzle 11 approaches the winding rod 18, the nozzle 11 receives a force in the direction of approaching the side wall 23 from the string-shaped body 17. Therefore, it is located closer to the side wall 23 than the support rod 14.

The above-mentioned adjusting device 56 is a partial configuration example, and one nozzle 11 can be moved between two parts, a part above the ridge 31 and a part closer to the side wall 23 than the ridge 31. The adjusting device 56 may have any configuration as long as it is configured. For example, when the nozzle 11 is positioned above the ridge 31, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which a spring force is used instead of gravity.

The environmental control method in the agricultural house 30 described above has the following steps. The first step is to open the opening 26A of the outer shell 20 surrounding the space where the plant 40 is cultivated. The second step is to measure the humidity inside the outer shell 20 during the period when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20 through the opening 26A. The third step is a step of humidifying the inside of the outer shell 20 with a humidifying amount based on the measured humidity value.

According to this method, when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20, the humidity inside the outer shell 20 is measured and humidified by the amount of humidification based on the humidity value, so that the humidity inside the outer shell 20 can be maintained. It's easy. In particular, when performing a quick drop, the amount of saturated water vapor in the outside air is smaller than that in the outer shell 20, and the air inside the outer shell 20 is more likely to dry. It will be possible to maintain.

In the step of opening the opening 26A, it is desirable to open the opening 26A during the time of sunset when the temperature outside the outer shell 20 is lower than the temperature inside the outer shell 20.

In this method, the temperature inside the outer shell 20 is shortened by introducing air having a relatively low temperature from the outside of the outer shell 20 when the photosynthesis of the plant 40 is almost completed during the sunset time. Can be lowered with. That is, a so-called quick drop will be carried out. Here, the lower the air temperature outside the outer shell 20, the smaller the amount of saturated water vapor. Therefore, when low-temperature air is introduced into the outer shell 20, the inside of the outer shell 20 becomes easier to dry. In particular, during the period when the temperature outside the outer shell 20 is low, such as from late autumn to early spring, the temperature difference between the outer shell 20 and the inner shell 20 becomes large during the sunset time, and the introduction of outside air causes the outer shell to become larger. The inside of 20 becomes easy to dry. Especially in the case of the Pacific Ocean side in winter, the humidity of the air itself is originally low, so it is easier to dry. Even in this case, the humidity inside the outer shell 20 can be maintained by humidifying the inside of the outer shell 20 according to the measured humidity.

In the step of humidifying the inside of the outer shell 20, it is desirable to generate a mist of fine particles of water between the space where the plant 40 grows and the opening 26A.

In this method, since humidification is performed using mist, it is relatively easy to adjust the amount of humidification, and it is possible to carry out humidification so that water does not excessively adhere to the plant 40.

In the step of measuring the humidity, it is desirable to measure the humidity between the space where the plant 40 grows and the opening 26A.

In this method, the change in humidity exerted on the surroundings of the plant 40 by the outside air introduced into the outer shell 20 can be quickly monitored. Therefore, when the plant 40 is exposed to the outside air and may dry, it is possible to quickly humidify the plant 40 so that the plant 40 does not dry.

The environmental control device in the agricultural house 30 includes a humidity sensor 52, a control device 50, and a humidifying device 55. The humidity sensor 52 is arranged between the opening 26A of the outer shell 20 surrounding the space where the plant 40 is cultivated and the space where the plant 40 grows, and introduces outside air into the outer shell 20 through at least the opening 26A. The humidity inside the outer shell 20 is measured during the period. The control device 50 measures the humidity sensor 52 after the window 27 covering the opening 26A is opened during the time of sunset when the temperature outside the outer shell 20 is lower than the temperature inside the outer shell 20. The amount of humidification is determined according to the humidity value. The humidifying device 55 humidifies the inside of the outer shell 20 with a humidifying amount determined by the control device 50.

According to this configuration, when the photosynthesis of the plant 40 is almost completed in the sunset time zone, the temperature inside the outer shell 20 is increased by introducing air having a relatively low temperature from the outside of the outer shell 20. It can be lowered in a short time. That is, a so-called quick drop will be carried out. Generally, when the quick drop is performed, the amount of saturated water vapor in the outside air is smaller than that in the outer shell 20, and the air inside the outer shell 20 is more likely to dry. In particular, during the period when the temperature outside the outer shell 20 is low, such as from late autumn to early spring, the temperature difference between the outer shell 20 and the inner shell 20 becomes large during the sunset time, and the introduction of outside air causes the outer shell to become larger. The inside of 20 becomes easy to dry. On the other hand, when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell 20, the humidity sensor 52 measures the humidity inside the outer shell 20 to humidify the outer shell 20, so that the humidity inside the outer shell 20 can be easily maintained.

It is desirable that the humidifying device 55 includes a nozzle 11 that atomizes water to generate mist.

According to this configuration, since humidification is performed using mist, it is relatively easy to adjust the amount of humidification, and it is possible to carry out humidification so that water does not excessively adhere to the plant 40.

An adjusting device 56 that moves the nozzle 11 so as to change the distance between the area where the mist is sprayed and the opening 26B may be provided.

According to this configuration, when the quick drop is performed, the nozzle 11 is brought close to the window 27 to suppress the drying of the plant body 40 due to the introduction of the outside air into the outer shell 20, and the mist generated from the nozzle 11 is suppressed in a high temperature environment. The plant 40 can be cooled by contacting the plant 40. That is, one nozzle can be used for both suppressing the drying of the plant 40 at the time of performing the quick drop and cooling the plant 40 in a high temperature environment.

The above-mentioned configuration example is an example of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration example, and even if it is other than the above-mentioned configuration example, it varies depending on the design and the like as long as it does not deviate from the technical idea of the present invention. Of course, it is possible to change.

11 Nozzle 20 Outer shell 26A Opening 27 Window 30 Agricultural house 40 Plant 50 Control device 52 Humidity sensor 55 Humidifier 56 Control device

Claims (7)

The step of opening the opening of the outer shell that surrounds the space where the plant is cultivated,
A step of measuring the humidity inside the outer shell during the period when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening, and
During the period when outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening, a first nozzle capable of spraying mist in the space where the plant grows, and between the space where the plant grows and the opening. Of the second nozzles capable of spraying mist, the humidity value is within a predetermined allowable range before and after introducing the outside air into the outer shell based on the measured humidity value by spraying the mist from the second nozzle. An environmental control method in an agricultural house, which comprises a step of humidifying the inside of the outer shell so as to be maintained at. The environmental control method in an agricultural house according to claim 1, wherein in the step of opening the opening, the opening is opened during the time of sunset when the temperature outside the outer shell is lower than the temperature inside the outer shell. .. The environmental control method in an agricultural house according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the step of humidifying the inside of the outer shell, a mist of finely divided water is generated between the space where the plant grows and the opening. The environmental control method in an agricultural house according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the step of measuring the humidity, the humidity between the space where the plant grows and the opening is measured. It is arranged between the opening of the outer shell surrounding the space where the plant is cultivated and the space where the plant grows, and in the outer shell at least during the period when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening. Humidity sensor that measures humidity and
During the time of sunset, when the temperature outside the outer shell is lower than the temperature inside the outer shell, after the opening is opened, the inside of the outer shell responds to the humidity value measured by the humidity sensor. A control device that determines the amount of humidification so that the humidity value is maintained within a predetermined allowable range before and after the introduction of outside air into the water.
During the period when the outside air is introduced into the outer shell through the opening, the mist can be sprayed into the space where the plant grows, and between the space where the plant grows and the opening. It is characterized by including a second nozzle capable of spraying mist, and a humidifying device for spraying mist from the second nozzle and humidifying the inside of the outer shell with the humidifying amount determined by the control device. Environmental control device in an agricultural house. The environmental control device in an agricultural greenhouse according to claim 5, wherein the humidifying device includes a nozzle that atomizes water to generate mist. The environmental control device for an agricultural house according to claim 6, further comprising an adjusting device for moving the nozzle so as to change the distance between the area where the mist is sprayed and the opening.

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