JP7081866B2 - Hydroponic cultivation tank and drainage parts - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drainage component of a hydroponic cultivation tank.

Cultivation of food (vegetables and fruits) using soil such as upland farming does not require special equipment by appropriately supplying water and fertilizer if the weather is favorable. On the other hand, in general upland farming, it is not easy to cultivate food stably due to various factors such as diseases caused by soil bacteria, feeding damage caused by pests, and poor growth due to unseasonable weather.

In recent years, hydroponics has been attracting attention as a technique for stably cultivating various plants. Hydroponics is generally carried out in a greenhouse without using soil, and it is relatively easy to protect plants from diseases and pests. In addition, it is easy to control the growth temperature and watering during hydroponics. On the other hand, in hydroponics, it is necessary to stably supply liquid fertilizer to plants, supply water to plants and drain water from cultivation tanks properly, and if these are not done properly, root growth will occur. It may cause problems.

Therefore, there is a water supply section that is located almost in the center of the cultivation tank body and is provided so as to supply liquid fertilizer from below, and a plurality of water levels that are provided adjacent to the peripheral wall of the cultivation tank body so as to drain the liquid fertilizer. A hydroponic cultivation tank having a controlled drainage pipe has been devised (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 5357954

The above-mentioned hydroponic cultivation tank can grow leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits in the above-ground part quickly and in good quality by growing the roots in a wide range and quickly. However, since the roots tend to grow straight toward the drain along the flow, the roots that reach the drain may block the drain. If the roots block the drain, liquid fertilizer will overflow from the cultivation tank body. In order to prevent this, the roots that have entered the drainage port must be pulled out frequently, and care must be taken not to cut the roots, which is a laborious task. In addition, human hands frequently come into contact with the roots, causing stress on plants and the propagation of germs, which may lead to growth disorders.

The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and one of its exemplary purposes is to provide a new drainage structure that makes it difficult for grown roots to enter the drainage outlet.

In order to solve the above problems, the hydroponic cultivation tank according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a dipping portion filled with liquid fertilizer so that at least a part of the medium is immersed, and a supply portion for supplying liquid fertilizer to the dipping portion. A discharge section for discharging the liquid fertilizer supplied to the immersion section is provided. The drainage part has a drainage port formed above the bottom surface of the immersion part, an impermeable wall formed so as to surround the drainage port between the drainage port and the supply part, and a liquid fertilizer bypassing the impermeable wall. It has a guide path that is guided to the drainage port.

According to this aspect, since the flow of the liquid fertilizer from the supply part to the discharge part is diverted by the impermeable wall, it is difficult for the roots extending from the medium along the flow of the liquid fertilizer to enter the drainage port straight.

The impermeable wall may be formed up to a region farther than the drainage port when viewed from the supply portion. As a result, if the root tries to extend toward the drainage port, it must extend in the opposite direction when bypassing the impermeable wall. Therefore, the roots extending from the medium are less likely to enter the drainage port. In addition, since the distance from the start of cultivation to the roots entering the drainage port becomes longer, the period from the start of cultivation to the roots entering the drainage port can be lengthened.

The taxiway is a flat surface through which liquid fertilizer bypassing the impermeable wall flows toward the drainage port, and the flat surface may extend toward a side farther than the drainage port when viewed from the supply unit. As a result, even if the roots bypass the impermeable wall and extend toward the drainage port, they can be easily found when the roots extend on a flat surface. Can be separated from.

The height of the first wall between the supply part and the drainage port of the impermeable wall is higher than the height of the second wall on both sides of the first wall. This makes it difficult for the roots extending linearly from the supply section to the drainage port to get over the first wall. Further, by pinching the first wall whose height is higher than that of the second wall and moving it up and down, the height of the drainage port can be easily adjusted.

Another aspect of the present invention is a drainage component. This drainage component is a drainage component used to drain liquid fertilizer from an immersion portion filled with liquid fertilizer so that at least a part of the medium is immersed. The drainage parts are located above the bottom surface of the immersion part, and the drainage port from which the liquid fertilizer supplied to the immersion part is discharged, the impermeable wall formed so as to surround the drainage port, and the liquid fertilizer shield the drainage part. It has a guideway that bypasses the water wall and is guided to the drain.

According to this aspect, since the flow of the liquid fertilizer toward the drainage port is diverted by the impermeable wall, it is difficult for the roots extending from the medium along the flow of the liquid fertilizer to enter the drainage port straight.

It should be noted that any combination of the above components and the conversion of the expression of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, etc. are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

According to the present invention, it becomes difficult for the grown roots to enter the drainage port.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of the cultivation system including the hydroponic cultivation tank which concerns on this embodiment. It is a top view of the cultivation tank main body which constitutes the cultivation tank which concerns on this embodiment. It is a top view of the upper lid which constitutes the cultivation tank which concerns on this embodiment. It is an exploded sectional view of the cultivation tank which concerns on this embodiment. It is a top view of the drainage component which concerns on this embodiment. It is a side view of the drainage part which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of the drainage component shown in FIG. 8 (a) to 8 (c) are top views of the drainage guide portion of the drainage component according to the modified example of the present embodiment. It is a top view of the cultivation tank main body which constitutes the cultivation tank which concerns on the modification of this embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings based on the embodiments. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in the drawings shall be designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. Further, the embodiment is not limited to the invention but is an example, and all the features and combinations thereof described in the embodiment are not necessarily essential to the invention.

(Cultivation system)
One aspect of the present invention relates to a cultivation system including a circulation type or a partially circulation type hydroponic cultivation tank (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a “cultivation tank”). Plants targeted for hydroponics mainly include fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and watermelons, beans, grains, flowers, trees, etc., and root growth is improved by vertical cultivation and shelf cultivation. Let me.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cultivation system including a hydroponic cultivation tank according to the present embodiment. The cultivation system 10 is prepared by blending a liquid fertilizer (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “liquid fertilizer”) L suitable for plant growth, and adjusts the temperature of the liquid fertilizer tank 12 and the liquid fertilizer tank 12 for storing the liquid fertilizer. A liquid temperature adjusting unit 14 including a heater and a chiller for the purpose, a cultivation tank 16, and a pump 18 for supplying liquid fertilizer to the cultivation tank 16 are provided.

The liquid fertilizer L is discharged from the liquid fertilizer tank 12 by the pump 18, and is supplied to the cultivation tank 16 via the pipe 20. The liquid fertilizer L discharged from the cultivation tank 16 is returned to the liquid fertilizer tank 12 via the pipe 22 and reused. The cultivation tank 16 is mounted on a trolley 23, for example, and is provided with a supply unit 24, an immersion unit 26, and a discharge unit 28, which will be described in detail later.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a cultivation tank main body constituting the cultivation tank according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a top view of the upper lid constituting the cultivation tank according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the cultivation tank according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cultivation tank 16 includes a cultivation tank main body 30 and an upper lid 32 placed so as to cover the upper surface of the cultivation tank main body 30. The cultivation tank main body 30 is a tray-shaped container, and is a dipping section 26 filled with liquid fertilizer L so that at least a part of the medium 34 is immersed, a supply section 24 for supplying the liquid fertilizer L to the dipping section 26, and a dipping section 26. A plurality of discharge units 28, from which the liquid fertilizer L supplied to the vehicle is discharged, are provided.

The cultivation tank main body 30 has an external structure (box body) composed of a peripheral wall 30a and a bottom surface portion 30b composed of a heat insulating material and a main body inner wall seal (for example, a metal plate, a resin plate, a vinyl film, etc.). The shape of the cultivation tank main body 30 according to the present embodiment is a regular quadrangle, but it may be any shape such as a rectangle, a polygon, and a circle. A shape with high symmetry is preferable because the roots spread isotropically.

The supply unit 24 is provided with a liquid fertilizer introduction unit 36 fixed at the center position of the bottom surface portion 30b and a rectifying structure 38 fixed around the liquid fertilizer introduction unit 36 by welding, screwing, adhesion, or the like. There is. The liquid fertilizer L introduced through the liquid fertilizer introduction portion 36 is branched and jetted in the horizontal direction from the vicinity of the bottom of the immersion portion 26 by the rectifying structure 38.

When the cultivation tank main body 30 is a regular quadrangle, the rectifying structure 38 is preferably branched in four directions so as to be directed toward the center of each of the four walls of the peripheral wall 30a. Further, the cultivation tank main body 30 is provided with discharge portions 28 at the four corners of the peripheral wall 30a equidistant from the liquid fertilizer introduction portion 36. A drainage component 40 serving as a water level control drainage pipe (liquid fertilizer level control drainage pipe) is installed in the discharge section 28. The water level of the liquid fertilizer L in the cultivation tank main body 30 is adjusted by the drainage component 40, and the liquid fertilizer L is maintained at the adjusted water level.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper lid 32 has a regular square shape like the cultivation tank main body 30, and a mounting hole 42 for mounting the medium 34 is formed at the center position. The depth of the mounting hole 42 is set so that at least a part of the medium is immersed in the liquid fertilizer L filled in the dipping portion 26 with the medium 34 mounted. Further, the water level W of the liquid fertilizer L adjusted by the drainage component 40 is also set so that the medium 34 is immersed in the liquid fertilizer L.

Further, the upper lid 32 is provided with inspection ports 44 for adjusting the water level (for adjusting the liquid fertilizer level) at the four corners above the drainage component 40. When not inspected, the inspection port 44 is covered with a removable inspection palate 46. When the upper lid 32 is placed on the cultivation tank main body 30, the medium 13 arranged on the upper lid 32 is located above the liquid fertilizer introduction portion 36 of the cultivation tank main body 30, that is, above the rectifying structure 38, as shown in FIG. Will be.

(Drainage parts)
Next, the drainage component 40 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a top view of the drainage component according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view of the drainage component according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of the drainage component shown in FIG.

The drainage component 40 is inserted by attaching a sealing component 50 such as an O-ring to the insertion hole 48 formed in the bottom surface portion 30b shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the drainage component 40 has a cylindrical slide portion 52 that is inserted and fixed in the insertion hole 48 via the sealing component 50. The slide portion 52 is formed with an opening 54 connected to the pipe 22. Further, a fan-shaped drainage guiding portion 56 is provided above the slide portion 52.

In the drainage guiding portion 56, the drainage port 58 formed above the bottom surface 26a of the immersion portion 26, the impermeable wall 60 formed so as to surround the drainage port 58, and the liquid fertilizer L bypass the impermeable wall 60. It has a guide path 62 guided to the drainage port 58. As shown in FIG. 2, the impermeable wall 60 is located between the drainage port 58 and the supply section 24 and on a straight line connecting the drainage port 58 and the supply section 24.

As a result, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the flow F of the liquid fertilizer L from the supply unit 24 to the discharge unit 28 is circumvented by the impermeable wall 60, so that the root R extending from the medium 34 along the flow of the liquid fertilizer Is difficult to enter the drainage port 58 straight (or at the shortest distance).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the impermeable wall 60 is formed up to a region farther than the drainage port 58 when viewed from the supply unit 24. As a result, if the root R tries to extend toward the drainage port 58, it must extend in the opposite direction when bypassing the impermeable wall 60 (see FIG. 6). In addition, the root R cannot reach the drainage port 58 unless it extends so as to be folded back at the edge portion 62a of the flat taxiway 62 where the impermeable wall 60 is not provided.

Therefore, in the drainage guiding portion 56 having the impermeable wall 60 according to the present embodiment, the root R extending from the medium 34 is less likely to enter the drainage port. Further, since the distance from the start of cultivation until the root R extending from the medium 34 enters the drainage port 58 is long, the period from the start of cultivation until the roots enter the drainage port 58 can be lengthened. The drainage guiding portion 56 according to the present embodiment has an arc-shaped notch 62c formed at the edge portion 62a. This makes it easier to guide the liquid fertilizer L, which tends to stay at the four corners of the cultivation tank body 30, from the supply unit 24 to the drain port 58.

As described above, the guideway 62 is a flat surface 62b through which the liquid fertilizer L bypassing the impermeable wall 60 flows toward the drainage port 58. The flat surface 62b may extend toward a side farther from the drain port 58 when viewed from the supply unit 24. As a result, even if the root R bypasses the impermeable wall 60 and extends toward the drainage port 58, it takes a certain period of time to enter the drainage port 58. Therefore, the inspection palate 46 is opened and the inspection port 44 is opened within that period. By observing the drainage component 40 from the above, it is easy to find the root R at the stage where it extends on the flat surface 62b. As a result, the root R can be separated from the drainage port 58 before the root R enters the drainage port 58.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, in the impermeable wall 60, the height h1 (height from the drainage port 58) of the first wall 60a between the supply unit 24 and the drainage port 58 is the first. It is higher than the height h2 of the second wall 60b on both sides of the wall 60a. As a result, the root R extending linearly from the supply unit 24 to the drainage port 58 can hardly get over the first wall 60a of the impermeable wall 60. Further, the height of the drainage port 58 can be easily adjusted by pinching the upper part of the first wall 60a, which has a higher wall height than the second wall 60b, and moving it up and down.

As described above, in the cultivation tank main body 30 according to the present embodiment, the liquid fertilizer L is supplied from the supply unit 24 provided in the central portion of the bottom surface portion 30b, and the liquid fertilizer L is supplied from the discharge portions 28 provided at the four corners of the immersion portion 26. Liquid fertilizer L is discharged. The cultivation tank main body 30 in which the supply portion 24 and the discharge portion 28 of the liquid fertilizer L are arranged in this way is located at the position farthest from the central portion of the immersion portion 26, and flows to the four corners having the highest flow resistance. By collecting, it is intended to maintain good convection.

However, the liquid fertilizer L tends to stay in the four corners of the immersion portion 26, and if only the discharge holes are provided at the bottoms of the four corners, the liquid fertilizer L is difficult to be discharged smoothly. Therefore, the cultivation tank main body 30 according to the present embodiment can improve the problem of retention of liquid fertilizer L by using the drainage component 40. Specifically, in the drainage component 40, since the fan-shaped flat surface 68 is closer to the four corners than the drainage port 58, the liquid fertilizer L is collected from the vicinity of the corner where the flow is weakest (prone to stay). Cheap. This makes it possible to efficiently collect water from the four corners, where it is difficult to attach water pipes structurally and in terms of space.

In particular, the water is collected from the drainage port 58 not from the supply part 24 side but from the four corners of the immersion part 26 so as to go around the impermeable wall of the drainage part, so that the convection of the liquid fertilizer in the immersion part 26 is caused. Become good. In addition, the notch 62c of the drainage component 40 has the effect of reducing the resistance to the flow of water from the four corners to the drainage port 58. As a result, the liquid fertilizer L from the four corners to the drainage port 58 is prevented from facing the flat surface 62b due to the resistance of the edge portion 62a, but toward the outside of the impermeable wall 60 of the drainage component 40, and the liquid fertilizer L is flat. It will smoothly head toward the drainage port 58 via the surface 68. In this way, by forcibly creating convection from the four corners where the liquid fertilizer L tends to stay and the flow is weak toward the drainage port 58, convection with less bias and unevenness can be realized over the entire rectangular immersion portion 26.

(Modification example)
8 (a) to 8 (c) are top views of the drainage guide portion of the drainage component according to the modified example of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the differences from the drainage guide portion 56 shown in FIG. 5 will be mainly described. In the drainage guiding portion 66 shown in FIG. 8A, the edge portion 68a of the flat surface 68 is not an arc shape but a straight line as compared with the drainage guiding portion 56 described above. Further, the outer peripheral portion of the flat surface 68 other than the edge portion 68a is all surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 70. As a result, the root R is less likely to extend toward the drainage port 58 from other than the edge portion 68a.

The drainage guide portion 72 shown in FIG. 8B is different from the drainage guide portion 56 described above in that the hole 74 is formed on the flat surface 68. For example, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the liquid fertilizer, a water level sensor for measuring the water level of the liquid fertilizer, a concentration sensor for measuring the concentration of the liquid fertilizer, and the like are inserted into the hole 74. The hole 74 is also used as a flow path through which the overflowing liquid fertilizer L passes.

The drainage guide portion 76 shown in FIG. 8C is provided with a baffle plate 78 on a flat surface 68 as compared with the drainage guide portion 56 described above. The obstruction plate 78 is for preventing the root R from extending straight toward the drainage port 58 even if the root R is placed on the flat surface 68 from the edge portion 68a, and the root R is on the drainage port 58. The time to stay on the flat surface 68 before entering can be lengthened.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the cultivation tank main body constituting the cultivation tank according to the modified example of the present embodiment. The cultivation tank main body 80 shown in FIG. 9 has the same basic configuration as the cultivation tank main body 30 described above, but has a rectangular shape as a whole, has a plurality of supply units 24, and has a plurality of types. The feature is that it is equipped with drainage parts. Note that FIG. 9 is shown by omitting one end of the rectangular cultivation tank body 80 in the longitudinal direction.

The cultivation tank main body 80 has a box body composed of a rectangular peripheral wall 80a and a bottom surface portion 80b. A plurality of supply portions 24 are arranged on the bottom surface portion 80b along the longitudinal direction of the peripheral wall 80a, and the above-mentioned drainage parts 40 are arranged at the four corners. Further, among the peripheral walls 80a, a plurality of drainage parts 82 as shown in FIG. 8A are arranged so as to face the wall 80a1 parallel to the longitudinal direction. The straight edge portion 68a is substantially parallel to the wall 80a1, and the flow of the liquid fertilizer L supplied from the supply portion 24 is less likely to be difficult to reach the drain port 58 of the drainage component 82 due to the resistance at the edge portion 68a. Will be done.

In this way, in order to improve productivity and reduce the cost of equipment, when the size is increased like the rectangular cultivation tank body 80, if there are only four corners of the discharge ports, the liquid fertilizer L is applied to every corner of the dipping portion 26. It is difficult to supply evenly. Therefore, not only the drainage parts 40 are provided at the four corners of the rectangle in the cultivation tank main body 80, but also a plurality of drainage parts 82 are provided at the portions facing the sides of the rectangle. As a result, even when the long side of the cultivation tank main body 80 is very long with respect to the short side, the liquid fertilizer L can be supplied to every corner of the immersion portion 26, and the roots can easily grow isotropically. Therefore, good growth of plants can be expected.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the present invention may be a combination or substitution of the configurations of the embodiments as appropriate. It is included in the present invention. Further, it is also possible to appropriately rearrange the combinations and the order of processing in the embodiment based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and to add modifications such as various design changes to the embodiments, and such modifications are added. The embodiments described above may also be included in the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be used in a hydroponic cultivation tank.

10 Cultivation system, 12 Liquid fertilizer tank, 13 Medium, 16 Cultivation tank, 20, 22 Piping, 24 Supply section, 26 Immersion section, 28 Discharge section, 30 Cultivation tank body, 32 Top lid, 34 Medium, 40 Drainage parts, 48 Insert holes , 52 slides, 54 openings, 56 drainage guides, 58 drains, 60 impermeable walls, 60a first wall, 60b second wall, 62 guideways, 62a edges, 62b flat surfaces.

Claims (5)

It is provided with a dipping section filled with liquid fertilizer so that at least a part of the medium is immersed, a supply section for supplying the liquid fertilizer to the dipping section, and a discharging section for discharging the liquid fertilizer supplied to the dipping section. ,
The drainage portion includes a drainage port formed above the bottom surface of the immersion portion, an impermeable wall formed between the drainage port and the supply portion so as to surround the drainage port, and liquid fertilizer. It has a guide path that bypasses the impermeable wall and is guided to the drainage port.
The taxiway is a hydroponic cultivation tank characterized by having a flat surface. The hydroponic cultivation tank according to claim 1, wherein the impermeable wall is formed up to a region farther than the drainage port when viewed from the supply unit. It is provided with a dipping section filled with liquid fertilizer so that at least a part of the medium is immersed, a supply section for supplying the liquid fertilizer to the dipping section, and a discharging section for discharging the liquid fertilizer supplied to the dipping section. ,
The drainage portion includes a drainage port formed above the bottom surface of the immersion portion, an impermeable wall formed between the drainage port and the supply portion so as to surround the drainage port, and liquid fertilizer. It has a guide path that bypasses the impermeable wall and is guided to the drainage port.
The taxiway is a flat surface through which liquid fertilizer bypassing the impermeable wall flows toward the drainage port.
The hydroponic cultivation tank is characterized in that the flat surface extends toward a side farther from the drainage port when viewed from the supply unit. It is provided with a dipping section filled with liquid fertilizer so that at least a part of the medium is immersed, a supply section for supplying the liquid fertilizer to the dipping section, and a discharging section for discharging the liquid fertilizer supplied to the dipping section. ,
The drainage portion includes a drainage port formed above the bottom surface of the immersion portion, an impermeable wall formed between the drainage port and the supply portion so as to surround the drainage port, and liquid fertilizer. It has a guide path that bypasses the impermeable wall and is guided to the drainage port.
The impermeable wall is water characterized in that the height of the first wall between the supply portion and the drainage port is higher than the height of the second wall on both sides of the first wall. Hydroponics tank. A drainage component used to drain liquid fertilizer from a soaked area filled with liquid fertilizer so that at least part of the medium is submerged.
The drainage component is located above the bottom surface of the immersion portion, and has a drainage port from which the liquid fertilizer supplied to the immersion portion is discharged, an impermeable wall formed so as to surround the drainage port, and a liquid. It has a guideway, in which fertilizer bypasses the impermeable wall and is guided to the drainage port.
The taxiway is a drainage component characterized by having a flat surface connecting the impermeable wall and the drainage port.

Images