JPH0763275B2 - Plant cultivation equipment in isolated living space - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a plant cultivation device, and more specifically, biotechnology in which a living space in a nuclear submarine, gas such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, water and nutrients are controlled and supplied. Related to the numerical value of plant planting in an isolated space that is isolated from the normal living space on the ground for a long time, such as a space for plant cultivation using, space for living in space station, space for artificial hygiene, space for living on the moon, etc. Is.

(Prior Art) In an isolated living space such as a living space in a nuclear submarine, in order to maintain life by being isolated from the atmosphere on the ground for a long period of time, water, food and oxygen must be self-sufficient. In such an isolated living space,
The system for cultivating plants and obtaining food is advantageous in terms of oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange and excrement-water / nutrition exchange, and is therefore being studied in various countries around the world.

On the other hand, an apparatus for cultivating a plant using an artificial light source has been studied, as an example is shown in JP-A-60-94035. In the conventional example described in the above publication, a cultivation bed is arranged on a cylindrical surface having an artificial light source as an axis.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention is an isolated space in a nuclear submarine, a space for cultivating plants using biotechnology, or a space station or a living space on the moon, in a state of zero gravity or small gravity. It was developed mainly for the purpose of providing a plant cultivation device suitable for a living space.

In such a space, a plant cultivation system satisfying the following conditions is required.

To ensure the smooth growth of plants. In particular, plants grow in a certain direction due to the light characteristics of plants, even in the state of zero gravity or small gravity.

Since the power for the artificial light source that is the energy source and the space for arranging the cultivation floor are both extremely valuable, it is possible to effectively use the light of the artificial light source, introduce CO ₂ fertilization technology, and perform high-density cultivation.

By the way, the device described in JP-A-60-94035 developed as a normal plant cultivation device for the ground, even when used in an isolated living space as described above,
The condition of cannot be satisfied. That is, in this conventional example, there is nothing about the method and supply means for supplying gas such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, water and nutrients to the plant cultivation bed, and the anti-gravity tendency and light tendency determining the growth direction of the plant. This is because no consideration is given and no technical means for growing plants in a certain direction and enabling harvesting in a short period by using CO ₂ fertilization technology is disclosed at all. In addition,
A study that rotates the cylindrical body that supports the cultivation floor at all times and allows the plant to sense the centrifugal force generated at that time, and grows the plant in the direction opposite to the centrifugal force, that is, artificially creates gravity and anti-gravity tendency Although researches for growing plants in a certain direction by the above-mentioned conventional example are also conducted in the one described in JP-A-62-29915, the apparatus of this kind of conventional one is complicated, Therefore, it requires a large amount of energy, which makes practical application difficult.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional device, the artificial light source is arranged, for example, as shown in FIG. Specifically, four rod-shaped lamps a are arranged on a small cylindrical surface, but among the light emitted from these rod-shaped lamps a, the one irradiated toward the outer peripheral side, that is, the cultivation floor b side is effective. On the other hand, there is a problem that what is irradiated toward the inner peripheral side is not effectively used while being used. As described above, the above-mentioned conventional device has a disadvantage that it is disadvantageous in effective use of the artificial light source, but since the cultivation floor is arranged on the cylindrical surface, the plant cultivation device can be used as an isolated living space. There is also a problem that it is difficult to install compactly in a predetermined place.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a plant cultivation device in an isolated living space in which plants and at least animals including humans are isolated from the outside world, an artificial light source, and an artificial light source. A cultivation bed facing a light source and having water retention property, a gas circulation device for circulating oxygen and carbon dioxide between plants and animals cultivated on the cultivation bed, and means for supplying water and nutrients to the plant. And the artificial light source is a photosynthetic effective photon flux density (PPF) for irradiating a plant cultivated on a cultivation bed.
D) is also characterized by having a value more than that which makes the growth direction constant in the direction toward the artificial light source even in the case of a plant placed in a weightless state.

From the viewpoints of effective utilization of the artificial light source and high-density cultivation, it is preferable that the artificial light source is arranged on one plane and the cultivation beds are arranged on two planes located on both sides of the artificial light source. Further, in this case, the artificial light source may be configured by a plurality of rod-shaped lamps arranged in parallel.

The above plant cultivation device can be configured to be open in the isolated living space, but the internal environment is controlled in the isolated living space in order to adjust the environmental conditions to be optimal for the growth of plants. It is optimal to arrange a cultivation box for the cultivation, and to arrange an artificial light source and a cultivation floor in this cultivation box.

Note that the present invention is most effective when applied to a plant cultivation system used in an internal space such as a nuclear submarine or an isolated living space in a zero gravity state or a small gravity state. It can also be applied as a plant cultivation system in space.

(Working) The present invention is a PPFD (Phot
o Synthetic Photon Flux Density) is set to a value more than that which keeps the growth direction constant toward the artificial light source even in the case of weightless plants, and grows from a cultivation bed facing the artificial light source and having water retention. Grow vegetables and other plants in a growing direction, enabling smooth growth of the plants.
PPFD, that is, the photosynthetic effective photon flux density means the photon density in the wavelength range (400 to 700 nm) that is absorbed by chlorofilm, but when this PPFD is above a certain value, the phototropism of the plant It has been elucidated by the inventor to make the growth direction constant in the direction toward the light and eliminate other influences such as gravity. For lettuce, for example, PPFD 200 μE /
m ² / s, preferably by 300μE / m ² / s or more,
Lettuce can be smoothly grown in a fixed direction toward light. The lettuce is 411 m when the CO ₂ concentration is 6000 ppm.
Since there is a test example of net photosynthetic rate of g / dm ₂ / day (average of 50 days of cultivation), it is desirable to control the amount of carbon dioxide supply to the plant cultivation room according to the growth of plants. Therefore, even in a closed space such as a nuclear submarine, a living space in a severe weather condition area or an isolated living space in a zero gravity state such as the moon living space, it is possible to maintain the plant constant without giving artificial gravity etc. It is possible to grow smoothly in the direction. Moreover, since the cultivation floor is water-retentive, it is possible to secure water and nutrients even in a zero gravity angle.
Further, the cultivation floor can be arranged at a high density at any position toward the artificial light source. Then, the artificial light source is arranged on one plane, and the cultivation beds are arranged on two planes located on both sides of the artificial light source, and the PPFD light of a predetermined value or more is irradiated toward these cultivation beds. Then, the light emitted from both sides of the artificial light source is effectively used, respectively, and as a result, the power consumption for the artificial light source can be reduced. Further, since it is easy to put the artificial light source and the entire layout of the cultivation floor into a rectangular parallelepiped shape, there is an advantage that the plant cultivation device can be easily installed compactly in an appropriate place in the isolated living space.

Furthermore, the gas circulation device allows animals such as humans to use O ₂ emitted by plants, while the C needed for photosynthetic reactions (CO ₂ + H ₂ O + 114Kcal → CH ₂ O + O ₂ ) in the plant cultivation bed.
There is also an advantage that early mass production of plants is easy by supplying O ₂ while appropriately controlling it according to the growth of plants.

(Example) FIG. 1 conceptually shows a plant cultivation system in a living space 100 in a nuclear submarine. The living space 100 includes a gas circulation device 101, a water purification / recirculation device 102, and an excrement treatment device 103, and is a space designed to be self-sufficient for a long period of time. In this living space 100, as shown in FIG. 1, O ₂ , CO ₂ , water, excrement, food (grown plants), etc. circulate, forming a nearly complete closed ecosystem. However, external energy is taken in through the power supply device 104 (a solar cell in a space station or a living space on the moon).

The plant cultivation system is composed of a cultivation box 105 equipped with an artificial light source, a cultivation floor and the like, and a control box 106 connected to the cultivation box 105 to control the environment of its internal space and supply a culture solution. A plant cultivating room is formed inside the cultivating box 105, and gas such as carbon dioxide gas and oxygen and water and nutrients supplied to the plant cultivating room are outside the plant cultivating room in this embodiment, that is, the plant cultivating box 105. It is supplied from the gas circulation device 101, the water purification / recirculation device 102, and the excrement treatment device 103, which are arranged in the external isolated living space 100, into the plant cultivation chamber through the control box 106 and the pipes 3, 4, and 5 described later. It At this time, each supply amount, the carbon dioxide concentration detection sensor provided in the plant cultivation chamber, oxygen concentration detection sensor, feed back to the control box 106 the electrical signals of various sensor outputs from the PH sensor for nutrient concentration detection, The flow rate is appropriately controlled by controlling the opening and closing of valves (not shown) provided at appropriate places in the pipes 3, 4, and 5 according to the output signal from the control box 106.

In addition, the plant cultivation box 105 can be omitted by setting the inside of the isolated living space 100 inside the plant cultivation room. The control box 106 is the gas circulation device 10
1, the water purification / recirculation device 102, the excrement treatment device 103, and the power supply device 104 and the power supply control device 107. The artificial light source is connected to the power supply device, and by feeding back the output of the electric signal from the sensor that detects the irradiation amount of light provided inside the plant cultivation room to the control box 106, the light emission power excited by the power supply device. The photosynthetic effective photon flux density (PPFD) of the light irradiating the plant to be planted in the cultivation bed is controlled to be equal to or more than a value that makes the plant growth direction constant in the direction toward the light. In preparation for aged deterioration of the artificial light source, a spare artificial light source is installed in parallel,
The power may be turned on from the control box 106 in response to the decrease in the PPFD value. The various devices 101, 102, 103, 107 have been individually researched and developed, and each of them is publicly known, so that the description thereof will be omitted.

2 to 4 show the cultivation box 105 and the control box 106 arranged in the living space 100 in detail. The cultivation box 105 comprises a plurality of cultivation units 1, each cultivation unit 1 and a control box 106.
Are connected by an air supply pipe 3, an exhaust pipe 4, and a liquid supply pipe 5.

Each cultivation unit 1 is formed in the same structure, a plurality of fluorescent lamps (an example of a rod-shaped lamp) 6 as an artificial light source, a cultivation floor 7 arranged on both sides of these fluorescent lamps 6, a cultivation liquid 7, a culture solution distribution means 8 for distribution and distribution, and a cabinet 9 for accommodating these.

The cabinet 9 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a height of 2 m, a depth of 2 m, and a width of 1 m (hence, it is a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a minimum width). The left outer box 9l, the right outer box 9r, and the fluorescent lamp support frame 9c are three. It consists of two cabinet components. Left outer box
9l and the right outer box 9r are formed in a symmetrical shape, and both outer boxes 9l serve as a cabinet exterior, and the fluorescent lamp support frame 9c is provided inside thereof.
Is housed.

The fluorescent lamp support frame 9c is located in the center of the space inside the cabinet 9 and is formed in a rectangular frame that covers most of its cross section. A plurality of fluorescent lamps 6 are arranged and supported on the support frame 9c at equal intervals. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear portion of the support frame 9c is pivotally supported by a pivot 10a.
It is possible to rotate left and right around.

The front plates 11 of the left and right outer boxes 9l and 9r each have a transparent glass window 12 so that the inside of the cabinet 9 can be observed. Moreover, a CO ₂ concentration display panel, an O ₂ concentration display panel, a temperature Display board,
It is equipped with a humidity display panel. The front plate 11 can be opened forward as shown by the lower layer line in FIG. A cultivation floor 7 made of rock wool is arranged on the entire inner surface of the side plates 13 of the left and right outer boxes 9l and 9r. Rockwool has a water-retaining property, holds a culture solution for a long time, and is suitable for root growth of plants. The left and right outer boxes 9l, 9r are configured such that the rear face plates 15 are joined together by a hinge 10 having the pivot 10a, and are opened left and right around the pivot 10a. Further, branch pipes for the cultivation unit 1 of the air supply pipe 3, the liquid supply pipe 5 and the exhaust pipe 4 are connected to the top plate 16 and the bottom plate 17 of the left and right outer boxes 9l, 9r.

As shown in FIG. 2, each cultivation unit 1 is arranged so as to be overlapped in the left-right direction and is guided and supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction. Therefore, a pair of left and right guide rails extending in the left-right direction along the back surface of each cultivation unit 1.
18 are arranged. The left and right outer boxes of each cultivation unit 1
The guide rails 18 are provided at the outer ends of the rear plates 15 of 9l and 9r, respectively.
A guide roller 19 which is supported by and rolls on the top is attached.

Since each cultivation unit 1 is arranged so as to be in contact with each other in the closed state, it is possible to cultivate a large number of plants by reducing the occupied space. When a certain cultivation unit 1 is opened and seedling work or harvesting work is performed, another cultivation unit 1 that must be moved to enable the cultivation unit 1 to be opened is guided along the guide rail 18. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the left and right outer boxes 9l and 9r may be opened. The fluorescent lamp support frame 9c has a rotatable structure, for example, when the plant A in the left outer box 9l is harvested, the fluorescent lamp support frame 9c is placed at a position indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. Evacuate,
This is to facilitate the harvesting work. Of course, when the cultivation unit 1 is in the closed state, the fluorescent lamp support frame 9c is preferably located at the center of the cultivation unit 1, and it is preferable to provide a position defining means (not shown) for this purpose.

The control box 106 incorporates a culture solution supply device and an environmental gas adjusting device. The control box 106 is also formed in a rectangular parallelepiped having substantially the same size as the cultivation unit 1, and is arranged so as to be adjacent to the cultivation unit 1 located at the end. The culture solution supply device is connected to the culture solution distribution means 8 of each cultivation unit 1 through the solution supply pipe 5. Then, the culture solution whose supply timing and supply amount are controlled from the culture solution supply device by microcomputer control is distributed to the culture bed 7. The example shown in FIG. 3 is based on the spray method in which the culture solution delivery means 8 can be used with or without gravity.
In addition, when the present invention is carried out in a space in which gravity acts, a dropping method or the like can be adopted. As a result, an appropriate amount of water and nutrients are given to the plant at an appropriate time.

In a gravity-free isolated living space, spray droplets and dead leaves of plants float in the space as a suspended matter due to inertia.Therefore, the plant cultivation box 105 is equipped with a device for sucking these suspended matters with a vacuum pump and collecting them on a filter. It is preferable to attach it.

The environmental gas adjusting device has all the functions of a temperature adjusting function, a humidity adjusting function, a CO ₂ concentration adjusting function, an O ₂ concentration adjusting function, and a wind speed adjusting function. Then, the environmental gas regulator supplies the cultivation unit 1 with the gas of which temperature, humidity, CO ₂ concentration, O ₂ concentration, and wind speed are regulated through the air supply pipe 3 in an appropriate amount and time according to the type and growth of the plant. Especially CO ₂
Gas supplies more than the content in the atmosphere above the ground. For example, for radish and kobab, the CO ₂ concentration is 2000pp each.
m, preferably 9000 ppm. Also each cultivation unit 1
The gas inside is returned to the environmental gas adjusting device through the exhaust pipe 4, where a part of the gas is exchanged with the gas circulating device 101, and the rest is adjusted and reused. Adjustment of temperature etc. is based on the signals transmitted from the temperature sensor, humidity sensor, CO ₂ concentration sensor, and O ₂ concentration sensor arranged in each cultivation unit 1, and by comparison with this, the control by microcomputer is used. Is done.

In the illustrated example, each of the air supply pipe 3, the exhaust pipe 4, and the liquid supply pipe 5 is composed of a main pipe part and a branch pipe part branched from the main pipe part and connected to each cultivation unit 1, and when the cultivation unit 1 is expanded. The configuration is such that it is sufficient to connect the branch pipe portion to the main pipe portion as needed. The branch pipe portion is composed of a flexible tube having a sufficient length so that it can follow the movement and opening / closing movement of the cultivation unit 1. This example is suitable when the internal environment of each cultivation unit 1 may be common. If multicultural plant cultivation is performed, it is necessary to individually adjust the conditions of the culture solution and atmospheric gas of each cultivation unit, so it is advisable to use separate piping for each cultivation unit 1 and control box 2. . The control box 106 receives power from the power control device 107,
Based on this, it also has a function of adjusting the illumination time and the illuminance of the fluorescent lamp 6.

In each cultivation unit 1, a plurality of fluorescent lamps 6 are juxtaposed on one flat surface in the center of the cabinet 1, and a cultivation floor 7 provided with water retention is arranged on each of two flat surfaces located on both sides thereof. The structure allows the light of the fluorescent lamp 6 to be used efficiently. And the plant A planted on the cultivation floor 7
When the PPFD is irradiated with light having a predetermined value or more, it grows smoothly in the direction of the light. For example, when cultivating lettuce, the distance between the fluorescent lamp 6 and the cultivation floor 7 is 23 cm, and the PPFD is 200 μE / m under the condition that the fluorescent lamp 6 is constantly turned on.
Light of ² / S, preferably by PPFD is irradiated with light of 300μE / m ² / S, it is possible to successfully grow toward the lettuce in the direction of the light. In this way, by setting the light quantity of the fluorescent lamp 6 to a certain value or more, it is possible to grow the plant A in the direction perpendicular to the cultivation floor 7.

As the fluorescent lamp 6, a three-wavelength band fluorescent lamp (FL-EX),
There are daylight fluorescent lamps (FL-D), plant fluorescent lamps (FL-PG), etc., whichever may be used, but in the form of PPFD, FL-
EX is efficient. Although the fluorescent lamp 6 is used as the artificial light source on the above side, an external high pressure sodium lamp, a metal halide lamp, or the like can be used.

The cultivation unit 1 alone is a plant cultivation box.
It can be used as 105. At that time, as in the above example, the culture solution may be supplied by connecting to the control box 106 or the like arranged outside via a pipe, but these may be incorporated in the cabinet 9. is there. Alternatively, only the dripping type culture solution supply device is installed,
It is also possible to use an open type simple plant cultivation device in which other adjusting devices are omitted.

The plant cultivation system of the present invention is, in addition to the case of the living space in the nuclear submarine shown in the above embodiment, such as a space station,
It can be applied in an isolated living space in which plants and animals including at least humans are isolated from the outside world.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, regardless of the state of zero gravity or microgravity, in a state where the phototability of a plant is promoted, the smooth early growth thereof is possible, and between the plant and the animal. It is possible to provide a plant cultivation device in an isolated living space that can rationally exchange the oxygen and carbon dioxide gas.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a concrete device thereof, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cultivation box, FIG. 4 is a vertical plan view thereof, and FIG. [Fig. 4] is a perspective view of a conventional example. 6 ... artificial light source 7 ... cultivation floor 100 ... isolated living space 104 ... power supply device 105 ... cultivation box

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kimitoshi Doroguchi 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. In-house (72) Inventor Masaaki Matsushima 1-32 Chaya-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Yanmar Diesel Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A 64-80231 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plant cultivation device in an isolated living space in which plants and at least animals including humans are isolated from the outside world, an artificial light source, a cultivation bed facing the artificial light source and having water retention, and cultivation. A gas circulation device for circulating oxygen and carbon dioxide between plants and animals cultivated on the floor, and means for supplying water and nutrients to the plants,
The artificial light source, the photosynthetic effective photon flux density (PPFD) of the light to irradiate the plants cultivated in the cultivation floor, even in the case of plants placed in weightlessness, keeps the growth direction constant in the direction toward the artificial light source. A plant cultivation device in an isolated living space, characterized by having the above values.