KR20160143168A - Hydroponics plant cultivation device - Google Patents

Abstract

A hydroponic plant cultivation device of the present invention comprises: a plurality of bays in which crops for hydroponic plant cultivation are planted; a buffer tank receiving a nutrient solution of the crops for hydroponic plant cultivation and having smaller capacity than the bays; and a supply unit for supplying the nutrient solution to the bays, wherein the buffer tanks may contain a fertilizer added to the nutrient solution. The hydroponic plant cultivation device can easily supply the nutrient solution, to which the fertilizer is added, to the bays using the buffer tank.

Description

{HYDROPONICS PLANT CULTIVATION DEVICE}

The present invention relates to an apparatus for growing hydroponic cultivated crops.

The cultivation system of crops can be classified into non-cultivation and cultivation.

Noi cultivation refers to growing crops in outdoor soil, and facility cultivation refers to growing crops using glass greenhouse or plastic house.

However, due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers or agricultural chemicals, the quality of the soil becomes poor. Therefore, when crops are repeatedly cultivated on the same ground, it is difficult to expect a good harvest regardless of whether cultivation is carried out at the same time.

As an alternative to this, hydroponic cultivation by nutrient solution is being carried out.

Hydroponic cultivation is to cultivate a variety of crops such as leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, etc. by filling the cultivation tank with the culture solution in which various nutrients are dissolved and not cultivated in the soil. Hydroponic cultivation has the advantage of speeding up the growth rate of crops and cultivating crops according to the time required.

For hydroponic cultivation, it is important that the cultivation environment of crops is supervised.

Korean Patent Registration No. 0459632 discloses a hydroponic plant cultivation apparatus capable of cultivating agricultural products containing germanium component, but no method of providing stem and leaf of ginseng that can be edible is shown.

Korean Patent Registration No. 1248473

The present invention is to provide a hydroponic cultivation apparatus which provides a nutrient solution necessary for hydroponic cultivation.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, It will be possible.

The hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of bays in which hydroponic cultivated crops are planted; A buffer tank in which the nutrient solution of the hydroponic cultivation crop is received; And a supply part for supplying the nutrient solution to the bay, wherein the buffer tank is filled with the fertilizer added to the nutrient solution.

The hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention can easily supply the nutrient solution into the plurality of bays using the buffer tank.

Further, according to the present invention, since the nutrient solution filled in a specific bay is filled in another bay at every set period, a system in which so-called nutrient solution is circulated can be realized. This is suitable for cultivation of hydroponically cultivated crops which need to be alternately replicated in the nutrient solution and exposed to the air.

According to this, ginseng can be cultivated so that stem and leaf can be edible.

In particular, when a certain period of time has elapsed, it is possible to effectively cultivate ginseng which can not be edible with stem and leaf. In other words, the stem and leaf size of ginseng can be maximized within a certain period of time within an edible range.

1 is a schematic view showing a hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention.
2 is a schematic view showing the operation of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention.
3 is a schematic view showing a bay and a bed constituting the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The sizes and shapes of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience. In addition, terms defined in consideration of the configuration and operation of the present invention may be changed according to the intention or custom of the user, the operator. Definitions of these terms should be based on the content of this specification.

1 is a schematic view showing a hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

The hydroponic cultivation apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may include a plurality of bays 110, a buffer tank 130, and a supply unit 150.

The bay 110 (bay) can be planted with hydroponic cultivated crops 10.

The nutrient solution can be received in the bay 110 for the growth of the hydroponic cultivation crop 10. The nutrient solution may contain water and fertilizer necessary for the growth of the hydroponic cultivation crop (10).

The hydroponic cultivation crop 10 absorbs water for growth, so that the amount of nutrient solution contained in the bay 110 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 also absorbs the fertilizer contained in the nutrient solution, the fertilizer concentration of the nutrient solution contained in the bay 110 can be lowered.

Water and fertilizer may be added directly to the bay 110 where the hydroponic crops 10 are planted to replenish scarce water and fertilizer. However, according to this comparative example, if the concentration of the fertilizer is wrong, it may have a fatal effect on the hydroponic cultivated crop 10. In addition, the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 or foreign substances introduced from the outside can contaminate the nutrient solution. If the nutrient solution is in a state of being in the bay 110, the contaminated condition of the nutrient solution may seriously deteriorate.

In addition, when cultivating the hydroponic cultivated crop 10 for a special purpose, it may be necessary to drain the nutrient solution contained in the bay 110. For example, in the case of ginseng, an edible root is raised. Certain saponins may be contained more in the stem and leaf of ginseng than the roots of ginseng. However, the reason why the roots are not edible but the roots and leaves of ginseng are edible is because the stem and leaves of the ginseng are so edible that they can not be edible.

The stem and leaf of ginseng is difficult to eat because it is suppressed when it is over 20 days after cultivation. However, if ginseng is cultivated for only 20 days, it is difficult to grow enough stem, leaf and root of ginseng. The ginseng can be repeatedly applied in the immersion step and the exposure step to maximize the stem and leaf within an acceptable edible range during the growing period of 20 days or less.

In this case, the immersion step means that the root of ginseng is immersed in the nutrient solution, and the step of exposure may mean that the root of ginseng is exposed to the air. If these immersion and exposure steps are appropriately alternated, the stem and leaf can be grown as much as possible during the growing period within 20 days. In addition, the roots of ginseng can be edible, so it is possible to produce ginseng that can ingest roots, stems, and leaves.

The contents of saponin contained in the ginseng cultivated for 20 days while the immersion step and the exposure step are repeatedly applied are shown in Table 1 below.

As a comparative group, the content of saponin contained in 6 - year - Each value shown in Table 1 may be a component ratio included per unit weight.

6 years old ginseng cultivation According to the present invention, ginseng grown for 20 days Root Root stem leaf total Rb1 3.07 8.47 0.74 1.96 11.17 Rc 1.32 6.59 0.46 3.35 10.4 Rb2 0.78 2.99 0.38 3.78 7.15 Rb3 0.15 0.55 0.04 0.56 1.15 Rd 0.35 1.87 1.96 10.11 13.94

It can be seen that the specific saponin is contained more in stem and leaf than in root. The roots grown by the hydroponic cultivation method of the present invention have a smaller total size and weight, and the saponin content by weight is much higher than that of conventional ginseng.

Especially, Rd is remarkably contained in stem and leaf, and Rc, Rb2, and Rb3 are very abundant in leaves. However, in the case of ginseng cultivated in ordinary agriculture, the stem and leaf are not edible.

In contrast, the ginseng cultivated according to the present invention can eat not only roots but also stems and leaves, so that many saponins can be ingested with a small weight.

In order to solve the problem of adjustment of the fertilizer concentration discussed above, replenishment of the nutrient solution lacking, contamination of the nutrient solution, and achievement of a specific purpose, the bay 110 is kept filled with the nutrient solution for the first time, The state can be maintained. Then, when the second time has elapsed, the nut 110 may be filled with the nutrient solution again.

Thus, the nutrient solution to be filled in the bay 110 may be a state in which the fertilizer concentration is controlled from the outside. Further, it may be that an additional amount of the amount absorbed by the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 is added. When the fertilizer is directly fed into the bay 110, the concentration of fertilizer in the area where the fertilizer is injected will become extremely high until the water is circulated after the fertilizer is dissolved in the water. Accordingly, a problem may arise in the growth of the hydroponic cultivated crop 10. However, when the nutrient solution in which the fertilizer is completely dissolved from the outside is input, the nutrient solution filled in the corresponding bay 110 will have a uniform fertilizer concentration as a whole.

In addition, since the nutrient solution having a high degree of contamination escapes from the bay 110 and a new nutrient solution is input to the bay 110, the contamination degree of the nutrient solution contained in the bay 110 can be maintained at an appropriate level.

Also, the immersion step and the exposure step can be applied using the process of escaping the existing nutrient solution from the bay 110 and filling the new nutrient solution. Accordingly, a special purpose such as cultivating ginseng to such an extent that stem and leaf can be edible can be achieved.

It is obvious that a large amount of resources will be wasted if the nutrient solution discharged from the bay 110 is discarded. Further, means for producing a nutrient solution having a controlled fertilizer concentration outside the bay 110 is required. In addition, a means for storing the nutrient solution discharged from the bay 110 for a second time period is required. By this means, a buffer tank 130 having a receiving space in which the nutrient solution of the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 is accommodated can be used.

The buffer tank 130 may be filled with fertilizer added to the nutrient solution. Thus, the fertilizer put into the buffer tank 130 can be completely dissolved in the nutrient solution contained in the buffer tank 130. Then, the fertilizer concentration of the nutrient solution can be adjusted by the input of the fertilizer. In addition, water may be further added to the buffer tank 130. The additional water may be used to fill a shortage of spent nutrients in the bay 110.

The nutrient solution having the adjusted fertilizer concentration can be supplied to the bay 110 by the supplying unit 150. A filter (not shown) is provided between the buffer 110 and the buffer tank 130 or between the buffer tank 130 and the supply unit 150 to filter foreign substances contained in the nutrient solution discharged from the bays 110 . According to the filter at this time, the nutrient solution supplied from the buffer tank 130 to the bay 110 is filtered. Therefore, the nutrient solution with low contamination level can be supplied to the bay 110.

All of the nutrient solution output from the particular bay 110 can be received in the buffer tank 130 so that the hydroponic crop 10 planted in a particular bay 110 is maintained in the exposure step for a second time. Then, when the second time has elapsed, the nutrient solution contained in the buffer tank 130 is replenished with water and fertilizer, and can be inputted into the specific bay 110 again with the foreign matter removed. However, in this case, since the capacity of the buffer tank 130 needs to be equal to or larger than the capacity of the bay 110, a large installation space is required, which is unreasonable.

A plurality of bays 110 may be provided in the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention in order to make the capacity of the buffer tank 130 smaller than that of the bays 110. Then, the nutrient solution output to the specific bay 110 may be stored in the other bay 110 for the second time. Once the second time has elapsed, the nutrient solution stored in the other bay 110 may be input to the specific bay 110 again. At this time, in view of another bay 110, the immersion step in which the nutrient solution is filled for the second time is applied to the reference of the specific bay 110, and the exposure step in which the nutrient solution is drained during the first time period is applied.

Therefore, if another bay 110 is used as a means for storing the nutrient solution that has escaped from the specific bay 110, the immersion step and the exposure step can be repeatedly applied to the plurality of bays 110.

To this end, the nutrient solution contained in the bay 110 may be discharged to the buffer tank 130 at the set intervals. The supply unit 150 may be operated every set period so that the nutrient solution contained in the buffer tank 130 does not overflow. Then, the supply unit 150 can change the bay 110 to which the nutrient solution is supplied at each set period. Whereby the same effect as that of the nutrient solution accommodated in one of the plurality of bays 110 is transferred to the bays 110 every set period.

2 is a schematic view showing the operation of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

A channel such as a pipe connecting the supply unit 150 and each of the bays 110 may be provided to supply the nutrient solution to the different bays 110 every set period. In order to simplify the configuration of the flow path and reduce the length of the entire flow path, the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention includes a first flow path 120 and a second flow path 140 connected to the plurality of bays 110 and the buffer tank 130 . At this time, the supply unit 150 may be disposed between the buffer tank 130 and the second flow path 140.

In addition, the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention may include a first valve 160, a second valve 180, and a control unit (not shown).

The first valve 160 may be interposed between the first flow path 120 and the input end of the nutrient solution in each bay 110. The second valve 180 may be interposed between the second flow path 140 and the output end of the nut 110 discharged from each of the bays 110. The first valve 160 and the second valve 180 may be provided for each bay 110. In addition, a plurality of the second valves 180 may be provided for each bay 110. The plurality of second valves 180 may be connected to the second flow path 140 in parallel. At this time, some of the valves may be opened when the nutrient solution filled in the corresponding bay 110 is discharged to move to the other bay 110, and may be closed for the remaining time. Another valve having a flow path with a smaller cross sectional area than the upper valve can be opened when the specific bay 110 enters the immersed state filled with the nutrient solution. At this time, the opening may be for circulating the nutrient solution between the specific bay 110 and the pump that has entered the immersion state, not for transferring the nutrient solution to the other bay 110. Thus, the contamination degree of the nutrient solution contained in the immersed bay 110 can be lowered and the fertilizer concentration can be maintained uniformly.

The control unit may control the supply unit 150, the first valve 160, and the second valve 180.

The control unit may open the second valve 180 provided in the specific bay 110 accommodated in the nutrient solution and the first valve 160 provided in the other bay 110 at the set period. Then, the control unit can turn on the supplying unit 150. [

The nutrient solution contained in the specific bay 110 can be input to the buffer tank 130 via the second valve 180 and the second flow path 140. [ The nutrient solution discharged from the specific bay 110 can be moved to the buffer tank 130 by the supply unit 150, for example, a pump. If the buffer tank 130 is disposed at a position lower than the bay 110 in the gravity direction, the nutrient solution contained in the bay 110 may be discharged to the buffer tank 130 by gravity, even if the supply unit 150 is omitted. have.

The nutrient solution contained in the buffer tank 130 may be input to the other bay 110 via the first flow path 120 and the first valve 160. Specifically, the supply unit 150, which is operated by the control unit, can supply the nutrient solution stored in the buffer tank 130 to the first flow path 120. The nutrient solution supplied to the first flow path 120 may be introduced into another bay 110 provided with the first valve 160 opened by the control unit among the plurality of valves connected to the first flow path 120.

For example, in FIG. 2, four bays 110, 1, 2, 3, and 4 are arranged in order opposite to the direction of gravity. For reference, in the case of the bay 110 (1), the pipe 119 connected to the second valve is not connected to the second flow path but is directly connected to the buffer tank. Since the bay 110 is directly above the buffer tank, it may be connected directly to the buffer tank in order to simplify the structure of the piping.

Initially, the bay 110 (1) and the buffer tank (130) can be filled with water and fertilizer. If the buffer tank 130 is provided with a fertilizer controller 131 that automatically feeds fertilizer, a fertilizer sensor that measures fertilizer concentration, and a water injector 133 that automatically feeds water, Can be produced. The supply unit 150 may fill the brewery 110 with the nutrient solution generated in the buffer tank 130. Then, water and fertilizer can be continuously supplied to the buffer tank 130 by an amount of the nutrient solution escaping into the bay 110 (1). In this way, if the nutrient solution is filled in the bail 110 (1) and the buffer tank 130, it is possible to start the full circulation of the nutrient solution.

When the set period has elapsed, the control unit may open the second valve 180 provided in the bay 110 (1) and open the first valve 160 provided in the bay 110 (2). Then, the supply unit 150 can be driven.

With the opening of the second valve 180, the nutrient solution in the bay 110 (1) can flow into the buffer tank 130 through the second flow path 140. The nutrient solution in the buffer tank 130 can be introduced into the bay 110 through the first flow path 120 by driving the supply unit 150 and opening the first valve 160. Water and fertilizer absorbed in the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 in the bay 110 (1) can be supplied in the buffer tank 130. As a result, the bay 110 (1) is emptied, and the nutrient solution is filled in the bay 110 (2). Then, the buffer tank 130 can be kept filled with the nutrient solution. When the nutrient solution is filled up to the preset level in the bay 110 (2), the feeding unit 150 can be stopped. The set water level at this time may be the water level at which the roots of the hydroponic cultivation crop 10, for example, ginseng, are immersed in the nutrient solution.

The control unit may open the second valve 180 provided in the bay 110 and the first valve 160 provided in the bay 110 to drive the supplying unit 150. [ According to this, the nutrient solution contained in the bay 110 (2) can be accommodated in the bay 110 (3) through the buffer tank 130.

When the setting period has elapsed, the nutrient solution stored in the bay 110 (3) by the control unit and the supply unit 150 may be filled in the bay 110 (4) while passing through the buffer tank 130.

Once the set period has elapsed, the nutrient solution in the bay 110 (4) can be introduced into the bay 110 through the buffer tank 130.

According to the operation of the hydroponic cultivation apparatus, when the set period is T, the nutrient solution is filled in the bay 110 (1) for 1T, and the nutrient solution can be emptied for 3T passing through the bays 110, 2, 3, . In other words, the hydroponic cultivated crop 10 planted in the bay 110 (1) becomes an immersed state immersed in the nutrient solution by the set period T and becomes an exposed state exposed to the air by 3T, which is three times the set period T have. The immersion state and the exposure state may be alternately repeated from the start of cultivation to the end of cultivation.

When the hydroponic cultivar (10) is ginseng, when the immersion state of 1T and the exposed state of 3T are repeated, the stem grows for a short period of time within 20 days, and the leaf is also maximally grown within the range capable of being edible have. For ginseng, T is preferably 20 to 30 minutes.

It is preferable that four bays 110 are connected to the buffer tank 130 as shown in FIG. 2 so that the immersed state becomes 1T and the exposed state becomes 3T.

At this point in time, only the k-th buffer 110 of the four bays 110 (where k is a natural number, 1? K? 4) and the buffer tank 130 may be filled with the nutrient solution. Then, the nutrient solution can be discharged from the k-th bay 110 by the control section, the second valve 180 and the second flow path 140 at every set period. The nutrient solution discharged from the k-th bay 110 may be input to the buffer tank 130 by the gravity or the supply unit 150. [ The nutrient solution filled in the buffer tank 130 may be input to the (k + 1) th bay 110 by the control unit, the first valve 160, the supply unit 150, or gravity. At this time, if k is k, the k + 1-th bay 110 may be the first bay 110. In other words, the nutrient solution in the bay 110 (4) can be inputted into the bay 110 ().

According to the above configuration, since the nutrient solution discharged from the specific bay 110 is stored in the other bay 110, the size of the buffer tank 130 can be minimized. In addition, since the hydroponic cultivation plant 10 is planted in another bay 110 in which the nutrient solution is stored, time loss occurring in the circulation process of the nutrient solution can be minimized.

3 is a schematic view showing a bay 110 and a bed 310 constituting the hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

The hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention may include a bed 310 formed with a plurality of through holes through which the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 is planted, and a bay 110 where the bed 310 is supported. The bay 110 may be provided with a receiving space for receiving the nutrient solution in which the roots of the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 are immersed.

The bed 310 is formed in a plate shape and may include metal or styrofoam.

The bay 110 may extend along the first direction in consideration of the work convenience. In addition, the bay 110 may be provided with a divider 193 for dividing the bay 110 into a plurality of zones on the first direction. At this time, the bed 310 may be mounted in a specific area among the plurality of areas by the dividing part 193.

The dividing section 193 may be formed in various ways. For example, protrusions protruding toward the bed 310 may be provided in the bay 110 at predetermined intervals along the first direction. Each bed 310 may be mounted in a specific area selected by a user from among a plurality of areas if provided with a catching part 131 that fits in the protrusion of the upper bay 110 at a certain position of each bed 310. [ That is, the plurality of beds can be attached and detached in a state of being aligned in one bay by the dividing section 193 and the fitting section 131. A handle 315 may be provided on the bed to improve the convenience of attachment and detachment.

According to the classification unit 193, the hydroponic cultivated crops 10 can be managed by the unit of the bed 310 or by zone. For example, a light source (not shown) may be provided for each zone. The light source unit provided in the specific area can emit light toward the bed 310 mounted in the specific area. In addition, the plurality of light sources provided in different zones can be controlled independently of each other.

In other words, whether or not the light source portion of a specific region is turned on or off can be determined regardless of the light source portion of another region.

When a plurality of areas in which the beds 310 are installed in the bay 110 are provided, the mounting detection unit 195 may be provided for each area.

The mounting detection unit 195 provided in the specific area senses whether the bed 310 is mounted in a specific area and the light unit provided in the specific area can be turned on only when the bed 310 is mounted in a specific area have.

Meanwhile, the user can mount the bed 310 in the bay 110 in a state where the hydroponic cultivation crop 10 is not planted for a specific purpose. Even in this case, power can be wasted if the light source unit is turned on. In order to solve this problem, a switch 191 for driving the light source unit may be provided for each zone.

At this time, each of the switches 191 can determine whether to turn on or off the light source provided in the area occupied by the corresponding switch 191.

When the switch 191 is provided, the light source unit may be turned on only when the switch 191 is turned on by the user and the mounting of the bed 310 is detected by the mounting sensing unit 195.

Referring to FIG. 3, the bay 110 is divided into a plurality of zones such as S1 zone, S2 zone, S3 zone,... In the first direction.

At this time, the S1 zone may include a segment 193, a light source unit, a switch 191 for controlling the light source unit, and a mounting sensing unit 195 for sensing whether the bed 310 is mounted in the S1 zone. This configuration is also the same in the S2 zone and the S3 zone.

Even if the user accidentally presses the switch 191, the light source unit remains off since the bed 310 is not detected by the mounting detection unit 195. When the user installs the bed 310 in the S1 zone using the dividing unit 193, the mounting detection unit 195 detects the mounting of the bed 310 but the switch 191 is not inputted. Does not operate. When the user presses the switch 191 after the bed 310 is mounted in the S1 zone, the light source unit is turned on and the light can be emitted toward the bed 310 mounted in the S1 zone.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the following claims.

10 ... Hydroponics Cultivated crops 110 ... Bay
119 ... piping 120 ... first flow path
130 ... buffer tank 131 ... fertilizer regulator
133 ... water dispenser 140 ... second flow path
150 ... supply part 160 ... first valve
180 ... second valve 191 ... switch
193 ... division unit 195 ... mounting detection unit
310 ... bed 313 ... pincer
315 ... handle

Claims (5)

A plurality of bays planted with hydroponic crops;
A buffer tank in which the nutrient solution of the hydroponic cultivation crop is received and has a smaller capacity than the bay; And
And a supply part for supplying the nutrient solution to the bay,
Wherein the buffer tank is filled with the fertilizer added to the nutrient solution.
The method according to claim 1,
The nutrient solution contained in the bay is discharged to the buffer tank every set period,
Wherein the supply unit changes a bay to which the nutrient solution is supplied at every set period.
The method according to claim 1,
A first flow path and a second flow path connected to the plurality of bays and the buffer tank;
A first valve interposed between the first flow path and an input end of each bay;
A second valve interposed between the second flow path and an output end of each bay; And
And a control unit for controlling the supply unit, the first valve, and the second valve,
The control unit opens the first valve provided in the second valve and the other bay provided in the specific bay in which the nutrient solution is received, and turns on the supply unit,
The nutrient solution contained in the specific bay is input to the buffer tank via the second valve and the second flow path,
Wherein the nutrient solution contained in the buffer tank is input to the other bay through the first flow path and the first valve.
The method according to claim 1,
A first flow path and a second flow path connected to the plurality of bays and the buffer tank;
A first valve interposed between the first flow path and an input end of the bay; And
And a second valve interposed between the second flow path and an output end of the bay,
Wherein the second valve is provided in plurality for each bay and is connected in parallel to the second flow path.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the hydroponic cultivation crop comprises ginseng that is immersed in the nutrient solution for a set period and is exposed to the air three times the set period,
Four bays are connected to the buffer tank,
Only the k-th bay (where k is a natural number, 1? K? 4) of the four bays and the buffer tank are filled with the nutrient solution,
And the nutrient solution discharged from the k-th bay is input to the buffer tank, and the nutrient solution filled in the buffer tank is input into the (k + 1) th bay Cultivation device.

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