WO2012081967A1

WO2012081967A1 - A self-sustaining close controlled agricultural system

Info

Publication number: WO2012081967A1
Application number: PCT/MY2011/000157
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jefrey Bin Basirun Wan; A. S. M. Mukter-Uz-Zaman; Jin Hoong Leong; Bin Sulaiman Azhar
Original assignee: Mimos Bhd
Current assignee: Mimos Bhd
Priority date: 2010-12-13
Filing date: 2011-06-23
Publication date: 2012-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-13

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-sustaining close controlled agricultural system. The system comprises of a sensing unit (52) for sensing environmental parameters values; a comparison unit (54) for comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values; a control unit (56) for keeping the environmental parameters values at the predefined values by generating a set of instruction; a support unit (58) for executing the set of instruction from the control unit; and an energy generating unit (60) wherein the energy generating unit (60) is able to generate energy for operating the system (50). The present invention also further relates to a method for growing a plant in a close controlled environmental system.

Description

A SELF-SUSTAINING CLOSE CONTROLLED AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a self-sustaining agricultural system for growing plant in a close and controlled environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In agriculture, environmental condition is crucial for plant to grow well. Temperature, water, light and nutrient are examples of important parameter referring to the environmental condition. The parameters must be maintained at a required level for the plant to survive. Thus, close and controlled environment is often employed where the plant is planted in a confined environment and the parameters are maintained at the required level manually. However, this requires large human dependency since it involves manual maintenance.

In minimizing human dependency, an automatic controlled environmental system is employed where automatic sensor is used to sense any change of the parameter level. In operation, the sensor must be supplied with electric power. Often, external power such as battery or grid power are used to power the sensor.

Therefore, there is a need to provide an automatic controlled environmental system capable of generating power by itself. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the first invention, there is provided a self-sustaining close controlled agricultural system comprising: a sensing unit for sensing environmental parameters values; a comparison unit for comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values; a control unit for keeping the environmental parameters values at the predefined values by generating a set of instruction; a support unit for executing the set of instruction from the control unit; and an energy generating unit wherein the energy generating unit is able to generate energy for operating the system. The provision of energy generating unit is advantageous as it generates energy continuously for operating the system.

Advantageously, the system is suitable to be employed at remote area.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an energy generating unit comprising: a container for containing electrolyte having a base and a wall; a plantation bed positioned inside the container; an inlet for channelling the electrolyte into the container; and a storage box attached to outer surface of the wall wherein a first electrode is attached to inner surface of the wall and a second electrode is attached to bottom of the plantation bed enabling electrochemical reaction thereby generating energy.

Accordingly, the first electrode is made from aluminium. Accordingly, the second electrode is an air electrode.

Accordingly, the electrolyte is hydroquinone, dihydroxyanthracene, dihydroxynphtalene, parietin, sodium hypophosphite or phosphonic acid. Accordingly, the energy is stored in the storage box.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for growing a plant in a close controlled environmental system comprising: providing a plant; planting the plant on a plantation bed; inspecting environmental parameters values; comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values; providing sufficient environmental parameter input to the plant; and generating energy by electrochemical reaction for enabling operation of the system wherein the system performing third step to sixth step automatically. Advantageously, by-product of the electrochemical reaction is used by the plant as a nutrient for growth.

Advantageously, the method is environmentally friendly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

FIGURE 1: illustrates schematic diagram of the self-sustaiiiing close controlled

agricultural system.

FIGURE 2: illustrates top view of the system.

FIGURE 3: illustrates cross section of the system. FIGURE 4: illustrates the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to a self-sustaining close controlled agricultural system. The system is employed for growing plant in a close and controlled environment. The system is automatic where sensor is used to monitor and control crucial environmental parameters for plant growth. External power is not required by this system as it equips with a unit that able to generate energy continuously for operating the whole system. Thus, the system is suitable to be employed at remote area

As seen in FIGURE 1, the system comprises of a sensing unit 52, a comparison unit 54, a control unit 56, a support unit 58 and an energy generating unit 60.

The sensing unit 52 functions in sensing environmental parameters values. The environmental parameters are light intensity, temperature, water level and nutrient level. The comparison unit 54 functions in comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values. The control unit 56 functions in keepmg the environmental parameters values at the predefined values by generating a set of instruction. The support unit 58 functions in executing the set of instruction from the control unit 56. The support unit 58 further comprises of a light bulb 103 for controlling the light intensity, a heater for controlling the temperature and a pump 101 for controlling the water level and the nutrient level. The energy generating unit 60 functions in generating energy for operating the system. Generally, the environmental parameters values are sensed by the sensing unit 52. The environmental parameters values are then compared with the predefined values by the comparison unit 54. When the environmental parameters values are different from the predefined values, a corrective action is required where the support unit 58 is activated by the control unit 56. The control unit 56 generates instructions to be executed by the support unit 58. The support unit 58 is turned on when the environmental parameters values are lower than the predefined values and turned off when the environmental parameters values exceed the predefined values. For light intensity control, the light bulb 103 is turned on when the environment is dark and turned off when the environment is bright. For temperature control, the heater is turned on when the temperature is low and turned off when the temperature is high. For water level and nutrient level control, the_pump 101 is turned on when the level of both water and nutrient is low and turned off when the level of both water and nutrient is high. The water and nutrient are pumped from a storage through an inlet 107. When the environmental parameters values are within a range of the predefined values, the corrective action is not required. The sensing unit 52 is then sensed the environmental parameters values again within a time interval.

The energy generating unit 60 generates energy from electrochemical reaction. The energy generating unit 60 is further comprises of a container 100, a plantation bed 106, an inlet 107, a storage box 108, a first electrode 110 and a second electrode 112.

As seen in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2, the container 100 has a base 102 and a wall 104. The container contains water and an electrolyte for the electrochemical reaction. The water and electrolyte are channelled into the container 100 through an inlet 107 at the wall 104. However, multiple inlets could also be attached at the wall to channel water and electrolyte respectively. The plantation bed 106 is positioned inside the container 100. Preferably, the plantation bed 106 is a cork sheet. The first electrode 110 is attached to inner surface of the wall 104 while the second electrode 112 is attached to bottom of the plantation bed 106. The first electrode 110, the second electrode 112 and the electrolyte undergo electrochemical reaction and thus generating energy. The energy is then stored inside the storage box 108.

The first electrode 110 and the second electrode 112 could be changed during replacement of the plant. Preferably, the container 100 is arranged on top of another in a rack as seen in FIGURE 4. This arrangement reduces space requirement.

The present invention also relates to an energy generating unit 60. The energy generating unit 60 comprises of a container 100 for containing electrolyte having a base 102 and a wall 104; a plantation bed 106 positioned inside the container 100; an inlet 107 for channelling the electrolyte into the container 100; and a storage box 108 attached to outer surface of the wall 104 wherein a first electrode 110 is attached to inner surface of the wall 104 and a second electrode 112 is attached to bottom of the plantation bed 106 enabling electrochemical reaction thereby generating energy.

In the electrochemical reaction, aluminium is used as the first electrode 110 while air electrode is used as the second electrode 112. Hydroquinone, dihydroxyanthracene, dihydroxynaphtalene, parietin, sodium hypophosphite, phosphonic acid or the like are used as the electrolyte. The electrolyte could be used solely or in combination. The generated energy is then stored inside the storage box 108.

The present invention further relates to a method for growing a plant in a close controlled environmental system comprises of providing a plant; planting the plant on a plantation bed; inspecting environmental parameters values; comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values; providing sufficient environmental parameter input to the plant; and generating energy by electrochemical reaction for enabling operation of the system wherein the system performing third step to sixth step automatically. The method is suitable for growing plant having a short life cycle.

Preferably, by-product of the electrochemical reaction is used by the plant as a nutrient for growth. The method is environmentally friendly as the by-product is not dispose to environment. The invention being thus described, it will be apparent that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are to be regarded as within the scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A self-sustaimng close controlled agricultural system 50 comprising:

a sensing unit 52 for sensing environmental parameters values;

a comparison unit 54 for comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values;

a control unit 56 for keeping the environmental parameters values at the predefined values by generating a set of instruction;

a support unit 58 for executing the set of instruction from the control unit; and an energy generating unit 60

wherein the energy generating unit 60 is able to generate energy for operating the system 50.

2. A system 50 according to Claim 1, wherein the energy generating unit 60 further comprising:

a container 100 for containing electrolyte having a base 102 and a wall 104;

a plantation bed 106 positioned inside the container 100;

an inlet 107 for channelling the electrolyte into the container 100;

a storage box 108 attached to outer surface of the wall 104; and

a first electrode 110 attached to inner surface of the wall 104 and a second electrode

112 attached to bottom of the plantation bed 106 enabling electrochemical reaction thereby generating energy.

3. A system 50 according to Claim 2, wherein the energy is stored in the storage box

108.

4. A system 50 according to Claim 1, wherein the support unit 58 comprising a light bulb, a heater and a pump.

5. An energy generating unit 60 comprising:

a container 100 for containing electrolyte having a base 102 and a wall 104;

a plantation bed 106 positioned inside the container 100;

an inlet 107 for channelling the electrolyte into the container 100; and

a storage box 108 attached to outer surface of the wall 104 wherein a first electrode 110 is attached to inner surface of the wall 104 and a second electrode 112 is attached to bottom of the plantation bed 106 enabling electrochemical reaction thereby generating energy.

6. An energy generating unit 60 according to Claim 5, wherein the first electrode 110 is aluminium.

7. An energy generating unit 60 according to Claim 5, wherein the second electrode 112 is an air electrode.

8. An energy generating unit 60 according to Claim 5, wherein the electrolyte is selected from a group of hydroquinone, dihydroxyanthracene, dihydroxynaphtalene, parietin, sodium hypophosphite or phosphonic acid.

9. An energy generating unit 60 according to Claim 5, wherein the energy is stored in the storage box 108.

10. A method for growing a plant in a close controlled environmental system comprising: providing a plant;

planting the plant on a plantation bed;

inspecting environmental parameters values;

comparing the environmental parameters values with predefined values;

providing sufficient environmental parameter input to the plant; and

generating energy by electrochemical reaction for enabling operation of the system wherein the system performing third step to sixth step automatically.

11. A method according to Claim 10, wherein by-product of the electrochemical reaction is used by the plant as a nutrient for growth.