WO2014051204A1

WO2014051204A1 - Independent apparatus for cultivating plants to cultivate and harvest seedlings of grown crops

Info

Publication number: WO2014051204A1
Application number: PCT/KR2012/010056
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김상옥; 김병오; 김동식; 황영조
Original assignee: (주)유양디앤유
Priority date: 2012-09-25
Filing date: 2012-11-26
Publication date: 2014-04-03

Abstract

One embodiment according to the present invention provides an independent apparatus for cultivating plants, comprising: a power supply portion for controlling external power received from the outside to supply power for cultivating crops; a controller portion for controlling the temperature and/or the humidity for cultivating the crops; a water supply portion for receiving and storing feed water and a nutrient solution from the outside, and providing a cultivation solution, which is a mixture of the stored feed water and the nutrient solution according to a predetermined ratio, by means of circulation; a cultivation bed structure portion for supporting cultivation beds comprising a plurality of rows and columns on which the crops are cultivated; and a lighting portion comprising at least one light source for controlling the brightness and/or the frequency of an artificial light source to provide the optimal light for crop cultivation, wherein a housing installed around the periphery of the cultivation bed structure is provided for protecting against the outside environment.

Description

Stand-alone plant cultivation device for growing and harvesting seedlings

This embodiment relates to a stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus for cultivating and harvesting seedlings of seeded crops. More specifically, a stand-alone plant cultivation device is installed in a plant cultivation system or separately in an independent space, and the stand-alone plant cultivation device is cut off from the outside environment in order to cultivate and harvest a small amount of seedlings primarily grown through hydroponic cultivation. The optimum environment for growing crops is controlled by controlling factors related to the growth of crops such as temperature, humidity and light in the plant cultivation system, while the feed water and nutrient solution are supplied through the cultivation bed and circulation pipe inclined at a predetermined angle. The present invention relates to a stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus for cultivating and harvesting seedlings of seedling crops, characterized in that the culture medium is mixed at a constant rate.

The contents described in this section merely provide background information on the present embodiment and do not constitute a prior art.

In general, plant cultivation is achieved by feeding fertilizers and water to seeds planted in the soil and taking advantage of photosynthesis in the plants by sunlight. However, this method of cultivation not only affects the production of climate change, but also creates cost and environmental problems due to the use of fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, because it takes a long time to grow plants, the production cannot keep up with the demand of consumers.

In recent years, it is noted that the growth of plants is caused by photosynthesis. By using a light emitting diode (LED), which is an artificial light source, by supplying the wavelength required for photosynthesis, not only does the plant grow but also is not affected by the climate, Eco-friendly plant cultivation methods that can grow plants are in the spotlight. However, the plant cultivation method is also designed around a system for cultivating a large amount of plants, and there is a problem that it is difficult to use in homes and restaurants that require a small amount of plants since there is no device for cultivating a small amount of plants. In addition, there is a problem in that time and personnel consumption occurs because it is necessary to continuously check the excess of the water supply and the culture solution provided to the plant.

In order to solve the above problems, the present embodiment is a stand-alone plant which is installed separately in a plant cultivation system or in an independent space, and whose external environment is cut off in order to cultivate and harvest a small amount of seedlings primarily grown through hydroponic cultivation. Create a growing device and control the factors related to the growth of the crop, such as temperature, humidity and light, in a standalone planting device to create an optimal environment for growing the crop, while cultivating the bed and circulation inclined at a predetermined angle. It is possible to cultivate a small amount of crops for use in homes and restaurants by continuously circulating a culture medium in which water and nutrient solutions are mixed through pipes, and to reduce time and human consumption to cover water and nutrient solutions. There is a purpose.

The present embodiment is a stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus for separately receiving and cultivating a firstly grown crop in a plant cultivation system or in an independent space, for cultivating the crop by controlling external power provided from the outside. A power supply unit providing power; A controller unit controlling some or all of temperature and humidity for growing the crop; A water supply unit which receives and stores water and nutrient solution from the outside, and circulates the culture solution mixed with the stored water and nutrient solution to a predetermined ratio to provide the crops to the crop; A cultivation bed structure for supporting a cultivation bed having a multi-stage, multi-row structure in which the crop is grown; It includes at least one artificial light source, including a lighting unit for controlling the part or all of the brightness and frequency of the artificial light source to irradiate the optimal light for cultivating the crop, which is installed outside the cultivation bed structure to external environment It provides a stand-alone plant cultivation device comprising a housing for blocking.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a stand-alone plant cultivation in which the external environment is cut off in order to cultivate and harvest seedlings of seedlings grown primarily in hydroponic cultivation in a separate space in a plant cultivation system or in an independent space. The device is fabricated and the optimum environment for planting of crops is controlled by controlling the factors related to the growth of crops such as temperature, humidity and light in the standalone planting device, while the bed and circulation pipe inclined at a predetermined angle. Through circulating the culture medium mixed with a certain ratio of water supply and nutrient solution, it is possible to cultivate a small amount of crops for use in homes and restaurants, and to reduce the time and human consumption to cover the water supply and culture medium. There is.

1 is a view showing the structure of a stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment,

2 is a view showing a cultured bed structure for supporting a water supply unit and a culture bed for providing a culture solution in a standalone plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment,

3 is an embodiment of the cultivation bed structure of FIG. 2 according to the present embodiment,

4 is a view showing the structure of the lighting unit attached to the independent plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment when using the LED as an artificial light source for cultivating crops,

5 is a view showing the configuration and circuit diagram of the LED module of the lighting unit in the case of using the LED as an artificial light source according to this embodiment,

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling temperature and humidity in the standalone plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as much as possible even though they are shown in different drawings. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related well-known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in describing the component of this invention, terms, such as 1st, 2nd, A, B, (a), (b), can be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the components from other components, and the nature, order or order of the components are not limited by the terms. If a component is described as being "connected", "coupled" or "connected" to another component, that component may be directly connected to or connected to that other component, but there may be another configuration between each component. It is to be understood that the elements may be "connected", "coupled" or "connected".

1 is a view showing the structure of the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air conditioning unit 102, a humidification water supply unit 103, a water supply unit 104, a temperature and humidity control unit 106, and cultivation. The bed structure 108, the lighting unit 110, the power supply unit 112, and a controller unit 114 are included. In the present embodiment, the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 includes an air conditioning unit 102, a humidification water supply unit 103, a water supply unit 104, a temperature / humidity control unit 106, a cultivation bed structure unit 108, and an illumination unit 110. It is described as including only the power supply 112, the controller 114, but this is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present embodiment, those skilled in the art to which this embodiment belongs Various modifications and variations to the components included in the standalone plant cultivation apparatus 100 may be applied without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments.

Independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is blocked from the external environment through the housing (Housing), temperature, humidity, etc. in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 by using an external power provided from the outside To control, and the culture solution mixed with a certain ratio of water supply and nutrient solution is designed to be continuously provided to the crops cultivated in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100. In addition, by controlling the light required for the growth of the crop cultivated in the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 through an artificial light source provides an optimal cultivation environment for the crop being grown in a multi-stage, multi-row structure bed.

On the other hand, the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 is installed separately in the plant cultivation system or in an independent space to receive the first seeded crops from the outside, and the small amount of the first seeded crops in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 Grow or harvest. In this case, the first seeded crop refers to a crop grown to a size exceeding a predetermined threshold by the hydroponic cultivation method, such as a seedling growing device, in the present embodiment, the predetermined threshold value It is set to 12 cm, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

In addition, the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 can be manufactured in various sizes according to the production and seed of the crop, and the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 through a moving means such as a fixed type and a wheel installed under the housing to be fixed and used at a predetermined place. There is a mobile device capable of moving the device to another place.

In addition, the housing for blocking the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 from the external environment includes a flat plate made of a transparent material, such as tempered glass and stelace on the front and side, through which the cultivated inside the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 It is easy to see the condition of crops in existence. On the other hand, the front of the housing may further include an openable door to harvest the crop is completed cultivation, or to move the crop for new cultivation into the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100.

The air conditioning unit 102 adjusts air conditioning and humidity conditions inside the stand alone plant cultivation device 100 to maintain a temperature and humidity suitable for growth of a crop being grown inside the stand alone plant cultivation device 100. That is, the air conditioning unit 102 includes one or more air conditioners, heaters, and humidifiers, and when receiving a control command from the controller unit 114, operates the air conditioners, heaters, and humidifiers to operate the temperature inside the independent plant cultivation device 100. And humidity. At this time, the control command received from the controller unit 114 is the temperature and humidity control unit 106 and the setting range for the optimum temperature and humidity for cultivating a preset crop of the current temperature and humidity inside the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 and It is generated when it is different. Through this, the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 is always controlled at a constant temperature and humidity. On the other hand, the optimum temperature for growing a predetermined crop is based on 21 degrees, but is not necessarily limited to this may be set to a variety of temperatures depending on the type of crop grown in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100.

In addition, the air conditioning unit 102 circulates the air present in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 in a predetermined direction using an air conditioner and a heater, and discharges harmful gases, dust, etc. to the outside through the independent plant cultivation apparatus ( 100) operates to keep fresh air in.

On the other hand, the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 includes a humidifying water supply unit 103 for supplying water to the humidifier in the air conditioning unit 102 on the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 to use the humidifier for humidification purposes. If there is a shortage of water, the stored water is provided to the humidifier.

The water supply unit 104 receives and stores water supply and nutrient solution from the outside, and circulates the culture solution mixed with the stored water supply and nutrient solution to a cultivation bed in the cultivation bed structure 108 to provide a crop. Meanwhile, the water supply unit 104 includes a storage unit for storing the water supply and the nutrient solution, and a storage unit for storing the culture solution, and includes a circulation pipe for supplying the culture solution to the culture bed and a pressure pump for moving the culture solution. Details of each device included in the water supply 104 will be further described with reference to FIG. 2.

The temperature and humidity control unit 106 receives sensing information about temperature and humidity affecting the growth of the crops in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 and controls the temperature and humidity according to the type of crop and the surrounding environment. That is, the temperature and humidity control unit 106 measures the temperature and humidity inside the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 through a plurality of sensors, and the measured temperature and humidity may be used to germinate and raise a predetermined crop. If it is different from the set range, and generates a control command for adjusting the temperature and humidity inside the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus (100). On the other hand, the generated control command is transmitted to the controller unit 114, the controller unit 114 controls the air conditioning unit 102 and the water supply unit 104 to adjust the temperature and humidity.

The cultivation bed structure 108 has a multi-stage, multi-row structure to support the cultivation bed in which the crop is grown. That is, the cultivation bed structure 108 is a cultivation bed in which crops are cultivated, including a first support attached to both sides of the housing and a second support provided on the first support and having a groove for penetrating the circulation pipe. Support it.

In addition, the cultivation bed in the cultivation bed structure 108 is inclined at a predetermined angle to continuously circulate the culture solution provided through the water supply part 104 and the cultivation beds of each stage are arranged in a staggered manner in a zigzag form. It is composed of a structure that can circulate water from the uppermost cultivation bed to the lowest cultivation bed.

On the other hand, the cultivation bed structure 108 is capable of adjusting the height and size according to the size of the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 and the type of crop being grown inside the stand-alone plant cultivation device (100). In this embodiment, the cultivation bed structure 108 is made of stainless steel or synthetic resin, but is not necessarily limited thereto and may be made of various materials.

The lighting unit 110 includes one or more artificial light sources, and controls the brightness and frequency of the artificial light source to irradiate the light required by the crop. That is, the lighting unit 110 is attached to the top of the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 and the bottom of the cultivation bed in the cultivation bed structure 108 to irradiate the optimal light preset to the crop, thereby necessary for the growth and photosynthesis of the crop Supply the wavelength. On the other hand, in the present embodiment it is specified that the lighting unit 110 is attached to the top of the independent plant cultivation device 100 and the bottom of the cultivation bed in the cultivation bed structure 108, but this is only an example in the present invention and is not necessarily limited thereto. Do not.

In addition, the lighting unit 110 is composed of an LED module made of a printed circuit board (PCB) of a structure that is separated or combined in consideration of the expandability according to the overall length of the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100, a plurality of LED modules Provide light to the crop through its LEDs. On the other hand, the LED module is composed of three PCB, each PCB is arranged in parallel with a driver device and six RGB (Red-Green-Blue) LED for controlling the LED. The lighting unit 110 has been described as using an LED as an artificial light source, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and may use various artificial light sources that may provide illumination required for growing a crop.

The power supply 112 controls the external power provided from the outside to provide the necessary power to each device included in the independent plant cultivation device 100. On the other hand, when the power supply unit 112 cannot receive external power from the outside, the pre-stored preliminary power can be delivered to the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100. In this case, the pre-stored preliminary power means power generated from a preliminary power production device (not shown) through solar and wind power sources of renewable energy, and the preliminary power production device is a standalone plant cultivation device (100). ) May be additionally installed in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to the location.

The controller unit 114 controls temperature, humidity, water supply, and the like, for growing crops in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100. That is, based on the sensing information collected through a plurality of sensors in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 generates a control command for controlling the air conditioning unit 102, the water supply unit 104 and the lighting unit 110, and generated Command to each device.

In addition, when the controller unit 114 receives a control command for adjusting the temperature and humidity in the standalone plant cultivation device 100 from the temperature and humidity control unit 106, the controller unit 114 may provide an optimum temperature and humidity for cultivating a predetermined crop. Check the setting information, and transmits a control command for this to the air conditioning unit 102 and the water supply unit 104. At this time, the control command transmitted to the water supply unit 104 means a control command for the amount of the culture solution provided to the crop being cultivated in the cultivation bed in the cultivation bed structure 108, the independent plant cultivation by adjusting the amount of the culture solution Humidity in the device 100 can be adjusted.

On the other hand, the controller 114 is mounted in the form of a touch panel inside and outside the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100, and further includes a user UI (User Interface) for receiving the user's input information. That is, when the user wants to control the standalone plant cultivation apparatus 100, the user can easily control the standalone plant cultivation apparatus 100 by inputting input information through the user UI.

In addition, the controller 114 continuously recognizes the internal state of the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 through a plurality of sensors, and if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100, an abnormality notification and The monitoring image of the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 captured by the image photographing device (not shown) is delivered to the user in real time through a SMS (Short Message Service) text service.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a watering unit 104 for providing a culture solution in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 and a cultivation bed structure 108 for supporting the cultivation bed 220 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3. (A) and (b) are embodiments of the cultivation bed structure 108 illustrated in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the water supply unit 104 for providing a culture solution in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a water supply storage unit 202, a nutrient solution storage unit 204, and a culture solution storage unit. 206, ceramic heater 207,

circulation pipes

208, 210, 212 and pressure pump 214, wherein the cultivation bed structure 108 for supporting the cultivation bed includes a first support 216, a first support 216. Two supports 218 and a cultivation bed 220.

The water supply storage unit 202 and the nutrient solution storage unit 204 receive and store the water supply and the nutrient solution from the outside, and transfer a predetermined amount of water and nutrient solution to the culture solution storage unit 206 to mix the culture solution at a predetermined ratio. Create On the other hand, the water supply stored in the water supply storage unit 202 is maintained at a constant temperature, for this purpose separately includes a ceramic heater 207 for adjusting the temperature of the water supply.

In the present embodiment, two or more nutrient solutions are used for the nutrient solution stored in the nutrient solution storage unit 204, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The culture medium storage unit 206 moves the mixed culture solution at a predetermined ratio to the

circulation pipes

208, 210, and 212 using the pressure pump 214, through which the culture medium is grown to the crop being grown in the cultivation bed 220. To provide. At this time, the pressure pump 214 is controlled by the controller unit 114, when receiving a control command from the controller unit 114, by applying pressure to the water supply stored in the culture medium storage unit 206 circulating pipes (208, 210) 212) to the culture.

Meanwhile, the culture medium circulated through the

circulation pipes

208, 210, and 212 is re-stored in the culture medium storage unit 206, and the controller unit 114 is different from the preset concentration in the process of circulating. If it is determined, a control command for delivering a predetermined amount of water supply and nutrient solution to the culture solution storage unit 206 is transmitted to the water supply storage unit 202 and the nutrient solution storage unit 204 to maintain the concentration of the culture solution at a predetermined concentration.

Meanwhile, the

circulation pipes

208, 210, and 212 supplying the culture medium to the culture bed are connected to one side of the culture bed and one side of the culture medium storage unit 206 located at the top of the culture bed structure 108, and the culture medium storage unit 206. A first circulation pipe 208 for transferring the culture solution stored in the culture medium to the cultivation bed located at the top, connected to the other side of the cultivation bed located at the top and to one side of the cultivation bed located at the bottom of the cultivation bed at the top, and connected to each cultivation bed The culture medium circulated from the culture bed located at the top connected to the second circulation pipe 210, the culture bed storage unit 206 and the other side of the culture bed storage unit 206 located at the lowermost end of the culture bed structure 108 for moving the culture medium storage unit A third circulation pipe 212 sending to 206. That is, the culture solution stored in the culture medium storage unit 206 is transferred to the cultivation bed located at the top of the cultivation bed structure 108 through the first circulation pipe 208, and each of the culture medium located at the bottom through the second circulation pipe 210. Sent to the cultivation bed. Thereafter, it is finally transmitted to the culture medium storage unit 206 through the third circulation pipe 212.

The cultivation bed structure 108 for supporting the cultivation bed is installed on the first support 216 and the first support 216 attached to both sides of the independent plant cultivation device 100 to provide a groove for the circulation pipe to pass through. And a second support 218 supporting the cultivation bed 220 and a groove for transplanting the first seeded crops in a predetermined distance unit, and the cultivation bed 220 having a structure in which a culture solution is circulated therein. ). On the other hand, the cultivation bed structure 108 may adjust the height according to the size of the crop being grown in the cultivation bed 220.

On the other hand, the cultivation bed structure 108 shown in FIG. 2 is composed of two cultivation beds 220, but is shown in the form that the crop is cultivated, but is not necessarily limited to the multi-stage and multi-row cultivation bed 220 Can be.

4 is a view illustrating a structure of the lighting unit 110 when the LED is attached to the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment and uses an LED as an artificial light source for cultivating crops.

As shown in Figure 4 is attached to the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention and the structure of the lighting unit 110 when using the LED as an artificial light source for cultivating the crop is a voltage providing device 400 ), The first LED control module unit to the N-th LED

control module unit

410, 420, the metering module unit 430, the sensor module unit 440, and the LED module 450.

The voltage providing device 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention converts an AC power source into a DC voltage and provides the first LED control module unit to the Nth LED

control module units

410 and 420, and the first LED control module. The to Nth LED

control module units

410 and 420 control the LED module 450 according to the state information received from the metering module unit 430 and the sensor module unit 440.

The voltage providing device 600 may be divided into a plurality of first and second voltage providing devices 400_1 and 400_2. The first voltage providing device 400_1 converts AC power into a DC voltage and provides the first LED control module unit to the Nth LED

control module units

410 and 420, and the second voltage providing device 400_2 is converted. The DC voltage is provided to the sensor module unit 440 and the LED module 450. Each voltage providing device 400 receives a commercial power of 110 or 220 V and converts it into a DC voltage of about 24 V, and includes the first LED control module unit to the Nth LED

control module unit

410 and 420 or the LED module. The output voltage is converted back to a 3.3V DC voltage for driving the integrated circuit IC in 450. To this end, the voltage providing device 400 may include an inverter and a DC-DC converter.

The first LED control module unit to the N-th LED

control module unit

410, 420 are controlled by a short range wireless communication with the gateway, and are driven by receiving a DC voltage provided to the first voltage providing device 400_1.

On the other hand, the first LED control module unit to the N-th LED control module unit (410, 420) is configured in a one-to-one to manage each of the LED module 450 forming a single column in the first column in accordance with the control of the gateway The LED modules 450 in the N rows may be driven to have the same luminous conditions, but when different crops are grown, they may be driven to the luminous conditions suitable for the crops.

That is, while dimming the LED module 450 through PWM, the LED elements of red, green, and blue are grouped by color to control full color light.

The metering module unit 430 is controlled through short-range wireless communication with the gateway, and the first LED control module unit to the N-th LED

control module unit

410 and 420, the sensor module unit 440, and the voltage providing device 400. Information related to voltage, power, and the like provided to the LED module 450 is acquired and transmitted to the controller unit 114 via the gateway in accordance with the protocol.

That is, the metering module unit 430 measures AC input power and total system AC input power of each of the voltage providing devices 400 using a metering sensor, and then digitally converts measured values to generate voltage related information and generate voltage related information. The information is provided to the controller unit 114. Thereafter, the metering module unit 430 may reset the power state of the voltage providing device 400 according to the analysis result of the controller unit 114.

The sensor module unit 440 includes an illuminance sensor, a concentration sensor (eg, a CO ₂ concentration sensor), a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a wavelength sensor, and the like, and by using these various sensors, an optimized environment can be created. have. That is, the sensing data acquired through each sensor is transmitted to the gateway, and the gateway provides the data to the controller unit 114. Thereafter, the environment in the standalone plant cultivation apparatus 100 may be optimized according to the control command transmitted through the same.

The LED module 450 includes first to N-th rows, and a plurality of PCB modules are separated and coupled to freely expand and install as the crop cultivation area in the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 increases. Is produced by. In addition, each LED module 450 will have ID (Identifier) information for accurately determining the location of the crop being cultivated. For example, even if the LED module 450 is configured to be extended, the unit modules constituting each column may be assembled to drive in parallel with each other, thereby emitting light having the same luminance for each unit module. However, when different crops are cultivated for each row, the unit modules constituting each row make accurate positions according to ID information and emit light of different luminance.

5 is a view showing the configuration and circuit diagram of the LED module 450 of the lighting unit 110 when using the LED as an artificial light source according to this embodiment.

5 (a) according to an embodiment of the present invention shows the configuration of the LED module 450 of the lighting unit 110 in the case of using the LED as an artificial light source, and Figure 5 (b) is the LED module 450 ) Is a circuit diagram.

LED module 450 is composed of the first to the N-th row and was manufactured to separate and combine into three PCBs in consideration of the expandability of the entire length of the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100. Each PCB has six driver devices 500 and six red-green-blue LEDs 510 arranged in parallel to control the LEDs. can do.

The circuit of the LED module 450 includes an input filter that blocks DC flowing from a source and a diode that allows current to flow in a forward direction only. In this case, the voltage providing device 400 for supplying power to the LED module 450 converts 110 or 220 V of commercial power into a 24V DC voltage through an inverter and provides the LED module 450 to the DC module, and provides a DC-DC converter. The DC voltage level of 24 V converted by the inverter is converted into a DC voltage of 3.3 V and output to the driver device 500 of the LED module 450.

The driver device 500 may include a full-bridge driving circuit, and includes a reference (REF) resistor between the ground and the ground. The reference resistor adjusts the R, G and B individual output currents, or constant current, according to the resistance value. In other words, the driver device 500 receives the DC voltage of 3.3 V provided from the DC-DC converter so that the constant current can be provided in the individual LED device according to the resistance value of the reference resistor.

The RGB LED 510 is dimmed under the control of the controller 114. Here, the dimming is controlled by adjusting the duty ratio of the light emitting devices to be turned on and off, thereby controlling the amount of light emitted from the unit module. It means to be. For example, if the turn-on time is small, the amount of light emitted is so low that the brightness may be somewhat dark. In addition, the LED module 450 may emit light of various colors and various brightness depending on how the LED is driven. For example, when the RGB LEDs 510 are driven individually, light of a single color can be obtained, but when the RGB LEDs 510 are driven simultaneously, white light can be obtained under the assumption that they have the same amount of light. According to the driving scheme as described above, the LED module 450 implements full color. Practically, the wavelength and the amount of light are adjusted according to the growth state of the cultivation plant as well as the type of cultivation plant.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling temperature and humidity in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, a method for controlling temperature and humidity in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 may first include collecting temperature and humidity state information in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 through a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. Begins with (S600).

The temperature and humidity control unit 106 compares the measured temperature of the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 with a setting range of an optimal temperature for growing a predetermined crop (S602), and optimizes the measured temperature and a preset crop. If the temperature is different, the internal temperature is adjusted by operating the air conditioner and the heater through the controller unit 114 (S604). That is, the air conditioning unit 102 includes one or more air conditioners and heaters, and the temperature / humidity control unit 106 is based on the temperature information inside the standalone plant cultivation device 100 received from the temperature sensor. If it is determined that the current temperature is different from the setting range for the optimum temperature for cultivating the predetermined crop, the control command information for this is received through the controller unit 114 to operate the air conditioner and heater. Through this, the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 is always controlled at a constant temperature. On the other hand, the optimum temperature for growing a predetermined crop is based on 21 degrees, but is not necessarily limited to this may be set to a variety of temperatures depending on the type of crop grown in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100.

The temperature and humidity control unit 106 compares the measured internal humidity of the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 with a setting range of the optimum humidity for cultivating the preset crop (S606), and optimizes the cultivation of the measured humidity and the preset crop. If the humidity is different, by operating the humidifier to adjust the internal humidity or by adjusting the amount of the culture solution provided to the independent plant cultivation apparatus 100 (S608). That is, the air conditioner 102 includes one or more humidifiers, and the temperature / humidity control unit 106 is present in the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 based on the humidity information inside the stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus 100 received from the humidity sensor. If it is determined that the humidity is different from the setting range for the optimal humidity for cultivating the predetermined crop, the humidifier is operated by receiving control command information. In addition, the water supply unit 104 receives a control command for increasing or decreasing the amount of the culture solution provided to the stand-alone plant cultivation device 100 from the controller unit 114, through which the amount of the culture solution is adjusted to stand-alone plant cultivation Control the humidity inside the device 100.

In FIG. 6, steps S600 to S608 are sequentially described. However, this is merely illustrative of the technical idea of an embodiment of the present invention, and the general knowledge in the technical field to which an embodiment of the present invention belongs. Those having a variety of modifications and variations may be applicable by changing the order described in FIG. 6 or executing one or more steps of steps S600 to S608 in parallel without departing from the essential characteristics of one embodiment of the present invention. 6 is not limited to the time series order.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present embodiment, and those skilled in the art to which the present embodiment belongs may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present embodiment. Therefore, the present embodiments are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present embodiment but to describe the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present embodiment is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present embodiment should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present embodiment.

(Explanation of the sign)

100: stand-alone plant cultivation device 102: air conditioning unit

103: water supply unit for humidification 104: water supply unit

106: temperature and humidity control unit 108: cultivation bed structure

110: lighting unit 112: power supply unit

114: controller unit 202: water storage unit

204: nutrient storage unit 206: culture medium storage unit

207: ceramic heater 208: first circulation pipe

210: second circulation pipe 212: third circulation pipe

214: pressure pump 216: first support

218: second support 220: planting bed

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims priority under patent application number 119 (a) (35 USC § 119 (a)) to patent application No. 10-2012-0106765 filed with Korea on September 25, 2012. All content is incorporated by reference in this patent application. In addition, if this patent application claims priority for the same reason for countries other than the United States, all its contents are incorporated into this patent application by reference.

Claims

In a stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus to be provided in the plant cultivation system or separately in a separate space and to receive and grow primarily seeded crops,

A power supply unit controlling the external power provided from the outside to provide power for cultivating the crop;

A controller unit controlling some or all of temperature and humidity for growing the crop;

A water supply unit which receives and stores water and nutrient solution from the outside, and circulates the culture solution mixed with the stored water and nutrient solution to a predetermined ratio to provide the crops to the crop;

A cultivation bed structure for supporting a cultivation bed having a multi-stage, multi-row structure in which the crop is grown;

Including at least one artificial light source, including a lighting unit for controlling the part or all of the brightness and frequency of the artificial light source to irradiate the optimum light for cultivating the crop,

Stand-alone plant cultivation device, characterized in that the housing is installed outside the cultivation bed structure to block the external environment.
The method of claim 1,

The first seeded crop is a stand-alone plant cultivation device, characterized in that the crop is grown to the size that the germination is completed through hydroponic cultivation exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
The method of claim 1,

Stand alone plant cultivation apparatus comprising a part or all of the air-conditioning unit for controlling the air conditioning and humidity for cultivating the crop and the temperature and humidity control unit for determining the temperature and humidity inside the housing.
The method of claim 3, wherein

The temperature and humidity controller collects information on temperature and humidity inside the housing through a plurality of sensors, and when the temperature and humidity are different from the optimal temperature and humidity for growing the preset crop based on the collected information. Independent plant cultivation apparatus, characterized in that for generating a control command for maintaining the predetermined optimum temperature and humidity.
The method of claim 4, wherein

When the controller unit receives the control command from the temperature and humidity control unit, independent plant cultivation, characterized in that for controlling the temperature and humidity inside the housing by operating some or all of the air conditioner, heater and humidifier included in the air conditioning unit. Device.
The method of claim 1,

The water supply unit,

A water storage unit for storing the water supply;

A nutrient solution storage unit for storing the nutrient solution;

A culture medium storage unit for storing the culture solution obtained by mixing the water supply and the nutrient solution supplied from the water supply storage unit and the nutrient solution storage unit at a predetermined ratio;

A circulation pipe for supplying the culture solution to the culture bed; And

Pressurized pump for moving the culture liquid to the circulation pipe

Stand-alone plant cultivation device further comprising a.
The method of claim 6,

The circulation pipe,

A first circulation pipe connected to one side of the cultivation bed located at the top of the cultivation bed structure and one side of the culture medium storage part to move the culture medium to the cultivation bed located at the top end;

A second circulation pipe connected to the other side of the cultivation bed located at the top end and to one side of the cultivation bed located at the bottom of the cultivation bed at the top end, and connected to the cultivation bed at each end to move the culture solution; And

A third circulation pipe connected to one side of the cultivation bed positioned at the bottom of the cultivation bed structure and the other side of the culture medium storage part to move the culture medium to the culture medium storage part;

Stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus comprising a.
The method of claim 1,

The cultivation bed structure,

A cultivation bed having a groove for transplanting the first seeded crop at a predetermined distance and having a structure in which the culture solution is circulated therein;

First supports attached to both sides of the housing; And

A second support installed on the first support and provided with a groove for penetrating the circulation pipe and supporting the cultivation bed;

Stand-alone plant cultivation apparatus comprising a.
The method of claim 8,

Independent planting device, characterized in that the cultivation bed is inclined at a predetermined angle to circulate the culture medium.
The method of claim 1,

Independent planting apparatus, characterized in that the lighting unit is attached to the upper end of the housing and the lower end of the cultivation bed.
The method of claim 10,

The lighting unit uses an LED module made of a printed circuit board (PCB) that is separated or coupled in consideration of expandability according to the overall length of the housing, and the brightness and brightness of the LED used as the artificial light source in the LED module. Stand alone plant cultivation device characterized in that for irradiating the optimum light for growing the crop by controlling some or all of the frequency.
The method of claim 1,

The housing includes a flat plate made of a transparent material of some or all of the tempered glass and stainless steel on the front and side of the housing, the independent plant cultivation apparatus further comprises an openable door on the front of the housing.