WO2022075847A1

WO2022075847A1 - A method of growing plants in a confined space, and a container

Info

Publication number: WO2022075847A1
Application number: PCT/NL2021/050608
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerrit Johannes VAN STAALDUINEN
Original assignee: Logiqs B.V.
Priority date: 2020-10-08
Filing date: 2021-10-07
Publication date: 2022-04-14
Also published as: NL2026644B1; EP4225019A1

Abstract

A method of growing plants in a confined space, said method using - a plurality of containers for supporting plants, and - a system for storing the containers within the confined space for growing the plants, said system comprising one or more layers for storing the containers on tracks, they layers comprising array elements having a light source. The method comprises the steps of - moving a container along a track to store said container, and - growing the plants in the containers. To enhance the productivity of the above method of growing plants, the container comprises an upright container wall extending above the structure for supporting plants, said container wall comprising a reflective area facing the plants.

Description

A method of growing plants in a confined space, and a container The present invention relates to a method of growing plants in a confined space, said method using - a plurality of containers for supporting plants, a container comprising a frame, said frame comprising a structure for supporting plants, and said container comprising - a first container side, - a second container side opposite of the first container side, and - a third container side and a fourth container side, said third container side and fourth container side extending from the first container side to the second container side; and - a system for storing the containers within the confined space for growing the plants, said system - comprising a layer, said layer comprising a two-dimensional array of elements for storing the containers, said array having - a first side, - a second side opposite of the first side, and - a third side and a fourth side, said third side and fourth side extending from the first side to the second side; wherein the array elements of the array of elements comprise - a track section allowing transport of a container in a direction transverse to the first side, and - a light source; wherein the method comprises the steps of - providing a track section of a track with a container, - moving said container along said track to store said container, - adjacent to a further container of said plurality of containers, said further container being in said layer and being on one of i) the same track as the container or ii) an adjacent track, and - below the light source of the array element having received said container; - growing the plants in the containers. A method of growing plants in a confined space, such as a greenhouse, is known in the art. The confined space involves a substantial investment, and it is desirable to optimize the use of surface area in the confined space so as to increase the yield of plants, which may be of any type (ornamental, herbs, vegetables, plants bearing seeds or fruits of any kind). As walking space between containers would reduce the surface area for growing plants, it is known to put the plants in containers and place the containers adjacent to each other in an array. To save on labour cost, it is known to use a grid of tracks. There is a constant need to improve the productivity of such a method. The object of the present invention is to enhance the productivity of the above method of growing plants. To this end, a method according to the preamble is characterized in that the container comprises an upright container wall extending above the structure for supporting plants, said container wall comprising a reflective area facing the plants. This helps to achieve an improved yield of plants, improved control over the growth of plants supported by a container and/or reduced cost of lighting. In the present application and in conjunction with reflective area, reflective means that at the highest intensity of the light source in the wavelength range from 350 to 800 nm at least 40% of the light is reflected if said light of said wavelength were to hit the surface perpendicularly, preferably at least 50% and more preferably at least 60%. The reflection may be specular or diffusive reflection. The reflective area of an upright container wall will have a height of at least 5 cm, preferably at least 10 cm, more preferably at least 15 cm. Advantageously the total wall area of the upright container wall is reflective. In the method according to the invention, moving of containers can be done using any method known in the art. For example, the tracks may be provided with driven wheels, use may be made of a shuttle vehicle that pulls or drags a container along a track, a carrier provided against an upright wall of the confined space, or a combination thereof. The light source will typically comprise an array of lamps, such as LED lamps. An array element may be a module, wherein each module is capable of housing one or more containers. A modular approach allows for convenient building of the array but it may also be advantageous if components are shared by two or more array elements. Typically in a system according to the present invention, there is a plurality of levels of two-dimensional arrays of elements, each comprising a track. In conjunction with modules, a track is an example of a component that may extend over multiple modules. The structure for supporting plants is for example a subframe or a surface. According to a favourable embodiment, at least a container side adjacent to an adjacent track comprises an upright container wall. Here the gap between containers is typically the largest, and thus there would be a larger loss of light. Said light could nevertheless hit plants of another container, which may be at a different stage of a light-dark cycle and therefore this could interfere with the growth conditions in said other container. According to a favourable embodiment, two adjacent sides of the container comprise an upright container wall, both sides of the upright container wall comprising a reflective area. When the containers are placed in an array, two adjacent sides will help to shield containers from each other. If desired, array elements at a side of the array may be provided with an upright container wall capable of reflecting light back to containers oriented such that they lack an upright container wall at said side of the array. More sides provided with a container wall may also help to avoid damage to plants near the circumference of the container when the container is moved, as the stems and other non-root plant parts are contained within the area of the container and thus will not protrude. According to a favourable embodiment, all four container sides of a container comprise an upright container wall comprising a reflective area. Thus the light conditions for that container are controlled to a very large extent, improving crop yield and reducing interference by light from sources other than the light source of the array element. According to a favourable embodiment, at least one container side is lower than at least two container sides comprising the upright container wall. This leaves the container side accessible for manipulation of plants, be it by manual labor or a machine for handling plants or plurality of plants such as a robot. Typically the at least one container side will be at least 10 cm lower, preferably at least 20 cm. The at least one container side may comprise no upright container wall at all. According to a favourable embodiment, the upright container wall comprising the reflective area is at least in part removable. This may be of use for handling plants during preparation of the container for growing plants or for harvesting. It may also be of use for cleaning the upright container wall so as to maintain good reflective properties. According to a favourable embodiment, the system comprises a multitude of layers of two-dimensional arrays of elements. Thus the reflective sides may help to prevent light from interfering with containers not only from the layer the container is in, but also in case of containers at adjacent layers. According to a favourable embodiment, the direction is a second direction, the array elements are second array elements, the track sections are second track sections, and the system comprises first array elements comprising first track sections for allowing the container to be moved in a first direction transverse to the third side. Thus the system allows for the first tracks to be used to move the container in the first direction, to or from a desired second track. Finally, the present invention relates to a container for growing plants using the above method according to any of the claims 1 to 8, said container comprising a frame comprising - a structure for supporting plants, - a first container side, - a second container side opposite of the first container side, and - a third container side and a fourth container side extending from the first container side to the second container side;, wherein at least one container side is provided with an upright container wall, said container wall comprising a reflective area facing the space above the structure for supporting plants. Such a container is of use in the method according to the invention for growing plants, allowing for an improved yield and/or reduced cost of lighting. The invention also relates to any embodiments covered by claims for the method or the discussion thereof in any combination, repetition of which was avoided for the sake of brevity only. The present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the drawing where Fig. 1A to Fig. 1B show a perspective view on a system for growing plants and a detail of a top view of a layer of an array of Fig. 1A; Fig. 2A to Fig. 2C show a perspective view of a system for growing plants; Fig. 3A to Fig. 3C show a front view and a cross-sectional view of two layers of the array of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view on a container; and Fig. 5A to Fig. 5B show a perspective view of a corner of the container of Fig. 3. Fig. 1A shows a perspective view on a system 100 for growing plants 195 in a confined space 199 (which may be a room, a sea container etc.). The system 100 comprises two layers, here layer 180' and layer 180", of two-dimensional arrays, and each two-dimensional array is two array elements 110 wide and five array elements 110 long. An array has - a first side 101, - a second side 102 opposite of the first side 101, and - a third side 103 and a fourth side 104 extending from the first side 101 to the second side 102. Typically the system 100 will comprise a large number of layers 180. In the embodiment shown here, the system comprises first array elements 110' and second array elements 110". First array elements 110' of a layer 180 comprise first track sections 120 defining first tracks 121, wherein the first tracks 121 allow for moving a container (not shown) on flanged wheels 122 in a first direction transverse to the third side 103. The system 100 comprises second array elements 110" comprising second track sections 130 that allow a container (not shown) to be moved along second tracks 131 in a second direction transverse to the first side 101, in order for the container to be provided to a particular second array element 110" (or when the plants have been grown in the container, to retrieve it from the second array element 110"). In the second direction, the container rolls on its own wheels 390 (Fig. 3B), as is known in the art. Fig. 1B shows a detail of a top view of a layer of the system 100 of Fig. 1A. The top view of Fig. 1B shows three containers 190 stored at three second array elements 110", each container 190 provided with 12 trays 191 containing plants 195. The containers 190 are transported by a shuttle 150 over first tracks 121 of first array elements 110' in the first direction, and subsequently over second tracks 131 in the second direction until the container 190 reaches the second array element 110" where it is to be stored. When the containers 190 are stored in the second array element 110", they remain on said second tracks 131. The shuttle 150 moves over first shuttle tracks 160 in the first direction and over second shuttle tracks 170 in the second direction. Fig. 2A to Fig. 2C show perspective views of second array elements 110" of the the system 100 for growing plants 195 with an climate control unit 299. Each second array element 110" houses two containers 190 comprising an upright container wall 250 extending above a structure 330 for supporting plants (not visible). In Fig. 2A and 2C the upright container wall 250 comprising a reflective area is in a relatively high position, while in Fig. 2B the upright container wall 250 is in a relatively low position. A second array element 110" comprises second tracks 131 allowing transport of a container 190 transverse to the first side 101, and a light source 320, here LEDs (Fig. 2C shows cones of light emanating from the LEDs). To grow plants 195, - a container 190 is moved in the second direction, and - the plants 195 are grown at said second array element 110" under the light source 320 (Fig. 3B) of the second array element 110" having received said container 190. Fig. 3A shows a front view and Fig. 3B to Fig. 3C show a cross-sectional view of two layers 180 of the array of Fig. 1 with a climate control unit 299. In Fig. 3A the reflective upright container walls 250 are in the relatively high position, and a shuttle 150 is shown on second tracks 170 to move container 190' in the second direction to the second array element 110" where it will be stored. Fig. 3B and 3C show cross-sectional views of two layers 180 of the array of Fig. 1, wherein second array elements 110" are visible with a light source 320 illuminating the plants 195 growing in the containers 190. Fig. 3B shows a shuttle 150 delivering the container 190' to the second array element 110" for storage of the container 190', while in Fig. 3C the shuttle 150 has left the second array element 110" after delivery of the container 190'. Plants 195 are located on a support structure 330 of the container 190. The support structure 330 is typically a plate or a plate with holes for receiving potted plants 195. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view on two containers 190 according to the present invention, comprising the support structure 330 loaded with plants 195 (potted seeds). In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the containers 190 comprise on both short sides 451 and on both long sides 452 an upright container wall 250 comprising a reflective area extending above the structure 330 for carrying plants 195. Said container walls 250 comprise white, reflective main sides facing the plants 195. In the embodiment shown here, at a long side 452 the upright container wall 250 comprises two wall sections 450', 450", wherein the upper wall section 450" can be lowered with respect to the lower wall section 450', providing easier access to inside of the container 190 when preparing the container 190 for growing plants or for harvesting plants after growing the plants. In alternative embodiments the upper wall section 450" may hinge, or may even be removable. Fig. 5A to Fig. 5B show a perspective view of a corner of a frame 591 of the container 190 of Fig. 4, with a frame beam 510 of the system 100. Upright profiles 550 at the corners of the container 190 comprise longitudinally extending slots 551 for receiving edges of the reflective container wall sections 450', 450" of the long upright container wall 550a and the short upright container wall 550b. The inside wall of the upright container wall sections 450', 450" are reflective (white) to enhance plant growth. The container wall sections 450', 450" comprise flanges 552 that provide rigidity to the container wall sections 450', 450". In the present embodiment, a pin 570 inserted in a hole of the upright profile 550 is used for keeping the reflective container wall section 450" in a high position relative to the reflective container wall section 450' extending from the structure 330 for supporting plants 195 (Fig. 5B). In Fig. 5C shows a detail of a cross section of a container 190 with plants 195 and tray 191 for supporting the plants 195, wherein the reflective container wall section 450" is in an intermediate position while being lowered to give access to the space inside the container 190.

Claims

C L A I M S 1. A method of growing plants (195) in a confined space (199), said method using - a plurality of containers (190) for supporting plants (195), a container (190) comprising a frame (591), said frame (591) comprising a structure (330) for supporting plants (195), and said container (190) comprising - a first container side (451), - a second container side opposite of the first container side (451), and - a third container side (452) and a fourth container side, said third container side (452) and fourth container side extending from the first container side (451) to the second container side; and - a system (100) for storing the containers (190) within the confined space (199) for growing the plants (195), said system (100) - comprising a layer (180), said layer (180) comprising a two-dimensional array of elements (110) for storing the containers (190), said array having - a first side (101), - a second side (102) opposite of the first side (101), and - a third side (103) and a fourth side (104), said third side (103) and fourth side (104) extending from the first side (101) to the second side (102); wherein the array elements (110) of the array of elements (110) comprise - a track section allowing transport of a container (190) in a direction transverse to the first side (101), and - a light source (320); wherein the method comprises the steps of - providing a track section of a track with a container (190), - moving said container (190) along said track to store said container (190), - adjacent to a further container (190) of said plurality of containers (190), said further container (190) being in said layer (180) and being on one of i) the same track as the container (190) or ii) an adjacent track, and - below the light source (320) of the array element (110") having received said container (190); - growing the plants (195) in the containers (190); characterized in that the container comprises an upright container wall (250) extending above the structure (330) for supporting plants (195), said container wall (250) comprising a reflective area facing the plants (195). 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a container side (451, 452) adjacent to an adjacent track comprises an upright container wall (250). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two adjacent sides of the container (190) comprise an upright container wall (250), both sides of the upright container wall (250) comprising a reflective area. 4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein all four container sides of a container (190) comprise an upright container wall (250) comprising a reflective area. 5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one container side is lower than at least two container sides comprising the upright container wall (250). 6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the upright container wall (250) comprising the reflective area is at least in part removable. 7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system (100) comprises a multitude of layers (180) of two-dimensional arrays of elements (110). 8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the direction is a second direction, the array elements (110) are second array elements (110"), the track sections are second track sections (130), and the system (100) comprises first array elements (110') comprising first track sections (120) for allowing the container (190) to be moved in a first direction transverse to the third side (103). 9. A container (190) for growing plants (195) using the above method according to any of the claims 1 to 8, said container (190) comprising a frame (591) comprising - a structure (330) for supporting plants (195), - a first container side (451), - a second container side opposite of the first container side (451), and - a third container side (452) and a fourth container side extending from the first container side (451) to the second container side; wherein at least one container side (451, 452) is provided with an upright container wall (250), said container wall (250) comprising a reflective area facing the space above the structure (330) for supporting plants (195).