WO1999051079A2

WO1999051079A2 - Artificial system to grow plants

Info

Publication number: WO1999051079A2
Application number: PCT/BR1999/000024
Authority: WO
Inventors: Elson Dias Da Silva
Original assignee: Elson Dias Da Silva
Priority date: 1998-04-04
Filing date: 1999-04-05
Publication date: 1999-10-14
Also published as: WO1999051079A3; BR9803687A

Abstract

Controlled artificial system, portable or standing (underground, surface, or hanging) to cultivate vegetable in a solid granular medium with self-controlled and adjustable unsaturation. It is claimed the development of a simple or automatic system where vegetables of any size are grown artificially in a closed solid-liquid phase with a constant water and air supply to the roots in appropriate physicochemical conditions to plants. The system consists of an upper solid medium compartment (1) for root growing and support, a lower water reservoir (8), and a continuous capillary interface between the two compartments by a flexible capillary device (Flexicar) preventing saturated conditions to the system. The solid medium compartment is closed in the top by a layer of coarse particles preventing capillary rise, forcing the water to leave the system mainly by evapotranspiration of the plant. Optional devices for water recharge (7) and draining of leachate are suggested to increase efficiency and handling. Outdoor modules allow collection of runoff, abundant or scarce, to be stored and used under low cost.

Description

DESCRIPTION ARTIFICIAL SYSTEM TO GROW PLANTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION - This invention is related to gardening, landscape gardening, plant physiology, hydrogeology, physicochemistry of soils, production and market of alive plants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION - All plants need a constant water supply. Natural uneven water supply is solved by storing water in the plant itself or in the soil. Also, some plants were adapted to live straight over water bodies. Because of infiltration and gravity pull after precipitation, most water moves downward in the soil profile. However, water properties of adhesion and wettability make water move upward in a porous medium by the physical process known scientifically as capillary action. The restrictions of modeling systems to supply vater to plants using capillarity action are physicochemical variations that normally occur in the soil in the transition of a saturated medium (under water table) to unsaturated medium (above the water table). Since the soil is not inert chemically, the aquic conditions impose deep chemical redox changes making the liquid medium highly reductor, changing the solubility of some chemical elements (Vepraskas, 1992; Richardson and Daniels, 1993) and spoiling plants not adapted to such conditions. Then, the soil is a chemical system highly complex (Lindsay, 1979) where dissolution and precipitation of the solid phase controls the relationship of solubility in the aquic medium. Consequently, the soil is not a steady capillary linkage between underground water to unsaturated soil to cultivate most plants (Brazil Pat. PI9303689-2 and PI9202743-1) not adapted to these specific conditions. Since this problem is well known by soil scientists (Hillel, 1980), most common solutions for water supply to plants are employed by surface irrigation. Most technical restrictions are special conditions from water bodies affecting the soil by a shallow water table. The soil just above the water table have unsaturated conditions from the capillary rise occurring also air between the soil particles. Then, just above the water table there is a high rate of air supplying oxygen to the plant roots and to biological degradation processes. However, below the water table the soil is saturated and very little soluble oxygen is available in the water. This soluble oxygen is quickly consumed by the respiratory processes of microorganisms following an anaerobical degradation. Because of the lack of oxygen (02) as electron acceptor in the oxidative chain, other acceptors are used. Soluble nitrate (NO3-) is reduced to nitrogen gas (N2) by denitrification processes and occur losses of nitrogen from the system. Compost minerals of manganese oxide (Mn(III)) and iron (Fe(HI)) are reduced and their solubility in the system changes. The reduction order is the following: O2, NO3-, Mn oxide (HI or VI), and finally iron oxide (III) (Vepraskas, 1992). The soil under saturated conditions become a strong reducer leading to nitrogen losses from the system, changes the solubility of iron and manganese oxides leading to their translocation (Richardson and Daniels, 1993) in the liquid medium, and changing physicochemical properties of the soil system. Some plants not adapted to these conditions develop deleterious effect associated to the toxicity of ions of chemical composts as ferrous, manganous, and sulfidric, and also the products of anaerobic degradation as methane. Also, the nitrification becomes restrained reducing nitrogen availability to plant and increase root disease, mainly caused by fungus. In this case, the soil becomes a highly restricted way to conduct water by capillarity because of inappropriate conditions for most plants (Hillel, 1980). In the case of Irrigation System by Capillarity to Vegetal (BR Pat. PI9303689-2), the technical restrictions for a generalized application are the following: 1. Occurrence of saturated soil and formation of reducing conditions which affect the soil physicochemical processes leading to risks of toxicity to plants not adapted to such conditions and increases over time; 2. Difficulty to maintain the capillary continuity resulted from the salt buildup from irrigation, blocking water movement by accumulation of particles in the conductor, and interruption of soil structure by bores of small animals living in the soil. This invention is not appropriate to use as portable or domestic. The most restrained condition is a lack of a proper mechanism to connect the liquid and porous solid phase by capillary. For portable and domestic use this invention was improved (BR Pat. PI9202743-1) adopting a tube containing soil to connect the water compartment with an upper compartment with soil. This mechanism try to imitate nature and shows practical restrictions due to a natural difficulty to keep a connection between the compartments by a capillary continuity which can be interrupted easily leading to a complete failure of the system. If this system is used standing alone and left undisturbed by movements may work partially for some adapted plants. Example of plants adapted to suclTconditions

water bodies. Neverffieless, saturated soil under water table will present several physicochemical and biological effects becomiπgTmproper for a long and generalized use. These two inventions have physicochemical restrictions factor in the soil becoming scientifically improper for industrial exploration.

Upward movement only occurs if there is a continuous capillary connection of water from the lower compartment to the upper soil compartment. A soil column does not supply a steady capillary continuity to resist handling, transport, and prevent mineral translocation in the solid system. This occur because the soil is a granular not continuous media susceptible to rupture and compaction by vibration of handling and transportation, and constant physicochemical transformation. Even so, its implementation has practical restrictions related to the physicochemical and biological characteristics of soils. The soil contains expandable clays, organic compounds^~m several stages of decomposition, growth of small animals boring the system ans risking the function of the porous medium for water transmissibility. The soil is very efficient naturally for a massive water conduction, but when reduced to tubular small portions subject to vibration becomes an unsafe mechanism for irrigation using capillary action for plants needing handling and portability. Soil has distinct properties when wet, saturated or unsaturated, and the clays would translocate in the lower compartment because of its macroscopic size and variable solubility. With time/the soil column can have its continuity interrupted internally because of several problems above mentioned and frustrate a capillary irrigation. INVENTION OBJECTIVES - To set a controlled system for artificial cultivation of plants having a water deposit underneath, a solid media above (soil or any non toxic granular media) having permanent unsaturated conditions with ascendent gradient. It has constant ratios of solid, air, and water for a proper rooting and mechanical support of plant roots, and a robust capillary connection (Flexicar) for water translocation between the two compartments (saturates to unsaturated). It resists to handling and transportation and is inert chemically. Transmissibility of water is better than the discontinuous porous systems, becoming malleable and easy to implement, having a continuous connection with the liquid medium and a high interface of connection to the unsaturated solid medium (Jury et al., 1991). The synthetic capillary device, flexible and hanging (Flexicar) has a perfect contact with the liquid medium and the solid medium making the unsaturated transmissibility of water more efficient than the discontinuous porous systems. The liquid medium can be shaken by movements of handling and transportation without changing significantly its physical contact with the Flexicar. If the system is handled or transported, a possible compaction in the solid medium compartment increase the efficiency of the system by improving physical contact of the solid compartment with the solid particles to the Flexicar in the bottom. Since the Flexicar is flexible and hanging in the liquid medium, its capillary interaction and continuity is maintained by a better water contact. This invented system becomes highly appropriated for standing use, transportation, and handling without spoiling its functionality. Since mechanical vibration are beneficial and recommended to the assembling process^~to accommodate the solid particles and increase the physical contact with the Flexicar. Efficiency and practicability of capillary action use depends highly on its continuity to transport controlled water to places required. This can be implemented observing the lateral and ascendent transmissibility potential. Optional devices can be added to assure improve functionality or usefullness to the system under several conditions applied. INVENTION ADVANTAGES - 1. Water deposit that allows a high autonomy of water supply independently of water regimes of precipitation or operator maintenance. This autonomy depends on the storage size, water requirements of plants, and local microclimate for evapotranspiration. The water compartment can be connected to a water pipe for automatic refill. 2. Better plant performance: I. Constant water supply; II. Mineral nutrients supplied in balanced ratios; III. Continuous rooting aeration. IV. Lower disturbance of human intervention by lower plant handling. 3. Prevention of compaction of the solid; medium (soil) by maintenance of a constant matrix pressure of soil avoiding natural processes of wetting and drying. Solid medium compartment has a more appropriate format to prevent vertical compression force which occurs on conic pots as gravity pull combined to wetting (expansion) and drying (compression) leads to soil compaction. Better vertical balance because the base is larger than the top, making it safer and easier for handling.

4. Enhanced phytosanitary and physiological (flowering, fruiting, and vegetative growth) control of plants because of a direct control of the absorption water.

5. The system is complex in its natural functioning, but can be simplified in its practical application for having a low cost of production and maintenance.

6. The system allows since domestic usage to ornamental plants up to agricultural industrial systems and silviculture of large size plants and artificial applied control to scientific research.

7. Mainly for domestic application, water supplied to plants in closed compartments prevents proliferation of mosquitoes as the larvae develop in stagnant water of common pots. These larvae are potentially hosts of transmissible diseases like dengue, malaria, yellow fever, etc.

8. Increase the usage of ornamental plant grow by having more facility on plant husbandry. It does not require a constant watering, but only occasional refill of water compartment or automatic recharge and regular plant maintenance. Water is uptaken by plant according to its need and response to the solid medium in the same speed of absorption, leading the operator only to recognize the need of water refill in the compartment. 9. Improvement of marketing, transportation, and storage of alive plants in all sizes, types, vegetative stages because of a complete portability of water supply and nutrients. The consumer acceptance will increase due to acquisition of a product having a higher efficiency and continuity of its beauty and natural aesthetic, in addition to its easy operation and handling.

10. Ecological and cultural education associated to a demonstration of evident physical processes of nature interacting with the vegetal. Larger systems and controlled can be implanted in places for public attraction, education, or research. Large size plants could be implemented in this system following physiological plant characteristics and appropriate dimensions of system components.

11. Improvement of agricultural production in regions of temperate, arid, or semi-arid climate where water resources are scarce and need a better usage; Underground storage filled by draining process and posterior water availability increasing water efficiency by plants and reduction of surface evaporation losses. Underground systems would easy its applicatiori in regions of cold climate where seasonal surface freezing result in technical restrictions to conventional surface irrigation.

12. Increase agricultural production by adopting agricultural systems having a water regime steady and automatic.

13. Improving agricultural production of high economic value products justifying investments for the adoption of this artificial system to grow plants.

14. Environmental preservation by higher facility of vegetal growth in general and lower requirement of agricultural land for food production.

ADVANCED TECHNICAL EFFECT - Ideal system of controlled growing of plants artificially where two natural compartments, the water reservoir and solid medium (soil), are connected vertically by capillarity. This connection employs the Flexicar which is a cylindrical capillary conductor, flexible, chemically inert. It is an artificial medium non existing in nature. Longevity and efficiency of the system depends on the quality of materials used, technical assembling and maintenance adopted: It also depends on physiological knowledge of plants and their nutritional requirements, climate preferences, resistance to handling and transport, and adequate condition supplied for rooting in the solid medium. Plants have uniform and continuous conditions in the rooting medium actually non existent in nature. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION - The main component parts are the following: 1. Solid Medium Compartment: This compartment is used to contain the granular solid part in a closed system standing always above the liquid part. The top should be larger than the bottom in order to prevent compaction of the solid medium by gravity pull. The bottom can be slightly unlevelled to promote a better water drainage avoiding saturated conditions. Squared formats allow conjugated horizontal composition in automatic systems. In underground systems, the solid compartment is lain straight over the soil. In hanging systems, the solid medium compartment is used for vertical support.

2. Solid Medium: Porous granular medium for rooting support of plants and for water transport from the Flexicar to the plant root system. It can be homogeneous, heterogeneous, or compartmented (transversely, longitudinally, or radially (circularly or transversely)) in order to supply ideal conditions of solid-liquid-gas to the roots attending specific plant requirements The distribution of solid-liquid-gas depends on the type and spatial arrangement of the material used.

3. Liquid Medium Compartment: Colored, opaque, or transparent compartment made of plastic, pottery, glass, or any impermeable material and non toxic to plants. In automatic systems (industrial) or simple (domestic), the liquid medium compartment can serv to multiple solid medium compartments, joined or connected, and can have a water level regulated by the Capillary Gradient Controller in several dimensions and attaching format. The liquid medium compartment can be reduced in size and lose its function of support for underground systems or similar. This compartment can be of any size according to its expected autonomy of irrigation, plant requirements, climatic conditions, etc.

4. Liquid Medium: Pure water, or added of mineral nutrients, or added of any important substances to the working of the system. The water level should always be the closest possible to the base of the solid medium in order to reduce the vertical water gradient of capillarity rise. Use of buoy and/or piping to keep a constant water level is recommended for automatic and/or controlled systems. A system of buoy^~tσ control (Capillary Gradient Controller) different levels vertically allows an intended variation of capillary fringe height, also any temporary interruption of water rise. 5. Attachment of Compartments: The attachment can be of several formats (screwing, pressure, overlying, etc.) for supporting (ascending or descending) and sealing the two compartments together to prevent water evaporation with consequent salt build up in the internal parts of the system. The compartments can be attached in several ways observing the importance of the structure of the device and capacity of sealing the water compartment. The type of attachment will follow the size of compartments and nature of materials used according physical resistance always caring for practical operation of water refill and operation safety.

6. Flexible Capillary Device - Flexicar: It contains two distinct layers (Graphic Design 3/4), one constriction layer and one transmitter layer. It is a capillary device made of filaments of flexible material having hydrophilic fibers having high transmissibility by capillarity. Its insertion in the lower part of solid compartment, simple or multiple (well distributed), should be tight in order to prevent root penetration though the hole.

Synthetic material must be used for lasting longer and being resistant to microorganisms degradation in suspension or in the solid medium.

7. Water Level Indicator: Optional device suggested for opaque pots. The goal is to show the water level indicating needed action for water refill. It can be made of plastic or glass, or another translucid material, considering appropriate consistency and aesthetics of the water compartment. It is suggested to be as closer as possible to the wall to prevent breaking by accident. If it has a scale will facilitate quantitative observation of water level changing. In automatic systems the water level indicator can be independent. More complex systems can adopt a Capillary Gradient Controller.

8. Capillary Rise Breaker: Layer of larger particle size (coarse sand, gravel, etc.) to break capillary rise before reaching the surface, preventing water evaporation, and making a closed system for the solid-liquid medium. This is important to^~reduce water losses and prevention of salt buildup in the surface.

9. Drain of Leachate: Optional device, but considered very important to outdoor and automatic systems. Helps to remove excess of salts not absorbed by the plant and also to drain excessive water from precipitation avoiding saturated condition to the system. The drain should have small holes to allow only water pass through and retain particles of solid medium and roots. The drains can direct excessive rain water to storage for decanting and/or treatment. Stored water is reused later in the same system level or descendent below according to topography. The drain should be positioned closer to the bottom of the solid compartment to remove most the excessive water. 10. Recharge Device: Optional device very important to recharge water to the system, mainly to hanging, underground, or large pot size. It is highly recommended for automatic systems where water can be piped in continuously. The recharge device can be connected to a hydraulic pipe or local supply for a constant water level using the Capillary Gradient Controller.

11. Flexicar Microtubule: (Flexicar 3/4) Microscopic tubules that forms between synthetic microfibers having ideal conditions to translocate water by capillary action. Its efficiency increases by longitudinal disposition, continuity, and reduced dimension to ease molecular interaction of liquid phase with the porous solid phase in unsaturated medium.

12. Transmitter Layer: (Flexicar 3/4) Internal component layer of Flexicar having longitudinal fine fibers to make capillary microtubules for water translocation.

13. Constriction Layer: (Flexicar 3/4) External component layer of Flexicar having fine fibers threaded longitudinally or afflceTn σrdertσ promote constriction and" supportrfor the internal Transmitter Layer.

14. Display Indicator of Water Level: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Display with a device to show the water level in the liquid medium compartment, and also to allow its regulation.

15. Percussion of Leveling: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Device to connect the movable gear to the Display Indicator of Water Level.

16. Buoy: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Floating element to trigger the device that controls water input as response to water level decrease. 17. Cable of Buoy Rising: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Flexible cable connecting the Buoy and the Water Input Controller passing through both the fixed and movable gears.

18. Movable Gear: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Gear that allows tuning of vertical distance between the Buoy and the Water Input Controller holding any water level steady for a constant supply.

19. Fixed Gear: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Fixed gear to support the of buoy rising.

20. Water Input Controller: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Device to control water input to the system in response to the elevation of the buoy by floating forces.

21. Water Output: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Place for water discharge of Capillary Gradient Controller.

22. Water Input: (Capillary Gradient Controller 4/4) Place for water recharge of Capillary Gradient Controller. INDUSTRIAL USAGE - Since this invention has a potential to revolutionize the conception of growing, marketing, and transport of alive plants, many industrial application are derived and some examples are discussed below: 1. Production, Transportation, Marketing, and Growing of Alive Ornamental Plants: Plants are cultivated in pots having a compartment for rooting and another compartment to store water. Nutrients can be supplied in the water or in the solid medium (soil). Water supply to plants is continuous and uniform according to particular requirements of each plant. This occur during their grow, transportation, sale display, and also in the end to consumers. Reduction of consumer frustration associated to purchasing an alive plant difficult to handle at home for not offereing the same watering procedures of horticultural industry. Consumer will have only a small task to recharge water periodically. African violets (table), ferns (hanging), anthurium (floor), etc. can be purchased in complete units having water deposit to last from few weeks to several moths. Easy recharge operation will reduce problems associated of common watering that requires a constant attention and leads to leaching off, mainly hanging plants. The process of common watering is difficult because the downward movement of water is imperfect, and a dry surface of traditional pots creates a water repellent layer deviating the water out.

2. Industrial Production of Capila System and their Applications: The system can be manufactured in several sizes, forms, colors, and materials. Applied devices for water recharge will be produced in order to facilitate water recharge. Formula of mineral nutrients as solid or liquid will be developed to attend a wide range of plants and their nutritional requirements in several physiological stages. Important vegetal hormones for flowering, rooting or fruiting will be available to the public because of its easy application for specific jξoals.

3. Automatic Agricultural Industrial Systems for Vegetal Production: Underground, surface, or even hanging systems will be automatized for vegetal production. The advantage of this invention is the possibility of implementing an irrigation system that water is harvested from rain, stored locally in the landscape and used later in the rain spells by gravimetric processes and capillarity not demanding mechanical or electricity power. This system would be useful in poor and distant regions, arid or semi-arid, where scarce water needs to be collected, stored, and made available to plant use at high efficiency and low cost. Problems associated to salt buildup will be ameliorated by reducing the surface evaporation and removal of excessive salts by regular watering and drainage of leachate. Underground systems will have greater efficiency because of buried material are protected against sun light and only plants will be exposed to weathering and evapotranspiration processes. Agricultural systems of high value products, like horticulture, will have more rentability adopting this automatized water regime thoroughly controlled.

4. Tourism and Architectural Landscaping: Hanging, surface, and underground systems will be displayed to the public as educational and/or commercial attraction. Large size plants cultivated in hanging compartments should attract attention of people because of a possibility of admitting its artificial grow. This would lead to a more interest in growing domestic and commercial plants. Safe gallery to access the whole plant (Brazil-Nut, Mahogany, Fig Tree, etc.) from the roots up to the canopy for visiting. Tunnel systems would allow the exploration of a large rooting system of a large plant.

5. Education: In the school, physicochemical and biological processes acting like an ecosystem and their role in the plant cultivation will be studied growing small plants using this artificial system. Bibliography Cited:

Hillel, D. 1980. Introduction to soil physics. Academic Press, New York, 365 p. Jury, W. A.; W. R. Gardner; W. H. Gardner. 1991. Soil physics. 5th ed. JohrriViley, New York, 328 p. Lindsay, W. L. 1981. Solid phase-solution equilibria in soils. In: Chemistry in the soil environment. ASA-SSSA. Madison, p. 183-202. Richardson, J. I.; R. B. Daniels. 1993. Statigraphic and hydraulic influences on soil. In: Soil Color. J. M. Bigham; E. J. Ciolkoz. SSSA, Madison, p. 109-126. Vepraskas, M. J. 1992. Redoximoφc features for identifying aquic conditions. North Caroline Estate University, Raleigh, 33 p.

Claims

1. An artificial system to grow plants being portable or standing, characterized by a hanging and flexible capillary interface (Flexicar) to connect continuously by capillarity a lower water compartment saturated and an upper, compartment of granular solid medium having unsaturated conditions for root growing and support.

2. An underground artificial system for plant grow characterized by an underground granular solid medium compartment, water compartment, and adjustable mechanisms to supply water by a hanging and flexible capillary interface (Flexicar) and other mechanisms for an adequate functioning.

3. A flexible Capillary Device, here called Flexicar, characterized by a disposition of an external constriction layer and another internal transmitter layer, both having synthetic fibers, hygroscopic and very fine.

4 A Capillary Gradient Controller characterized by a mechanism of interrupting of water input flow according to action triggered by a buoy of rise tunable by a system of gears and a percussion for visual display.