WO2013126023A1

WO2013126023A1 - A plant growth system and monitoring method

Info

Publication number: WO2013126023A1
Application number: PCT/TR2012/000227
Authority: WO
Inventors: Serhat ÖZENÇ
Original assignee: Vendeka Bilgi Teknolojileri Ticaret Limited Şirketi
Priority date: 2012-02-21
Filing date: 2012-12-25
Publication date: 2013-08-29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plant growth system and a plant growth monitoring method to be used in growing plants. The present invention aims to develop a plant growth system that shall establish the most suitable living conditions by checking the light, humidity and temperatures in order to provide an environment in compliance with the illumination, humidity, and temperature profiles specific to a plant. The invention also aims to provide plant growth wherein efficiency higher than normal is supplied by means of intervening with the above mentioned values specific to a plant. Again another aim of the monitoring system subject to the invention, is to follow up and observe the differences of the results of the plant growth studies; which are carried out differently from normal values, and values that have been estimated beforehand.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A PLANT GROWTH SYSTEM AND MONITORING METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to a plant growing system and plant growth monitoring method used in growing plants.

PRIOR ART

Nowadays, the nutrition need increasing parallel to the world population, the changing nutrition understanding and the dramatic rise in nutrition prices as a result of the increasing search for variety, has made the technical and technology development relating to forced agricultural applications more important.

In forced agricultural applications, the importance of using technique and technology more efficiently, in order to decrease the harvesting periods, to increase yield and profits, to create product variety, to decrease costs and to use energy more efficiently is known. At this point, new techniques and technologies are being developed regarding issues such as production consistency, shorter production times, and growing more varieties of products.

A patent application submitted regarding this issue is the patent application belonging to the Company Philips numbered US2010076620A1. In this patent application the light that the plants need is submitted to the plant in accordance with a wavelength and it is monitored constantly to see if the plant is carrying out a photosynthesis process or not. The intensity of light given to the plant according to the photosynthesis speed of the plant is then adjusted accordingly.

Together with this, the light intensity that the plant needs and the hardware that provide lighting in relation to the wavelength are described in other patent documents. One of these has been described in the patent application numbered WO2011135576A2. Aim of the Invention

This invention enables the most basic values that play a key role in growing plants and that may change in connection with the plant type and growth phase such as light, temperature, humidity, C02, irrigation and fertilization to be continuously measured and monitored. Another important aspect of the control system is that it enables the evaluation of important results via the plant identification files within the agricultural database in which the optimum growth profiles necessary for plants identified inside said system is present. The above mentioned measuring and evaluation process cannot contribute to plant growth as long as said process does not actively effect the plant development. For this reason, it is the ultimate aim of the present invention to provide a system with such a database that shall resemble the light, temperature, humidity and the like detailed periodic data of the environmental parameters in the geographic region where each plant grows naturally. With such a guidance, it is ensured for the plant to be grown in the most suitable way known, as all of the environmental parameters in which the plant is being grown in, is then in compliance with the geographical data in the native country of the plant.

It is theoretically and practically possible for the plant to give a more efficient yield and to be harvested in a time out of its normal season by controlling the plant physiology and growth processes. It is possible to establish, such a suitable medium for the plant, according to its type and species and the characteristics requested by the plant, by changing the growth parameters separately for each plant.

With the effect of each changed parameter, the growth profile itself shall also change and it shall be observed that the technical character of the yield shall also change accordingly. With the growth profile applied, the growth profile and the product values shall be matched as a result of recording the technical values of the yield together. With many matches that shall be established in time, a system infrastructure which continues to develop and learn shall be created. Another result that is aimed to be achieved by means of the present invention is to make applications directed to organic agriculture easier by using scientific growing techniques. Continuously following the deviations of environmental factors that can occur due to seasonal differences and by resembling such factors with said system, it is enabled to establish all of the conditions that are necessary to produce a consistent yield.

In different periods of the nutrition industry a solution is presented regarding production consistency by establishing under control, via the continuous fixed growth profiles in terms of the stable product requisites that is needed. Another aim of the plant growth system is to directly follow costs and control said costs. Besides all of these, one of the indirect results of the invention shall be obtaining special yields by means of carrying out organic agricultural applications without genetic interventions by producing products by adjusting the natural environment parameters according to special needs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The plant growing system and monitoring method developed in order to reach the aims of the invention has been illustrated in the attached figures and said figures show the following;

Figure 1 - Is the schematic view of the plant frowing system subject to the invention. Figure 2 - Is the flow diagram of the plant growth monitoring system subject to the invention.

The parts in the figures have each been numbered and their references have been listed below.

Growth system

Growth medium

Central Control System

Database

Quantum sensor 6. Spectral Analyzer

7. C0₂ sensor

8. 0₂ sensor

9. Temperature sensor

10. Humidity sensor

11. Ph sensor

12. Nutrition sensor

13. External environment sensor

14. Energy Analyzer

15. Armature

16. Conditioning Unit

17. C0₂ source

18. Irrigation valve

19. Feeding system

20. Control panel

The plant growth system (1) subject to the invention comprises three basic components. These are, respectively system elements that measure the medium values, compares said values with the required values and match said required values.

The growth medium (2) which creates the controlled and closed environment, in which the components that measure the medium values of the plant growth system (1) (101) comprises the following;

- A quantum sensor (5) that measures the active radiation in terms of photosynthesis positioned in the related locations inside a medium,

- A spectral analyzer (6) that measures the spectral structure of the natural and hybrid light,

- Carbondioxide and oxygen sensors (7,8) that measure the 0₂ and C0₂ concentrations,

- Temperature sensor (9),

- Humidity sensor (10),

- A ph sensor (11) that measures the ph value of the growth culture, - A nutrition sensor (12) that measures the nutrition values for hydrphonic applications; and

- An external medium sensor (13) that measures the temperature, humidity and light values of the external environment; The comparison procedure that compares the values collected (102), following the measurement process, is carried out by the following;

- A central control system (3) to which all the values taken by all of the measurement devices is submitted to; and

- A database (4) which stores the values taken or desired or necessary and uses them as references during a comparison process.

Following the measuring and comparison processes, by the central control system (3) the volume inside the growth medium (2) is brought to the medium values, written in database (4), specific to plants in order to eliminate the differences if any (103). In order to provide this the growth system (1), furthermore comprises the following; - An energy analyzer (14) to which all of the conditioning, lighting etc hardware is connected to,

- An armature (15) that establishes the light value inside a medium with a multi channel or single channel light source.

- A conditioning unit (16) that adjusts the temperature value of the medium, a C0₂ source (17) an irrigation valve (18), a nutrition system (19) and;

- A mobile and/or fixed control panel (20) where all controls and monitoring is carried out.

Real time data which is an initial application of the plant growth system (1) and the assimilation of the medium's values and plant growth monitoring issues have been explained below.

Each plant grows in the best way under climate conditions specific to itself. In the case that plants are grown in the closest possible environment they will have been grown in their natural environments. The equipments necessary to create said climate conditions in a closed growth environment (2) are respectively heaters, humidifiers, air dryers and illimunation equipment. These equipments are used in many growth mediums (2) separately or together and can mantain the temperature and humidity of the medium at a delicate range.

The most important one of the inputs, is light which is a component that is necessary in order to carry out photosynthesis. When looked from the perspective view of the plants, the amount of light DU (Daily kight Integral) and the spectral (SPD- Spectral Power Distribution) structure of the light, play a key role in terms of the performance of the photosynthesis process and the development characteristics of the plant. Plants carry a growth profile in compliance with the environmental conditions of the geography in which they are being grown, nowadays average temperatures, humidity, day times, light profiles and changes that can be seen in the spectral structure of natural light dependant to seasons, reduced to days or even hours belonging to a certain geography are data that can easily be obtained. All temperatures, humidity, light and the like basic conditions belonging to each coordinate in the system infrastructure have been recorded into the system infrastructure with certain mathematical evaluations.

The plant growth system (1) subject to the invention, comprises a data base (4) relating to said collected data, or in other words comprises private identification information regarding the plant. The DLI and SPD values of the light amount that each plant needs to have during growth and the humidity and temperatures said plants should be exposed to is recorded inside the identification information specific to the plant. These recorded data, can be values could be the values the plant is exposed to in its natural geographical environment or said values could be tested values which have been tested for agricultural applications and which have been proven to give high yield. Aside from these values, the system also allows the application of different growth models which have been experienced for forced agricultural applications or applications which are planned to be experienced.

Although the plant needs a certain period of time, climate conditions, and nutrition in order for the plant to complete each phase according to the growth phases of a plant such as germination, growth and ramification, flower development, pollination and fruit formation and fruit growth, it is a scientific fact that certain wave lengths have effects on said phases. With the usage of such data, the quality and quantity of light that the plant needs as it is accustomed to in some phases is established. The system provides the necessary control in order for the artificial light having a different spectral structure that the plant may need in different phases to be created. The speed of photosynthesis which plays a key role in plant development, may show changes in connection with environmental effects such as temperature and the like beyond the trilogy; sufficient amounts of water, carbondioxide and light. Thus the effects on performans of moisture, C02 and water like environmental conditions parallel to these should be examined to check whether they are in limit values or not. The process of photosynthesis, shall slow down in water or C02 or temperature values are not sufficient. Therefore, if any of the components are not sufficient enough, and if other components such as temperature or light are in excess, then this will lead to energy waste. If one of these parameter levels is low or the value is wrong, then the armature (15) is dimmered for the energy conservation (104). Hence, ensuring that the conditions are continuously supplied in terms of the efficiency of the system and controlling if the optimum values are provided or not and measuring photosynthesis velocity (direct or indirect) plays and important role in relation to energy efficiency.

All of the values recorded by, the quantum sensors (5), that measure active radiation in terms of photosynthesis which have been positioned at suitable areas inside the field following the commencement of the breeding period, a spectral analyzer (6) that measures the spectral structure of natural, artificial and hybrid light, carbondioxide and oxygen sensors (7,8) for measuring 0₂ and C0₂ concentrations, temperature sensor (9), humidity sensor (10), ph sensor (11) that measures the ph value of the growth culture, nutrition sensor (12) for hydrophonic applications, an external medium sensor (13) that measures the temperature, humidty and light values of the external environment, and an energy analyzer (14) to which all climate and illumination etc hardware is connected to are measured continuously by the central control system (3). All of the conditions inside this medium is continuously recorded into the system. In the database (4) located inside the central control system, an identification file is present where, besides the basic temperature, light and humidity profiles in geographical conditions in which plants show their ideal growth for different types of plants, the basic conditions necessary in order for the optimum growth trends of plants are recorded. Profiles defined for different growth phases (germination, growth and ramification, flower development, pollination and fruit formation and fruit growth) for forced agricaultal applications aside from the identification files are also present.

The values that are continuously measured by the central control system (3) helps to control the conditions defined in the plant identification files and/or the breeding profile chosen by the user to see if they are properly provided. During the process where growth system (1) is not within the profile limits, the armature (15) which a single channel or multi channel light source that forms the conditions inside the growth medium, makes the conditions of the medium, resemble the definitions within the chosen growth profile via conditioning unit (16) C0₂ source (17) irrigation valve (18) and the hardware that control the nutrition/fertilization system. Said process that enables the medium to resemble necessary environment of the plant is carried out by means of primary values that are included within the development phase of a plant such as;

- The DLI profile of light (total and per hour)

- The spectral structure of light

- Temperature profile

- Humidity profile

And secondary values provided, which are balanced and controlled such as

- Fertilization

- C0₂ fertilization

- Irrigation

In order to provide at an optimum level all of the requirements of plant growth and in order to keep system efficiency as high as possible. Basically the resemblance process, is carried out by controlling the conditioning units (16) (these can be conditioning units, fans, ventilation units or air dryers) in the case of a deviation in the temperatures and humidity observed in a chosen profile, or by controlling the mulit channelled illumination armature (15) in the case of a deviations in light. Armatures (15) are LED, OLED or fluorescent based systems having 3 or more channels which carry out dominant radiation in wavelengths in which maximum absorbance is shown by chlorophyl a and chlorophyl b. Aside from the light amount the spectral structure of the light can also be controlled via the mult^'i channel armature (15) structure. The system algorithym is not only focused on tyring to match the same conditions. The system operates such that all of the primary and secondary parameters are established in a balanced way in order to ensure system efficiency during the matching process for creating maximum efficiency. Thus the system provides for parameters such as light, temperature, C0₂, and water to be established proportional to each other. Increasing the amount of light applied in order to increase photosynthesis speed, is an important aspect, however if a sufficient amount of C0₂ solubility within the medium, the high amount of light applied shall have a very low effect on the velocity of photosynthesis. Similarly, in processes where the temperature values inside a medium is so low that it slows down photosynthesis increasing illumination shall not be helpful to increase the spead of photosynthesis. At points where temperature and carbondioxide are below critical limits, again increasing the amount of light will not be helpful. At this point, how and at which rate, the improved environmental factor (this factor could be light, temperature or even C0₂) affects the speed of photosynthesis will be monitored. Accordingly the C0₂, 0₂ balance within a medium shall be measured and a resemblance process is carried out which is controlled and parallel to the photosynthesis speed of said plant. By this means the forced agricultural application's energy and resource consumption shall be minimized and savings will be achieved. For example at times where the temperature of a medium rises slowly to applu a high light amount will lead to excess energy consumption. Because it will not be possible for the plant to reach ideal photosynthesis speed under non ideal low temperature environments. The growth sytem (1) shall record all of the other measurable data in order to be able to record all of the profile details within a plant growth process. These values are data such as the ph, irrigation and fertilization of growth culture. In growth methods where fast plant growth is observed such as the hydrophonic method, besides photosynthesis speed, the access of plants to nutrition is controlled and the light and temperature values shall be applied at a more controlled way in relation to the present data.

How the most suitable growth profile shall be applied by bringing the medium values of the plant to level with the defined identification file values by using real time data has been explained above. Another embodiment of the invention is to provide a system which shall enable the monitoring and recording of all of the inputs and outputs of the applied growth profile collectively.

The system shall record the below mentioned data applied within the profile infrastructure, as an average, total and instantaneous amount together with time information - Temperature and humidity values

- Dli amount

- Photo period data

- SPD structure

- Instantaneous values of C02 solubility

- All values that are controlled such as irrigation, fertilization etc

- Ph values

- Energy consumption data of equipments used during the resemblance (matching) process.

The application data of the plant growth system (1) are insufficient data, without results. For this reason, parameters such as metresquare, number of seedlings, feritilization values applied manually and the amount of the harvest shall be separately recorded by means of the control panel (20) into the database (4). Thus the central control system (3) shall be able to calculate the cost per unit of a harvest by using all the expenditure data. The performances of the conditioning and armatures (15) that establish the conditions of the medium within the system, can show a decrease in time. As the system continuously performs feedback, the possible decrease of values and performance losses shall be able to be controlled by the central control system (3). The external environment sensors (13) that measure the light, temperature and humidity conditions used within a system infrastructure, are used especially to analyze properly, exactly how successful the system performance of the growth medium (2) is in terms of energy cost analysis, as the resemblance process that shall be applied in such environments, shall also be used in order to determine how much the external environment conditions are suitable for the application of the desired profile.

Standardization and sustainability of quality in production shall be achieved by recording all of these measurements and information to the database (4). The database (4), has a structure that allows the recording of identification information data that are not defined for a plant that the breeder has just started growing. At the same time, the system shall also allow the recording and application and formation of said identification data by following the application data supplied by a customer who has requested a product or even another producer. By this means, it shall be possible to carry out production at such standards determined by an organization controlling said manufacturing process or by a manufacturer who wants to purchase the product produced as a semifinished bulk product and to cultivate said semi finished product.

A plurality of growth mediums (2), shall be able to be monitored, controlled and even intervened to by the purchasers of the yield, or an intermediary or central control mechanism online by this system. By collecting and storing data, it shall be possible through the plant growth system (1) to form a valuable library for the producers. The plant growth system (1) subject to the invention shall allow the management of processes such as storing the above mentioned real time control and application profiles, sharing them, uploading them later on and applying said profiles. However it is not sufficient to cover private harvest needs for each producer to carry out production by using standard data. For example, there may be a need to produce specifically for example flowers which are shorter in height than normal, in order to increase taste and blossoming tomatoes with an increased seed content, and plants whose leaf numbers and sizes have been especially limited.

For this reason instead of being yield or cost focused, in order to perform specific harvest oriented production it is possible to create a different a different embodiment of the plant growth system (1).

Production suitable to such needs, need to be carried out according to different special values instead of known and natural optimum values. In orde to obtain such effects, some times the temperature, some times the lighting period, or some times the amount of light and spectral structure of the light need to be configured differently. Plants which adjust their inner hormone stability according to these values, arrange their leafing, ramification amounts and control the ripening of their fruit. By playing with the spectral structure of light and the amount the inner hormone level of the plant can be affected externally and thus it is possible to shorten the plant growth phases, lengthen said phases or even enable the plant to carry out leafing, ramification and fruit growth processes.

Besides playing with the light adjustments, according to the preference of the breeder, these changes can be triggered by carrying out carbon dioxide supply higher than normal conditions or emitting more intensive light specific to wavelengths from the armatures (15). Thus with the changed C0₂, DLI and SPD values, the specific growth profile for a plant shall be able to be determined.

The obtained growth profiles and outputs then shall be recorded and by means of the plant growth system (1) accessing the testing results that may need to be accessed later on, and being able to produce similar plants shall be enabled.

The growth medium (2), are closed areas usually sealed of with see through materials where light can access the plants from the external environment. However nowadays we do need to be able to breed plants in plant factories having high plant growth areas constructed on relatively low metresquare areas, modular greenhouses and growth rooms. During growing plants in such mediums, as all of the conditions will be from artificial resources, the system algorithym shall directly operate the system based on the configuration that forms the growth profile scenario that has been chosen. In such applications, all of the conditions can be applied in a controlled and sensitive manner. In such infrastructures any kind of data collection device positioned outside will not be needed. Different from greenhousesi the light source will be supplied completely from an artificial source.

For this reason, in the base that the plant growth system (1) is used to grow plants in a medium which is completely sealed off from the external environment, the data used shall only be data supplied by the central control system (3) and controlled through the sensors of the central control system. By the application of the plant identification information profile mentioned above, all processes of recording said applied profile, changing the parameters in order to grow plants specific to certain needs, will be able to be carried out in a closed environment.

Besides this, through the DLI values that show the external environment illumination periods belonging to the previous day if the central control system (3) assumes that the plant shall be able to obtain sufficient amount of light during the day, the armatures (15) can be turned off, or the armatures can be adjusted to emmit light at a certain wavelength in order to trigger/strengthen certain physiological developments. Such type of an operating process shall prevent the unnecessary wasting of energy by inspecting the daily average values of the armatures whose operation has been controlled over instantaneous values mentioned above.

As the invention is focused to provide all of the resources at an optimum level based on all of the approaches regarding production efficiency, said invention also establishes a method infrastructure efficient in terms of energy. As it is already known, all of the parameters which are significant within the system do not have any value on their own.

Claims

1. A plant growth monitoring method, that can be used when growing plants, characterized in that it comprises the following steps;

- Measuring the environmental values of the plant growth system (1) by means of a quantum sensor (5) that measures photosynthetic active radiation, positioned in suitable locations inside the growth medium (2) that creates a controlled and closed environment, a spectral analyzer (6) that measures the spectral structure of the natural, artificial and hybrid light, a temperature sensor (9) and a humidity sensor (10) (101),

- Comparing the collected data following the collection of all data; with the values of the central control system (3) to which the values taken by all of the sensors are submitted to, and the values within the database (3) where the received values, preferred values, or the values that are deemed necessary are stored and are used as references during a comparison (102).

- Following the measurement and comparison steps, bringing the values within the growth medium (2) to the same levels with the environment specific to the plant or in other words the data base (4) values in order to eliminate differences, if there are any (103).

2. A plant growth monitoring method according to claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises the step of, continuously controlling by the carbon dioxide sensor (7) and the oxygen sensor (8) to check if there is sufficient carbon dioxide inside the growth environment and in the case that this component is found to be insufficient or if an error is determined, dimmered the armature (15) for the energy conservation (104).

3. A plant growth monitoring method according to claim 1, characterized in that, it comprises the step of, continuously controlling by the carbon dioxide sensor (7) and the oxygen sensor (8) to check if there is sufficient carbon dioxide inside the growth environment and in the case that this component is found to be insufficient or if an error is determined, the definitions within the growth profile chosen, will be matched to the conditions of the environment by using the hardware that enable the controlling of the C0₂ source (17).

4. A plant growth monitoring method according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that, it comprises the step of, continuously controlling by the temperature sensor (9) to check if the temperature of the medium is suitable or not and if an insufficiency or error is determined, dimmered the armature (15) for the energy conservation (104).

5. A plant growth system (1) that can be used when growing plants, characterized by a central control system,

- to which all of the values taken by the measurement sensors are submitted to,

- having access to the database (4) that contains the values used as reference values during the comparison process in order to check if the measured values are the values that are expected, and;

- in the case that the measured values are different to the values stored in the database (4), bringing the values within the growth medium (2) to the to the same levels with the values stored in the database (4) which are specific to the plants. comprises;

- a growth medium (2) that creates the controlled and closed environment

- an inner quantum sensor (5) measuring the illumination values of the plants within the environment

- a spectral analyzer (10) measuring the spectral values of the incoming light.

6. A plant growth system according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a LED, OLED or fluorescent based armature (15) having 3 or more channels, which can carry out dominant radiation in wavelengths wherein chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b show maximum absorbance, being controlled by the central control system (3) enabling the formation of artificial light having a different spectral structure that the plant may need during different growth phases, by establishing the quantity and quality of light that the plant needs during a certain period of time and in climate conditions in order for the plant to be able to complete all of its growth stages such as germination, growth and ramification, flower development, pollination and fruit formation and fruit growth.

7. A plant growth system (1) according to any of the claims 5-6 characterized in that it comprises a central control system (3) that calculates the cost of the yield per unit, by using parameters such as all conditioning of all of the inputs and outputs of the growth profile applied during the growth process of a plant, the metre square values, fertilization values applied manually and the amount of the harvest recorded via the control panel (20) and the energy analyzer (14) data to which hardware such as lighting is connected to.