Patent Application
20180352761
This invention generally relates to agriculture and more particularly relates to aquaponics.
There are many places in the world which are extremely arid and have a difficult time growing plants and food for their population. Even in climates that are not arid, there is food insecurity and starvation plaguing the world. In response to these problems, it is necessary that a sustainable food source is created. Much of today's food sources are not sustainable and cause damage to the environment. In response to these serious problems, there are aquacultures and hydroponics systems which offer solutions in many respects. Aquacultures involve rearing aquatic animals, often for feeding and has existed for hundreds of years. Aquacultures require maintenance, and feeding of the organisms which may include mollusks, crustaceans, and fish as well as aquatic reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, such as echinoderms and jellyfish.
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. Hydroponic systems use much less water than what would be required to grow plants in soil. The plants need nutrients to grow, and in hydroponic systems a nutrient is put in the water. Aquaponic systems combine the hydroponic system and aquaculture into one sustainable method of food production. In this circulating system, fish waste acts as a natural fertilizer for plants, plants take up those nutrients and return clean water to the fish. Aquaponics provides a sustainable food source for individuals, removes CO2 from the environment, and is beautiful and can be used in design.
Aquaponics solves many problems that aquaculture and hydroponics experience individually. For example, aquaculture tanks become polluted by the fish effluent and produce too much ammonia, because of this, water must be discharged at a rate of 10-20% per day. This means that a lot of water is wasted. It also means that many fish become diseased or get sick because of the dirty water. Hydroponic systems also require a lot of maintenance. Because the plants need nutrients that aren't naturally found in water, they must be mixed and added. The strength of the mixture must be carefully monitored or it may become fatal to the plants. In a hydroponic system, water is discharged because the salts and chemicals build up and become dangerous to the plants. Similar to the aquaculture, the hydronic system wastes a lot of water. Aquaponics systems solve many of these problems. In an aquaponics system, water doesn't need to be discharged, and disease among fish is very rare. Combining aquaculture and hydroponics creates a symbiotic environment. The fish effluent is broken down into nitrates which is then used by plants for nutrients. There are three living organisms in an aquaponic system—fish, plants, and bacteria. The bacteria break down the fish byproducts first into nitrites and then nitrates.
Often plants that aren't high in nutrients grow best in aquaponic systems. Lettuce and Chinese cabbage for example. Plants often found in salads, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, chives, also grow well in aquaponic systems. Most large Aquaponics systems are outside. There are two ways to grow plants in aquaponic systems. The first is called rafts, where plants are placed in foam rafts and their roots dangle down into the water. Media based aquaponics involves placing plants in planting media (often gravel, or clay pellets). These pellets act as a filtration system.
Aeroponics, like Aquaponics and hydroponics, is growing plants without soil, but nurturing them through the air or mist. It may be considered a type of hydroponics since the roots are sprayed with a nutrient rich mist. An advantage of aeroponics is that it is much harder for diseases to spread because there is no soil and the plants have almost no contact.
This invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art and, particularly, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available systems and methods. Features and advantages of different embodiments of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
Consistent with the foregoing, a bio cell system is disclosed. The bio cell system is a modular aquaponics system, with advanced lighting for indoor growing. It is created to service people. The fish and plants that are cultivated in the bio cell system can be eaten. The bio cell system services a variety of fish and a large variety of plants too. The bacteria that are part of the system break down the fish feces (ammonia) so that it turns into nitrites and then nitrates which are the nutrients used by the plants. An important application of the bio cell system is that it is a self-sustaining food source. It can be placed in homes or apartments, workplaces, stores, schools, on a farm, or in a business. It may help individuals to be less dependent on purchasing food. If any situation arose wherein access to food was limited, such as a natural disaster, the bio cell system offers an alternative source of food.
One of the key functions of the bio cell system is to adjust the inputs and outputs of each unit within the system to maintain a balanced system. A controller monitors, via sensors, all conditions within the ecosystem, and adjusts the inputs and outputs to maintain pH levels, CO2 levels and providing adjustment of and control of the nitrogen cycle. Because it is a closed system, the environmental conditions may be controlled including temperature, humidity levels, CO2, pH, fluid flow along with rate and volume of material inputs and outputs. Inputs and outputs may comprise composting, trace minerals, fluid, plants, fish, and species of plant and animals.
The bio cell system adjusts the lighting in each unit to be out of phase with adjacent connected units. This provides a balancing of the pH in the connected units by having some units in the dark while other units are in the light. The lighted units' higher pH levels are equalized and balanced by the lower pH levels in the darkened units. The timing and control of the lighting in each unit is carried out by the controller.
The bio cell system is also a good teaching tool and can be used in schools or elsewhere to teach students and others about ecological systems in a hands-on environment. Because the bio cell system can be configured to include hundreds of bio cells and can grow a large variety of plants, it is able to feed people on a large scale. But because of its configurability, it can also exist with only a few cells and can be adjusted to feeding smaller quantities.
Current aquaponics systems are often placed outdoors to use the natural sunlight so that plants can grow. A special lighting configuration is needed so that on a large scale, aquaponics can be used indoors. When put indoors, the bio cell system can be more easily accessed and is decorative as well. The bio cell system is unique because it can include hundreds and thousands of bio cell units to feed hundreds or thousands of people. The bio cell system is a modular system. Each individual bio cell unit is programmed to work together with other bio cell units to balance each other and provide the necessary inputs for each other to create a balanced ecosystem.
Aquaponic systems, while self-sustaining (except for some water which evaporates and needs to be replaced) still need some power source to pump the water through the system. The bio cell uses electricity or solar power to pump water. It may use only solar panels to generate the energy needed to pump the water, making it extremely efficient. This feature may be advantageous when considering the cost of the bio cell Aquaponics system. However, in areas or times of year when there is not sufficient sunlight to power the bio cell Aquaponics system on its own, electricity may be used solely or in conjunction with the solar panels to power the bio cell Aquaponics system. There may also be methods of storing energy to power the system. These methods may include batteries or any other method of storing energy that is used subsequently.
The plants in the bio cell modular Aquaponics system can be grown in a variety of medias. There are benefits to using different aquaponic systems for plants. Some plants grow better in media based aquaponic systems, such as larger or fruiting plants. This is because the fish feces that is filtered by the media is broken down and the plants get more nutrients. Raft beds are more efficient for growing leafy greens such as lettuce. A system which uses both methods of growing is superior to meet the needs of different types of plants. The bio cell uses both types of media to suit many types of plants. Different systems are in different bio cells so that plants will be most successful and can grow best and provide the best quality produce possible. In the bio cell modular aquaponic system, different cells are designed to fit the needs of all the organisms that are living in the entire system.
Although the bio cell is self sustaining, some maintenance is required to keep the bio cell's ecological system in balance. For this purpose, there are sensors in the bio cells that measure various components. The sensors and controls may integrate one or many cubes into large composite biotopic networks designed to work with the cloud and automated system to control and monitor all aspects of biochemistry primarily, which is managed through the biological nitrogen cycle, PH, trace element and temperature controls all of which can be managed by a controller and sent to a cloud based data management system. By managing the system through the cloud, users of the bio cell can monitor it at their convenience and make necessary adjustments easily and without being near the bio cell unit or units.
Each of the bio cells may play a key role in the ecosystem that it involves. Those roles are varied and all important in contributing to the overall balance and success of the larger, incorporated ecosystem. The different bio cells allow for different plants and fish to thrive to create a more diverse crop. For example, the fish loaded deep water cell type is especially designed for fish. A closed box system cell. The bio cell is designed to support a large of amount and variety of plants and animal. Fish such as tilapia, blue gill/brim sunfish crappie koi, fancy goldfish, paco, ornamental fish such as angelfish, guppies, tetras, swordfish, mollies, carp, barramundi, silver perch, golden perch, yellow perch, Catfish, Large mouth Bass can all live in the bio cell system.
Other organisms that can or may live in the Aquaponics system are any leafy lettuce, pak choi, kale, swiss chard, arugula, basil, mint, watercress, chives, most common house plants, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, peas, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bananas, dwarf citrus trees: lemons, limes and oranges, dwarf pomegranate tree, sweet corn, micro greens, beets, radishes, carrots, onions, edible flowers: nasturtium, violas, orchids. Crucial to the success of the Aquaponics system is of course the bacteria. The bacteria, as will be explained later, is crucial in the nitrogen cycle. Any nitrifying bacteria can be used in the Aquaponics system, but the most common threads include species of the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrobacter and Nitrococcus.
The nitrate cycle is extremely important in an Aquaponics system. It is the backbone of the Aquaponics system, and allows sustainability within the system. This is also where all the organisms come to affect one another in the Aquaponics system. The nitrate cycle begins with the effluent of the fish. Ammonia is introduced into the tank as fish effluent, and the nitrifying bacteria converts the ammonia first into nitrite and then into nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and will kill them if they are not removed from the tank. The bacteria consume the ammonia, and creates a byproduct—nitrate. Another bacterium then consumes the nitrite (which is still toxic to the fish, although less so) and converts the nitrite into a nitrate. With the proper bacteria, the cycle is supported and when the nitrate is produced, the plants absorb it. This cycle keeps balance in the bio cell. Because the water in the system is kept clean as the fish, plants, and bacteria work together in harmony, the replacement rate of water is low. However, some water is evaporated and so some water replacement is necessary.
Aeroponics, like hydroponics, is a method of growing plants without soil, and involves misting water which is nutrient rich so that it feeds dangling plant roots. Plants are hung and there roots dangle freely, and the mist then nourishes them. In the bio cell modular Aquaponics system, some bio cells may be devoted to an aeroponic system.
Composting is also supported in the bio cell system. That is to say compost can be used to supply nutrients to the ecosystem. Outputs of the system include fish food, fish live stock, and many other crops.
Different animals and plants need different cycles of light. The bio cell system further comprises lighting in each of the cells that is controlled by the controller to meet the specific needs of a particular species. Temperature and CO2 levels are measured by the sensors and controlled by the controller. Adjustments to the pH levels, CO2 levels and Nitrogen cycle are adjusted and modified by adding trace minerals, water and other required components as required for the specific animals or plants supported in each cell.
In an embodiment, the bio cell system includes one or more bio cell units, each bio cell unit consisting of a primary tank with side walls, a floor connected to the side walls, and a removable cover, and one or more secondary tanks, each comprising side walls, a floor connected to the side walls, and a removable cover. The cover has a lighting system with variable output LED lights. The bio cell system also includes one or more pumps and piping, one or more sensors and a controller connected to the lighting system comprising code for varying a time of day output of the LED lights of the secondary tanks to be out of phase with a time of day output of the LED lights of the primary tank.
In a certain embodiment, the bio cell system further includes one or more solar power modules for supplying electrical power to the system. In another embodiment, it further includes one or more electrical energy storage modules for storing and supplying electrical power to the system, the electrical storage energy modules may store energy in electrochemical devices such as batteries, or may be capacitors.
In another embodiment, the bio cell system includes two or more living organisms of fish, plants, and bacteria. In an embodiment, the plants grow in one or more of the following: media based system, float based system, or a hybrid system.
In an embodiment, each bio cell is configured as one or more of the following: biotopic aquaria, biotopic aquaria aquaculture, fish loaded deep-water cell, bio reactor, media based deep water culture, mist based deep water culture, closed box system, open box system, composter, worm harvester, small plant fish food production cube, fish and float system, salt or fresh water. In another embodiment, the bio cell system includes a biofilter module comprising a solids removal means, the biofilter module further including a biological waste digestion unit for digesting solids from the solids removal means to produce plant nutrients. In an embodiment, the biological waste digestion unit includes a biological species that at least partially digests solid waste from the solids removal means to produce plant nutrients, and the biofilter module receives a waste stream comprising solid waste and fluid from the one or more tanks;
In an embodiment, each bio cell unit operates as its own ecosystem. In another embodiment, composting is produced as an output of the system. In an embodiment, fish food is produced as an output of the system. In certain embodiments, the system further comprises water cycle management. In another embodiment, the system further includes multi cycle support for maintaining dual night day cycles and fry hatching support.
In certain embodiments, a bio cell is configured to mist plants roots. In another embodiment, the bio cell system monitors CO2 levels, PH levels, trace elements and temperature within the system via the controller and the sensors, wherein one of the one or more sensors is a CO2 sensor, PH level sensor, trace elements sensor or a temperature sensor. In an embodiment, the system controller provides control of the system based on user interface, pre-programmed data and data from the sensors.
In an embodiment, the system further includes one or more electric heaters. In another embodiment, the controllers in the one or more bio cell units are controlled via the cloud. In certain embodiments, the system self-manages and adjusts levels based on pre-programmed data, sensor data and user input. In an embodiment, the one or more bio cell units are modular and configured via the controller to additional bio cell units. In another embodiment, the tank shape is of one or more of the following: square, rectangular, oval, circle, triangle, star, cylindrical.
In certain embodiments, the variable output lights include LED lights producing full-spectrum light, matching the wavelength and color of sunlight. In another embodiment, the variable output lights comprise LED lights producing light matching the wavelength and color of moonlight.
In an embodiment, the system monitors and controls the amount of water in the system, and filters out impurities from the water. The system also brings in fresh water as an input.
In certain embodiments, each bio cell unit operates as its own ecosystem. In an embodiment, composting and fish food are produced as outputs of the system. In another embodiment, composting is an input to the system. Trace minerals and other required nutrients are derived from the composting material. In an embodiment, the system further includes water cycle management. In an embodiment, the system further includes multi cycle support for maintaining dual night day cycles and fry hatching support.
In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
The description that follows includes systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences, and computing machine program products that embody illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident, however, to those skilled in the art, that embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In general, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, and techniques are not necessarily shown in detail. In various embodiments, a system as described herein creates an ecosystem.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments.
Neither of these conditions (low pH or high pH) are ideal for the nurturing and growth of plants, fish or other living things. Ideally the pH should be kept within a range that is not too high or too low for ideal growth and health of the species being supported. By adjusting the lighting to be out of phase between two bio cells that are connected together, the high pH (daytime) of a first bio cell unit is offset by the low pH (night-time) of a second bio cell unit.
As shown in
Ground level 960 is shown in
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
