The present invention generally relates to optimizing Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology to grow plants in indoor environments and greenhouses with soil, hydroponic, or aquaponic planting beds for vegetables, fruits, and flowers in addition to medicinal and biofuel products. This invention is ideal for large scale commercial planting operations, such as horizontal water based hydroponic or aquaponic systems as well as vertical planting operations that typically includes shelving racks or armatures.
LED lights use less energy than traditional forms of illumination and include options for custom wavelengths, providing cost-effective opportunities for indoor farming. In addition, controlled indoor farming reduces the need for pesticides and provides geographic opportunities for farming that are not reliant on outdoor climate conditions and seasonality. These factors increase the affordability of local organic farming in part by reducing the transportation distance from farm to table. LEDs also have a lower operating temperature than traditional lights, so growers can place the LEDs closer to the plants than traditional lights without as much risk of burning the leaves.
To date, farmers that choose to grow indoors have had choices from a range of different types of technologies. The majority of traditional grow lights, such as incandescent, high intensity discharge (HID), fluorescent, and induction, include light fixtures that distribute the light from a concentrated source like light bulb fixtures or multi-tube fixtures. The lighting typically delivers a higher level of output directly underneath the fixtures with reductions in output as the horizontal distance from the centerline directly under the fixture increases. The light reduction fosters uneven growth patterns given that perimeter plants receive less of the Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) that is used for growth via photosynthesis. While the latest generation of LED technology offers energy-efficiency and customizable wavelengths to match the needs of particular plants at particular growth phases, LED fixtures have presented these same challenges of concentrated light vs even distribution as previous forms of lighting technology. The adverse effects of concentrated light increase as the fixtures are placed closer to the top canopy of the plants. As fixtures are mounted higher, the concentration of PAR reduces, requiring higher output fixtures and thus added electricity cost. This invention addresses the challenge of cost-effective, even light distribution.
To date, farmers with greenhouses have relied on natural light to grow plants, and farmers with indoor facilities, lacking natural light, have mounted light fixtures in the ceilings to grow the plants. Light fixtures typically have a housing that blocks light, so greenhouse farmers are often limited in their ability to grow plants on overcast days and at night given the cost of installing and then moving lights out of the way of the advantageous sunlight for daytime growth. Installing ceiling tracks and lights with manual or motorized motion are often cost-prohibitive. This invention addresses the challenge of cost-effective natural light integration.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a lighting assembly, comprising at least one linear module having a width and length in the plane of the lighting assembly, where the length is larger than the width. Each module comprises at least one solid state lighting (SSL) device in thermal communication with a heat sink, which provides structural support to the module. The first and second end housings have multiple sockets, and at least one of the two end housings includes at least one power supply to electrically energize the SSL device. The lighting assembly may include multiple linear modules spaced along the end housings to distribute light evenly across any given surface while allowing air to move between the modules as well as natural light when used in applications such as a greenhouse or a facility with skylights.
This invention creates spaces between each Linear Module with three primary advantages: more even light distribution, more integration of natural light, and more air flow for natural ventilation. The heightened air-flow increases the ability to place the LEDs closer to the plants and reduces the electricity operating costs. The system includes optional smart controls, optics, and reflectors on the Linear Modules or at the perimeter of planting beds to reduce light waste. This system includes multiple forms of technology that can be used independently or in conjunction with each other to optimize plant growth. This invention is more than a light fixture; it is a system of illumination that has the ability to scale from small to large applications, enhance different types of horizontal and vertical grow facilities, and adjust to the specific needs of the growers and their plants prior to installation as well as after installation.
Linear Modules: The Linear Modules consist primarily of an extruded heat sink that serves as the structural spine, LEDs mounted on a printed circuit board, a lens, and two end caps. The linear modules are typically between 1″ and 1.5″ in diameter and between 4′ and 8′ in length.
End Housings: The End Housing consists of a containment structure, made of material such as sheet metal, that encloses the external LED drivers and includes multiple sockets to power the Linear Modules. The End Housing is typically 4′ in length with a width and height of several inches to accommodate the size of the LED Driver and accommodate the diameter of the socket. The End Housing includes sockets spaced evenly along the length, perhaps every 3″, to maintain flexibility for the lighting provider, or the grower, to adjust the lighting density or install different wavelength Linear Modules. The End Housings on at least one side also include optional compression sockets for easy exchange of Linear Modules without the need for any tools by the grower after the system is installed.
Support Braces: The Support Braces secure the End Housings at the distance appropriate to the length of the Linear Modules selected for the particular Grow Rack. In some cases, a conduit pipe is used and secured at either end to the End Housings with brackets. The conduit pipe can also house wiring for the Grow Racks with LED Drivers in both End Housings.
Smart Controls: Optional Smart Controls improve the performance of the Grow Racks within the system. For greenhouse farmers, natural sunlight is a free and renewable resource. This invention takes advantage of the ability for sunlight to support plant growth with minimal shadowing from the LEDs. On sunny days, the sun provides the Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) to grow the plants by day, and at night, the LEDs provide supplemental PAR to increase growth and decrease time to harvest. The LEDs are turned on through manual switches, timers, or computer smart control systems. This invention includes optional dimmable LED drivers. One of the advantages of dimming is to deliver partial supplemental light on overcast days versus “on/off” output. This form of light harvesting uses optional photocells to add LED light during all or portions of overcast days to maintain target PAR values across the grow period. An additional advantage of dimming is to mimic sunrise and sunset to provide a double grow shift over any season, including winter months, when less natural light is available. For non-greenhouse indoor farmers, the smart controls and dimming are also advantages to increase plant growth.
To date, some commercial indoor farmers have transitioned from using soil to water pools to grow their plants. The pools are typically relatively shallow with a minimum of a few inches of water in depth to allow enough room for the roots to grow in the water. The seedling plants are typically placed in holes in floating platforms, sometimes referred to as “rafts.” See
This invention helps maximize horizontal grow operations through optimized light density and natural light integration as well as “step up” illumination.
Planting density is a priority for growers in areas like metro markets where the cost per square foot of real estate is high, either to purchase or lease facilities. Rack systems maximize the grow yield per square foot. The larger the number of shelving racks for any given vertical distance, the more product the grower can produce. This system increases the number of grow racks, because the air circulation through the Linear Modules and the even light density allows the grower to place the LEDs closer to the plant. See
This system reduces the distance from farm to table by providing growers the ability to connect the supply with demand in local markets through indoor farming. The Tractor Trailer or Shipping Container example in
This invention includes optional solar power. Solar cells are a current source. When the photon hits the cell it generates a current. Typically, an inverter transforms the DC source current for use as AC either on site or fed into the electricity grid for net metering with utility companies. The AC to DC power conversion carries with it a power loss of approximately 10% to 12%. This invention includes DC direct power modules to deliver the DC power directly to the LED-LMs and bypasses the need for the localized power modules on each LED-LMs. This solar direct grow light aspect of the invention has the capability to increase efficiency by over 20%, given the combined advantages of eliminating the AC to DC power conversion waste. Beyond energy savings, this aspect of the invention is well suited for developing countries that may have available sunlight without access to grid power electricity.
Traditional lights are most commonly powered through Alternating Current (AC), but LEDs are powered by Direct Current (DC). The vast majority of LEDs include either internal or external drivers that convert AC to DC power. The AC to DC power conversion carries with it a power loss of approximately 10% to 12%. This invention includes DC power modules to reduce the operating cost of the LEDs further below the operating cost of traditional lamps. This invention includes DC powered pumps for water circulation to further increase energy efficiency over AC powered pumps.
On/Off: The external driver technology of the LEDs in this invention includes the ability to program, through a smart control mechanism, the power on/off cycles to optimize plant growth over multiple growth sessions within a 24 hour period, based on the different types of plants.
Dimming: The external driver technology of the LEDs in this invention includes the ability to program, through a smart control mechanism, dimming to simulate sunrise and sunset to optimize plant growth over multiple growth sessions within a 24 hour period, based on the different types of plants.
Elevation: The suspension hanging systems, typically on cables or chains, of the LEDs in this invention include the ability to program, through a smart control mechanism, the elevation of the light source to optimize plant growth over a given day or the entire growth period based on the different types of plants.
This invention enhances the grow cycle and includes the optional smart controls to measure data such as soil content. Nutrient supplements such as biochar for soil systems as well as hydroponic and aquaponic systems are one of the components to enhance growth. Biochar is the solid material obtained from the carbonization of biomass. Biochar is often added to soils with the intention of improving soil function, plant growth, and reducing emissions from biomass that would otherwise naturally degrade to greenhouse gases. Biochar also has appreciable carbon sequestration value. This invention integrates optional biochar in the water based conditions as well as soil conditions because certain types of biochar have the ability to hold nutrients and enhance the total growth system. For soil-based conditions this invention also includes options for traditional peat moss and peat moss replacement made from recycled newspaper or cellulose materials and organic additives.
Some indoor farmers harvest organic materials in their entirety with the roots to make room for the new seedling rafts or soil based planting trays. In contrast, others harvest the leaves, such as basil for pesto, or the yield from mature plants, such as tomatoes, over multiple harvest cycles across a season. The “step up” aspect of this invention along the growth path is best suited for the farmers that harvest the full plants. Placing the Grow Racks in both horizontal and vertical positions, as in
Notes: “linear” will be defined to mean “one-dimensional” to allow for straight or curved module sections. “one dimensional” will be defined to mean L/t>10, where L is the length of the module. “at least one” is claimed, as opposed to “a plurality”, because the prior art does not teach a single module with extended end housings having a plurality of sockets to enable expandability and flexibility of function. printed circuit board is not necessary, since the SSL might be an OLED, or LEDs might be directly mounted to the heat sink. “lens” has been omitted, since it's not necessary to the basic invention, but will be added toward the preferred embodiment. the heat sink does not have fins—add them later. the power supply is not necessarily connected to the mains or to any external connection, thereby allowing for an integral power source such as a battery or solar cell.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/182,323 filed Jul. 6, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.