The present invention is in the technical field of biomass technology. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of a stackable environmentally controlled biomass production, yield enhancement and sensory system/architecture.
Conventional biomass production systems take up large areas and are not well suited for total unconditional environmental control. It is difficult to use the prior art in this field in small land space and densely populated areas where the current energy infrastructure is typically located and in areas where there simply is not enough land space to establish the prior art in biomass production. The major obstacle to systems growing biomass material with just sunlight is the growth period could be restricted by the latitude and diminished sunlight the growth system is acquiring and in sunlit areas the day night cycle reduces the potential growth time that could be available. The prior art also lacks the sensory and simulated plant cycle and weather protecting infrastructure for ultimate yield, and life cycle in changing climates. The current systems are used in large land spaces and use conventional nutrient systems and CO2 feeds. The difficulties of bringing such devices close to the current infrastructure and near power centers is that it is very difficult in the US and impossible in smaller densely populated northern or southern latitude countries; the current nutrient systems and CO2 feeds do not utilize advanced sensory systems at the nutrient tanks and the refinery tanks as well as throughout the entire system in order to produce the best yield of biomass product, while monitoring the closed system via the use of current infrastructure output of CO2 that can be used in the system, while off gassing O2 into the environment. Further, it is not an uncommon experience to realize that the current systems and architecture will not work in hostile environments such as extreme cold, etc. Further, the current devices and infrastructure do not remotely monitor the system with security feeds and prevent anti-internet attacks to the system. The proposed invention will produce a solution for a high tech, low land use, monitored, sensory, high yield biomass production system and an environment that will utilize current infrastructure and output from current (existing) power production facilities while being powered by environmentally controlled and environmentally (existing available) friendly sources.
The present invention is a Biomass solution for a high tech, low land use, monitored, sensory, high yield biomass production system and environment that will utilize current infrastructure and output from current (existing) power production systems while being powered by environmentally controlled and existing, and available friendly sources.
The Spectral Biomass Growth Control and Monitoring System will monitor and control all aspects of the growth cycle and production of a biomass in an enclosed liquid medium. A plurality of growth monitoring sensors will send information on the growth and state of the biomass via a wireless mesh network to a master Expert System that can control the movement of biomass material, concentration and level of dissolved nutrients, growth specific gasses and state of the biomass, by sending signals back through the mesh network to the spectral growth monitor (Expert System) that can control relays, pumps, and lighting sources; therefore, promoting the growth of the biomass and facilitating the transport, extraction and production of the product (output) produced by the biomass.
The proposed invention consists of an environmentally controlled enclosure, growth enhancement monitoring, and a sensor-based stacked unit closed loop system for biomass production. The system will incorporate waste from the existing infrastructure (such as CO2 waste from coal energy production or other similar sources). Wavelength specific light panels that totally enclose the growth modules, electrical stimulation of biomass nutrients and sensor monitored regimes will be used to maximize yield of the biomass material. In addition, the system will make use of alternative non-petroleum sources to power the environmentally friendly system. The systems impact on the environment will be minimized and take the form of O2and innocuous compost material. The sensor units will be strategically placed in order to monitor nutrient and CO2 distribution, input and output levels and dark/light exposure cycles for maximum yield and growth cycle management. The entire system will be enclosed and based on a greenhouse model with stackable units in order to take advantage of small dense land spaces and the ability to place the systems close to existing infrastructure. The system will be a sealed, closed loop system that will have automated vented O2 emission systems and retention systems for O2 and CO2 storage. The sealed system would have environmental controls so that it could be used in harsh outdoor environments, including extremes such as hot, cold, dark, dry, and wet conditions or in totally enclosed underground environments The entire system would be based on manufactured land space stackable modules for easy maintenance and clean out, designed for cyclical biomass production and factory power structure. This system also lends itself to portability utilizing heavy equipment movers and standard shipping container environments. Such equipment movers could be heavy land movers or standard train based transport systems.
The biomass production system schematic
The Biomass Growth Cell
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in
1). Spectral Growth Monitoring Sensor system. The growth monitor includes a number of photosensors arranged so that the device can monitor the growth of biomass materials in an enclosed environment. The monitoring window will have to be spectrally clear in order to allow the penetration and reflection of the specified spectral frequencies needed to monitor the state and growth process of the biomass. The multitude of photosensors in the Spectral Growth Monitoring system could have a removable component enabling replacement due to various levels of damage or to make a change in the spectral frequencies of the photosensor units. The Spectral Growth Monitoring system will communicate with the Master Expert system via a mesh network (2);
2) A mesh network system could enable routing of data, voice and instructions between the Spectral Growth Monitoring Nodes and the Expert System. The mesh network maintains uninterrupted connections and spontaneous reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths by “hopping” from node to node until the destination is reached, resulting in a very reliable network. Mesh networks differ from other networks in that the component parts can all connect to each other via multiple hops; generally they are not used in a mobile capacity. The mesh network will operate across multiple radio bands. For example, there is an option to communicate node to node on 5.2 GHz or 5.8 GHz, and node to client on 2.4 GHz (802.11). This action is accomplished using SDR (Software-Defined Radio). The network will also have a self testing feature that will constantly test the Spectral Growth and Control nodes and signal the Expert System if there are any deficiencies or irregularities in the network or if maintenance needs to be performed.
3) The Expert System
4) The mesh network interface to the remote control system carried by the system operator(s)
5) The systems operator's remote control system running on the mesh network to exercise override and control the BIOMASS system.
(6, 7, 8, 9) A control relay attached to the Spectral Growth Monitor to control valves, switches, pump motors, lighting controls, and safety systems; typical low voltage control modules.
10) Low Voltage control modules connected to Spectral Growth Monitor via local mesh network.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, in
11) Spectral Sensor Removable Sensor Module
12) PIXELARM Sensor control
13) Remote low voltage control linked to Spectral Sensor Growth Module via local mesh network.
14) External Control Module.
15) Main Spectral Imager Growth Module CPU
16) Local Mesh interface module
17) Spectral Imager Growth Control Module Calibration and control
18) Master Mesh Network Control Module to Master Expert System
In further detail, referring to the invention in
1) The biomass self contained production system
2) The biomass self contained production system on portable, movable transport systems
3) The biomass self contained production system in either single story or multiple story production structures.