| 摘要 |
1394751 Hydroponic systems HYDROCULTURE INC 22 March 1972 [29 March 1971] 13336/72 Heading A1E [Also in Divisions El and F4] Apparatus for growing plants hydroponically which can operate automatically comprises a building having a controlled environment and means for supplying nutrient solution to rows of hydroponic planter beds 30. The beds 30 consist of waterproof channels in the floor of the building filled with aggregate material, each containing a perforated nutrient supply pipe and having an observation reservoir. Environment control. Air circulation within the building is provided by blower 40 which blows air through a perforated flexible plastics distribution duct 43. Levers 118 open under the control of a thermostat to admit (warm) ambient air if the temperature in the building falls. Heater-blower units 42 with integral thermostats operate if the temperature falls further. Above a prescribed temperature another thermostat opens louvres 55 in a rear extension of the building (Figure 8) to expose porous filtering pads 9 through which (cool) ambient air is drawn into the building by a simultaneously activated fan 4 in the opposite wall of the building (Figure 7). Louvers 57 and a fan 5 are activated by a cooperating thermostat and humidistat in conditions of still higher temperature and low humidity, and in this case a pump unit is also activated which supplies water from a pump 32 to the porous pads 9, so that water-laden air is drawn into the building. At still higher temperature a further system provides a fine water mist in the building; this system may be adapted to double as the foliar feeding system for the plants referred to below. Nutrient supply. When moisture probes within the beds 30 indicate a need for it, nutrient solution is pumped from a reservoir to the beds; when the pump switches off it flows back to the reservoir. Under the control of a time switch water flows to replenish the reservoir, a simultaneously activated reagent pump injecting reagent solution to control the pH of the water. The water supply is stopped by a flat controlled valve in the reservoir; a warning light is provided in case the reagent supply fails to shut itself off. Manual override control is provided for the water supply. Overhead pipes provided with nozzles allow foliar feeding of the plants, and may be supplied from a parallel series of tanks containing specific nutrients via a proportioner under the control of sensors responsive to deficiencies of specific nutrients. Building structure. The building is generally semi-cylindrical, resting on a concrete foundation and consists of an angle-iron structure supporting overlapping corrugated translucent fibreglass sheets secured to the structure by cables. The building, with its controlled environment, may also be used for greenhouses, for animal houses, or for enclosed storage. |
