Method and system of preventing plastic out-gassing in plant tunnels

• US 8,919,037 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew Petran
• Original Assignee: Andrew Petran
• Inventors: Petran, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRINH T
• Application Number:
  US13/621,424
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 47/201, 47/211, 47/295, 47/296, 47/297, 47/323, 47/231, 47/232, 47/233, 47/291, 47/292, 47/293, 47/17, 47/191, 47/192, 47/60, 47/61
• US Class Current: 47/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/24 Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature , illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards methods, systems and apparatuses for preventing plastic out-gassing in plant tunnels. The methods, systems and apparatuses utilize various sensors and elements to maintain a proper plant growth environment while minimizing the outgassing.

Claims

1. A method of preventing plastic out-gassing in plant tunnels;

comprising;

monitoring temperature in a plant tunnel using one or more temperature sensor(s) to determine a current temperature in the plant tunnel;

monitoring humidity in the plant tunnel using one or more humidity sensor(s) to determine a current humidity in the plant tunnel;

calculating a difference between the determined current temperature in the plant tunnel and an ideal temperature in the plant tunnel;

calculating a difference between the determined current humidity in the plant tunnel and an ideal humidity in the plant tunnel;

adjusting a temperature control mechanism to compensate for the calculated difference between the current temperature in the plant tunnel and the ideal temperature in the plant tunnel;

adjusting a humidity control mechanism to compensate for the calculated difference between the current humidity in the plant tunnel and the ideal humidity in the plant tunnel; and

maintaining the ideal temperature and ideal humidity in response to a feedback circuit monitoring the temperature and humidity in the plant tunnel, calculating the difference between the determined current temperature and humidity in the plant tunnel, and adjusting the temperature and humidity in the plant tunnel based on the calculated difference between the current temperature and humidity and the ideal temperature and humidity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant tunnel is a low tunnel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant tunnel is a high tunnel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the ideal temperature and ideal humidity represents an outdoor plant growth environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the ideal temperature and ideal humidity in the plant tunnel increases lifetime of materials used in the plant tunnel construction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ideal temperature maintained is approximately 35 degrees Centigrade during the day, and 10 degrees Centigrade at night.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ideal humidity maintained is between 40-60%.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of maintaining the ideal temperature and the ideal humidity can be varied based on different simulated environments.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of maintaining the ideal temperature and the ideal humidity can be varied based on plant-type growth conditions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of maintaining the ideal temperature utilizes a hysteresis-type loop such that the steps of adjusting the temperature and humidity are dampened.

11. A system for preventing plastic out-gassing in plant tunnels, comprising:

a plant tunnel designed to simulate an outdoor plant-growth environment;

a temperature sensor, configured and arranged to sense a current temperature in the plant tunnel, and output a signal characterizing the current temperature;

a humidity sensor, configured and arranged to sense a current humidity in the plant tunnel and output a signal characterizing the current humidity;

a memory circuit having a stored ideal temperature in the plant tunnel and a stored ideal humidity in the plant tunnel;

a temperature computational circuit configured and arranged to calculate a difference between the current temperature received from the output of the temperature sensor, with the ideal temperature in the plant tunnel, and output an adjusted temperature signal;

a humidity calculation circuit configured and arranged to calculate the difference between the current humidity received from the output of the humidity sensor, with the ideal humidity in the plant tunnel, and output an adjusted humidity signal;

a temperature control mechanism to compensate for the calculated temperature difference based on the output of the adjusted temperature signal;

a humidity control mechanism to compensate for the calculated humidity difference based on the output of the adjusted humidity signal; and

a feedback circuit that communicatively connects the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor with the temperature control mechanism and the humidity control mechanism to adjust the temperature and humidity.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plant tunnel is a low tunnel.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the plant tunnel is a high tunnel.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plant tunnel is configured and arranged to transmit or block UVA, UVB, and UVC light, and elicit high levels of photosynthetically active radiation.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the plant tunnel is mechanically stabilized using a plastic ribbing structure.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the feedback circuit is implemented using a hysteresis control mechanism that dampens the temperature control mechanism and the humidity control mechanism compensation.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the ideal temperature and the ideal humidity can be varied based on different simulated environments.