A controlled environment agriculture system is provided, in which the system includes an inner layer and an outer layer. At atmospheric conditions, the inner layer is air permeable, water vapor permeable, and liquid water impermeable, and the outer layer is water vapor impermeable and liquid water impermeable. An enclosure defined by the inner layer is disposed within the interior space of an enclosure defined by the outer layer, and a primary spacing is maintained between at least a portion of the outer surface of the inner layer and the inner surface of the outer layer.

A device includes a connected array of cells formed in a stack of flexible sheets. Each pair of adjacent sheets in the stack includes a first sheet and a second sheet bonded together at multiple bond locations. Each sheet has an electrically conductive layer disposed on an electrically non-conductive layer, the conductive layer comprising an electrically conductive non-metal material. Each pair of adjacent sheets in the stack is arranged so that the non-conductive layer of each first sheet is between the conductive layers of the first and second sheets. The cells of the array reversibly transition between an open state and a closed state in response to an electric potential having a magnitude greater than a threshold value applied between the conductive layers of the first and second sheets.

A variable thermal insulation assembly includes a plurality of sheets of film, wherein each sheet is bonded to an adjacent sheet along a plurality of longitudinally extending regions to form a plurality of longitudinally extending cavities, wherein the plurality of flexible sheets of each of the thermal cell arrays are formed of an electrically insulative material that is coated on one side with an electrically conductive material, a controller electrically coupled to the plurality of flexible sheets and configured to apply an electric potential difference between electrically conductive material of each pair of flexible sheets such that the electrically conductive coatings of the pair of flexible sheets attract each other to cause the thermal cell array to transition from an expanded state to a compressed state.

A method for pressurizing an assembly line grow pod system is provided. The method includes arranging a dual wall including an outer wall and an inner wall, controlling, with an air pressure controller, first air pressure in the first sealed area and second air pressure in the second sealed area, and controlling, with a master controller, operations of the air pressure controller. The first air pressure of the first sealed area is controlled to be higher than pressure of an exterior area to the outer wall by a predetermined amount.

A heat recycling system is provided. The system includes a shell including an enclosed area, an air supplier within the enclosed area, one or more vents connected to the air supplier and configured to output air within the enclosed area, a heat generating device within the enclosed area, a heat insulating element configured to cover the heat generating device and connected to a heat passageway, a heat transfer device connected to the heat passageway, and a controller. The controller determines a target temperature for the enclosed area, determines whether a temperature within the enclosed area is greater than the target temperature, and controls the heat transfer device to transfer the air heated by the heat generating device to an outside of the shell in response to determination that the temperature within the enclosed area is greater than the target temperature.

A variable thermal insulation assembly includes at least one array comprising a plurality of sheets of film, wherein the plurality of sheets are in a stacked arrangement and each sheet is bonded to an adjacent sheet along a plurality of longitudinally extending regions such that each pair of adjacent sheets form a plurality of longitudinally extending cavities between adjacent regions of the adjacent sheets, a support frame comprising end elements, wherein the support frame frames the plurality of sheets, wherein support frame is coupled to the array to support the array such that the array may transition between an expanded state in which the array is expanded, and a compressed state in which the array is compressed, within the plane of the frame along the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that the longitudinally extending cavities are expanded or compressed, wherein in the expanded state, the front edge conforms to one of the second end of the support frame or a second front edge of a second array to form a seal that inhibits air flow between the front edge and the one of the second end of the support frame or the second front edge of the second array.

A greenhouse framework (22) is assembled out of a framework material (24) such as typical pipes and the like, and the outer periphery of the greenhouse framework (22) is covered by a sheet outer surface member (30) formed from a plastic sheet; a sheet inner surface member (32) is formed on the inner side of the greenhouse framework (22) in a manner of being spaced by intervals to a certain extent from the sheet outer surface member (30) by using a heat shield sheet such that all of a floor surface (32a), a wall surface (32b), and a ceiling surface (32c) are substantially in a sealed state; and an air conditioning device (40) is installed. Thus, a desirable thermal insulation property is achieved between the inside of the greenhouse and the outside of the greenhouse, and air conditioning can be implemented with high energy efficiency. In other words, a greenhouse for plant cultivation that has a simple configuration and can be air conditioned with high energy efficiency can be provided.

The present disclosure provides a multilayered polymeric film for covering an agricultural structure or greenhouse, wherein the film contains adjacent layers that are capable of delamination from one another.

The present invention is a multi-wall sheet made of a plastic with a high shear modulus intended to provide physical protection, structural support, and thermal insulation in applications where a small bending radius for the multi-wall plastic sheet is desired. The multi-wall configuration includes a generally flat outer single sheet and a contoured inner single sheet separated by a series of ribs of similar plastic material to form a connected row of longitudinal cavities or channels. The inner wall is contoured in a concave manner to form a relief between each rib. When the multi-wall sheet is flexed, each relief distorts to minimize stress in the transverse direction while maintaining high rigidity in the longitudinal direction. In another embodiment of the present invention, multiple single sheets separated by ribs and contoured similarly to that of the inner wall are added between the contoured inner wall and non-contoured outer wall.

An atmospheric water generation system absorbs water from an atmospheric air stream into a desiccant flowing along a flow path of a closed desiccant circulation loop. To ensure that the desiccant remains within the closed desiccant circulation loop, the atmospheric water generation system encompasses a membrane-based water extraction device that the desiccant flows through. The desiccant flows through the membrane-based water extraction device on a first side of a membrane, and the membrane separates the desiccant from a water-collection flow. Water absorbed into the desiccant passes from the desiccant, through the porous membrane, and into the water-collection flow, at least in part due to differences in temperature and/or pressure characteristics of the water flow and the desiccant flow. Water collected within the water-collection flow is directed to a storage tank for usage.