A computer implemented system for a vertical farming system comprising at least a first crop growth module and operating in an environmentally-controlled growing chamber, the control system comprising sensors for measuring environmental growing conditions in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber over time to generate environmental condition data, a device configured for measuring a crop characteristic of a crop grown in the crop growth module of the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to generate crop growth data and a processing device comprising software modules for receiving the environmental condition data and the crop growth data; applying an algorithm to the environmental condition data and the crop growth data to generate an improved environmental growing condition and generating instructions for adjustment of the environmental growing conditions in or around the growth module in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to the improved environmental growing condition.

A plant cultivation system for a plant factory that cultivates plants. The plant factory has a building with roof and walls, which may be in the form of a greenhouse with a roof and windows that may be opened and closed. A plant factory using the plant cultivation system cultivates plants for harvest and/or sale. The plant factory plant utilizes a trolley conveyor for transport of plants in plant containers. The trolley conveyor uses straight runs of track connected by curved track portions. The straight runs of track of the trolley conveyor are spaced closely together with space only provided for passage of plant containers in a side by side fashion, as no room for workers is necessary. The plant containers take the plant containers to workers in a workshop for planting, cultivation, harvesting of plants or portions thereof, and packaging of plants or portions thereof for shipment. As a result, labor is minimized, and the productivity of the plant factory is increased.

A trolley conveyor. The trolley conveyor includes: a tubular rail track having a slotted opening at the top. A trolley chain installed to move in the rail track. A hanger is provided for suspending therebelow objects to be transported. The hanger includes a connector at the upper end thereof which extends downward to toward the center of the trolley chain. The trolley chain includes vertical and horizontal rollers in chain units, with vertical rollers in one chain unit and horizontal rollers in an adjacent chain unit. The chain units are pivotally connected for up and down and side to side motion within the track. While the trolley chain moves, the connector avoids contact with the ends of the slot in the track. Thus, the trolley conveyor prevents the generation of noise and foreign substances. Also, the trolley conveyor prevents transfer of dirt, oil, and debris to an object being transported.

The present application discloses a hydroponic system including a planting block or structure including a plurality of plant units coupled to a water source to provide water to root chambers of the plurality of plant units. The system includes a lighting structure movably supported along a rail to adjust a location of the lighting structure relative to the planting block or structure. As described, the lighting structure includes a plurality of lighting elements or fixtures disposed in a flexible duct connectable to HVAC equipment or blower to supply air flow to dissipate heat from the lighting elements or fixtures. In illustrated embodiments, the plant units are coupled to a blower or fan through a duct to actively control humidity in the root chambers.

An irrigation system for a vertical farming structure having vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, while being exposed to controlled conditions, such as lighting, airflow, humidity and nutritional support. The present disclosure describes a grow tower conveyance system that moves vertically-oriented grow towers to select positions along a grow line. An irrigation line having apertures at the select positions provides aqueous nutrient solution to the grow towers, while a gutter structure captures excess solution. In a closed loop system, the excess solution returns to a recirculation tank. The present disclosure provides a dual pump system for effectively and efficiently removing excess nutrient solution from the gutter structure.

Apparatus for use in a hydroponic growing system is described. The apparatus include a frame of vertical members and horizontal members supporting horizontal tracks or guideways on which a set of growing vehicles are mounted. The growing vehicles each contain a number of growing trays in which plants or crops are accommodated whilst they grow. The apparatus is located within a high care facility within the hydroponic growing system.

A scalable precision distribution aeroponic system, including a modular frame mount constructed of a lightweight, rigid material, the frame mount including a pair of generally vertically oriented support members and at least one generally horizontally oriented crossmember positioned between the vertically oriented support members, the pair of generally vertically oriented support members operably coupled to the generally horizontally oriented crossmember via couplings, the couplings including a generally horizontally oriented support configured to extend substantially orthogonal to the horizontally oriented crossmember, and an interchangeable growth media operably coupled to the modular frame mount, the interchangeable growth media comprising a nourishment layer and a surface film, the nourishment layer defining one or more channels into which the generally horizontally oriented supports of the couplings are positioned for support of the interchangeable growth media.

Facility layouts and configurations for an automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture. In particular implementations, the core of the facility comprises a controlled growth environment and a central processing system. The controlled growth environment includes systems for exposing crops housed in modules, such as grow towers, to controlled environmental conditions. The central processing system may include various stations and functionality both for preparing crop-bearing modules to be inserted in the controlled growth environment, for harvesting crops from the crop-bearing modules after they have been extracted from the controlled growth environment, and for cleaning or washing crop-bearing modules for re-use. The controlled growth environment may include vertical farming structure having vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers along one or more grow lines. The conveyance mechanisms may include a return transfer mechanism that creates a return or u-shaped path for each grow line.

A spiral growing system is configured to be housed in a vertically elongated silo growth chamber to grow an agricultural crop. The spiral growing system broadly includes a spiral growing assembly and a movable crop support. The spiral growing assembly extends along an assembly length to at least partly define a spiral growing space to receive and feed the agricultural crop therein. The spiral growing assembly includes a continuous track and a feeding system. The track extends continuously along the assembly length and is configured to direct the agricultural crop along a generally downward spiral path. The movable crop support is operably supported by the track and is configured to be advanced downwardly along the assembly length to thereby direct the agricultural crop through the growing space with the feeding system providing direct root application of a supply of water and/or nutrients to the agricultural crop along the track.

The present invention provides various modular hydroponic growing apparatuses, each having oppositely positioned slats or other compatible surfaces between which is defined an expandable growth channel, wherein at least one of the slats or other compatible surfaces are biased inwardly towards the opposing slat or other compatible surface via a biasing element.