Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for a greenhouse indoor environment controller based on model predictive control (MPC), which can be integrated into existing greenhouse regulatory systems to optimally maintain critical climatic variables, including artificial lighting levels, CO.sub.2, indoor temperature, and humidity levels within acceptable limits. The objectives of the MPC may be to maximize the rate of crop photosynthesis while optimizing the use of the available water and energy resources, taking into account the unpredictability and intermittent nature of renewable energies and external atmospheric conditions. Accordingly, certain embodiments may facilitate the management of greenhouses by anticipating control actions for a better quality of production. For that, mathematical formulations of the optimal control problem may be described, and the numerical results related to the application of the MPC to case studies are described integrating the effects of greenhouse structural considerations and the influence of climate data on its operation.

The present disclosure provides using stratification of air to reduce the amount of air in a greenhouse to manage and a conditioning chamber to precondition air prior to the air having contact with plants. A light deprivation chamber is provided with a centerline vent and operable louvres to recycle warm air and to be able to reduce the area of the building to heat by closing the light deprivation cover to create a smaller chamber to heat and recycle to conserve heat and take advantage of the heat from grow lights. The present disclosure further provides being able to cycle warm air from an upper air sink chamber back into the an air intake/conditioning chamber to conserve energy and using air tube fans to deliver quality conditioned air from a conditioning chamber to all the plants.

A solar powered greenhouse is an apparatus that harnesses electricity from sunlight and manages sunlight exposure with plants housed within the apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing, at least one photovoltaic glass layer, at least one adjustable-opacity panel, a solar inverter, a solar batter, a microcontroller, and a control pad. The housing maintains a desired environment for plants. The at least one photovoltaic glass layer allows sunlight to enter the housing, collecting and converting the sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. The at least one adjustable-opacity panel controls sunlight entering the housing. The solar inverter converts the DC electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity. The AC electricity is stored with the solar battery. The at least one photovoltaic glass layer, the at least one adjustable-opacity panel, the solar inverter, the solar battery, and the control pad are controlled by the microcontroller and managed by a user with the control pad.

An apparatus and system for growing plants in a controlled environment comprises an enclosure, at least one basket for receiving plant material to be grown in the apparatus, and at least one cassette for receiving a basket therein. The apparatus further comprises a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism operatively coupled to the at least one basket and/or the at least one cassette, that imparts a drive force to cause the at least one basket to rotate in the at least one cassette and in the enclosure. The apparatus and system also include a climate-control mechanism that may include a light source, a fan, a ventilation system, an air passage, and ductwork. The apparatus and system also include a trough with a sump for drainage of the trough, an intake aperture, a baffle, a closure, an air intake sleeve, and an intake fan.

A ventilation valve (1; 101) for ventilation of a space for keeping animals or plants includes an opening-defining circumferential framework (3; 103) for mounting in a wall of that space, and a movable panel (5; 105). The panel (5; 105) is movably attached to the framework (3; 103) for relative movement between a fully closed position, in which substantially no air can pass between the framework and the panel, and a fully open position, in which substantially the complete opening is available for passage of air. A profiled edge on the framework provides a non-linear relation between a passage opening and an opening position of the panel (5; 105). Also provided is a system for ventilating the space, having at least a single ventilation valve, and for periodically determining parameters of inside air in the space, and adjusting the opening position of the valve based on the parameters.

A securable greenhouse is described. The greenhouse includes a frame upon which a first covering is placed to prevent access to the interior of the greenhouse. The first covering is a mesh constructed of expanded metal or similar materials. A second, transparent, covering separates the internal environment from outside, while a third, opaque, covering limits light entry into the greenhouse and visibility of the contents within, and which can be deployed or retracted as needed. A ventilation system controls air flow in, through and out of the greenhouse to regulate parameters like temperature and relative humidity. The greenhouse has moveable and lockable roof panels to provide access to authorized users, and a side access door as an alternate access. An optional automated control system determines optimal growth conditions and adjusts various features in order to achieve those conditions.

An air flow control system for an assembly line grow pod is provided. The air flow control system includes a shell including an enclosed area, one or more carts moving on a track within the enclosed area, an air supplier within the enclosed area, one or more outlet vents coupled to the air supplier, and a controller. The controller includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to identify a plant on the one or more carts, determine an airflow rate based on an airflow recipe for the identified plant, and control the air supplier to output air through the one or more outlet vents at the airflow rate.

An insect netting for a greenhouse includes a front panel merging into two side panels. The insect netting is pleated having bellow sections. Each bellow section has two parallel side bellow portions and a front bellow portion. Each side bellow portion comprises a first side gauze web and a second side gauze web connected to each other at a longitudinal side thereof, each having a first short side and a second short side. Each of the front bellow portions comprises a first front gauze web and a second front gauze web connected to each other along a longitudinal side thereof. The second short side of the first and second side gauze webs of the side bellow portions is connected to the longitudinal side of the first and second front gauze webs facing towards the hinging axis of the ventilation panel, respectively.

Described is an insect net strip produced from a wide insect net which has been cut in a warp direction (xnet) by means of a one-step ultrasonic cutting and welding process. The insect net strip includes warp yarns and weft yarns extending substantially perpendicular to each other and at least 90% of the warp and weft yarns are monofilament yarns made of a thermoplastic material. After cutting and welding process the insect net strip has a first and a second edge extending parallel to said warp yarns each including a deformation zone being constituted by consolidated thermoplastic material deriving at least from said weft yarns. The deformation zone has a width (wdz) in the transverse direction (ystrip) of between 0.5-35 times the weft yarn diameter (?we). At least 90% of gaps between adjacent weft yarns in the deformation zone are closed by consolidated thermoplastic material at least from the weft yarns which has been melted together to form a continuous or substantially continuous reinforced band-shaped edge portion of said insect net strip. The insect net strip is suitable for use in accordion-style constructions in greenhouse ventilation openings. A method for producing the insect strips is also described.

The invention relates to a plant cultivation device (1) having a watering apparatus (2), an illumination device (3), a receiving space (4) for receiving one or more carrier substrates (5) and seeds, a control unit (6) which is configured to control the watering apparatus (2) and the illumination device (3) by means of a program controller, one or more moisture sensors (7a, 7b) for measuring the air humidity (7a) and/or substrate moisture (7b), a sensor (8) for determining the photosynthesis rate and an optical evaluation unit (11) for determining the plant type and its stage of growth, the illumination parameters of the illumination device (3) being variable and the illumination parameters of the illumination device being adjusted following a correlation determined between the illumination parameters and the photosynthesis rate measured and/or the plant growth measured.