CLIMATE CELL FOR CULTIVATING PLANTS IN MULTIPLE LAYERS HAVING A SPACE-SAVING AND ENERGY-SAVING CLIMATE SYSTEM

Abstract

In order to create a closed climate cell 100 for raising plants in several layers 12 arranged one above the other, wherein the climate cell 100 comprises at least one chamber 10, in which the layers 12 are arranged one above the other, and extend from a first side 11a of the chamber 10 to a second side 11b of the chamber 10, wherein each layer 12 has at least one plant-raising container and at least one lighting platform arranged thereover, wherein a climate is set in at least one chamber 10 by means of a climate system 20 of the climate cell 100, which has both a space-saving and an energy-saving system for adjusting the climate, it is proposed that a respective heat-storing element 13 be arranged on the first 11a and second 11b side of the at least one chamber 10, wherein an air flow 25 generated by a ventilation system 21 of the climate system 20 flows through both heat-storing elements 13, wherein one of the two sides 11a, 11b at least at one point in time forms an air inlet side 23, and the remaining side an air outlet side 24 for the air flow 25, wherein the heat-storing element 13 arranged at the air inlet 23 functions as a heat-emitting element 13a, and the heat-storing element 13 arranged at the air outlet 24 functions as a heat-receiving element 13a.

Claims

1. A closed climate cell for raising plants in several layers arranged one above the other, wherein the climate cell comprises at least one chamber, in which the layers are arranged one above the other, and extend from a first side of the chamber to a second side of the chamber, wherein each layer has at least one plant-raising container and at least one lighting platform arranged thereover, wherein a climate is set in at least one chamber by a climate system of the climate cell, wherein a respective heat-storing element is arranged on the first and second side of the at least one chamber, wherein an air flow generated by a ventilation system of the climate system flows through both heat-storing elements, wherein one of the two sides at least at one point in time forms an air inlet side, and the remaining side an air outlet side for the air flow, wherein the heat-storing element arranged on the air inlet side functions as a heat-emitting element, and the heat-storing element arranged on the air outlet side functions as a heat-receiving element.

2. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein the at least one chamber of the climate cell comprises of at least one first and one second level, and the air flow in the first level and second level is directed in the respectively opposite direction.

3. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein a direction of the air flow through the at least one chamber configured to can be changed and/or switched.

4. The closed climate cell according to claim 3, wherein the climate cell has a ventilation system, which is configured to change and/or switch the direction of the air flow.

5. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein the heat-storing elements are rigidly arranged on the first or second side of the chamber.

6. The closed climate cell according to claim 3, wherein after a change in direction of the air flow, the function of the two heat-storing elements is switched, such that the element that previously functioned as heat-emitting functions as a heat-receiving element, and the element that previously functioned as heat-receiving functions as a heat-emitting element.

7. The closed climate cell according to claim 2, wherein the element of the first level of the at least one chamber that functioned as heat-emitting at one point in time is movably connected with the element of the second level of the at least one chamber that functioned as heat-receiving at this point in time.

8. The closed climate cell according to claim 7, wherein during the movement of the heat-storing elements of two level, the element of the one level with a heat-receiving function is switched to an element of the other level with a heat-emitting function, and the element of the one level with a heat-emitting function is switched to an element of the other level with a heat-receiving function.

9. The closed climate cell according to claim 7, wherein the two connected, heat-storing elements form two parts of a rotor.

10. The closed climate cell according to claim 7, wherein the movement of the two connected, heat-storing elements takes places continuously.

11. The closed climate cell according to claim 7, wherein the movement of the two connected, heat-storing elements takes places in discrete steps.

12. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein the climate cell has several chambers, which preferably are arranged side by side, so that the air flow flows through the chambers one after the other.

13. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein a climate-regulating element is secured in an intermediate space between two adjacent chambers and/or in an edge space on one side of an individual chamber.

14. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein the heat-storing element comprises heat-conducting material, in particular metal, preferably aluminum.

15. The closed climate cell according to claim 1, wherein the heat-storing element has several elongated passageways, and comprises a honeycomb structure.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0031] The invention will be exemplarily explained below based upon preferred embodiments.

[0032] Shown schematically on:

[0033] FIG. 1: is a climatically closed climate cell with several chambers,

[0034] FIGS. 2a, b: is a side and front view of a heat-storing element,

[0035] FIGS. 3a, b: is the air flow of a climate system at two different points in time, and

[0036] FIGS. 4a, b: is the rotation of a heat-storing element during the operation of the closed climate cell.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a closed climate cell 100 for raising plants, for example which consists of four chambers 10. The chambers 10 are arranged side by side, and separated from each other by a small intermediate space 15. However, the chambers 10 and intermediate spaces 15 lie completely inside of the closed climate cell 100.

[0038] The chambers 10 each comprise several layers 12, which comprise one or several plant-raising containers and one or several lighting platforms arranged thereover. The layers 12 extend from a first side 11a of the chamber 10 to a second side 11b of the chamber, and are secured over the complete height of the chamber 10.

[0039] One or several respective heat-storing elements 13 are arranged on the first side 11a and second side 11b of the chamber 10, through which an air flow 25 generated by a ventilation system 21 of a climate system 20 (see FIG. 3) can or does flow. A climate-regulating element 22 is arranged in the intermediate space 15, between the heat-storing elements 13 or sides 11a, 11b of adjacently lying chambers 10.

[0040] The air is guided through the chambers 10 by a ventilation system 21, which is secured in an edge space 16 that closes the closed climate cell 100 on both sides. The chambers 10 comprise a first level 14a, which is arranged in the upper area of the chambers 10, and a second level 14b structurally separated therefrom, which forms the lower area of the chambers 10. The intermediate spaces 15 are also divided into two levels 14a, 14b in this way. The air circulated in the climate cell 100 here always flows in the same direction within a level 14,a, 14b, but can preferably flow in differing directions in the two different levels 14a, 14b. Therefore, the levels 14a, 14b are split in such a way that an air flow 25 cannot overcome the structural separation.

[0041] FIG. 2a shows a side view of a heat-storing element 13, through which an air flow 25 flows from left to right. The air flow 25 here flows through passageways 31 in the heat-storing element 13, which extend completely from the front side 33a to the rear side 33b. As a result, the surface structure of the heat-storing element 13 on the front side 33a is identical to the rear side 33b. A heat-conducting material 32 is located between the passageways 31, and has the heat-storing element 13, or which the heat-storing element 13 consists of. While the passageways 31 shown on FIG. 2a run straight through the heat-storing element 13, they can also be curved or bent in another embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 2b shows a front view of a heat-storing element 13, which depicts the inlet of the passageways 31. Bars comprised of heat-conducting material 32 are shown between the passageways 31. The honeycomb structure of the passageways 31 of the heat-storing element 13 is readily visible. The diameter of the passageways 31 is here distinctly smaller than the length of the passageways 31, thus yielding an elongated structure with thin passageways 31, as also discernible on FIG. 2a. The heat-conducting material 32 is also heat-storing. While the exterior shape of the heat-storing element 13 can here be square or rectangular or round, the heat-storing element 13 can also have some other kind of shape.

[0043] FIG. 3a shows a closed climate cell 100, for example which consists of four chambers 10 that are separated from each other by an intermediate space 15. The closed climate cell 100 is here divided into two levels 14a, 14b, wherein both the chambers 10 and the intermediate spaces 15 are divided into these two levels 14a, 14b by a structural separation. The first level 14a is here the upper level, and the second level 14b is the lower level. The division into two levels 14a, 14b does not extend through the edge spaces 16, which are arranged before the first chamber 10 and after the last chamber 10, and thus close the climate cell 100 in a horizontal direction.

[0044] A respective ventilation system 21 is secured in the edge spaces 16, for example a ventilator. The chambers 10 are bounded by a first side 11a and a second side 11b, wherein layers 12 are arranged between the sides 11a, 11b within the chambers, lying vertically above each other and running horizontally. Each layer 12 here consists of one or several plant-raising containers, and one or several lighting platforms arranged thereover.

[0045] A respective heat-storing element 13 is secured on the first side 11a and second side 11b of a chamber 10 in each of the levels 14a, 14b, through which air or the air flow 25 can flow into the chamber 10 and out of the chamber 10. The chambers 10 and intermediate spaces 15 of the first level 14a and second level 14b are thus connected with each other in such a way that an air flow 25 can flow through a level 14a, 14b unimpeded.

[0046] Shown on FIG. 3a is an air flow 25 flowing counterclockwise through the first level 14a, which is the upper level, and the second level 14b, which is the lower level, which is maintained or generated by the operation of the ventilation system 21 on the left side in the edge space 16. After the edge space 16, the air flow 25 here first flows through the heat-storing element 13 of the first side 11a of a chamber 10, which realizes the air inlet 23 into the chamber and functions as a heat-emitting element 13a. During entry of the air flow 25 into the chamber 10, this heat-storing element 13 thus emits stored heat to the air flow 25. Inside of the chamber, the air flow 25 is further heated by the lighting unit, for example. At the air outlet 24 of the chamber 10 on the second side 11b, the heat-storing element 13 functions as a heat-receiving element 13b. As a consequence, this heat-storing element 13 receives stored heat from the air flow 25 as the air flow 25 exits the chamber 10, and thereby cools the air flow.

[0047] The air of the air flow 25 then flows into an intermediate space 15, in which a climate-regulating element 22 is secured. The climate-regulating device 22 can be controlled by an external regulator, and thereby readjust, set, or regulate the air between the first and second chamber.

[0048] At the beginning of the second chamber 10, the air now flows through the first side 11a again and a heat-emitting element 13a through the air inlet 23 into the chamber 10 and, at the air outlet 24, through the heat-receiving element 13b of the second side 11b of this chamber 10 into the next intermediate space 15.

[0049] At the end of the first level 14a, the air flow 25 in the edge space 16 is guided into the second level 14b, and there flows back in the opposite direction, so that it first passes the second side 11b of the chamber 10, which constitutes the air inlet 23 of this chamber 10 with the heat-emitting element 13a. After flowing through the chamber 10, the air flow 25 exits the chamber 10 through the air outlet 24 on the first side 11a of the chamber 10 through the heat-receiving element 13b, so as to get into the intermediate space 15.

[0050] During operation of the closed climate cell 100, this air flow 25 or direction of air flow 25 is maintained for several seconds, preferably 10 s to 3 min, especially preferably 60 s to 120 s, and very especially preferably 90 s to 100 s.

[0051] As shown on FIG. 3b, the direction of the air flow 25 is then reversed, so that the air is no longer driven by the ventilation system 21 of the edge space of the left side of the closed climate cell 100, but rather by the ventilation system 21 on the edge space 16 of the opposite side (depicted on the right here). As a result, the air of the air flow 25 flows counterclockwise through the first and second level 14a, 14b. The air flow 25 on the first level 14a here first passes the second side 11b of a chamber 10, wherein the heat-emitting element 13a is located at the air inlet 23. After flowing through the chamber 10, the air at the air outlet 24 passes through the heat-receiving element 13b on the first side 11a of the chamber into the intermediate space 15, in which a climate-regulating element 22 is secured. On the second level 14b, the air flow 25 passes through the air inlet 23 during entry into the chamber 10, i.e., through the heat-emitting element 13a on the first side 11a of the chamber 10. After flowing through the chamber 10, the air again exits at the air outlet 24 through the heat-receiving element 13b on the second side 11b of the chamber 10. While the climate-regulating element 22 as well as the ventilation system 21 are part of the climate system 20, it can also comprise even more elements, for example measuring devices, sensors and/or additional regulating units.

[0052] FIG. 4 schematically shows how a rotation of the heat-storing element 13 can be used for switching between the heat-emitting element 13a and heat-receiving element 13b, instead of for changing the direction of the air flow 25. The heat-storing element 13 is located in part at the height of the first level 14a, and in part at the height of the second level 14b, wherein the element is arranged on the first side 11a or second side 11b of the chamber 10. The heat-storing element 13 can here consist of one or several parts, which are arranged at the same height, i.e., directly above each other, but can also be arranged offset from each other. One way of switching the heat-storing elements 13 involves rotating the heat-storing elements 13 around a shared middle point, wherein the first level 14a on FIG. 4a represents the air inlet 23, in which the heat-emitting element 13a is arranged, and the second level 14b represents the air outlet 24, in which the heat-receiving element 13b is arranged. The heat-storing element 13 was here exemplarily rotated by 60 on FIG. 4b, which now turned part of the previously heat-emitting element 13a of the first level 14a into a heat-receiving element 13b in the second level 14b. As usual, the air inlet 23 is located on the first level 14a, and the air outlet 24 on the second level 14b.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0053] 100 Climate cell [0054] 10 Chamber [0055] 11a First side [0056] 11b Second side [0057] 12 Layer [0058] 13 Heat-storing element [0059] 13a Heat-emitting element [0060] 13b Heat-receiving element [0061] 14a First level [0062] 14b Second level [0063] 15 Intermediate space [0064] 16 Edge space [0065] 20 Climate system [0066] 21 Ventilation system [0067] 22 Climate-regulating element [0068] 23 Air inlet [0069] 24 Air outlet [0070] 25 Air flow [0071] 31 Passageway [0072] 32 Heat-conducting material [0073] 33a Front side [0074] 33b Rear side