System and method for environmental control

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment, an Environmental Optimization System (“EOS”) provides a system for the intelligent control and monitoring of a poultry or livestock house environment through the utilization of a solar thermal collection system, a variety of environmental and livestock behavior sensors, apparatus for controlling the thermal collection and existing interior heating/air conditioning/ventilation (“HVAC”) systems, and Internet or cloud based intelligent control and monitoring capabilities of the system. In various embodiments central sensor data aggregation is utilized to provide improved optimization control for individual structures based on data from multiple structures.

Claims

1. A system for an environmental control comprising: a broiler poultry livestock structure; a control unit; at least one sunlight sensor; at least one interior temperature sensor located in an interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure; at least one exterior temperature sensor located in an exterior of the broiler poultry livestock structure; at least one humidity sensor; at least one solar thermal collector sized according to a size of the broiler poultry livestock structure, wherein the broiler poultry livestock structure houses broiler poultry livestock, wherein the at least one solar thermal collector comprises a transpired solar collector and an enclosed collection chamber; at least one controllable vent and at least one controllable fan between the at least one solar thermal collector and the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure, wherein the operation of the at least one controllable fans and the at least one controllable vent are adjustable; wherein during periods when the broiler poultry livestock is absent from the broiler poultry livestock structure the accumulated detritus on the floor of the broiler poultry livestock structure is dried by a heated air vented from the at least one solar thermal collector; a plurality of audio sensors installed within the broiler poultry livestock structure; wherein a plurality of audio sensor data captured within the broiler poultry livestock structure is communicated to a computing device; wherein the computing device utilizes digital signal processing to determine stress conditions of the broiler poultry livestock housed in the broiler poultry livestock structure based on known or calibrated broiler poultry livestock stress correlated audio characteristics; wherein during period when a measured exterior ambient temperature is high, the at least one solar thermal collector functions as an exterior insulator to shade the broiler poultry livestock structure from direct sunlight by changing the incident angle of the transpired solar collector and by opening upper and lower vents on the solar thermal collector and using the at least one controllable fans to push the heated air out of the solar thermal collector such that fresh air is vented into the enclosed collection chamber and bypassed the transpired solar collector; wherein the control unit optimizes environmental conditions in the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure by controlling the amount of the heated air collected by the at least one solar thermal collector which is vented into the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure to provide dynamic adjustments of the interior temperature based at least in part on the determined broiler poultry livestock stress conditions.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the controller uses a fuzzy logic control strategy.

3. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: at least one ammonia sensor.

4. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: at least one video camera.

5. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: a means for sensing the behavior of the broiler poultry livestock housed in the broiler poultry livestock structure.

6. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: a central server hosting data received from one or more sensor inputs from the broiler poultry livestock structure.

7. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: a central server hosting data received from one or more sensor inputs from the broiler poultry livestock structure and data received from the environmental control from the broiler poultry livestock structure.

8. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: a central server hosting data received from one or more sensor inputs from the broiler poultry livestock structure and data received from the environmental control from the broiler poultry livestock structure, wherein said data received from the one or more sensor inputs and said data received from the environmental control is aggregated over time.

9. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: a central server hosting data received from one or more sensor inputs from the broiler poultry livestock structure and data received from the environmental control from the broiler poultry livestock structure, wherein said data received from the one or more sensor inputs and said data received from the environmental control of the broiler poultry livestock structure is aggregated over time and wherein said environmental control may be operated by a user remote system.

10. The system as in claim 1 further comprising: a thermal storage volume; wherein the heated air collected by the at least one solar thermal collector is directed from the at least one solar thermal collector to the thermal storage volume and redirected at a later time to the broiler poultry livestock structure by a system controller.

11. A method for an environmental control in a broiler poultry livestock structure comprising: sensing an exterior structure temperature, an interior structure temperature, an interior humidity of the broiler poultry livestock structure and an interior temperature of a solar thermal collector attached to the broiler poultry livestock structure with sensors, wherein the solar thermal collector comprises a transpired solar collector and an enclosed collection chamber; controlling one or more vents and one or more fans for regulating a movement of air between the solar thermal collector and the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure; controlling one or more vents and one or more fans for regulating a movement of air between the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure and exterior of the broiler poultry livestock structure; optimizing a control operation of the one or more vents and the one or more fans based upon initial system settings which are modified based upon feedback from the sensors; adjusting the operation of the one or more fans and the one or more vents; wherein during periods when livestock is absent from the broiler poultry livestock structure the accumulated detritus on the floor of the broiler poultry livestock structure is dried by a heated air vented from the solar thermal collector to the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure; wherein during period when a measured exterior ambient temperature is high, the at least one solar thermal collector functions as an exterior insulator to shade the broiler poultry livestock structure from direct sunlight by changing the incident angle of the transpired solar collector and by opening upper and lower vents on the solar thermal collector and using the at least one controllable fans to push the heated air out of the solar thermal collector such that fresh air is vented into the enclosed collection chamber and bypassed the transpired solar collector; wherein a plurality of audio sensor data captured within the broiler poultry livestock structure is communicated to a computing device; wherein the computing device utilizes digital signal processing to determine stress conditions of the broiler poultry livestock housed in the broiler poultry livestock structure based on known or calibrated broiler poultry livestock stress correlated audio characteristics.

12. The method as in claim 11 further comprising: aggregating data received from the sensors in the broiler poultry livestock structure over time; providing remote access for users to access data received from the sensors in the broiler poultry livestock structure.

13. The method as in claim 11 further comprising: aggregating data received from the sensors in the broiler poultry livestock structure over time; providing remote access for users to access data received from the sensors in the broiler poultry livestock structure; providing remote control access for users to control the one or more fans and the one or more vents of the broiler poultry livestock structure; optimizing the environmental control of the broiler poultry livestock structure by the adjustment of the one or more fans and the one or more vents operation based on the feedback of the aggregated data received from the sensors.

14. The method as in claim 11 further comprising: receiving weather prediction information from an online source about the location of the broiler poultry livestock structure by a central server; adjusting the operation of the one or more fans and the one or more vents to predictively modify the environmental conditions of the broiler poultry livestock structure in advance of predicted weather events.

15. A means for optimizing environmental conditions in an interior of a broiler poultry livestock structure comprising: a means for sensing the environmental conditions in the interior and an exterior of the broiler poultry livestock structure and an interior of at least one solar thermal collector, wherein the at least one solar thermal collector comprises a transpired solar collector and an enclosed collection chamber, wherein the broiler poultry livestock structure houses broiler poultry livestock; a means for controlling at least one vent and at least one fan for moving air between the interior and the exterior of the broiler poultry livestock structure, and the at least one solar thermal collector; a means for adjusting operation of the at least one vent and the at least one fan to optimize the environmental conditions inside the broiler poultry livestock structure; wherein the operation of the at least one fan and the at least one vent is adjusted, wherein during periods when the broiler poultry livestock is absent from the broiler poultry livestock structure the accumulated detritus on the floor of the broiler poultry livestock structure is dried by a heated air vented from the at least one solar thermal collector to the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure, wherein during period when a measured exterior ambient temperature is high, the at least one solar thermal collector functions as an exterior insulator to shade the broiler poultry livestock structure from direct sunlight by changing the incident angle of the transpired solar collector and by opening upper and lower vents on the solar thermal collector and using the at least one controllable fans to push the heated air out of the solar thermal collector such that fresh air is vented into the enclosed collection chamber and bypassed the transpired solar collector; wherein a plurality of audio sensor data captured within the broiler poultry livestock structure is communicated to a computing device; wherein the computing device utilizes digital signal processing to determine stress conditions of the broiler poultry livestock housed in the broiler poultry livestock structure based on known or calibrated broiler poultry livestock stress correlated audio characteristics.

16. The means for optimizing the environmental conditions as in claim 15 further comprising: a means for aggregating data received from the broiler poultry livestock structure over time.

17. The means for optimizing the environmental conditions as in claim 15 further comprising: a means for storing hot air which may be forcibly moved to the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure; whereby a hot air collected by the solar thermal collector is stored for future heating of the interior of the broiler poultry livestock structure at a future time when the operation of the solar thermal collector is not in operation.

18. The means for optimizing the environmental conditions as in claim 15 further comprising: a means for using a hot air collected by the solar thermal collector for facilitating maintenance of the broiler poultry livestock structure during periods when the broiler poultry livestock is absent from the broiler poultry livestock structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 depicts an overview of an exemplary EOS system.

(2) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the components of an exemplary EOS system.

(3) FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of the operation flow for solar collector panel system control.

(4) FIG. 3A is a chart showing an example use of predictive control for interior poultry house environment.

(5) FIG. 3B shows 3 diagrams which depict configurations of the solar collector during various modes of operation.

(6) FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of the operation of data aggregation from poultry houses and the performance of analytics for adjusting environmental control.

(7) FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a remote EOS monitor primary user interface.

(8) FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a remote EOS video feed user interface.

(9) FIG. 7 shows is an embodiment of a remote EOS analytics monitor for environment sensors.

(10) FIG. 8 shows a diagram of an embodiment utilizing a thermal storage volume.

(11) FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the operation of enclosure venting and heat storage processes controlled by EOS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) In an exemplary embodiment, an Environmental Optimization System (“EOS”) provides a system for the intelligent control and monitoring of a poultry house environment and livestock through the utilization of a solar thermal collection system, a variety of environmental sensors, apparatus for controlling the thermal collection and existing interior heating/air conditioning/ventilation (“HVAC”) systems and Internet or “cloud” based intelligent control and monitoring capability of the system.

(13) Other exemplary applications include embodiments in which EOS is utilized for residential and greenhouse or other housed agriculture environmental control. Various residential and agricultural embodiments include solar thermal collection components.

(14) FIG. 1 shows an overview of an exemplary embodiment of an EOS system. In this embodiment, the controlled environment is the interior of a livestock structure 102, specifically one for raising poultry chicks 112. The poultry housing location 101 includes sensor systems 104, a dynamic solar thermal collector 103, thermal collector ventilation fans 105 and video monitors 106.

(15) The EOS in this embodiment includes capabilities for remote monitoring 107 of the system sensors and video 108 by the facility operator 109, as well as analytics of the environmental conditions, livestock behavior production output 110. Data from the livestock environment 101 by uplink to the Internet (cloud) 111. Control, access, storage analytics may be hosted in the cloud 111 or in an offsite server system 113.

(16) In certain embodiments the solar thermal collector 103 is a fabricated transpired solar collector (“TSC”) with EOS control of thermal ventilation and the angle of incidence of the solar panel to the sun. The incident angle may be adjusting the elevation angle of a normal to the solar collection surface by vertical tilt, or by adjusting the radial angle of incidence by rotational adjustments of the solar facing surface.

(17) An embodiment of EOS control and data monitoring modules is shown in FIG. 2. Data source include on-site sensor systems 207 cloud based information 204, including predictive data 205, such as weather prediction information from an Internet source such as weather.com. On-site sensor systems 207 include environmental sensors 208 such as interior and ambient exterior temperature, interior CO.sub.2 concentration, ammonia concentration, relative humidity sound level. Livestock behavior sensors 209 include motion detectors, video, thermal imaging, audio filtered for appropriate livestock frequencies, digital video analysis of livestock patterns, motion detection thermal distribution. On-site production sensors 210 in various embodiments may include sensors measuring livestock feed and water consumption, livestock weight and the speed to weight, or days of production to desired production weight.

(18) The EOS system in various embodiments includes various data collection and processing aggregation modules 201 206 214. The primary data collection module 206 receives onsite 207 and offsite inputs 204 and sends output as the system directs, to the control modules 214 and the data monitor, logging and analytics modules 201. Data monitoring includes the live video feed, which is provided through the cloud 202 along with other logged 203 and live sensor data. Controller outputs are sent from the primary module to the solar collection control module the facility HVAC control module. The EOS system operates in various embodiments by an integrated control of the solar thermal collection and ventilation and HVAC apparatus, including either forced air or radiant heaters 212, which are on-site at the poultry house livestock facility 211.

(19) In various embodiments, a solar thermal collection apparatus is used as a controlled component by the EOS. An embodiment of solar thermal collection control operation is shown by flow chart in FIG. 3. In the shown embodiment, the collector control is initiated 301, before the control system receives various sensors. In certain embodiments, the solar collector is used as either a thermal insulator during high ambient temperature conditions, or to vent unheated fresh air into the house. The EOS controls this by opening collection system vents 314, on the top and bottom of the collector, when the ambient exterior temperature is above a threshold value 313. When indicated by the EOS to vent fresh air into the house (such as during high ammonia detection), air bypassing the solar collection panel is vented into the house 315. In certain embodiments, the collection panel may be moved or adjusted 304 according to the incident angle of the sun according to date (season), time of day 302 and the location of the house (latitude/longitude) according to data from look-up tables available through the cloud 303. After optimizing the incident angle 304, sensor information 306 is received by the system 305, including in various embodiments, CO.sub.2 concentration, ammonia concentration, interior and exterior temperature, sunlight, relative humidity, interior sound level, thermal distribution livestock distribution and movement. In various embodiments, weather prediction data 308 for the house location is provided from cloud based sources, particularly short term temperature predictions 307. In various embodiments, a fan in certain embodiments a tunnel fan, is used intermittently and a varying speeds, according to the controller 309 to raise house interior temperature by venting the thermal collection of fresh air into the interior of the house. If the system receives input indicating an impending spike drop in ambient temperature 310, the system may adjust or initiate an early start for the vent fan 311. The control cycle then completes 312 and is run periodically according to EOS operation.

(20) FIG. 3A shows a time based 303A graph 301A of the interior and exterior house temperatures 302A and the effectiveness of EOS predictive control anticipating sudden temperature drops. In this graph, the solid line 304A represents exterior ambient temperature. If the EOS receives prediction data that the ambient temperature is going to have a sudden drop 311A during sunlight hours to a temperature below the ideal range 305A, the collector controller closes its upper/lower vents (shown in FIG. 3B) and begins thermal collection early to vent into the house interior. Thus, instead of reacting late to the temperature sudden drop 310A, the EOS uses early thermal collection to keep the interior temperature within the ideal range 308A. In various embodiments, the EOS may make other dynamic predictive adjustments to environment systems to account for predicted changes in relative humidity, predicted severe inclement weather, or predictive information from nearby monitored EOS based facilities.

(21) FIG. 3B shows 3 different configurations demonstrating operation of the solar collector component in various embodiments. During summer use with relatively low ambient temperatures 301B, when the sun 307B is at a higher angle on incidence to the panel 308B, the bottom component of the panel structure 311B extends away from the house structure. During this operation mode, the upper 304B and lower 319B panel vents remain closed fresh air passes through 315B the transpired solar collector 309B. A foam insulator and mount 306B is used for thermal isolation between the panel and house exterior wall. During winter operation of the panel 302B, the sun 318B is at a lower angle of incidence 317B the bottom component of the panel structure 312B retracts towards the house structure. During summer operation of the panel with high relative ambient temperature 303B, the upper 305B and lower 310B panel structure vents are opened, allowing fresh air in the upper vent 314B and lower vent 313B to bypass the solar collector, reducing the temperature of air vented into the structure. In various embodiments the EOS is used to adjust vent apparatus for balancing thermal control and measured ammonia concentration in the house. In various embodiments, the panel vents may be hinged vents, butterfly vents, or electric motor controlled vents, among other available options.

(22) In various embodiments, data collection, monitoring analytics provide information relevant to the EOS controller and to system operators. In FIG. 4, this process is depicted by a flow chart. After data collection initiation 401, sensor information is received from house exterior sensors 402, which is sent to the EOS monitor user interface 406 to the EOS data archive 407. Similarly, interior sensor data received by the EOS 403 is sent to the archive component 407 and monitor user interface 406. Streaming (live) audio and video received by the system is uploaded to EOS 404 and available for the monitor user interface 406. Productivity data for the livestock is provided by sensors to the EOS 405 sent to the archive 407 for system aggregation 408. In various embodiments, the EOS computes analytics, for example trend analysis 408, which is sent to the user interface as requested 410. The collection cycle is completed 411 and periodically performed according to the EOS. In various embodiments, the EOS provides daily updates for operators to monitor the improvement in a house's speed to weight, a key measure of productivity.

(23) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment user interface 501 for EOS monitoring. Various embodiments contain different layouts and sensor information in the interface. In the shown embodiment, streaming video from the house 502 is shown along with an array of sensor gauges 503, digital gauges 505 historical (trend) data for relevant sensor information 504.

(24) FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of the user interface 601 for EOS streaming video 602 from the house interior. Also available through the interface in certain embodiments is an interface for controlling the video feed 603 and a gauge showing livestock motion.

(25) FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of the user interface 701 for EOS sensor historical data. In the shown embodiment, (time based) historical data is shown for sensor inputs such as external (ambient) temperature 702. The user interface also includes capabilities for users to show other analytics, to modify the data trends shown 704 and to manipulate the chart size 703.

(26) FIG. 8 shows a diagram of an embodiment of the system which includes a thermal or heat storage volume component. The poultry or residential house is shown 801 with the thermal storage volume in the “attic” 813 of the house 801. The components shown here include the solar collection enclosure 805 which collects solar 814 thermal energy which is collected by radiation 802 against the transpired solar collector 803. When unvented and in direct sunlight, experimental results have shown the enclosure internal air 804 temperature may rise over 80° F. above the ambient air temperature. During certain weather conditions and times of day, the heat accumulated in the collector enclosure may not be needed to heat the house interior. In the shown embodiment, this heat may be vented by a forced air blower fan 806 and directionally controlled 807 by a duct 804 into 808 a storage volume 813 809, which in this embodiment is the attic of the house. During optimal conditions determined by the EOS control system, the stored heat is vented 811 to the house interior by a forced air blower 810.

(27) In various embodiments, during certain times the house is vacant of poultry and the detritus from bottom of the house 813 is either cleaned out manually, or dried out during a clean out period. Experimental results show that under certain conditions, sun heated air in the solar enclosures may be 80° F. or more above the ambient air and with an 18% or more reduction in the ambient humidity of the outside air pulled through the solar collector. Given the amount of available heat, the EOS may be utilized in certain embodiments to raise house interior temperatures to the maximum temperature needed without supplemental fuel usage. Empirical analysis indicates a potential for a 20% to 50% or more reduction in clean out time of the house utilizing EOS controlled TSC solar enclosures depending on the time of the year and ambient temperature conditions.

(28) FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of the operation and control of an embodiment which includes a heat storage volume. Control of the system in this embodiment operates as a HVAC cycle 901 with environmental sensors 903 inputs and controlled vents and fans. During very warm weather conditions, the interior of the house may significantly exceed optimal conditions. During such conditions 915 in various embodiments, the EOS may be used to operate the solar collector as an exterior shade or solar insulator, by opening upper and lower vents on the collector 916 using the fans to push the heated air out of the solar collectors and into the outside environment. During cooler days, the enclosure is used to heat the house interior during conditions when the enclosure temperature is above the house interior 902 until the house reaches the optimal temperature 904. Under these conditions, the enclosure is vented to the interior of the house by a forced air fan 909, which is speed modulated 911 during the HVAC cycle to minimize electricity used by the fan and reduce the noise output.

(29) Once the house optimal temperature is reached under these conditions 904-910 and according to the heat storage temperature 910 the enclosure heat may be diverted into the storage volume 913. Otherwise, the enclosure vents are closed and fan remains off while heat builds up in the enclosure 912.

(30) When the exterior temperature drops at night and no heat is available from the enclosure 902-905, the stored heat (if hot enough 906) may be used to heat the house interior 908. Otherwise, residual enclosure heat may be used to build heat in storage, performing in some embodiments a thermal insulation effect for the interior.

(31) For various embodiments the system components may be installed in combination with an existing structure HVAC system to minimize energy or fuel necessary to maintain the structure interior environment at optimal environmental conditions.

(32) For various embodiments the system components are not directly integrated with the HVAC system, but the house ventilation cycle is modified according to experimental results of the EOS system. For example, a common current configuration for poultry housing is for the large high volume tunnel fans to be programmed for periodic operation to remove ammonia from the house interior. A typical ventilation system may operate the tunnel(s) fan at full speed for perhaps 5 seconds every minute. In various embodiments, without directly integrating the EOS system with the current housing ventilation system, experimental results will demonstrate the amount of ammonia reduction provided by the EOS system, and the ventilation system may be reprogrammed or adjusted to reduce the ventilation tunnel fan operation for example to 5 seconds every 5 minutes. Since tunnel fan operation is extremely noisy and causes near windy conditions inside the house, the operation of the fans is detrimental to the health of the poultry. Hence minimizing the operation of the fans by the use of various embodiments of the EOS system improves the poultry health, reduces ammonia gasses in the interior environment, and decreases supplemental energy usage.

(33) For various embodiments the system maintains a database of optimal structure interior temperatures and conditions with associated dates and times according to empirically determined optimal conditions during the growth life cycle of the livestock in the structure. For various embodiments the system may be manually reset to restart the growth cycle environment control, or may automatically reset according to sensor input indicating that a new growth cycle of livestock in the structure has begun.

(34) For various embodiments, the solar collectors components are designed for modular construction and may be configured with end collector units and center collector units such that each system has end units and at least one center unit, each unit having its own ventilation, fan, and sensor components based on the system needs and are electronically and electronically interconnected.

(35) The implications of the present invention's numerous potential configurations and embodiments are far reaching. Other embodiment include any livestock housing, grow houses for tropical plants, germination, or out of season cultivation, or as an energy saving system for human inhabited structures. The economic savings provided by the use of optimized thermal collection are widely applicable and available by only small changes to presented embodiments.

(36) In the various described and other embodiments, use of a sustainable energy source provides significant savings in energy, including the energy usage per production pound of livestock. Additionally, various embodiments reduce polluting emissions from the facility, including CO.sub.2 and ammonia.

(37) Although the invention has been described in terms of the preferred and exemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize many embodiments not mentioned here by the discussion and drawing of the invention. Interpretation should not be limited to those embodiments specifically described in this specification.

(38) The Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge any fees which may be required with respect to this application to Deposit Account No. 505949.