Sequential and cyclic aeroponic systems and methods

Abstract

A system for aeroponic plant growth comprises a pump connected to a suction manifold and a delivery manifold, a two-dimensional array of N growing units, and an electronic cyclic sequencer. The array comprises X rows and Y columns, having N/X growing units in each row and N/Y growing units in each column. Each column comprises a suction collector plumbing section, a delivery distributor plumbing section, a suction solenoid valve, and a delivery solenoid valve. The suction collector plumbing section, delivery distributor plumbing section, suction solenoid valve, and delivery solenoid valve are connected to each of the growing units in that column. The sequencer is operatively connected to each of the suction solenoid valves and delivery solenoid valves. Each of the N growing units comprises an enclosure containing a spray manifold and a lid assembly. The suction manifold and delivery manifold are connected to each of the columns of growing units.

1 . A system for aeroponic plant growth, the system comprising:
 a pump connected to a suction manifold and a delivery manifold;   a two-dimensional array of N growing units, the array comprising:
 X rows having N/X growing units in each row; and 
 Y columns having N/Y growing units in each column, each column comprising a suction collector plumbing section, a delivery distributor plumbing section, a suction solenoid valve, and a delivery solenoid valve, the suction collector plumbing section, delivery distributor plumbing section, suction solenoid valve, and delivery solenoid valve being connected to each of the N/Y growing units in that column; and 
   an electronic cyclic sequencer, operatively connected to each of the suction solenoid valves and delivery solenoid valves;   
       wherein each of the N growing units comprises an enclosure containing a spray manifold and a lid assembly; and wherein the suction manifold and the delivery manifold are connected to each of the Y columns of growing units. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each spray manifold comprises an upward facing spray head and a downward facing spray head. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one enclosure in each of the Y columns additionally contains a low level sensor operatively connected to the electronic cyclic sequencer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each lid assembly is adapted to hold a plurality of plants, configured such that the stems and leaves of the plants are allowed to grow above the lid assembly and the roots of the plants are allowed to pass through the lid assembly into the corresponding enclosure. 
     
     
         5 . A method of aeroponic plant growth, the method comprising sequentially and cyclically operating a plurality of submersible pumps in a corresponding plurality of enclosures in a corresponding plurality of growing units connected in a closed loop, each growing unit enclosure containing a spray manifold, and the sequential and cyclic operation comprising:
 for a first period, activating the submersible pump in a first one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to deliver nutrient from the first one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to the spray manifold in a second one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures, while the submersible pump in the second one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures is deactivated.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the sequential and cyclic operation additionally comprises:
 for a second period, activating the submersible pump in the second one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to deliver nutrient from the second one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to the spray manifold in a third one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures, keeping the submersible pumps in the first and third ones of the plurality of growing unit enclosures deactivated. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the number of growing units in the plurality is N and wherein the sequential and cyclic operation additionally comprises:
 for the first period, keeping the submersible pump in each of the N growing unit enclosures except for the first one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures deactivated; and 
 for the Nth period, activating the submersible pump in the Nth one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to deliver nutrient from the Nth one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to the spray manifold in the first one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures, keeping the submersible pump in each of the N growing unit enclosures except for the Nth one deactivated. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the sequential operation is carried out by an electronic cyclic sequencer acting in response to timing signals. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the sequential operation is carried out by an electronic cyclic sequencer acting in response to signals from low level sensors, one low level sensor being present in each of the plurality of growing unit enclosures. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein each of the spray manifolds comprises an upward facing spray head and a downward facing spray head. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the sequential and cyclic operation additionally comprises:
 for the first period, activating the submersible pump in a third one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to deliver nutrient from the third one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures to the spray manifold in a fourth one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures, while the submersible pump in the fourth one of the plurality of growing unit enclosures is deactivated.