Hydroponic system and method for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles

Abstract

In one configuration, a system for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles is disclosed. The system may include at least one reservoir configured to temporarily store the gas-bubble enriched liquid. Each of the at least one reservoir may include an associated inlet port and an associated outlet port fluidically coupled with each other via a liquid-flow line. The system includes one or more pumps configured to cause movement of the liquid along the liquid-flow line, a gas supply feeding a gas (in one configuration, oxygen from a gas concentrator), and a gas-bubble generator provided on the liquid-flow line. The gas-bubble generator may be fluidically coupled to the gas supply to receive gas from the gas supply. The gas-bubble generator may be configured to generate a plurality of individual gas-bubbles of the gas received from the gas supply and mix with the liquid stream flowing via the gas-bubble generator.

1 . A method of enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles to improve health of a plant, the method comprising:
 providing a first reservoir comprising:
 a first reservoir inlet port; 
 a first reservoir outlet port; and 
 a liquid-flow line fluidically coupled to the first reservoir inlet port and the first reservoir outlet port; 
   activating a pump to transfer the liquid between the first reservoir and a gas-bubble generator, the gas-bubble generator comprising:
 an inlet port; 
 an outlet port; 
 a rigid body disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port; and 
 a turbulent flow path adjacent to the rigid body; 
 wherein the gas-bubble generator is configured to receive the liquid via the inlet port, to mix the liquid via the rigid body, and to eject the liquid via the outlet port; 
   receiving a pressurized gas at the gas-bubble generator from a gas supply fluidically coupled to the gas-bubble generator;   generating a plurality of gas-bubbles of the pressurized gas received from the gas supply with the gas-bubble generator;   imparting turbulence in the liquid with the rigid body of the gas-bubble generator;   mixing, with the gas-bubble generator, the plurality of gas-bubbles with the liquid flowing from the inlet port to the outlet port;   ejecting, after mixing, the liquid mixed with the plurality of gas-bubbles from the outlet port of the gas-bubble generator;   receiving, at the first reservoir, the liquid mixed with the plurality of gas-bubbles from the gas-bubble generator; and   contacting the liquid mixed with the plurality of gas-bubbles with the plant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 twisting the liquid with a spiral of the rigid body. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 sensing, in real-time, a concentration of the pressurized gas mixed in the liquid. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  and further comprising:
 providing a gas concentration controller; and 
 controlling the concentration of pressurized gas mixed in the liquid, using the gas concentration controller, based on the concentration of pressurized gas mixed in the liquid. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein controlling the concentration of gas mixed in the liquid comprises:
 comparing a value of the concentration of gas mixed in the liquid with a predetermined threshold; and   controlling supply of the pressurized gas to the gas-bubble generator based on comparison of the value of the concentration of gas mixed in the liquid with the predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein controlling the concentration of gas mixed in the liquid comprises:
 initiating a timer to determine a time duration of supply of the gas from the gas supply to the gas-bubble generator;   iteratively matching, at expiry of a predefined time interval, the time duration with a preset time period; and   stopping the supply of gas and stopping flow of the liquid upon the time duration matching the preset time period.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 storing the liquid in a second reservoir that is in fluid communication with the first reservoir.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 selectively supplying the pressurized gas from the gas supply to the gas-bubble generator via a gas injector port of the gas-bubble generator. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 concentrating oxygen in air; and 
 delivering the oxygen as the pressurized gas received by the gas-bubble generator. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  and further comprising:
 removing nitrogen from air in a sieve tube during concentration of the oxygen. 
 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for enriching a liquid with gas-bubbles in a system, the apparatus comprising:
 a reservoir configured to temporarily store the liquid, the reservoir comprising:
 a reservoir inlet port; 
 a reservoir outlet port; and 
 a liquid-flow line fluidically coupled to the reservoir inlet port and the reservoir outlet port; 
 wherein the liquid enters the reservoir via the reservoir inlet port; and 
 wherein the liquid exits the reservoir via the reservoir outlet port; 
   a pump configured to cause movement of the liquid across the pump, the pump comprising:
 a suction port; and 
 a discharge port; 
   a gas supply feeding a pressurized gas; and   a gas-bubble generator positioned inside the reservoir and provided on the liquid-flow line, the gas-bubble generator comprises:
 an inlet port; 
 an outlet port; 
 an injection port; and 
 a turbulator inside the gas-bubble generator to create a turbulent flow path; 
 wherein the turbulent flow path is configured to generate turbulence to cause the pressurized gas received from the gas supply to mix with a liquid stream flowing from the inlet port to the outlet port of the gas-bubble generator; 
 wherein the gas-bubble generator is configured to receive the liquid via the inlet port and eject the liquid via the outlet port; 
 wherein the gas-bubble generator is fluidically coupled to the gas supply and configured to receive the pressurized gas from the gas supply via the injection port; 
 wherein the gas-bubble generator is further configured to generate a plurality of gas-bubbles of the pressurized gas received from the gas supply and mix with the liquid flowing via the gas-bubble generator; and 
 wherein the liquid stream containing the plurality of gas-bubbles is in fluid communication with at least one plant. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the gas supply is positioned outside the reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  and further comprising:
 a gas concentration controller communicatively coupled to the pump and the gas supply; 
 wherein the gas concentration controller is configured to control a concentration of dissolved gas in the liquid, based on time of gas mixed in the liquid. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the pump is a centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pump comprises:
 an impeller having a diameter of at least 3 inches.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the gas-bubble generator comprises:
 a gas injector port configured to selectively supply the pressurized gas from the gas supply to the gas-bubble generator.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11  and further comprising:
 a discharge piping manifold; 
 wherein the outlet port of the reservoir is selectively fluidically coupled to the suction port of the pump via the discharge piping manifold. 
 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a gas concentration sensor configured to detect concentration of the pressurized gas dissolved in the liquid; 
 wherein the gas concentration sensor contacting the liquid. 
 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the gas-bubble generator further comprises:
 an inner profile formed inside the gas-bubble generator; and 
 a plurality of grooves formed on the inner profile.