Design and plan of a modified hydroponic shipping container for research

156 Pages·2017·5.01 MB·English

Purdue University
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Open Access Theses Theses and Dissertations
12-2016
Design and plan of a modified hydroponic shipping
container for research
John A. Houtman
Purdue University
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Houtman, John A., "Design and plan of a modified hydroponic shipping container for research" (2016).Open Access Theses. 856.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_theses/856
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Graduate School Form
30Updated(cid:20)(cid:21)(cid:18)(cid:21)(cid:25)(cid:18)(cid:21)(cid:19)(cid:20)(cid:24)
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Thesis/Dissertation Acceptance
This is to certify that the thesis/dissertation prepared
By JohnA.Houtman
Entitled
DESIGNANDPLANOFAMODIFIEDHYDROPONICSHIPPINGCONTAINERFORRESEARCH
MasterofScience
For the degree of
Is approved by the final examining committee:
RobertM.Stwalley
Chair
BernardA.Engel
DennisR.Buckmaster
To the best of my knowledge and as understood by the student in the Thesis/Dissertation
Agreement, Publication Delay, and Certification Disclaimer (Graduate School Form 32),
this thesis/dissertation adheres to the provisions of Purdue University’s“Policy of
Integrity in Research” and the use of copyright material.
RobertM.Stwalley
Approved by Major Professor(s):
BernardA.Engel 12/1/2016
Approved by:
Head of the Departmental Graduate Program Date

DESIGN AND PLAN OF A MODIFIED HYDROPONIC SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR
RESEARCH
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty
of
Purdue University
by
John A. Houtman

In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
of
Master of Science

December 2016
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to personally thank everyone who has helped or supported me in completing
this research project and thesis. I would like to first thank Dr. Robert M. Stwalley, my advisor
and major professor, for continually guiding me in life, courses, and this research project. To Dr.
Bernard A. Engel and Dr. Dennis R. Buckmaster, thank you for serving on my committee and
taking time out of your day to help me throughout this research project. I would not have been
able to complete this research project without the kind help and contributions from George
Benda, EEI, Inc., Bill Larson, Village of Hope, and the Purdue University Agricultural &
Biological Engineering Department. Thank you to the entire ABE staff for the everyday joy you
provided me and especially Scott Brand for your consistent assistance in the machine shop and
needed modifications. I would also like to thank Rachel Sparks, Ronald Smith, Claire
Haselhorst, and Daren Seidel for granting me their inputs and participation in completing this
project.
A special appreciation goes out to Kathleen Cover for always keeping my spirits up and
being by rock throughout this process. A huge thank you to my parents, Bruce and Diane
Houtman, for their unconditional support and guidance throughout my life, always inspiring me
to better myself.
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vii
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... xi
CHAPTER 1. INTODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Problem Statement .................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Specific Research Questions ................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Research Goals ....................................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Scope ...................................................................................................................................... 5
1.5 Significance ............................................................................................................................ 5
1.6 Assumptions ........................................................................................................................... 6
1.7 Plan of Development .............................................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 7
2.1 Increased Demand for Urban Agriculture .............................................................................. 7
2.1.1 Population and Income Growth ........................................................................................ 7
2.1.2 Environmental Effects .................................................................................................... 10
2.1.3 Urbanization ................................................................................................................... 14
2.2 Growth of Local Food Market .............................................................................................. 21
2.3 New Engineered Solutions Needed ...................................................................................... 24
iv

Page
2.4 Urban Agricultural Systems ................................................................................................. 25
2.5 Modified Hydroponic Shipping Container ........................................................................... 31
2.6 State of MHSC Production Market ....................................................................................... 33
CHAPTER 3. PLAN AND DESIGN OF MHSC (PRELIMINARY DESIGN) ............................ 43
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 43
3.2 Key Concepts and Ideas........................................................................................................ 44
3.3 Constraints ............................................................................................................................ 45
3.4 Proposed Preliminary Design ............................................................................................... 46
3.4.1 Layout of Shipping Container ........................................................................................ 46
3.4.2 Growing System ............................................................................................................. 51
3.4.3 Irrigation System ............................................................................................................ 57
3.4.4 Environmental Control System ...................................................................................... 62
3.5 Additional Obligations.......................................................................................................... 71
3.6 Design Assessment ............................................................................................................... 72
CHAPTER 4. BENCH TEST ........................................................................................................ 73
4.1 Test Unit Design ................................................................................................................... 73
4.2 Experimental Process............................................................................................................ 75
4.3 Problems with Design ........................................................................................................... 78
CHAPTER 5. FINAL DESIGN ..................................................................................................... 79
5.1 Drain Re-Design ................................................................................................................... 79
5.2 Additional Design Adjustments ............................................................................................ 82
CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION .................................................................... 84
6.1 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 84
v

Page
6.2 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 87
LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 90
APPENDICES
Appendix A. Shipping Container Layout ...................................................................................... 97
Appendix B. Strut Channel Modifications ................................................................................... 103
Appendix C. Growing System ..................................................................................................... 107
Appendix D. Irrigation System .................................................................................................... 117
Appendix E. Environmental Control System ............................................................................... 123
Appendix F. Electrical Schematic and Plumbing ........................................................................ 133
Appendix G. MHSC Full Assembly ............................................................................................ 138
vi

LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
Table 2.1. List and Description of Urban Agriculture (UA) Methods ........................................... 30
Table 3.1. Monthly Heat Loss and Gain by Different Components (Sparks, 2016) ...................... 66
Table 4.1. Nutrient and Growing Needs for Each Growth Cycle (Sparks, 2016) .......................... 76
Table 5.1. Design Matrix of Final Drain Design ........................................................................... 80
vii

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
Figure 2.1. Adaptation methods for agricultural farm (Heimlick and Anderson, 2005) ................ 19
Figure 2.2. Distances traveled for different commodities in UK (Halweil, 2002) ......................... 22
Figure 2.3. Distances traveled for different commodities in U.S (Halweil, 2002) ........................ 22
Figure 2.4. Freight Farms’ Leafy Green Machine (LGM) (Freight Farms, 2016) ......................... 35
Figure 2.5. Freight Farms’ Leafy Green Cube (LGC) (Freight Farms, 2016) ............................... 36
Figure 2.6. Product available by Growtainer (Growtainers, 2016) ................................................ 38
Figure 2.7. Containerized Growing System (CGS) from VHH (VHH, 2016) ............................... 39
Figure 2.8. Hydroponic growing system in Containerized Growing System (CGS)
(VHH, 2016) .................................................................................................................................. 40
Figure 2.9. Hydroponic set-up for CropBox (Cropbox, 2016) ...................................................... 41
Figure 3.1. Existing doors of the shipping container will serve as the entrance ............................ 74
Figure 3.2. Close up of 1.5” B-line strut channel used for universal attachment points ................ 49
Figure 3.3. Strut channel pieces welded to walls of shipping container ........................................ 50
Figure 3.4. Strut channel pieces welded to ceiling of shipping container ...................................... 50
Figure 3.5. Growing system: PVC pipes, leg components, and lights ........................................... 52
Figure 3.6. Plastic end caps on each end of growing trays ............................................................ 53
Figure 3.7. Attachment of PVC pipes to support system using PVC clamps, strut channel, and
wood board .................................................................................................................................... 55
Figure 3.8. View of lights above growing trays ............................................................................. 57
Figure 3.9. Growing tray draining into reservoir ........................................................................... 59