Fall Semester Update - Calvin College

18 Pages·2010·1.23 MB·English

by  Information Technology

Outline
 Re-introduction of the project and team
 Problem definition
 Goals/ Requirements
 Design Norms
 Breakdown of project
 Current Project Changes
 Issues
 Original design direction, New design direction
 Feasibility
 Resources
 Questions
HydroTower Team
 Back Row(L to R): Jacqueline Kirkman(ME), Brandon Vonk(EE)
 Front Row(L to R):Brian DeKock(ME), Nathan Meyer(EE), Brenton Eelkema(EE)
The Problem
80%
1,500 miles
Verticalfarm.com
Source: CityScape Farms, San Francisco, CA
Goals/ Requirements
 Goal:
 Low maintenance system for growing plants in homes
 Requirements:
 Automated nutrient distribution system
 Intuitive user interface
Design Norms
 Transparency
 Users will know what HydroTower does and how
HydroTower functions
 Trust
 Safety and reliability for food production in residential
and urban settings
 Stewardship
 Pertinent use of resources and energy
Issues
 Overview of initial design
 Flood and drain
 Measure nutrients in real time
using electrodes
 The issue
 Electrodes to measure
compounds do not exist without
interferences
Source: Figure 2: Flood and Drain System:
http://www.secretgardenhydroponics.co.uk/product/Dual_flow_01-015-005
HoaglHaonda’gsl aSnodlu'tsi oSno: lNutuitorine n t(sP ilna nSto Nluutiotrnient Solution)
Issue Solutions
mL Stock
Majors: Stock Solution
Solution/1L
2M KNO3 202g/L 2.5
 Alternative Solutions 2M Ca(NO3)2 x 4H2O 236g/0.5L 2.5
Iron (Sprint 138 iron chelate) 15g/L 1.5
 Aeroponics
2M MgSO4 x 7H2O 493g/L 1
Spray instead of flood

1M NH4NO3 80g/L 1
 Research new ways to measure Minors: 1 L
nutrients in real-time H3BO3 2.86g/L
MnCl2 x 4H2O 1.81g/L
ZnSO4 x 7H2O 0.22g/L
CuSO4 0.051g/L
H3MoO4 x H2O or 0.09g/L
Na2MoO4 x 2H2O 0.12g/L
1M KH2PO4 (pH to 6.0 with 3M 136g/L 0.5
KOH)
Issue Solutions
 Parallel designs for aeroponic and hydroponic with
electrodal analysis
 Change in frame and structure design