VERTICAL GROWTH TOWER AND MODULE FOR AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONTROLLED VERTICAL FARMING SYSTEM
A multi-stage, plant growing system is configured for high density growth and crop yields and includes among other things, towers or vertical growth columns, an enclosed controlled environmental growth chamber, interchangeable growth modules, and control systems capable of machine learning wherein the crops are optimally spaced and continually staged in their planting cycles utilizing special growth modules to provide an accelerated and continuous annual production yield. A vertical growth tower for vertical farming comprising a plurality of growth modules, each growth module comprising an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant; a drain aperture in the enclosure; and at least one lateral growth opening in the enclosure configured to permit and to encourage lateral growth of the at least one plant away from the enclosure; wherein one or more of the growth modules is configured to stackably support one or more of the other growth modules above and/or below itself within the vertical growth tower.
1 . A growth tower for vertical farming, the growth tower comprising one or more growth modules, each growth module comprising:
an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant;
a drain aperture in the enclosure;
a capture mechanism configured for detachable attachment of the one or more growth modules to a vertical column of the growth tower; and
at least one lateral growth opening in the enclosure configured to permit growth of the at least one plant therethrough, and to encourage lateral growth of the at least one plant away from the enclosure;
the capture mechanism permitting the attachment of the one or more growth modules to the vertical column of the growth tower at variable heights,
the one or more growth modules being further configurable to stackably support one or more of the other growth modules with or without spaces above or below itself within the growth tower, thereby allowing formation of a plurality of vertically stacked growth modules and enabling vertical farming of a plurality of plants in growth modules stacked along a vertical axis,
the drain aperture allowing vertical flow of fluids comprising water and one or more nutrients between adjacent growth modules within the growth tower in a flow direction generally downward along the vertical axis, and
said lateral growth opening having an angular orientation at an angle comprising between about 0.0 degrees to about 45.0 degrees vertical of parallel to horizontal, and said lateral growth opening is thereby configured to allow for improved airflow from any one of multiple directions to disrupt a boundary layer of an under-canopy of the at least one plant growing away from the one or more growth modules.
2 . The growth tower of claim 1 , the one or more growth modules being configured to provide a containment shape comprising:
a completely circular shape;
a partially circular shape;
an elliptical shape;
an irregular geometric shape;
a non-symmetric, irregular geometric shape;
a symmetric, multi-sided geometric shape;
a triangular shape;
a rectangular shape;
a square shape;
a trapezoidal shape;
a pentagonal shape;
a hexagonal shape;
a heptagonal shape;
an octagonal shape;
a geometric shape comprising non-flat sides; or
any combination thereof.
3 . The growth tower of claim 2 , the one or more growth modules, further comprising:
at least a partial lower surface connected to the containment shape;
the drain aperture being positioned in or near the at least partial lower surface, and
the at least partial lower surface comprising a non-perpendicular surface relative to the containment shape, configured to facilitate the movement of fluids toward the drain aperture.
4 . The growth tower of claim 2 , the one or more growth modules further comprising at least a partial upper surface connected to the containment shape.
5 . The growth tower of claim 1 , wherein the one or more growth modules is an unsupported, self-standing growth tower.
6 . The growth tower of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more growth modules is orientable such that the at least one growth opening of a first growth module faces a different direction from a corresponding at least one growth opening of the one or more other growth modules within the growth tower.
7 . The growth tower of claim 5 , wherein a top end of the unsupported, self-standing growth tower is configured for attachment to a conveyance system for conveying one or more growth modules toward or away from the growth tower.
8 . The growth tower of claim 7 , wherein a bottom end of the unsupported, self-standing vertical growth tower is configured for attachment to a conveyance system for conveying one or more growth modules toward or away from the vertical growth tower.
9 . The growth tower of claim 7 , wherein the top end of the vertical growth tower is configured for attachment to a support structure capable of supporting a plurality other vertical growth towers.
10 . The growth tower of claim 9 , wherein said vertical growth tower is configured to rotate about the vertical axis when attached to the support structure for similarly exposing the at least one growth opening of the attached one or more vertically stacked growth modules to a light source or an airflow.
11 . The growth tower of claim 7 , wherein said conveyance system provides a controlled, timed movement of each vertical growth tower, in unison with the other vertical growth towers attached to the conveyance system, to move plants contained within the one or more vertically stacked growth modules from a starting point location corresponding with an immature growth stage to a finishing point corresponding with a harvestable plant along a circuit within an environmentally-controlled growing chamber.
12 . A vertical farming system comprising:
at least one vertical column comprising:
a central vertical axis;
a periphery comprising:
a square shape;
a rectangular shape;
a generally circular shape;
a partially circular shape;
triangular shape;
a trapezoidal shape;
a pentagonal shape;
a hexagonal shape;
a heptagonal shape;
an octagonal shape;
any geometric shape comprising non-flat sides; or
any combination thereof; and
one or more growth modules configured for detachable attachment to the at least one vertical column, the one or more growth modules each comprising:
an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant; or
a sleeve configured to hold a plurality of sub-growth modules comprising an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant; or
a housing configured to hold a plurality of sub-growth modules, each sub-growth module comprising the enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant;
a drain aperture; and
at least one lateral growth opening in the enclosure or at least one sub-growth module configured to permit growth of the at least one plant therethrough, and to encourage lateral growth of the at least one plant away from the growth module;
the one or more growth modules being configured to stackably support one or more other growth modules stacked above or below itself,
the drain aperture being configured to facilitate a generally downward vertical flow of fluids from the growth module to another growth module stacked below itself,
said lateral growth opening having an angular orientation at an angle comprising between about 0.0 degrees to about 45.0 degrees vertical of parallel to horizontal, and
said lateral growth opening being thereby configured to allow for improved airflow from any one of multiple directions to disrupt a boundary layer of an under-canopy of the at least one plant growing away from the one or more growth modules.
13 . The vertical farming system of claim 12 , further comprising a conveyance system and a guided vertical lift, the guided vertical lift being configured for:
conveying the one or more growth modules up and down on the at least one vertical column; and
the at least one vertical column being further configured for attachment to the conveyance system at or about at least one of;
a bottom end or a top end of the at least one vertical column; and
a bottom end and a top end of the at least one vertical column.
14 . The farming system of claim 13 , further comprising an environmentally controlled growing chamber, wherein said conveyance system is configured to provides a controlled, timed movement of the at least one vertical column, in unison with other vertical columns attached to the conveyance system, to move plants contained within the one or more growth modules having enclosures about a circuit within the environmentally controlled growing chamber of the farming system from a starting point location corresponding with an immature growth stage to a finishing point corresponding with a harvestable plant along the circuit.
15 . The farming system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vertical column further comprises at least one attachment mechanism configured for detachable attachment to the one or more growth modules, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism comprises:
a “T”-rail;
a “V”-rail;
a separable ring;
a protruding notch;
an indented notch;
a slot;
a groove;
a through-hole and retaining pin;
a magnet; or
any combination thereof; and
wherein said at least one attachment mechanism is positioned on a longitudinal surface of said vertical column.
16 . The farming system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one growth module is attached in a radial pattern about the periphery of the at least one vertical column.
17 . The farming system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vertical column comprises at least one of:
a forced airflow conduit; and
a gravity-feed water and nutritional conduit;
the forced airflow conduit and the gravity-feed water and nutritional conduit being positioned either within the interior of the at least one vertical column or on the exterior of the at least one vertical column, with ports accessible to and from at least one attached growth module.
18 . The farming system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one vertical column has a top end configured for attachment to a support structure capable of supporting a plurality other vertical columns, and
the vertical column being further configured to rotate about the central vertical axis when attached to the support structure for uniformly exposing the at least one lateral growth opening of the attached one or more growth modules to a light source or an airflow during each rotation.
19 . A vertical farming system comprising:
a) a vertical column comprising:
a central vertical axis; and
a periphery comprising:
a square shape;
a rectangular shape;
a generally circular shape;
a partially circular shape;
triangular shape;
a trapezoidal shape;
a pentagonal shape;
a hexagonal shape;
a heptagonal shape;
an octagonal shape;
any geometric shape comprising non-flat sides; or
any combination thereof;
b) one or more growth modules, and
c) a guided vertical lift mechanism capable of supporting, raising, and lowering the one or more growth modules;
the vertical column having a sleeved configuration that captures the one or more growth modules; and
the one or more growth modules comprising:
an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant; or
a sleeve configured to hold a plurality of sub-growth modules comprising an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant; or
a housing configured to hold a plurality of sub-growth modules, each sub-growth module comprising the enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant;
a drain aperture; and
at least one lateral growth opening in the enclosure or at least one sub-growth module configured to permit growth of the at least one plant therethrough, and to encourage lateral growth of the at least one plant away from the one or more growth modules;
the one or more growth modules configured to stackably supportone or more other growth modules stacked above or below itself,
the drain aperture configured to facilitate a generally downward vertical flow of fluids from one or more growth modules to another growth module stacked below itself,
an angular orientation of said at least one lateral growth opening being an angle comprising between about 0.0 degrees to about 45.0 degrees vertical of parallel to horizontal, and
said lateral growth opening being configured to allow for an improved airflow to disrupt a boundary layer of an under-canopy of the at least one plant growing away from the one or more growth modules.