INSULATED SHIPPING CONTAINERS MODIFIED FOR HIGH-YIELD PLANT PRODUCTION CAPABLE IN ANY ENVIRONMENT
A system and method for generating high-yield plant production is disclosed. The system includes a container, a growing station, and a monitoring system. The growing station includes vertical racks, a lighting system, an irrigation system, a climate control system, and a ventilation system. The monitoring system monitors all of the systems in the growing station, as well as the environment within the container, to provide real-time data and alerts to a user.
1 - 37 . (canceled)
38 . A modular system for high-yield plant production, the system comprising at least one modular container, each modular container comprising:
a germination station;
a plurality of vertical racks for plants, each vertical rack being configured to hold at least one grow channel;
a lighting subsystem facing the vertical racks;
an irrigation subsystem configured to deliver a water/nutrient solution to each grow channel, wherein the irrigation subsystem comprises a tubing configured for delivering the water/nutrient solution;
a climate control subsystem;
a monitoring subsystem configured to monitor and control at least one of the germination station, the irrigation subsystem, the climate control subsystem and the lighting subsystem to maintain and/or change a set of conditions prescribed by a user, wherein the monitoring subsystem is configured to provide the user with real-time alerts from the modular growing system; and
an access space within said at least one modular container for an operator to monitor or control at least one of the germination station system, the irrigation subsystem, the climate control subsystem and the lighting subsystem, or to access plants in the at least one modular container;
wherein the system is configured to allow plant germination, growth, and harvesting within the at least one modular container; and
wherein the at least one modular container comprises one or more zones of plants.
39 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the zones include plants of a same crop or plants of different crops.
40 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the each zone varies by one or more of selectively maintained air temperature, carbon dioxide levels, water temperature, humidity and nutrient conductivity.
41 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the lighting subsystem further comprises a conversion box for central conversion of AC to DC power.
42 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the lighting subsystem comprises at least one LED diode inside a waterproof coating.
43 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the irrigation subsystem is configured to deliver a water/nutrient solution to an upper end of each grow channel.
44 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the at least one modular container is insulated.
45 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the modular system is capable of growing at least about 125 heads of lettuce per square foot per year.
46 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the modular system uses not more than about 3.75 gallons of water per square foot per year when operating at capacity.
47 . The modular system of claim 38 , wherein the at least one modular container comprises two or more modular containers.
48 . The modular system of claim 38 , further comprising a mobile app that controls the monitoring subsystem.
49 . The modular system of claim 48 , wherein the mobile app provides control of CO2 level within the at least one modular container.
50 . The modular system of claim 48 , wherein the mobile app provides control of an irrigation subsystem pump.
51 . The modular system of claim 48 , wherein the mobile app provides separate control of a main growing area and a nursery area.
52 . The modular system of claim 48 , wherein the mobile app provides control of humidity and temperature within the at least one modular container.
53 . The modular system of claim 48 , wherein the mobile app provides control of water pH within the irrigation subsystem.
54 . The modular system of claim 48 , wherein the mobile app provides live feed or time-lapse pictures of plants growing within the at least one modular container.
55 . The modular system of claim 39 , wherein the at least two zones including plants of the same crop include plants at different stages of a life cycle of the plants.
56 . The modular system of claim 38 wherein the plants included in the zones are selected from the group consisting of lettuce, basil, oregano, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme, chive, kale, chard, spinach, arugula, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and mushrooms.
57 . The modular system of claim 38 , further comprising a synthetic grow medium disposed within each grow channel.