Development of plant transportation system for automated plant factories

概要

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A plant transportation system for increasing growing space was developed and its performance was tested for a year in a plant factory having 8 hydroponic beds. The system consisted of movable cultivation baskets, a basket carrier and two basket pushers. The hydroponic bed which is 37. 2 m length by 2. 0 m width in size had capacity for the admission of 45 baskets. The basket was planted with 860 plants at the maximum. The baskets were suspended on the both longer edges of the bed with wheels. The carrier which is a microcomputer-controlled electric car carried 2 baskets to the working space on a side of the bed automatically. The pusher pushed out the baskets by an oil pressure cylinder after planting or spacing or harvesting in the working space. The plant transportation system performed well in the plant factory. A set of developed the system could manage 19000 plant·day-1 spinach production of 1640 m2 plant growing space in 8 hour·day-1 working hours. The results of practical test suggested that the 95% of floor area was available for plant growing space.
日本生物環境工学会の論文