Technical Field

The invention is particularly related to a greenhouse structure used for floating aguatic plant production and growth.

Prior Art

Rapid pollution in nature has gradually increased the importance of recycling waste waters particularly. As a matter of fact, chemical and physical methods can be used for utilizing waste waters. However, biological treatment is preferred due to higher energy reguirement of chemical or physical methods and due to the adverse effects of the chemicals used.

Using plants with photosynthesis capability during the regulation of waste liguids also allows for the elimination of C0 ₂ , which is another important waste. The plants will consume C0 ₂ during photosynthesis and release 0 ₂ .

It enables using said plants particularly at digestion- based biological recycling facilities.

Generation of biogas from fermenters to obtain value from organic waste particularly is a major example of said biological recycling facilities. The patent application numbered GB2484530 describes a structure and a method of a structure related with the elimination of organic wastes and biogas and electric energy generated afterwards.

According to the application numbered GB2484530, sewage wastes, agricultural wastes and process wastes are transferred to an anaerobically-operated fermenter. The fermenter yields biogas for power generation as the main product. And the by-product is the fermentation wastes.

Fermentation wastes are decomposed and solid wastes are used as fertilizer while liquid wastes are collected in algae pools. Algae pools both eliminated the liquid waste and consumed the C0 ₂ which is released during the conversion of biogas to electric power.

However, the scope of the patent numbered GB2484530 defines in which form and structure algae pools can be operated in order to ensure optimum transformation. The algae produced in pools are collected by means of the undercurrent of the pool, they are decomposed and the liquid portion is re supplied to the pool. Furthermore, decomposing the algae and repelling water from the decomposed algae and drying the algae require extra energy costs. This is undesired for a process in which energy conversion is expected to be eco- friendly .

Another technical problem is correct provision of the flow and density of the liquid waste to be held subject to biological conversion in the system. If the system is supplied from a certain division with constant flow, organisms in a certain division can be used; thus they will receive more nutrients, but the organisms in another division will remain away from sufficient nutrition.

Both sunlight and C0 ₂ are required to be distributed among plants as much as possible to ensure maximum efficiency in this photosynthesis-based transformation process. Both extreme sunlight and C0 ₂ may be inefficient and even detrimental, while their inadequacy will reduce the extent of biological recycling and the quantity of the final product .

The biotransformation systems known in the prior art suggest similar technical problems. Patent applications numbered US20130236951 , US4354936 and US5137625 may be given as examples to these types of systems.

Problems that the Invention Intends to Solve

During biotransformation of liquid organic wastes, a separate source of light is placed on each shelf, thus plants are gown on multi-storey shelf surfaces. C0 ₂ flow is provided on each shelf by means of fans and the biological transformation quantity is maximized.

For this purpose, while C0 ₂ is transferred to the greenhouse environment by a main fan block, relatively smaller size auxiliary fan groups also distribute C0 ₂ to each shelf floor separately.

The auxiliary fans also provide movement and flow in each shelf pool. The pools that constitute the shelves are included in the direction of flow to support this flow. The aquatic water plants used in the invention are particularly selected from the organisms which accumulate on the water surface or which can be grown as partially sunken in the water. Flow induced by the auxiliary fans will carry the plants which grow and the flow will lead the harvest towards the end of the pool. As a result, the circulation of the system will be ensured. The plants accumulated on the water will be harvested by means of the belt conveyor system at the end of the created flow direction, without requiring any decomposing process. It will also eliminate the problems caused by decomposing in the prior systems.

The greenhouse system created in the invention eliminates the production and transformation problems experienced with the prior systems. The subject structure of the invention intends to obtain maximum biotransformation performance from one unit of organism.

Description of the Figures

Figure 1. Perspective view of the greenhouse from an angle Figure 2. Perspective view of the process block from an angle

Figure 3. Perspective view of the greenhouse from another angle

Figure 4. Perspective view of the process block from another angle

Description of the References on the Figures

1. Shelf block 1.1. Primary pool order

1.2. Secondary pool order

2. Process block

3. Vertical support element

4. Lateral support element

5. Pool

6. Primary fan

7. Secondary fan

8. Exhaust pipe

9. Cogenerator

10. Exchanger

11. Liquid waste line

12. Support fan

Description of the Invention

The greenhouse configuration used in the invention intends to use and transform the by-products which appear during the biological treatment of organic wastes particularly.

For example, said greenhouse structure can be operated with a fermenter which intends to generate biogas by using organic wastes. In this case, the liquid wastes obtained from the wastes organically transformed in the fermenter for biogas production can be used for the invented greenhouse .

On the other hand, the heat and C0 ₂ created as a result of burning the produced biogas can be used for operating the greenhouse. C0 ₂ will be used by the plants grown in the greenhouse and transformed into 0 ₂ . This transformation will both enable transforming C0 ₂ as a harmful gas for the environment, and enable the plants at the greenhouse to cover their photosynthesis needs.

Heat as one of the key factors to operate the greenhouse will be provided to the greenhouse by means of the exhaust gas obtained from the biogas facility.

The greenhouse structure includes 2 main components: a shelf block (1) and a process block (2) .

The shelf block (1) includes various numbers of pools (5) in a suitable structure to grow herbaceous plants. The shelf block is created with successive arrangement of various number of pools (5) stacked one on top of the other

The shelf block according to Figure 1 comprises a primary pool sequence (1.1) and a secondary pool sequence (1.2) created with the successive arrangement of the pools (5) stacked one on top of the other. Multiple shelf blocks (1) can be used according to the characteristics, of the process of applying the greenhouse.

According to the preferred structure of the invention, the depth of the pools (5) is limited as the pools will be used for growing water plants which accumulate on the water surface or which can grow as partially sunken in the water. According to one embodiment, the pools (5) are 2-4 cm deep. This embodiment is particularly suitable for growing lemna minor (Lemneaceae) in the pools.

The depths of pools (5) could be limited thanks to the plants frown on the water surface in the greenhouse. As a result, creating shelf blocks (1) which comprise multiple numbers of superimposed pools (5) became possible.

Fitting multiple numbers of pools (5) in a limited unit area provides advantage both in terms of the unit area required for unit process, and allows for easier supply of the basic needs such as heating, light and C0 ₂ flow to plants .

The greenhouse which comprises a shelf block (1) and a process block (2) according to Figure 1, is created and supported by vertical support elements (3) and lateral support elements (4) .

A shelf block (1) defines a block which consists of pools (5), and a process block (2) defines the block made up of the process elements.

The process block (2) comprises an exhaust pipe (8) which enables transferring to the exchanger (10) the exhaust gas created by burning biogas and with high C0 ₂ load, the exchanger (10) in which the heat of the hot fluid flown from the exhaust pipe (8) can be collected, a cogenerator (9) and the liquid waste line (11) received from the biogas fermenter.

Considering that the temperature of the exhaust gas received from the biogas burning facility is around 650 °C, using this temperature obtained from the exchanger (10) directly for greenhouse gases will not be possible. With this purpose, using the temperature collected in the exchanger (10) to heat the buildings around the greenhouse is intended. The lost heat around the exchanger (10) and the exhaust pipe (8) is used for warming up the greenhouse. This is the main reason of positioning the exchanger (10), which is used for a very different purpose, in the greenhouse.

The heat lost in the exchanger (10) and around the exhaust pipe (8) is blown on the shelf block (1) by the primary fan (6) .

According to Figure 4, the primary fan (6) is positioned at a higher point compared to the exchanger (10) and the exhaust pipe (8) . This embodiment intends to deliver the air which heats up and rises into the system. Also in order to ensure lower flow, the support fan (12) is placed at a lower level compared to the primary fan (6) .

The greenhouse structure created with the invention intends to grow in the pools (5) and continuously harvest floating aquatic plants which are positioned on the surface of the pools (5). The plants floated on the pool (5) surface by means of secondary fans (7) are grown up to a certain weight level during the flow and those plants which reach a certain maturity are harvested on the water surface.

In order to grow the surface plants while enabling them to flow in the pool (5), at least one waste liquid connection is provided to carry nutrition along the flow line created in the pool (5) or pools (5) . The waste liquid connection defines the interconnection components which carry waste liquid to the pools from the liquid waste line (11) . Similarly, in order to provide C0 ₂ to plants, secondary fans (7) are placed to provide gas flow on the surface of the pools (5) . Secondary fans (7) also provide the movement of the plants on the pool (5) surface in addition to ensuring gas flow on the plants. The air flow created by the secondary fans (7) carries the plants on the pool surface and transfers them to the section where they will be harvested.

As the speed of the plants while transferring them to the harvest will be determined by the factors such as the environmental conditions and the ripening speed of the plant, the operating speed of the secondary fan (7) and consequently the flowing speed of the plants can be determined .

In order to flow the plants in the pools (5), the pool or pools (5) are arranged with a certain slope compared to the direction of flow. As a result, the plants on the surface are transferred in the direction of flow and consequently in the direction of harvest by both natural flow and secondary fans (7) in the direction of harvest.

The shelf block (1) according to Figure 5 comprises pools (5) arranged one on top of the other. Creating a separate flow in each pool (5) is intended. The plant flow created in the pools (5) can be collected on various number of harvest points created at the end of the pool (5) or on the pool ( 5 ) .

According to Figure 4, each pool (5) has secondary fans (7) at the beginning point where the flow is created. Secondary fans (7) both start the flow in this section and distribute the gas required for photosynthesis to plants.

According to Figure 4, each pool (5) has two secondary fans (7) at the beginning point where the flow is created. However the invention can also be applied by placing various numbers of secondary fans (7) at different positions to run in association with the pool (5) in a manner to create flow on the pool (5) surface and distribute the gas for photosynthesis.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, each pool (5) has secondary fans (7) both at the beginning point where the flow is created and at certain intervals along the same pool (5) (Not shown on the figures) .

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a secondary fan (7) is positioned at every 2 meters along the length of the pool ( 5 ) .

The secondary fans (7) placed in association with the pool

(5) can also be equipped with exhaust gas outlets. Exhaust gas outlets define the gas transfer elements which carry gas to the regions where secondary fans (7) are connected to the exhaust pipe (8) .

The secondary fans (7) shall also assist effective distribution of the hot air, which is sent by primary fans

(6) to the inside of the greenhouse, on the pools (5) .

Similarly, supplying waste liquid to pools (5) with certain intervals is preferred. The waste liquid is supplied to the pools (5) by means of the transfer elements which are operated as connected to the liquid waste lines (11) . As a result, the pools (5) can provide sufficient and balanced nutrition to plants.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a waste liquid line transfer element can be connected to the pools (5) at every 5 meters.

The greenhouse structure of the invention intends to continuously harvest the continuously grown herbaceous plants by flowing them on the surface of multiple adjacent and superimposed pools (5) . For this purpose, the flowing of the plants on the surface of the pool (5) is preferred.

In order to be able to operate the system, the plant to be used is preferred to be a surface plant which can move on the surface with the influence of the secondary fans (7) .

This surface plant according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is lemna minor.

Considering that photosynthetic organisms are used in the greenhouse, the structures to provide source of light for these organisms will also be required in the greenhouse.

As the invented greenhouse structure comprises various numbers of adjacent and superimposed pools (5), the photosynthetic light sources are preferably created over the pools (5) in a manner to provide light for each pool.