Methods and Apparatuses for Plant Aeration

Abstract

Plant-aeration systems, methods for plant aeration, plant-aeration cells, methods of environmental remediation, systems for algae cultivation, and apparatuses for algae aeration.

1 . A plant-aeration system for aeration of one or more plants, comprising:
 a plant-aeration cell comprising:
 an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable; and 
 a root holder unit connectable to the air reservoir unit, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings; 
 the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming, when connected to each other, a reservoir from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plant-growing cell configured to be disposed in operative relation with the plant-aeration cell, the plant-growing cell defining an open area in which one or more plants can grow, the plant-growing cell comprising mesh material.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 one or more additional plant-aeration cells, each comprising:
 an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable; and 
 a root holder unit connectable to the air reservoir unit, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings; 
 the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming, when connected to each other, a reservoir from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings; and 
   one or more additional plant-growing cells, each configured to be disposed in operative relation with one or more of the plant-aeration cells, each defining an open area in which one or more plants can grow, and each comprising mesh material.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , where the air reservoir and root holder units of each plant-aeration cell are integrally connected to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , where the first set of openings comprises one opening. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , where the second set of openings comprises one opening. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , where the first set of openings comprises multiple openings. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , where the second set of openings comprises multiple openings. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell possesses a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         10 . The system of any of  claim 1 , where the root holder unit of each plant-aeration cell includes a first side in which the one or more openings in the first set are disposed, and a second side in which the one or more openings in the second set are disposed, and the second side is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first side. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell possesses a generally hexagonal shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , where the root holder unit of each plant-aeration cell includes a first side in which the one or more openings in the first set are disposed, and a second side in which the one or more openings in the second set are disposed, and the second side is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first side. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , where the plant-aeration cell includes six sections connected to each other and defining a central open space bordered by the first set of one or more openings. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an anti-mold agent disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of each plant-aeration cell. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an anti-mold agent disposed on at least a portion of an interior surface of each plant-aeration cell. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell includes an exterior surface having a white or off-white color. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell includes an interior surface having a black or dark color. 
     
     
         18 . A method for plant aeration comprising:
 providing a plant-aeration cell comprising:
 an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable; and 
 a root holder unit connected to the air reservoir unit, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings, the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming a reservoir from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings; 
   disposing the cell in an environment that is exposed to liquid continuously or at least intermittently, such that:
 a plant root extends through the one or more openings in the first set and into the reservoir; and 
 liquid can flow into the reservoir to a level above the openings in the first and second sets such that gas is trapped in the reservoir above the level of the liquid. 
   
     
     
         19 . A system for aeration of one or more plants, comprising:
 a root holder tray comprising a bottom layer and a top layer, the bottom layer and top layer cooperatively defining a plurality of root reservoirs, each root reservoir having a top and a bottom, the top layer of the root holder tray having a plurality of openings, each opening being in communication with a root reservoir and disposed a distance below the top of the root reservoir;   an air reservoir tray defining an air reservoir having a closed top end and an open bottom end; and   a tray rack configured to be coupled to one or more root holder trays and one or more air reservoir trays such that the one or more root holder trays and the one or more air reservoir trays are in a stacked, alternating orientation; and   the system being configured such that if a root holder tray is disposed in the tray rack, an air reservoir tray is disposed in the tray rack above the root holder tray, and the tray rack is submersed in liquid, then at least a portion of each root reservoir of the root holder tray will fill with the liquid and the closed top end of the air reservoir tray will trap air.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a plurality of additional tray racks, root holder trays, and air reservoir trays;   where the tray rack and the additional tray racks are coupled to one another.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , where the tray rack and the additional tray racks are coupled to one another to define a ring configuration with an open space in the middle of the ring configuration. 
     
     
         22 . A plant-aeration cell comprising:
 a body having a top side, a bottom side, an outer sidewall, and an inner sidewall, the outer sidewall having a height and at least partially defining an outer perimeter of the plant-aeration cell, the inner sidewall having a height and defining an inner passage extending through the plant-aeration cell from the top side to the bottom side, the outer and inner sidewalls cooperatively defining an air reservoir between the outer perimeter and the inner passage, the inner sidewall having one or more root openings extending through the inner sidewall between the air reservoir and the inner passage, and the body having one or more connectors configured to couple the plant-aeration cell to an adjacent plant-aeration cell;   where the plant-aeration cell is configured such that if the plant-aeration cell is positioned on a flat surface with the bottom side facing down and water is introduced onto the flat surface such that the water reaches a level above the root openings, gas will be trapped in the air reservoir.   
     
     
         23 . A method of environmental remediation, comprising:
 disposing a plurality of plant-aeration cells along a coast between a high-tide point and a low-tide point, each plant-aeration cell comprising:
 an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable; and 
 a root holder unit connectable to the air reservoir unit, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings; 
 the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming, when connected to each other, a reservoir from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings; and 
   disposing a plurality of plants adjacent the plurality of plant-aeration cells such that at least one root from each plant extends through at least one opening in the first and second sets of openings of at least one plant-aeration cell.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , where the plurality of plants comprise corn. 
     
     
         25 . A system for algae cultivation, comprising:
 a light-cycle container having an outer sidewall defining a cavity and having a plurality of air reservoirs, the light-cycle container configured such that:
 (a) if the light-cycle container is filled with liquid, at least a portion of the plurality of air reservoirs will trap gas; and 
 (b) if light is incident on the light-cycle container, at least a portion of the incident light is permitted to enter the cavity through the sidewall; 
   a dark-cycle container having an outer sidewall defining a cavity, the dark-cycle container having a plurality of air reservoirs within the cavity, the dark-cycle container configured such that:
 (a) if the dark-cycle container is filled with liquid, at least a portion of the plurality of air reservoirs will trap gas; and 
 (b) if light is incident on the dark-cycle container, at least a portion of the incident light is not permitted to enter the cavity through the sidewall; and 
   a control unit coupled to the light-cycle container and to the dark-cycle container, the control unit configured such that if liquid is present in one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container, the control unit can pump the liquid to the other of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , where the light-cycle container comprises an inner sidewall dividing the cavity into an outer cavity and an inner cavity, and the plurality of air reservoirs are disposed in the inner cavity. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , where the outer sidewall of the light-cycle container is configured such that if light is incident on the light-cycle container, at least a portion of incident ultraviolet (UV) light is not permitted to enter the outer cavity through the outer sidewall and at least a portion of incident non-UV light is permitted to enter the outer cavity through the outer sidewall. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , where the light-cycle container is configured such that if light is incident on the light-cycle container, the outer cavity is filled with freshwater, and the inner cavity is filled with saltwater, then at least a portion of the incident light is internally reflected within the outer sidewall such that the internally-reflected portion of incident light is not permitted to exit the outer sidewall once it has passed through the outer sidewall. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , where the dark-cycle container comprises an inner sidewall dividing the cavity into an outer cavity and an inner cavity, and the plurality of air reservoirs are disposed in the inner cavity, and where the control unit is further configured such that:
 (a) if a first liquid is present in the inner cavity of one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container, the control unit can pump the first liquid to the inner cavity of the other of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container; and   (b) if a second liquid is present in the outer cavity of one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container, the control unit can pump the second liquid to the outer cavity of the other of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 30 , where the light-cycle container comprises a reflector adjacent the outer sidewall. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , where the control unit is further configured such that if a liquid is present in the cavity of one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container such that gas is trapped in at least a portion of the respective air reservoirs, the control unit can:
 (a) pump the liquid out of the cavity of the one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container;   (b) pump the gas out of the cavity of the one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container, and into the cavity of the other one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container; and   (c) pump the liquid into the cavity of the other one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , where the control unit is further configured such that if a liquid is present in the cavity of one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container such that gas is trapped in at least a portion of the respective air reservoirs, and the liquid contains algae, the control unit can:
 (a) pump the liquid out of the cavity of the one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container;   (b) pump gas out of the cavity of the one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container;   (c) exchange a portion of the gas from the one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container with gas from the external environment;   (d) pump gas into the cavity of the other one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container;   (d) harvest a portion of the algae from the liquid; and   (e) pump the liquid into the cavity of the other one of the light-cycle container and the dark-cycle container.   
     
     
         33 . An apparatus for algae aeration, the apparatus comprising:
 a tray having an upper side and a lower side, the tray defining a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir having a closed top end and an open bottom end and configured such that if the tray is positioned with the lower side facing down in a container and liquid is introduced into the container up to the open bottom end of the reservoir, then the closed top end of the reservoir can trap air.