Systems for generating water for a container farm and related methods therefor

Abstract

Systems and methods of generating water for growing or vitally supporting plants, fungi, and/or aquatic animals are provided herein. The systems include a water generating unit that utilizes process fluid produced by plant transpiration or fungus respiration to generate water. Nutrients may be added to the water through hydroponic and aquaponic systems, then provided back to the plants in a closed loop. The systems may be monitored, optimized, and controlled remotely.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A farming system, comprising:
 a water generating unit configured to receive a farm process fluid and to generate water therefrom;   a growing station configured to receive water generated by the water generating unit to grow or vitally support at least one of plants and fungi;   wherein at least a portion of the farm process fluid is generated by the at least one of plants and fungi;   a ventilation system configured to provide at least a portion of the farm process fluid from the growing station to the water generating unit via a conduit; and,   a control system configured to control:
 when the ventilation system makes at least a portion of the farm process fluid available from the growing station to the water generating unit via the conduit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The farming system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control a rate at which the farm process fluid is received by the water generating unit. 
     
     
         3 . The farming system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to control at least one of:
 when the growing station receives water generated by the water generating unit;   a quantity of water received by the growing station from the water generating unit;   a rate at which generated water is received by the growing station.   
     
     
         4 . The farming system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to monitor one or more of: an air temperature at the water generating unit, a relative humidity at the water generating unit, an air temperature of the growing station, a relative humidity of the of the growing station. 
     
     
         5 . The farming system of  claim 1 , wherein the water generating unit comprises:
 a desiccation device configured to capture water from at least a portion of the farm process fluid and desorb water into a regeneration fluid;   a heat generator coupled to the desiccation device;   a condenser coupled to the desiccation device and to the heat generator;   a blower configured to receive at least a portion of the farm process fluid and move the farm process fluid to the desiccation device to capture water from the process fluid; and,   a circulator configured to receive a regeneration fluid and repeatedly cycle the regeneration fluid from the heat generator to the desiccation device to desorb water into the regeneration fluid, and to the condenser to extract water from the regeneration fluid, and back to the heat generator.   
     
     
         6 . The farming system of  claim 5 , wherein the control system is configured to determine a control condition of the water generating unit as a function of one or more of: an ambient air temperature at the water generating unit, an ambient air relative humidity at water generating unit, a temperature of the farm process fluid, a relative humidity of the farm process fluid, a temperature of the heat generated by the heat generator, and a rate of flow of the heat generated by the heat generator, a volume of water generated by water generating unit, a rate of water generated by water generating unit, an oxygen level, a carbon dioxide level, and a nutrient level. 
     
     
         7 . The farming system of  claim 6 , wherein the control system is configured to determine a control condition of the water generating unit including at least one of: a rate at which the blower moves the farm process fluid in the water generation system, a rate at which the circulator moves the regeneration fluid in the water generation system, a rate at which the farm process fluid is exposed to the desiccation device, and a rate at which the regeneration fluid is exposed to the desiccation device. 
     
     
         8 . The farming system of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one solar panel, the solar panel comprising:
 the heat generator; and,   at least one photovoltaic cell configured to generate electricity to power the water generating unit.   
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a farming system, the farming system comprising:
 a growing station configured to grow or vitally support at least one of plants and fungi;   a first water generating unit in communication with the growing station;   a ventilation system in communication with the first water generating unit and the growing station; and,   a control system;   
       the method comprising:
 determining, by the control system, when the ventilation system makes a farm process fluid available to the first water generating unit; wherein the farm process fluid is generated by the at least one of plants and fungi of the growing station; 
 communicating, via the ventilation system, at least a portion of the farm process fluid from the growing station to the first water generating unit via a conduit; 
 generating, by the first water generating unit, water from the farm process fluid communicated from the growing station to the first water generating unit; and, 
 communicating water generated by the first water generating unit to the growing station. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining, by the control system, when the growing station receives water generated by the first water generating unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the ventilation system, at least a portion of the farm process fluid exhausted by the water generating unit; and   communicating, via the ventilation system, at least a portion of the farm process fluid exhausted by the water generating unit to the growing station.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one of:
 determining, by the control system, when to make carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide system available to the growing station; and,   determining, by the control system, a rate of carbon dioxide that the growing station receives from a carbon dioxide system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving, by a blower of the first water generating unit, at least a portion of the farm process fluid from the ventilation system;   moving, by the blower, the farm process fluid to a desiccation device of the first water generating unit to capture water from the farm process fluid;   capturing, by the desiccation device, water from at least a portion of the farm process fluid;   repeatedly cycling, by a circulator of the first water generating unit, a regeneration fluid from a heat generator of the first water generating unit to the desiccation device to desorb water from the desiccation device into the regeneration fluid, to a condenser of the first water generating unit to extract water from the regeneration fluid, and back to the heat generator to collect heat from the heat generator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of:
 adjusting, by the control system, a rate at which the blower moves the farm process fluid in the water generation system;   adjusting, by the control system, a rate at which the circulator moves the regeneration fluid in the water generation system;   adjusting, by the control system, a rate at which the farm process fluid is exposed to the desiccation device; and,   adjusting, by the control system, a rate at which the regeneration fluid is exposed to the desiccation device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 determining a control condition of the water generating unit as a function of one or more of: an ambient air temperature at the water generating unit, an ambient air relative humidity at water generating unit, a temperature of the farm process fluid, a relative humidity of the farm process fluid, a temperature of the heat generated by the heat generator, and a rate of flow of the heat generated by the heat generator, a volume of water generated by water generating unit, a rate of water generated by water generating unit, an oxygen level, a carbon dioxide level, and a nutrient level.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 generating heat, by a solar panel of the farming system, to heat the regeneration fluid via the heat generator of the first water generating unit;   generating electricity, by at least one photovoltaic cell of the solar panel, to power the first water generating unit.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one of:
 transferring, via the ventilation system, at least a portion of the farm process fluid from a plant chamber of the growing station to a fungi chamber of the growing station;   transferring, via the ventilation system, at least a portion of the farm process fluid from a fungi chamber of the growing station to a plant chamber of the growing station.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the farming system further comprises at least one other water generating units; and, wherein the method further comprises:
 generating water independently by the first water generating unit and each of the at least one other water generating units; and,   communicating independently generated water to a water reservoir of the first water generating unit before being communicated to the growing station.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 communicating water generated by the first water generating unit to a nutrient supply system comprising at least one of an aquaponics tank and a hydroponics tank;   holding, by the nutrient supply system, water generated by the first water generating unit;   adding nutrients, by the nutrient supply system, to the water generated by the first water generating system to produce nutrient dense water;   communicating, via the nutrient supply system, nutrient dense water to the growing station;   communicating nutrient-depleted water from the growing station to the nutrient supply system.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising operating the farming system in a closed loop manner such that the first water generating unit is configured to use only the farm process fluid to generate water, and the first water generating unit repeatedly cycles a regeneration fluid from a heat generator, to a desiccation device, to a condenser and back to the heat generator.