Abstract An upright rectangular housing provided with air driving means for generating an airstream into which a number of ingredients, necessary to the life support of vegetation within a greenhouse, is injected for airborne distribution throughout the greenhouse, in addition to a ground level irrigation system fed by a reservoir in the housing containing the liquid components of the ingredients, while the temperature of the greenhouse is controlled by a pair of air intakes in the housing which selectively admit recycled air through a heater which raises the temperature when necessary or outside air if the temperature is to be lowered. Additional cooling is achieved by the adiabatic heat transfer of a water spray or the expansion of a gas within the housing of the apparatus.
An air and soil treatment apparatus for a greenhouse comprising: a rectangular upright housing disposed in said greenhouse; a reservoir formed at the bottom of said housing for supplying a ground-level irrigation system with liquid, said housing having side walls defining an upwardly open first chamber formed above said reservoir; a first intake window formed in one of said side walls and connected with a source of air outside said greenhouse, and a second intake window formed in another of said side walls and opening into said greenhouse; heating means spanning said second intake window for heating recycled air; adjustable, selectively operable dampers provided in each of said windows; said housing being formed with other walls defining a downwardly open second chamber above said first chamber and communicating therewith; a discharge window formed in one of the walls of said second chamber; a fan positioned in said discharge window; a motor mounted on top of said housing externally of said chambers; means for operably connecting said motor to said fan for driving same; spraying means in said second chamber upstream of said fan; a source of water connected to said spraying means and said reservoir and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof; a source of carbon dioxide gas connected to said spraying means and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof; a source of nitrogen-containing gas connected to said spraying means and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof; a source of liquefied fertilizer connected to said spraying means and said reservoir and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof to said spraying means; a source of liquefied pesticide connected to said spraying means and said reservoir and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof to said spraying means; said housing forming a third chamber downstream of said fan and said discharge window; a demister in said third chamber for removing large water droplets from an airstream generated by said fan; ducts means fo distributing said airstream into said greenhouse; and means for collecting said water droplets from said demister and feeding the collected droplets to said reservoir.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
349 words
An air and soil treatment apparatus for a greenhouse comprising: a rectangular upright housing disposed in said greenhouse; a reservoir formed at the bottom of said housing for supplying a ground-level irrigation system with liquid, said housing having side walls defining an upwardly open first chamber formed above said reservoir; a first intake window formed in one of said side walls and connected with a source of air outside said greenhouse, and a second intake window formed in another of said side walls and opening into said greenhouse; heating means spanning said second intake window for heating recycled air; adjustable, selectively operable dampers provided in each of said windows; said housing being formed with other walls defining a downwardly open second chamber above said first chamber and communicating therewith; a discharge window formed in one of the walls of said second chamber; a fan positioned in said discharge window; a motor mounted on top of said housing externally of said chambers; means for operably connecting said motor to said fan for driving same; spraying means in said second chamber upstream of said fan; a source of water connected to said spraying means and said reservoir and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof; a source of carbon dioxide gas connected to said spraying means and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof; a source of nitrogen-containing gas connected to said spraying means and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof; a source of liquefied fertilizer connected to said spraying means and said reservoir and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof to said spraying means; a source of liquefied pesticide connected to said spraying means and said reservoir and a valve for adjusting the flow thereof to said spraying means; said housing forming a third chamber downstream of said fan and said discharge window; a demister in said third chamber for removing large water droplets from an airstream generated by said fan; ducts means fo distributing said airstream into said greenhouse; and means for collecting said water droplets from said demister and feeding the collected droplets to said reservoir.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
An air and soil treatment apparatus for a greenhouse as defined in claim 1 wherein: said source of liquefied fertilizer and said source of liquefied pesticide is a holding tank mounted on top of said housing externally of said chambers and formed with respective compartments containing said fertilizer and said pesticide; and overflow means in said compartments for feeding the excess contents thereof to said reservoir.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
An air and soil treatment apparatus for a greenhouse as defined in claim 1 further comprising: means responsive to the temperature in said greenhouse operably connected to said dampers, said heater, and said valve for adjusting the flow of said water to said spraying means; and means responsive to the humidity in said greenhouse operably connected to said valve for adjusting the flow of said water to said spraying means.