Vertical Farming: leveraging KUNBUS’ Revolution Pi for enhanced efficiency and productivity
and preventing deficiencies or toxicities that could compromise crop quality. Automation also reduces labor costs and optimizes the workforce in vertical farming operations. Many of the tasks performed by human workers, such as planting, watering, and harvesting, can now be automated using robotic systems and conveyor belts. This not only reduces the need for manual labor, but also allows vertical farms to operate with a smaller, specialized team focused on monitoring, maintenance, and quality control. Perhaps most importantly, automation controls enable vertical farms to scale up their operations as demand for produce grows. Automated systems can seamlessly replicate successful growing processes across levels and locations, ensuring that quality and efficiency are maintained, even as operations grow in size and complexity.
LED technology is favored as an alternative to sunlight in vertical farming applications, offering a range of benefits including energy efficiency, spectral control, and smart automation capabilities. Beyond LED Technology LED Grow Lights are a prime example of the cutting-edge LED lighting solutions currently transforming the vertical farming industry. One of their primary features is the ability to provide a full-spectrum light output that mimics natural sunlight. This is achieved by using a carefully selected blend of LED chips that emit light across the entire photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) spectrum, from 400 to 700 nm. The full-spectrum output of Beyond LED grow lights is critical for supporting optimal plant growth and development, as different wavelengths of light are absorbed by different plant pigments and play distinct roles in photosynthesis and other physiological processes. For example, red light (620-750 nm) is primarily absorbed by chlorophyll and is essential for driving photosynthesis and energy production. Blue light (450-495 nm), on the other hand, is absorbed by cryptochrome pigments and plays a role in regulating plant morphology, leaf expansion, and stomatal opening. By providing
a balanced mix of red, blue, and other wavelengths, grow lights enable plants to utilize light more efficiently and achieve optimal growth and development. In addition to full-spectrum output, Beyond LED grow lights also offer high PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) output, which measures the amount of PAR light that is actually reaching the plant canopy. The lights are capable of delivering up to 2400 μmol/s of PPFD, which is more than sufficient for most high-light crops like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. This high PPFD output is achieved through the use of high- efficiency LED chips and precision optics that focus the light onto the plant canopy, minimizing wasted light and maximizing the amount of energy that is available for photosynthesis. Another key feature of the Beyond LED grow lights is their passive cooling design, which helps to extend the lifespan of the LEDs and reduce energy consumption. Unlike conventional HPS or fluorescent lamps, which generate significant heat and require active cooling systems to prevent overheating, Beyond LED grow lights use a fanless design that relies on natural convection and heat sinks to dissipate the heat. This not only minimizes the energy required for cooling but also minimizes the risk of equipment failure and maintenance downtime. These grow lights also offer dimming
repairs before failures occur. This proactive approach to maintenance can help minimize downtime, reduce repair costs, and ensure that critical equipment is always operating at peak performance. The following are some key products for data collection and monitoring in vertical farms: Product highlight: TEKTELIC KIWI agriculture sensor (T0005982)
T0005982 accurately measures soil moisture levels using advanced capacitance-based sensing technology. By monitoring the moisture content of the growing medium, growers can optimize irrigation schedules and ensure that crops are receiving the right amount of water at the right time. This not only helps conserve water, but promotes healthy root
stage, the sensor allows growers to adjust lighting strategies to ensure that crops receive the right amount and type of light for healthy growth and development. T0005982 is designed for long- term, low-maintenance operation in harsh growing environments. With a battery life of up to 10 years and an IP67-rated enclosure fully protected against dust and water ingress, the KIWI sensor can provide reliable, continuous data collection without the need for frequent battery replacements or maintenance. Finally, the KIWI sensor is designed for easy integration with existing vertical farming control and automation systems. It communicates via LoRaWAN, which enables long-range, low-power data transmission without the need for complex wiring or infrastructure. This makes it easy to deploy these sensors throughout large-scale vertical farming operations and integrate them with central control systems, data analytics platforms, and other software tools. Product highlight: Beyond LED technology LED grow lights
development and minimizes the risk of overwatering or underwatering.
In addition to soil moisture, the KIWI sensor also measures soil temperature, providing growers with valuable information about the thermal environment of the root zone. Soil temperature plays a vital role in many plant processes, including nutrient uptake, root growth, and microbial activity, and can be influenced by factors like air temperature, lighting, and irrigation. The T0005982 also features sensors for measuring ambient humidity and temperature, providing a comprehensive picture of the overall growing environment. Another key feature of the KIWI sensor is its ability to detect and measure light intensity using advanced photodiode technology. Light is one of the most critical inputs for plant growth, and the intensity, duration, and spectral composition of light impacts crop morphology, yield, and quality. By continuously monitoring light levels and comparing them to optimal ranges for each crop and growth
TEKTELIC Communications’ KIWI Agriculture Sensor is a powerful, versatile device that offers a comprehensive suite of features for monitoring key environmental parameters in vertical farming operations. Designed specifically for agricultural applications, the KIWI sensor provides real-time data on soil moisture and temperature, ambient humidity and temperature, and light intensity. TEKTELIC KIWI Agriculture Sensor (T0005982). Image credit: DigiKey
Data collection and monitoring
Real-time data collection plays a crucial role in enabling predictive maintenance and preventing equipment failures in vertical farms. By monitoring the performance and health of components like pumps, fans, and sensors, growers can detect early warning signs of potential issues and schedule maintenance or
Beyond LED Steel Series Grow light Image credit: DigiKey
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