초록 ▼

At least one high intensity discharge lamp is utilized in the growing of plants within a growth chamber. The lamp is connected to a power supply that provides pulses of alternating polarity to the lamp through a ballast which first provides a relatively high inductance and which after lamp current h

At least one high intensity discharge lamp is utilized in the growing of plants within a growth chamber. The lamp is connected to a power supply that provides pulses of alternating polarity to the lamp through a ballast which first provides a relatively high inductance and which after lamp current has reached a certain level provides a matched T-configured impedance network. Initially, a microprocessor, there being one for each lamp ballast (or one for a group of lamps), closes a switch to connect the lamp to the power supply through a step-up transformer, the secondary winding of which during start-up contributes to the high impedance condition during the early stage of lamp operation and which is thereafter part of the T-network. When the lamp is ionized, both the lamp current and the lamp voltage are sensed. The ballast microprocessor uses the signal derived from the current sensor for the lamp with which it is associated to open the switch and thus remove the high voltage from the particular lamp it controls. Thereafter, the microprocessor, in each instance, causes the frequency of the power supply to be adjusted in discrete steps and to also adjust the inductance of the T-network to effect an optimization of the lamp load. Various temperature and light signals associated with the growing of plants can also be sensed and the microprocessor programmed to correlate these additional signals with the current and voltage signals in providing its optimized control of each lamp within the growing chamber. A supervisory processor or facility computer exercises control over whatever number of individual ballast microprocessors and lamps have been selected for the cultivation of plants within the growth chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

In a chamber for growing plants having at least one high intensity discharge lamp, means for supplying current pulses having an alternating polarity to said lamp for providing light beneficial to the growth of said plants, first means including a sensor providing a signal having a value representati

In a chamber for growing plants having at least one high intensity discharge lamp, means for supplying current pulses having an alternating polarity to said lamp for providing light beneficial to the growth of said plants, first means including a sensor providing a signal having a value representative of the current flowing through said lamp, second means including a sensor providing a signal representative of the value of voltage across said lamp, a microprocessor responsive to said first and second means for correlating the values of both said current and voltage to regulate the power to said lamp and thereby control the lamp\s operation by controlling the amount of power supplied to said lamp by said pulse supplying means, and third means having a sensor providing a signal having a value representative of the temperature of said means for supplying current pulses, the value of said temperature signal being correlated by said microprocessor with the values of said current and voltage signals to thereby additionally control said lamp in accordance with the temperature of said means for supplying current pulses.