MIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Undergraduate Theses
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Undergraduate Theses
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

An open source controlled environment agriculture platform : exploration of root zone temperature effects and thermal management

Author(s)
Richman, Camille (Camille E.)
Thumbnail
DownloadFull printable version (11.94Mb)
Alternative title
Exploration of root zone temperature effects and thermal management
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Advisor
Leon Glicksman.
Terms of use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
A first prototype of a GRObot open source controlled environment agriculture platform was built with air and water temperature control systems. Caesar basil seedlings were grown in the GRObot with a shallow water culture hydroponic system for two-week periods. In the first trial, the root zone temperature (RZT) was allowed to fluctuate with the air temperature resulting in an average RZT of 22.7°C, and in the second trial, the RZT was chilled to an average temperature of 20.5°C. For both trials, the air temperature was controlled to mimic a warm climate, with set temperatures of 300°C during the daytime and 25°C at night. The basil in the chilled RZT condition exhibited poor growth, while the basil in the fluctuating RZT condition exhibited the exponential growth expected of healthy seedlings. Temperature data recorded throughout these trials were used to construct a steady state thermal model of GRObot operation. Using this model, an interactive applet was created as a tool to help GRObot users predict electricity costs for environmental control with different environmental recipes to within two cents. This research demonstrates the first experiment aimed at determination of a crop's environmental recipe using the GRObot open source controlled environment platform.
Description
Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2015.
 
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
 
Includes bibliographical references (pages 59-62).
 
Date issued
2015
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/98768
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Mechanical Engineering.

Collections
  • Undergraduate Theses

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibilityContact us
MIT
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.