CONTROL OF TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, AND CO₂ CONCENTRATION IN SMALL-SIZED EXPERIMENTAL PLANT FACTORY

Plant factory has drawn attention in many countries in the world due to capability of environmental control not only for better yield and quality, but also for increased functional and medicinal components of the products. In this paper, a small-sized experimental plant factory was constructed with 5 production units for various tests under different environmental conditions, and the operational performance was evaluated. Five production rooms divided by adiabatic materials were constructed with dimensions of 1,500 x 1,100 x 2,500 mm (LxWxH). One set of 990 x 600 x 2,200 mm (LxWxH) production frame unit, with 3 light-installed beds and an aeroponic irrigation system, was prepared in each of the production rooms. Ambient tempera¬ture, humidity, and CO₂ concentration were controllable from a main control computer through wireless communication devices. Accuracy and response were evaluated for each component with and without crops. Results of the study would provide useful information for efficient application of the plant factory for crop production.