Pulsed LED-Lighting as an Alternative Energy Savings Technique for Vertical Farms and Plant Factories

Ernesto Olvera-Gonzalez, Nivia Escalante-Garcia, Deland Myers, Peter Ampim, Eric Obeng, Daniel Alaniz-Lumbreras and Victor Castaño
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Ernesto Olvera-Gonzalez: Laboratorio de Iluminación Artificial, Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Pabellón de Arteaga, Carretera a la Estación de Rincón Km. 1, Pabellón de Arteaga, Aguascalientes 20670, Mexico
Nivia Escalante-Garcia: Laboratorio de Iluminación Artificial, Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Pabellón de Arteaga, Carretera a la Estación de Rincón Km. 1, Pabellón de Arteaga, Aguascalientes 20670, Mexico
Deland Myers: Collage of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA
Peter Ampim: Collage of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA
Eric Obeng: Collage of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA
Daniel Alaniz-Lumbreras: Campus UAZ Siglo XXI, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Carretera Zacatecas-Guadalajara Km. 6, Zacatecas 98160, Mexico
Victor Castaño: Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada (CFATA), Universidad Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Queretaro 76230, Mexico

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: Different strategies are reported in the literature for energy saving in Closed Plant Production Systems (CPPS). However, not reliable evidences about energy consumption with the use of pulsed LED light technique in lighting system available in Plant Factory and Vertical Farm. In this work, three key points to determine the effects of pulsed LED light versus continuous LED light are presented: (1) A mathematical model and its practical application for stabilizing the energy equivalence using LED light in continuous and pulsed mode in different light treatments. (2) The quantum efficiency of the photosystem II was used to determine positive and/or negative effects of the light operating mode (continuous or pulsed) on chili pepper plants ( Capsicum annuum var. Serrano). (3) Evaluation of energy consumption with both operation modes using ten recipes from the literature to grow plants applied in Closed Plant Production Systems, different Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density at 50, 110, and 180 µmol m −2 s −1 , Frequencies at 100, 500, and 1000 Hz, and Duty Cycles of 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90%. The results show no significant statistical differences between the operation modes (continuous and pulsed LED light). For each light recipe analyzed, a pulsed frequency and a duty cycle were obtained, achieving significant energy savings in every light intensity. The results can be useful guide for real-life applications in CPPS.

Keywords: energy saving; pulsed LED light; continuous LED light; closed plant production systems; quantum efficiency of the photosystem II; energy equivalence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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