Recipient Organization
GSS GROUP 'A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY'
1219 N STORER AVE STE 67
FAYETTEVILLE,AR 72703
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Small-scale hydroponic greenhouse farmers rely on current products to maximize their production potential. The highest selling commercial hydroponic systems for leafy green crops andstrawberry production are known as horizontal Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems. Though these systems are proven to be efficient and profitable, they limit the grower to a production capacity basedon a 2D plane resulting in "dead-space" along the side-walls of their greenhouses. The Cascading Water Disbursement Tower (CWDT) created by the PI is a unique vertical NFT tower that can be integrated into greenhouse production to utilize the created dead-space when using horizontal hydroponic systems. The product is light, efficient, one-component, and holds up to fifteen plants per tower. The SBIR Phase I will prove the products overall feasibility when integrated with existing horizontal systems. Since the product cannot be made by hand, a 3D printer will be used to produce up to 50 apparatuses to integrate into the research greenhouse at North Arkansas College. The college currently has horizontal NFT systems growingleafy greens making it the perfect scenario to conduct this research. If the product is proven feasible, it could increase existing hydroponic producer's production by up to 30%. This means that a hydroponic producer could have a means to scale up production without further investment into infrastructure resulting in up to $100,000 worth of savings. The apparatus is not limited to the commercial grower, but can be used by anyone who wishes to install a vertical hydroponic tower in an area that gets partial sun. The research conducted will prove its feasibility, perfect the design to become manufacture-friendly, and provide accurate data on its true potential to increase production in greenhouse dead-space.The apparatuses will be 3D printed and installed into constructed wall and ground mounts to hold the towers in place. Once installed, data on harvest dates, plant size, and plant densities will be collected at the time of harvest and throughout the growing process. The results will be used to market the efficiency of the product toward existing hydroponic system producers to gain support in manufacturing the product. GSS Group LLC is looking to patent the design and utility of the product and license it to hydroponic product manufactures.The ultimate goal of this project is to create the first "true" and integrate-ablevertical NFT tower on the market. This product was designed with the current small scale hydroponic farmer in mind. These farmers have made a dedication to producing high quality specialty products with sustainable methods. They should not be limited in product selections due to the competitive nature of current system producers. This product should disrupt the current hydroponic product market and force competitors to invest in further product development to enable small farmers to maximize production potential in greenhouses. Hydroponic systems should be designed to be easily integrate-able with other systems to allow for product diversification within the same grow space. Like the CWDT, they should also be designed for easy cleaning, harvesting, and transplanting.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
50%
Developmental
25%
Goals / Objectives
One major project goal is to test the feasibility of integrating the Cascading Water Disbursement Tower with existing horizontal hydroponic systems. The goal is to ensure that the apparatus will increase production without hindering plant growth in the existing horizontal systems. The objectives outlined to achieve this goal are: 1) Construct one system along each sidewall of the North Arkansas College research greenhouse adjacent their existing horizontal hydroponic systems. 2) Construct one stand-alone system to host at least ten CWDTs to compare lettuce growth rates and weight with those of the existing horizontal systems. 3) Collect data on plant growth rates and weight of harvested lettuce from all systems. (a) While the apparatuses are being printed, this will allow data to be collected on at least one growth cycle of lettuce grown in the existing horizontal systems before they are integrated with the CWDT system. The weight and growth rates will be compared to the weight and growth rates of the harvested lettuce after integration takes place. The other major project goal is to perfect and test ourvertical system designtohave the same favorable characteristics of current horizontal NFT designs. This project goal also includes testing the feasibility and manufacturability of a "one-component" vertical apparatus that achieves the cascading water disbursement effect.The project objectives outlined to achieve this goal are: 1) Use CAD software to "pre-test" the CWDT design to ensure a clean print. 2) Work with a mechanical engineer (professional) to assess the design's manufacturability. 3) Modify the design if found that amodificationwould provide a more "manufacture-friendly" product. 4) Print up to 50 apparatuses to integrate with the current horizontal systems in the greenhouse located at North Arkansas College.These major project goals are integral to moving forward into a Phase II project. Proving the feasibility of integrating vertical and horizontal systems while moving forward to perfecting a manufacture-friendly "one-component" CWDT will set the foundation when working with a third-party product development company in Phase II. Reaching the major goals outlined in Phase I will allow the Phase II process to progress as smoothly as possible. Due to the major need of a product to increase production of dead-space in greenhouse grow systems, the GSS Group is dedicated to ensuring that the finalized CWDT is feasible to integrate, one-component, and manufacture-friendly to reach a price-point that is attractive to the small-scale commercial grower.
Project Methods
GSS Group LLC's emphasis is on how existing small scale hydroponic growers can increase their production without further investment on infrastructure. After conducting dense research on the current systems available to the market today, the PI found that there was little to no effort put towards integrating systems. Rather, the market was only competitive. Furthermore, the vertical systems available today are either bulky, expensive, or inefficient and not developed for effective commercial production. Evaluating the issues with current vertical systems, GSS Group was able to design a simple, light, and efficient vertical tower. Unlike other competitors, the PI did not want to rush to the patent office and start heavily investing in manufacturing the product. With small-scale farmers in mind, the goal needed to be proving the true efficiency and compatibility of the CWDT with current horizontal systems that currently dominate the commercial market.The hypothesis is that the CWDTs unique water distribution method inside the apparatus makes the CWDT the first "true", one-component, vertical NFT system. To test this hypothesis, GSS Group will 3D print up to 50 full-scale apparatuses and grow multiple harvest cycles of lettuce crops in the systems. The experiment will include integrating the CWDT systems with existing horizontal hydroponic systems within the research greenhouse at North Arkansas College. The experiment will also include constructing a stand-alone system to collect data on lettuce grown within the CWDT system not integrated with existing horizontal systems.Data will be collected on growth rates, and potential problems encountered by picture and written diaries on a weekly basis along with harvest weights of all lettuce grown in all systems. All variables such as temperature, nutrient solution formulas, and pH will also be documented but remain constant and unchanged throughout the grow cycles. The data collection process will be as follows:1) While the apparatuses are printing at least one complete grow cycle will take place on the existing horizontal systems within the research greenhouse. Pictures will be taken of lettuce grown with a measuring stick to re-evaluate the growing process on the horizontal systems before integration with the CWDT system. After the lettuce has matured and is ready for harvest, the weights of each head will be documented. Pictures of the finished product will also be taken.2) After the CWDTs are printed, they will be integrated with the existing horizontal systems in the greenhouse. Once integrated, lettuce will be grown within the systems using the same variables as the horizontal systems. Pictures will be taken of lettuce grown with a measuring stick to re-evaluate the growing process after harvesting from the CWDTs. After the lettuce has matured and is ready for harvest, the weights of each head will be documented.The results will be analyzed by comparing data collected from both the unintegrated systems and integrated systems. Comparing the unintegrated system data including growth rate and harvest weight will show whether or not there is an advantage, disadvantage, or indifference to growing in the CWDT system vs. the horizontal hydroponic system. Data collected on the integrated system harvests including growth rates and harvest weight will be analyzed in comparison to the unintegrated horizontal system data to understand if there is an advantage, disadvantage, or indifference to integrating the CWDT system with existing horizontal hydroponic growing systems to utilize dead-space in the greenhouse.The project will be considered a success if the data collected on the unintegrated systems are either indifferent or if using the CWDT system results in a shorter growth cycle and/or heavier lettuce weight at the time of harvest. The project will be considered a success if the data collected on the integrated horizontal and CWDT system lettuce harvest weight and growth rate is indifferent. The results should conclude that by integrating the CWDTs with the existing systems, lettuce harvested from both systems should be around the same growth rate and harvest weight.Once the conclusion of an overall project success is determined, GSS Group LLC will begin efforts to introduce this knowledge to the target audience through publications and social media. This process will not be done before a non-provisional patent is filed on the utility and design of the apparatus and its water disbursement technology.Upon success of the project, evaluation will include measurable indicators that the use of the CWDT vertical hydroponic system will, in fact, increase overall production in a greenhouse by utilizing the dead-space created by horizontal hydroponic systems. The indicators including that integration of systems results in no hindrance on lettuce growth rate or harvest weight in horizontal systems will provide evidence of the potential impact of manufacturing the CWDT for the public. The success of this project will progress the industry toward creating more sustainable and efficient hydroponic systems that keeps the small-scale commercial hydroponic farmer in mind.