Abstract: A vertical farming structure having vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, while being exposed to controlled conditions, such as lighting, airflow, humidity and nutritional support. The present disclosure describes a reciprocating cam mechanism that provides a cost-efficient mechanism for conveying vertical grow towers in the controlled environment. The reciprocating cam mechanism can be arranged to increase the spacing of the grow towers as they are conveyed through the controlled environment to index the crops growing on the towers. The present disclosure also describes a tower shuttle mechanism that provides operational flexibility by decoupling the loading and unloading operations of the grow towers from the vertical farming structure and, therefore, allowing multiple grow towers to be extracted for harvesting in a batch process before loading new grow towers into the vertical farming structure in a separate process.

Abstract: A hydroponic tower cleaning and debris removal system is provided that is configured to automatically clean and remove plant and material debris from within a hinged, hydroponic tower as well as the plant containers contained within such a hydroponic tower. The hydroponic tower cleaning system utilizes a drive system to force the tower through the apparatus; an alignment system to ensure that the tower remains in proper alignment throughout the cleaning process; a brush system that initiates separation of plant debris from the tower/plant containers and ensures that the plant roots are torn apart; a plunger system to eject plant debris from within the plant containers; an air delivery system to blow away the debris; and rollers to maintain tower face alignment during the cleaning process.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media are provided for entering a fail safe mode for a controlled agricultural environment (CAE). The CAE includes movable receptacle supports for holding plants. In response to determining a fault condition in the CAE or in environmental conditioning equipment for the CAE, operation of the CAE or the environmental conditioning equipment is controlled to effect a change from a standard operating mode to a fail safe mode. The standard operating mode corresponds to desired environmental conditions in the CAE and the fail safe mode corresponds to non-ideal environmental conditions.

Abstract: A drive unit in a controlled agricultural environment increases a distance between an alignment element and a drive element in order to receive a plant support structure that is oriented non-vertically so that the plant support structure rests on the drive element or the alignment element. The drive unit decreases the distance between the alignment element and the drive element so that the alignment element or the drive element rests on the plant support structure. The drive element conveys the plant support structure along a direction of conveyance.

Abstract: A vertical farming structure having vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, while being exposed to controlled conditions, such as lighting, airflow, humidity and nutritional support. The present disclosure describes a reciprocating cam mechanism that provides a cost-efficient mechanism for conveying vertical grow towers in the controlled environment. The reciprocating cam mechanism can be arranged to increase the spacing of the grow towers as they are conveyed through the controlled environment to index the crops growing on the towers. The present disclosure also describes a tower shuttle mechanism that provides operational flexibility by decoupling the loading and unloading operations of the grow towers from the vertical farming structure and, therefore, allowing multiple grow towers to be extracted for harvesting in a batch process before loading new grow towers into the vertical farming structure in a separate process.

Abstract: A hydroponic tower cleaning and debris removal system is provided that is configured to automatically clean and remove plant and material debris from within a hinged, hydroponic tower as well as the plant containers contained within such a hydroponic tower. The hydroponic tower cleaning system utilizes a drive system to force the tower through the apparatus; an alignment system to ensure that the tower remains in proper alignment throughout the cleaning process; a brush system that initiates separation of plant debris from the tower/plant containers and ensures that the plant roots are torn apart; a plunger system to eject plant debris from within the plant containers; an air delivery system to blow away the debris; and rollers to maintain tower face alignment during the cleaning process.