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Ground heat exchanger for rootzone cooling of crops in vertical aeroponics
- 1. Christopher S. Pascual,PhD Associate Professor Ground Heat Exchanger (GHE) System for Rootzone Cooling of Crops in Vertical Aeroponics
- 2. Team Members Dr. ChristopherS. Pascual (Team Leader) ➢ Specialized in soilless agriculture ( hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics) ➢ Controlled Environment Agriculture and agricultural structures ➢ Aquaculture engineering technology Dr. Carolyn Grace Somera-Almerol (Member) ➢ Specialized in soil and water management ➢ Soilless agriculture and precision agriculture Dr. Wendy C. Mateo (Member) ➢ Specialized in renewable energy ➢ Biomass conversion and crop process engineering Engr. Rolando Almerol (Member) ➢ Specialized in agricultural and machinery designs ➢ Crop process engineering
- 3. Problem Statement Tropical climate Heat stressin crops, particularly high- value crops Limited crop production, inconsistent supply, Yield loss, Low-quality produce High cost of chillers, coolers and high operational cost
- 4. Market Needs Cost-effective, Simple, andsustainable cooling for crop production Ground heat exchanger system for rootzone cooling, harnessing the ground temperature Maximized yield, high quality produce, and constant supply of high- value crops, stable price Renewable energy, like solar power technology. Automation and IoT. Vertical farming system
- 5. CENTRAL LUZON STATEUNIVERSITY The Innovation: Ground Heat Exchanger System for Rootzone Cooling in Aeroponics Towers Ambient Air Inlet Ground Heat Exchanger Cooled Air Ground Level water Cooled water
- 6. 6 CENTRAL LUZON STATEUNIVERSITY Actual Design of the Ground Heat Exchanger System for Aeroponics Novelty: • First-of-its-kind integration of a GHE with vertical aeroponics towers for root-zone cooling and high plant density. Differentiation: • Utilizes the stable underground temperature as a natural, passive cooling source, reducing dependence on energy- intensive chillers or air conditioning. • Provides simultaneous root aeration and cooling—a dual approach rarely combined in existing systems. • Scalable, simple to apply and operate, not needing too many technicalities.
- 7. Intellectual Property Status ➢Two (2) Utility Models were generated and one (1) Industrial Design ➢ Industrial Design 3/2019/050053 Issue Date: 18 Sept. 2019 ➢ UM Registration No.: 2/2019/050152 Issue date: 25 May 2022 ➢ UM Registration No.: 2/2019/050186 Issue date: 27 May 2022 CENTRAL LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY
- 8. Market Opportunity ➢ High demandfor a constant supply of high-quality, clean, and safe produce, such as strawberries, lettuce, and other high-value crops. ➢ Commercial growers, hobbyist, government agencies, schools, training agencies, urban farms, startups 8 CENTRAL LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY
- 9. 9 CENTRAL LUZON STATEUNIVERSITY Competitive Selling Advantage Different varieties of Lettuce Pechay and French Beans ➢ Different Crops Tested in Vertical Farming, ➢ Water saving (up to 95% compared to traditional farming), nutrient use efficient, soil-born diseases eliminated ➢ Cost-effective, energy efficient ➢ Space saving (more yield per area) ➢ Scalable from small scale to commercial scale) ➢ Gender friendly
- 10. 10 CENTRAL LUZON STATEUNIVERSITY Business / Commercialization Model Ground Heat Exchanger System for Rootzone Cooling in Aeroponics Towers. DA, DOST – R&D funding, technology incubation, validation. SUCs refinement, capacity building LGUs local promotion, adoption, policy support Private company – licensing for manufacturing/fabrication DEPEd/CHED – Curriculum integration, student and teachers training. Private farms, adoption, commercialization
- 11. 11 CENTRAL LUZON STATEUNIVERSITY Current Achievements ➢ Awarded with the Outstanding Banghay award by DOST-TAPI for best Industrial Design in 2022. ➢ Adopted by several agencies like Philrice, DOST-R3, DEPEd Nueva Ecija and some small farmers. ➢ MOA with several agencies in Region 3, including DOST R3, Bulacan, DEPEd and LGUs. ➢ Tested on several crop varieties, like strawberry, lettuce, French beans, tomatoes, basil, and cucumber. ➢ Conducted trainings on soilless technologies in collaboration with DA-ATI, DOST, and DEPEd.
- 12. 12 CENTRAL LUZON STATEUNIVERSITY What is Next? ➢ Continue partnership with DA-ATI through trainings, seminars, and farmer demonstrations.Seek funding to build a fabrication facility and enhance the prototype at CLSU. ➢ Pursue licensing agreements for commercialization and wider deployment. ➢ Build the capacity of fabricators, extension workers, and farmer-groups for adoption. ➢ Improve and diversify prototypes for greater efficiency. ➢ Engage the private sector to co-develop affordable business models. ➢ Collaborate with LGUs, SUCs, and DepEd/CHED to integrate technology into curricula, projects, and food security programs. Social Impact: ➢ Empowers farmers through training and access to climate-resilient technology. ➢ Strengthens community food security and inclusive growth. Economic Impact: ➢ Creates jobs in fabrication, operation, and maintenance. ➢ Increases farm income and supports agripreneurship. Environmental Impact ➢ Reduces water, land, and energy footprint. ➢ Enables sustainable, climate-smart crop production year-round. ➢ Use of renewable energy for cleaner and environmentally sustainable production. Social, Economic, Environmental Impact
- 13. The GHE andvertical aeroponics technology is a simple, sustainable, and scalable crop production technology that has the capacity to adapt to a changing climate. Automation and IoT can increase its efficiency, but even without it, ordinary farmers can still be able to use it. Thank you!