The AMPL Ultra Hydronic Precision CEA System
Existing methods of vertical farming drastically underestimate the importance of airflow – Optimized air management is fundamental to the success of vertical farming at scale. Our patented Push/Pull Ascending Airflow System eliminates microclimates in a manner that not only solves existing environmental problems but also expands the varieties of crops that can be grown in vertical farms. AMPL Ultra pushes what is possible even further by introducing independent environmental control to each layer enabling producers to stager production, reduce downtime and streamline workflow. With some exceptions, it is even possible to grow different crops on the same system. AMPL Ultra offers the ultimate in environmental control, energy management, and flexible production at any scale.
If you are not familiar with the concepts of VDP and the plant leaf boundary layer, the following link will help explain why controlling air temperature, air velocity and air moisture are essential for optimizing indoor crop performance. When these concepts are clear you will gain a better understanding of the AMPL Platform™ and appreciate Plant First™ thinking. Learn more.
The AMPL Platform is patented.
Supported Grow Styles
• Hydroponic Drip Irrigation
• Aeroponic
• Living Soil Drip Irrigation
• Aquaponic
NOTE: Multiple levels of control are possible.
Integrated Systems
• Airflow
• Irrigation
• Lighting (System Agnostic)
• Sensors (System Agnostic)
• Control Software
• Logistics Integration (Possible via ModBus, BackNet or 0-10v)
How AMPL Ultra™ Works
AgricUltra’s Push/Pull Ascending Airflow and hydronic MicroCoils work together to create a highly efficient closed-loop system on each layer of the AMPL Ultra system. Optimally conditioned, CO₂ enriched air is blown upward through the canopy while inter-canopy return ducts remove the byproducts of photosynthesis and problematic heat generated by grow lights before they can disrupt the surrounding environment. Spent air is reconditioned by MicroCoils with contrasting temperatures that are heated and cooled by liquid coolant connected to a modular chiller unit outside of the facility.
Note: The components involved in the illustration above have been simplified for the sake of clarity.
Hydronic coolant lines replace traditional bulk air ducts which simplify purpose-built facility designs and make retrofitting pre-existing buildings feasible. We encourage planning for additional system height during the facility design phase to allow for cost-effective scaled growth – a very smart plan when entering emerging markets.
Precision Canopy Level Airflow
Plant-specific nozzle designs customized to grow style and combinations of directional nozzles optimize canopy airflow while compensating for the unavoidable pressure drop that occurs in supply ducts. A unique feature of our design is that it allows plants to grow into higher velocity airflow as they mature.
CFD Model of Balanced Air Velocity. AMPL Production Layer (Side View)
The Benefits of Balanced Push/Pull Ascending Airflow
Balanced Push/Pull Ascending Airflow eliminates Microclimates.
Each plant receives pure, unmixed, conditioned air.
By removing problematic heat and humidity on every layer there is no theoretical limit on layer stack heights. AMPL layer stack heights are only limited by logistics and local by-laws.
AMPL reduces the volume of air that must be treated compared to grow systems that rely on spent/conditioned bulk air mixing. This gives growers tighter climate control and improves dynamic response times while lowering operating costs.
Stagnant air lower conducive to mold low in the canopy is disrupted reducing the need for chemical intervention.
Layer level climate control requires treatment of a smaller volume of air compared to room level air treatment.
Canopy layer-level environmental control also allows maintenance to be localized to limit downtime.
High-velocity air moving over lighting fixtures improves passive cooling which maximizes LED diode lifespans.
Reduced grow medium parching and excess humidity caused by lateral or descending airflow evapotranspiration.
Balanced Airflow has an Extraordinary Impact on Sensor Data Quality
By eliminating microclimates, sensors data quality can be far better relied upon to make meaningful decisions during production to adjust for crop variability and a grower’s ability to develop proprietary expressions of common genetics.
AgricUltra Advancements customizes human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for clients to match control and data collection requirements.
Data Collection Point Options
• Plant Health
• Visual Imaging
• VDP
• Transpiration
• MicroCoil Efficiency
• Reheat Coil Temp
• Cooling Coil
• Relative Humidity
• Comparative Temperature
• Real-time Biomass
• Lighting Efficiency
• RHC / CC Temp Delta
• Fan Speed
• Air Velocity
• CO₂ Concentration
• Irrigation Flow
• PH
• Neurite Uptake
• QA
• QR Code Product Tracing
Please Note: Options vary depending on AMPL Model
System Control
AMPL™ OS comes standard with our own fully integrated PLC based control system. We do not need the assistance or help from a Building Automation System or Third-Party control system to maintain control in any layer or row for any of the following:
• Canopy Temperature
• Canopy Humidity
• Canopy VPD
• Canopy Air-Velocity
• CO2 control
• Irrigation control
• Multi-Channel Light Control
AMPL™ OS can also output this data via ModBus, BackNet or 0-10v which allows the AMPL platform to easily be connected to other automation systems.
AMPL™ OS allows remote access to view the status of alarms, view setpoints or change setpoints.
AMPL™ OS outputs real-time data streams of the measured variables to track and optimize grow particulars or compare the results of different grow cycles.
AMPL™ OS facilitates control/grow customization with the ability to add additional sensor suites such as Par Sensors and Leaf temperature sensors to further optimize the grow conditions and the resultant yields.
The future of the AMPL Platform is bio responsive feedback. At a point in the very near future, AMPL’s conditions will automatically adjust to accommodate crops.
Energy Management
As air is rapidly cooled to manage humidity it must be reheated before it enters the canopy. Spent air and heat captured from grow lights preheat the cold air before it crosses AMPL’s reheat coil. This results in a 30 to 50% reduction in energy costs vs. traditional bulk HVAC systems.
With AMPL’s Optional Energy Harvesting realizes a 30 - 50% reduction in energy costs vs. traditional bulk HVAC systems.
Reduction realized is dependent upon set point
conditions, type of lights used, and chiller type.
Optional Grow Curtains
AMPL™ can host the addition of reflective curtains to increase dynamic response times and reflect otherwise stray photons back into the canopy where they belong and minimize air bleed. An added bonus of the curtains is that they also keep the treated air focused on plants. Curtains are hung from grommets so they can be easily maintained. Roller blinds can be developed.
Lighting Instruments
AgricUltra Advancements™ specializes in multi-channel dimmable lighting for photosynthesis, photomorphogenesis, and pathogen and pest control used to reduce or eliminate chemical intervention. Our flexible lighting system allows growers to achieve their desired PPFD by varying the number of lights above each canopy. Smaller format lights minimize the cost of eventual fixture failure compared to multi-rail lighting fixtures.
Our photosynthetic, dual spectrum, cool white + deep red SolarRail™ lights can be combined with our deep UV MetaRail™ grow lights as needed. We have separated our photosynthetic spectrum from our UVB+A lights to provide further agency to develop specific spectral strategies.
The MetaRail™
Supplemental UVA+B LED
Lighting
Instrument
The SolarRail™
Cool White+Deep Red LED Lighting Instrument
The MetaRail™ is a two-channel, dimmable UVB and UVA LED lighting instrument that is capable of improving the taste, texture, smell, potency, and resilience of plants while controlling mold and pests.
Learn more about the MetaRail.
With multi-channel dimming, the SolarRail gives growers the ability to deliver just the right balance of light during every stage of growth.
Learn more Learn more about the SolarRail.
Note: The AMPL™ Platform can be used with lights from other manufacturers, only limited to LED fixtures with similar form factors (below 4’ in length) that are dimmable and external drivers.
Offset HVAC Loads with UV
By incorporating Deep-UVB lighting strategies with our approach to HVAC deployments it is possible to significantly reduce operational electrical loads. This can be achieved because UVB kills mold and mildew while increasing some plant’s natural ability to fight pathogens. In an AMPL™ Platform, upward airflow further minimizes the possibility of mold and infestation on the bottom of leaves while direct exposure UV light controls mold and insects on top. This provides the grower agency to elevate the temperature and humidity setpoints thus lowering the loading on the Chiller/HVAC system.
UVB treated strawberries after 9 days in cold, dark storage.
Strawberries after 9 days in cold,
dark storage control
Seamlessly Scale Research to Production
Scaling research from laboratory conditions to large-scale production poses a challenge to producers because test conditions do not match production environments. This is not the case with the AMPL Platform.
Conditions can be consistently translated from our small-scale AMPL Sprout R&D unit, from AMPL Ultra production layers, or between any AMPL Platform facilities.
Case Study Coming Soon
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