lights | NetZero // Urban Agriculture

The Vero SE 29 Generation 7 COB LED array currently in production generates 100 W of true LED power that produces a photosynthetic photon flux density of 4600 umol/m^2/s from a single chip in our system, and is rated by the manufacturer to generate 201 W LED by changing the drive current from 2.1 A to 3.6 A. It connects to our system with inexpensive 2-conductor 20 AWG wires that push into place without any soldering.

Cree 3070N CoB LED array in earlier prototype increased power output

The forward voltage @ 1900 mA Tc=85 deg C is 36.2V. 36.2V*1.9A=68.8W. The forward voltage @ 1900 mA Tc=25 deg C is 42V. 42V*2.8A=117.6W. The percent change is 71% allowing the system to operate with 71% fewer LED lights.

https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/algebra/percent-change-calculator.php?v_1=68.8&v_2=117.6&action=solve

Bridgelux CoB LED array currently in production increased power output

At 3.6 A, the forward voltage is 55.8 V resulting in 201.0 W LED output from a single chip.

The percent change is 192% allowing the system to operate with 192% fewer LED lights.

https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/algebra/percent-change-calculator.php?v_1=68.8&v_2=201&action=solve

https://www.bridgelux.com/products/vero-se-series

part number on chip – 35E10K0B7

3500K

80 CRI

full part number – BXRC-35E10K0-B-7x-SE

Performance at Commonly Used Drive Currents:

900 mA 49.6 V 44.7 W
1200 mA 50.5 V 60.6 W
1800 mA 52.0 V 93.6 W
2700 mA 54.1 V 146.1 W
3600 mA 55.8 V 201.0 W

10 year warranty

Microgreens grown without soil in a coconut mat with our first commercial system that went into service 11/11/2017, the day after we filed for our patent.

We had a person concerned about the recirculating water used to cool the LEDs being returned to hydroponics as waste heat. The recirculating water used to cool the LEDs has no measurable waste heat. The thin steel pans with large surface areas dissipate heat from the lights at the case for the LEDs mounted directly to the steel with a thermal adhesive. The large surface areas of water on one side and steel on the other effectively reach a thermodynamic equilibrium with the controlled environment that has temperature and humidity control. The recirculating water had no measurable temperature change with the lights on or off measured with a Fluke Model 179 Multimeter that has an integrated temperature probe with a thermocouple that measures -40 to 260 deg C.

Heat from LEDs recirculates to the top pan, and is re-used for that germination area. We eliminate the heating pad that others use for their germination area. The thermodynamic design with cooling from the recirculation of water eliminates the active cooling that others use with nearly 40 mechanical and electrical parts including steel chassis, power supply, machined aluminum heat sink, and fans. Our system is the most efficient system regarding energy and cost on the market today. We reduce waste in heat and electrical energy. Our power supply operates at 95% efficiency with no loss in the electronic dimmer used to match the LED output to the measured photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) at the plant canopy. This closed loop tuning of the light to the plant is the most efficient method possible. Our LED has a output (PPFD) of 4600 umol/m^2*s at the surface measured with my Quantum PAR Meter. When a plant needs 800 umol/m^2*s at the plant canopy at a distance that varies as the plant grows, we are able to tune in exactly what the plant needs without any waste. Our research involves light frequencies outside the currently measured 400 – 700 nm for photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). One specific frequency produces a 20% increase in crop yield that is non trivial.