3-08-2022

Introduction:

Green walls are vertical structures that have different types of plants or other greenery attached to them. The greenery is often planted in a growth medium consisting of soil, stone, or water. Because the walls have living plants in them, they usually feature built-in irrigation systems. Outdoor green walls are primarily visual elements. Although they can also be cost effective in that they reduce overall temperatures, capture rainwater or insulate buildings, they are mostly used to bring greenery into urban landscapes.

Benefits of Green wall

  1. Purify the air
  2. Decrease the ambient temperature
  3. Decrease noise
  4. More productivity
  5. Make a building more fire- resistant
  6. Extend the life of your wall
  7. Give your building more value
  8. Create a community

Need of the project:

In today’s days green wall concepts is very famous and we see social media. Make wall green in market is too costly. So, I decided that make green wall (Outdoor) in hydroponics system with low cost. In many cities for making green wall more cost and get order for making green wall. Due to we make green wall outdoor in small area with low cost. Make green wall outdoor more attractive by using LED lights for decoration purpose. we trail flowering plant for green wall by using different media

Objectives:

  1. To study hydroponics green wall outdoor
  2. To modify old green wall structure
  3. To observe on Wing pod purslane (ghol) plant growth in different media like cocopeat, Gravel, and brick pieces in hydroponics green wall
  4. To calculate cost estimation of hydroponics green wall

For making green wall we used hydroponics system

Hydroponics:

The growing of plants in nutrient solutions with or without an inert medium (such as soil) to provide mechanical support. Hydroponic plants produce a greater yield of fruits and vegetables because in hydroponic system plants are more densely spaced together compared to the size of land that would be needed to grow the same number of plants.

DWC (Deep water culture) type hydroponics used for Outdoor Green wall:

Deep water culture for plants (DWC) is also called hydroponics. Simply put, it is a method for growing plants without a substrate media. The roots of the plants are encased in a net pot or grow cup that is suspended from a lid with roots dangling in a liquid nutrient solution.

Advantages of DWC

  • Easy to Set Up. Deep water culture systems are easy and simple to set up and only require very few parts that you can put together in a short period. And the only moving part is an air pump, which is easy to configure.
  • Deep water culture systems can grow plants particularly fast with powerful root systems. With a Deep-water culture system, your plants’ roots are always in direct contact with the two things they need the most: oxygen and nutrients.
  • It is low maintenance costs and inexpensive to maintain once you set up the system. 
  • Deep water culture systems are simple and easy to monitor as long as you do it frequently and ensure you understand the basics.

Disadvantages

  • Unexpected swings in the characteristics of the nutrient solution (because of imprecise calibration) can lead to negative impacts on your plants.
  • The water temperature is not easy to maintain within the target range since it will be quickly influenced by the ambient temperature of the growing environment.
  • Constantly oxygenating the water of a deep-water culture system is crucial. Because without actively oxygenating the water of a deep-water culture system, your plant roots will not survive sitting in water that is not. 
  • An air pump failure or a power outage will quickly lead to oxygen starvation and the death of your plants’ roots.
  • DWC systems require more manual labor

4-08-2022

Media used for hydroponics:

Growing media are materials that plants grow in. You mostly use soil as the growing medium in traditional cultivation. But in Hydroponics, you are not limited to just soil. The growing media are to help provide plants’ roots with moisture & oxygen they need. It also supports the plant weight and holds it upright.

Importance

Another role of the media is to allow plant’s roots to have maximum exposure to the nutrient. People will moister the growing media with the nutrient solutions. And the wet media will transfer the nutrient to the root system.

Using these media other than soil gives gardeners fewer worries over the threat of soil-borne diseases and pests. This allows them to grow healthier and better plants.

We used three media like cocopeat, bricks and Gravel for plant growth and to check difference of that growth in hydroponics. They are as follows

1) Cocopeat

Coco Peat makes an excellent growing medium for hydroponics, soil mixes, and container plant growing. Coco peat (cocopeat), also known as coir pith. coir fiber pith, coir dust, or simply coir, is made from coconut husks, which are by products of other industries that use coconuts.

2) Gravel

gravel as a growing medium is that they are heavy and don’t hold much water at all. This is why they are undesirable in systems that rely on the grow medium to supply water to the plant roots.

3) Brick pieces

  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to clean
  • Drains well

Required materials

Mechanical

  1. PVC pipe ( 2.5 inch)
  2. End caps
  3. Bamboo
  4. Battery vent plug
  5. Plastic net cups
  6. Growing media ( Cocopeat, gravel and brick pieces)

Electrical

  1. LED stripes
  2. Adopter
  3. Bubbler

Plant selected for outdoor green wall

Figure No. 1 Wing pod purslane

I selected wing pod purslane (ghol) plant following reasons.

  1. it grows easily
  2. For decorative purpose
  3. it is flowering plant

4/08/2022

Fig No . 2 Hand sketch of green wall

Detail Work

1) checked the setup of hydroponics system

2) cleaned the system

3)Remove old weir connection like led and bubbler due there were not working

4) Filled water in DWC pipe

6) checked weir connection and corrected connection

7) planted Wing pod purslane plant in dwc by using cocopeat

8) provided bubbler

Fig.No 3 DWC hydroponics structure
Fig. No 4 while Planation of ghol plant

Flowchart :

Fig.No 5 Flowchart of DWC system of green wall

6-08-2022

1) Measured length of pipe of DWC

2) Measured also distance between plants and two pipe

3) Measured diameter by using vernier caliper instrument.

4) Also Calculated volume of water in pipe of DWC system

Figure No. 6 While measuring length of pipe

Calculations:

H = 90 cm D = 7.2 cm r = 3.6 cm Pipe = 2.5 inch

 Distance between two pipes = 28 cm

Distance between plants = 20 cm

Volume of cylinder =Πr2h

                                   = 3.14 × 3.6 × 3.6 × 90

                                   =3662.496cm3

Converting cm3 into liter = 3662.496/1000

                                          V   = 3.66 L

12/08/2022

Added nutrients water (from DWC) to green wall and checked system properly.

16/08/2022 to 18/08/2022

1) Connected wire for LED stripes

2) Checked wire connection at fablab

3) Soldering wire

4) installed LED lights for hydroponics green wall

Figure No . 7 While soldering, connecting and installed LED lights
Figure No.8 After installing LED lights night view of green wall

Installed LED lights for outdoor hydroponics green wall for following reasons

Exterior lighting can lend any residence an elegant look increases its esthetics and welcomes guests.

  1. Light up the night
  2. An inviting entrance
  3. Highlight architectural Features
  4. Extend Evening Celebrations
  5. Increases curb Appeal

19/02/2022

Measured LED light intensity by using luxmeter @ 15 cm

Readings:

LED light colorsLight intensity in lux
Blue3600
Orange2600
Green1800

20/02/2022

1) Used bricks and rock as media for growing plants in hydroponics

2) Filled bricks and rock in cup

3) Checked TDS of water in hydroponics and TDS of water is 417

4) Battery vent plug (which is used to check water level in hydroponics structure) that doesn’t work that’s why I made solution of baking soda (Baking soda is base which dissolved organic matter like dirt and stainless steel and baking soda is good cleaning agent) 30gm per 300 ml water and dissolved that in that solution.

Reading of TDS: 417

Fig.No 9 While measuring TDS

21/08/2022

Removed battery vent plug from baking soda solution and kept few hours for drying purpose. Then installed battery vent plug in hydroponics structure pipe.

Figure. No 10 battery vent plug

25/08/2022

Added water in pipe of hydroponics structure and checked TDS of water

Reading:

TDS – 240 ppm

31/08/2022

1) Checked green wall system

2) Take measurements of hydroponics green wall for 2D drawing

1/09/2022

Discussion

I discussed with dixit sir about TDS of hydroponics green wall sir told me that TDS is low give nutrients to plant.

2/09/2022

As per discussion and reading of TDS decided to give nutrients. then gave reference of nutrients which is used for Palak as per water .Calculated nutrients for 3.6 L water in each pipe there are 3 pipes in hydroponics system. I gave nutrients to plants in green wall. Nutrients are as follows

Calculations:

In hydroponics green wall

Total no of pipes – 3

Each pipe contain water – 3.6 L

Gave nutrients in three pipes as per calculations each pipe.

Sr. NoNutrientsFor 1 L water (Gram)For 3.6 L water (Gram)
1Potassium nitrate (KNO3)0.51.8
2Calcium nitrate (CaNO3)0.1920.6912
3Monoammonium phosphate (NH4H2PO4)0.0830.29811
4Potassium sulphate (K2SO4)0.2881.0368
5Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4)0.6312.2716
Fig No. 11 While measuring and giving nutrients

3/09/2022

1) After giving nutrients checked TDS. After giving nutrients TDS increased.  

2) Review on our project blog with Dixit sir and Suvarna mam.

3) observed that bubbler is not supply oxygen to whole pipe or equal bubbling in pipe.

4) Near bubbler plants grow more than others plants. 5) Water doesn’t circulate in pipe of hydroponics system

reading:

TDS – 1036 ppm

5/09/2022

Discussion

Discussed about project work of green wall and dixit sir gave me suggestion that water circulating in hydroponics green wall system. Sir told that let try by using 2-watt motor to circulate water. Also, sir said that change water every 4 days how we can circulate water in DWC system or circulate water inside the pipe by using motor.

6/09/2022

Checked water in hydroponics green wall. Added water manually in pipe. discussed with 2 watt motor for circulating water system in hydroponics green wall.

7/09/2022

Checked TDS of water

Reading:

1210 ppm

Fig No.12 While checking TDS of water

8/09/2022 and 10/09/2022

Discussion

Discussion about 2-watt motor with Suvarna mam. mam said that check the information of 2 watt motor.

Studied about 2 watt motor or submersible pump

Micro DC 3-6V Micro Submersible Pump Mini water pump for water circulation System. This is a low cost, small size Submersible Pump Motor which can be operated from a 3 ~ 6V power supply. It can take up to 120 liters per hour with very low current consumption of 220mA. Just connect tube pipe to the motor outlet, submerge it in water and power it. Make sure that the water level is always higher than the motor.

Figure No.13 2 watt submersible pump

Specifications: –

  • Operating Voltage: 3 ~ 9V

  • Operating Current: 130 ~ 220mA

  • Flow Rate: 80 ~ 120 L/H

  • Maximum Lift: 40 ~ 110 mm

  • Continuous Working Life: 500 hours

  • Driving Mode: DC, Magnetic Driving

  • Material: Engineering Plastic

  • Outlet Outside Diameter: 7.5 mm

  • Outlet Inside Diameter: 5 mm

12/09/2022

Measured TDS of hydroponics green wall

Reading:

TDS – 794 ppm

Connecting weir for motor and made shouldering that weir with connector. Then joined to adaptor while used 5 V Adaptor. Then 2 watt motor installed in pipe for trail on circulate water inside pipe.

13/09/2022 to 15/09/2022

Observed that near bubbler plant that loss coco peat in water and also checked the growth of plants on different media. also observed that plants growth three media they are cocopeat, gravel and bricks pieces. Also, plants started to giving flowers, Stems are also growing well.

Figure No. 14 plant started to flowering
Figure No. 15 After 40 days plant growth

16/09/2022

Problems:

  1. After heavy rainfall plants falls down
  2. Over flow of water from pipe

19/09/2022

Bill of material

NoMaterialQuantityTotal CostAvailability
 Mechanical   
1PVC Pipe (2.5 inch)270 cm (3.9 foot)117Available
2End caps6234  Available
3wood–200Available
4Battery vent plug3134Available
5Plastic net cups18171Available
6Growing media (coco peat, gravel and bricks pieces)250 gram2Available
7Clamps/clips6120Available
8Plastic pipe 240 cm 36Available
9Plastic “T” joint315Available
 Electrical   
1LED stripes9160Market
2Adopter1110Market
3Bubbler3 300Available
4Connector110Available
52-watt submersible pump3239.4Market
  Total cost1,686.40 
Bill-of-material-Green-wallDownload

23/09/2022

  1. Checked TDC of green wall

TDS – 742 ppm

2. New stems and flowers are formed

26/09/2022

Technical review

The technical review with dixit sir, prasad sir and Suvarna about green wall

  1. Gave suggestion on circulate water for green wall
  2. Discussed on 2-watt submersible pump
  3. Discussed on media that which plant grow more like roots, leaf’s, stems and flower

27/09/2022

Removed water from pipe (DWC) of green wall by using syphon method. Removed water due to exchange in pipe for plant growth and

Then added water in pipe by manually

28/09/2022

Observations:

  1. The plants growth is more in gravel comparatively cocopeat and bricks pieces on basis of growth of Stems and roots.
  2. Cocopeat makes water dirt and cocopeat loss from plantation net cup then plants are lost growing media and again filled cocopeat in net cups.

29/09/2022 to 1/10/2022

For maintaining TDS and plants growth gave nutrients to plants in green wall

Figure No. 16 while measuring nutrients
NoNutrientsFor 3.6 L water for each pipe (total no of pipes are 3) in gram
1Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) 1.8
2Calcium Nitrate (Ca (NO3)2) 0.6912
3Monoammonium phosphate (NH3H2PO4) 0.29811
4 Potassium Sulphate (K2SO4) 1.0368
5Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4) 2.2716

Measured TDS after giving nutrients for plants.

TDS – 1504 ppm

Plantation new plant where stem or plant damaged due to heavy rain

Made holed bubbler pipe and extend in pipe (DWC) for circulate air in pip

4/09/2022

  1. Connected weirs for 2-watt submersible pump.
  2. Shouldering those wires at fab lab
  3. Connected three submersible pumps to connecter
  4. Trailed 2-watt submersible pump inside the pipe of hydroponics green wall. When operating submersible pump, it doesn’t work properly due to cocopeat west water.

6/10/2022

  1. For installation 2-watt submersible pump removed and cleaned water from pipe of hydroponics green wall.
  2. Installed 2-watt submersible pump inside the pipe
  3. We used 2-watt submersible water pump to circulate water inside the pipe of DWC system of green wall due to in Deep water culture system water did not circulate water and its effects on plants.

Found the solution of loss of cocopeat in water that we used transparent cloth pieces (which transferred water only) for cocopeat media in net cup which helps to avoid loss of cocopeat in water and keep water clean which will helps submersible pump to discharge water from inlet to outlet.

  1. After cleaning of DWC system of pipes hanged green wall system on wall
  2. while hanging green wall system on wall @vishal-sonawane
  3. and @samarth-tarale helped me
  4. Again, added water manually, kept plants in pipe, operated bubbler system and installed 2-watt submersible pump inside the pipe.
  5. After installing pump observed that it works well and which will discharge 120 L per hour.
Figure No . While hanging green on wall

Problem:

We observed that plant growth was slow due to water did not circulate in DWC system. for circulating water in DWC system make water circulation by using 2 watt submersible motor we take trail in DWC system of green wall.

Solutions

Trail first

  1. Firstly, we taken trail that circulate water inside pipe. One end is outlet and another end is inlet of motor which will circulate water continuously.
  2.  It works properly only one day then motors damaged due to dirt in that water
  3. This method to circulate water is failed due to dirt motors are damaged.
  4. This method did not successful

10/10/2022 to 13/10/2022

Discussion

  1. Technical review with dixit sir, prasad sir and Suvarna mam about green wall. we discussed about how to circulate water in DWC system of green wall. Sir said make design for circulating water by using 2 watt submersible pump.
  2. Again discussed with dixit sir and Suvarna mam circulating water in green wall system. Taken some idea from prasad sir and sir explained that how to circulate water.

15/10/2022 to 16/10/2022

As per discussion and idea that circulating water that make water filter and circulate water in DWC system. Trailed NFT system on pipe that filter water and circulating water in DWC system of green wall. It works successfully.

Checked TDS of Green wall system.

Reading:

TDS – 964 ppm

19/10/2022

Checked TDS Of green wall system

TDS – 870

22/10/2022

Gave nutrients to green wall system

NoNutrientsFor 3.6 L per pipe
1Potassium nitrate (KNO3)1.8
2Calcium nitrate (CaNO3)0.6912
3Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4)2.2716

27/10/2022

Again, checked TDS of green wall system

TDS – 1253

Problem:

We observed that plant growth was slow due to water did not circulate in DWC system. for circulating water in DWC system make water circulation by using 2 watt submersible motor we take trail in DWC system of green wall.

Trail second

After discussion we thought that if we circulate water should kept clean and circulate water. So we decide to circulate water with filter and we use nylon cloth and make water filter. cleaned water goes inside the pipe and dirt water come to outlet which will clean nylon cloth and again water clean. For circulating water trail NFT system by using 2-watt submersible motor. It works only one day. after one day it doesn’t work properly. Motor working capacity is not good. this method is also not successful.

Made NFT system for green wall by using 2 watt submersible motor. For this system make design following fig  

28/10/2022

Observation

  1. In cocopeat and gravel media grows well better than brick media.

29/10/2022

Discussion

Discussed about Circulating water with dixit sir. We discussed about trail NFT system by using 2-watt submersible motor.it doesn’t’ work that’s why we decided do not use submersible pump. Sir gave suggestion that use bubbler each pipe separates. Kept bubbler pipe in center of the pipe which will circulate equal distribution of air and it will make water moment.

31/10/2022 to 1/11/2022

Third Trail

Added 3 bubbler in 3 pipes for providing air to plants in green wall system. bubbler installed in center of pipe and make hole to pipe which will provide equal oxygen to plants. Bubbler kept center pipe and extend pipe inside the pipe and made hole which bubble more. Following fig shows how we apply bubbler.

3/11/2022

Discussion

Discussed about circulation of water in hydroponics green wall system with prasad sir. We discussed about first two trail and third one. After sir gave suggestion that take before TDS reading applying bubbler system in pipe and take reading of TDS after applying bubbler upto 5 days with timing.

As per discussion i take reading of TDS installed bubbler system.

3/11/2022 to 11/11/2022

Sr. NoDateTimeTDS
13/11/20223.171193
24/11/20222.541110
35/11/20223.141120
47/11/202212.571200
  1. Gave N:P: K nutrients for green wall system for prevent of green leaves and growth of plant

Discussion

Discussed with dixit sir about bubbler system and sir gave some correction of bubbler system.

Trail Third is working well . water moment is take place. Then applied This system to remaining pipes. Also observed that TDS is maintained between 800 to 1200 After applying bubbler.

Observations :

Observation of wing pod purslane (Ghol) plant growth in different media

1.Cocopeat

NoMorphological characteristics of Ghol plantPlant 1Plant 2Plant 3Plant 4Plant 5Plant          6
1Height11 cm22 cm22 cm19 cm15 cm16 cm
2Stems433223
3New leaves201515–1–
4Flowers–122––

2. Gravel

NoMorphological characteristics of Ghol plantPlant 1Plant 2Plant 3Plant 4Plant 5Plant 6
1Height23cm20cm16cm22cm22cm18cm
2Stems4–3332
3New leaves405––910
4Flowers–2–1––

3.Brick pieces

NoMorphological characteristics of Ghol plantPlant 1Plant 2Plant 3Plant 4Plant 5Plant 6
1Height20cm10cm16cm20cm19cm16
2Stems111122
3New leaves–––422
4Flowers–1––––

Result:

 1.Wing pod purslane (Ghol) Plant grows best in gravel and cocopeat media better than brick pieces

2. The Hydroponic Deep water culter system is suitable for Outdoor green wall.

3. Chemical nutrients gives more growth for Wing pod purslane.

4. We Made green wall low cost in hydroponics system .

5. Green wall made in hydroponic system.

Conclusion:

The Deep-water culture hydroponics system is sutailable for green wall. it can be decoration purpose and good environment. Applied chemical nutrients for plant growth. We selected three medias like cocopeat, gravel and brick pieces. Brick pieces effect on plants root. The best plant growth of ghol plant in gravel and cocopeat media to make green wall system.

Suggestion:

1.In DWC system make water circulation make plants grows fast

2.Make green wall in hydroponics system outdoor

3. Green wall in hydroponics-maintained TDS up 800 to 1200 ppm

4) Give aeriation for DWC system for plant growth.