Biogenerator Earth - Prototypes

Closed Greenhouse to House Integration - The Biogenerator

This is taking the hobby greenhouse to the next level. Pure air - total self sufficiency by cycling air, water, soil and food. For instance control of direct sunlight with panels elevated above the structure. Shade screens within the structure is for the hobby greenhouse that is only dedicated to food output. Complete control for a complete biogenerator.

The fantasy is to integrate the closed greenhouse with the human housing by cycling air between or to live completely within the biogenerator. Please add your ideas and input to promote prototypes. Hoping to find some partners in crime in the Vancouver/Portland area and promote projects elsewhere.  A lot of gardening entities (Master Gardeners etc.) that could be drawn into this next step in greenhouses. There will be growing food plight/cost and we will need houses with air tight air filtering against growing pollution. Wildfire smoke is becoming a year round problem. This is the very first step in proving and making the biogenerator a common feature and will also be advanced in popularity and function by the first biogenerator on the Moon. 

The biogenerator is also an entry of the Deep Space Food Challenge. But the priority is the prototype as the timeline for the Challenge is probably not going to match up with the timeline of proving a house integrated prototype. The Earth connection of the NASA/Canada/International/MethuselahFoundation Challenge is the objective to find solutions for food plight. And as the Canada spur of the challenge states, they want a solution that is also good for the remote and harsh environments of their Northern reaches...this is why we go all the way to processing feces into Black Fly larvae for chicken or fish -  the closed biogenerator.

I will copy issues, ideas, challenges and this document among others to this page….

Attached, not Attached, or Live in the Biogenerator?

• If attached then airflow between structures may be simple but humidity might be a problem? This would be a large greenhouse to allow oxygen/carbon cycle in this closed system so the wall between structures may have to be modified?
• If detached then dehumidifying air for use in house and controlling humidity in the greenhouse. Detached option may add area between structures that may have special use or even some air filtering between the systems...
• Tiny home within or bigger like some encapsulated homes in Europe, but garden and air tight capability needs to be added.

Benefits of Closed System

• Water Conservation within the greenhouse and possible processing of gray water also
• Carbon/oxygen cycle enables pollution/smoke free air circulating through abode
• Option (especially remote and harsh terrain) to process human feces by Black Soldier Fly to feed chickens (or fish in low load aquaponics)

Size Challenge

• A step above the hobby greenhouse but within scope of the permie mentality
• A system that can handle all the oxygen needs for a family of 4 may be as big as a standard house. Begs to be integrated in the future as part of a printed design.
• Standard attached greenhouse has the benefits of stretching the length of the Southern wall of a house
• All of the layouts should be designed per house with further biogenerator expansion in mind
• Atrium surrounded by at least 3 sides of the house. If the garden roof is higher than the house presents some possibilities. The 4th side could extend outward for more green power.
• Biogenerator extended out at the right angle to the house wall and attached at one end for air transfer. Interesting temperature control possibilities with the far end being most exposed and house end wider...

Closed System Challenges

• Moisture Control
• Humidity Control - quite a few dehumidifier options these days
• Heat Control

Day Cycles

• Night - close air circulation to abode when carbon/oxygen cycle reverses
• Morning - Keep air closed until Oxygen generation saturates air
• Noon - Circulate dehumidified air to abode

Season Cycles

• Summer - Heat dissipation strategies
• Winter - transfer heat to abode by opening windows/doors between the structures

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Heat control - Brainstorming Phase

• Beyond hobby greenhouse solutions
• Shade control - secondary adjustable cover outside of greenhouse
• Heat Sink - Basement concept air or water circulation through buried tank
• Air Conditioning of the abode cools air going back into the greenhouse after sun
• Cinder block backwall - leave unpainted and then add black as needed in the Winter
• Cinder block for 3’ wide posts in the middle of the greenhouse (30’ wide structure for example) so heat dissipates all round at night
• Half buried boulders and urbanite