There is a significant gap in the horticultural lighting market. Luminaires are often too large, blocking sunlight and increasing operational costs, or lack spectral control and thus locking your facility into a single crop offering. AgriTech North intends to develop a novel greenhouse horticultural luminaire that is low-profile, incorporates standardized controls, and has multiple peak wavelength LEDs to enable a variety of crops and states of growth within the same facility. This functionality also enables improvements over time, as we conduct research during regular operations.

The proposed luminaire presents a number of challenges. One cannot make a low-profile luminaire that is low power, because then the increased quantity of luminaires results in just as much shadowing of the sun as a larger single luminaire. Instead, thermal engineering needs to ensure a high-power low-profile luminaire can stay cool, and thus efficient. Thermal management strategies may involve active convection or water-cooling, for example.

In addition, generally horticultural luminaires utilize 0-10VDC as a control signal, which has voltage drop over long greenhouse distances and is not standardized, resulting in inconsistent lighting conditions and an inability to dim to low lighting levels. The high-power luminaire would generally require a large driver, so there are a variety of considerations around electrical component specifications and location that directly impact the overall system design.

Lastly, greenhouses are generally hot and humid environments, so the luminaire will need to be resistant to condensation and ideally, can withstand pressure washing which would enable quick and easy maintenance of the lens surface, which would otherwise become dusty, reduce output, and thus reduce yield.

Since there are clearly both Electrical and Mechanical challenges present, up to two positions are available, but only one Mechanical and one Electrical.

Benjamin has taught independent studies, led capstone projects, and fulfilled internships/co-ops for mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, computer scientists, and architects. He has fulfilled such obligations with positive results for more than fifty students ranging in practice from research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to industry experience.