Abstract:
An electrical system having an underlying structure resembling the double helix most commonly associated with DNA is used to produce useful electromagnetic fields for agricultural applications.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/213,604, entitled “Double Helix Conductor,” and filed Aug. 19, 2011. The related application is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to bodies structured as helically wound runners around which one or more conductive wires may be wound, electrical devices and/or systems configured to include such bodies, and the agricultural applications thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known that spirally wound electrical conductors exhibit certain electromagnetic properties and/or can be used to generate particular electromagnetic fields. For example, it is known that an electromagnetic coil may act as an inductor and/or part of a transformer, and has many established useful applications in electrical circuits. Applications of an electromagnetic coil may exploit the electromagnetic field that is created when, e.g., an active current source is operatively coupled to the coil. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the invention relates to an electrical system for promoting growth of a plant and/or other organisms. The system includes a body, one or more conductive wires, and a current source. The body includes two intertwined helically wound runners arranged in at least two complete revolutions per runner. A first runner is coupled to a second runner by struts. The body has a periphery. The body is installed around or near a plant. The first wire is carried by the first runner. The first wire is conductive. The current source is arranged to electrically couple with two leads of the first wire causing a first current through the first wire along the first runner. The current source is configured to cause the first current through the first wire such that an electromagnetic field is created in and around the body that promotes growth of the plant disposed within or near the periphery of the body. 
     One aspect of the invention relates to a method for promoting growth of a plant and/or other organisms. The method includes installing a body around or near a plant and supplying a current to the body such that an electromagnetic field is created within and near the body that causes promotion of growth of the plant within or near the body. The body includes two intertwined helically wound runners, a wire, and a current source. The two runners are arranged in at least two complete revolutions per runner. The first runner is coupled to the second runner by struts. The wire is carried by the first runner. The wire is conductive. The current source is arranged to electrically couple with two leads of the wire for supply of a current to the wire, causing the current through the wire along, at least, the first runner. 
     These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the present disclosure, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related components of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the any limits. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a system for promoting growth of a plant, according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a system for promoting growth of a plant, according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a method for promoting growth of a plant, according to one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a system for promoting growth of certain plants, according to one or more embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a system  10  for promoting growth of a plant  14 , according to one or more embodiments. System  10  includes a body  85 , a first wire  86 , a current source  11 , and/or other components. The depiction of plant  14  as a single entity is not meant to be limiting. Plant  14  may include one or more plants and/or other organisms. For example, plant  14  may include an edible and/or commercial crop. In some embodiments, plant  14  may comprise (one or more types of) algae. 
     Body  85  of system  10  in  FIG. 1  includes two intertwined helically wound runners—runner  88  and runner  89 —sharing the same (circular) axis, coupled by struts  90  and having one or more conductive wires spirally wound around one or both runners. In other words, runner  88  and runner  89  of body  85  form cores around which wire  86  and wire  87  are spirally wound, respectively. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , body  85  includes two wires: wire  86  and wire  87 . In some embodiments, system  10  includes one runner, three runners, and/or another number of runners. 
     Runner  88  and runner  89  of body  85  and system  10  in  FIG. 1  are arranged in the shape of a three-dimensional curve similar to or substantially the same as a helix, bend with its ends arranged together. It is noted that the shape of body  85  resembles the general shape of DNA. The shape of the cross-section of a runner may include one or more of a circle, an oval, a square, a triangle, a rectangle, an angular shape, a polygon, and/or other shapes. The width and height of the cross-section of a runner may be limited for practical purposes. For example, for the purposes described herein, in some embodiments, it may be preferred arrange body  85  such that there is available space within the periphery of body  85 , as shown, e.g., in  FIG. 1 . As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the shape of the cross-section of runner  88  and runner  89  is a circle. Note that embodiments of this disclosure are not intended to be limited by any of the given examples. 
     Runner  88 , runner  89  and/or struts  90  of system  10  in  FIG. 1  may be manufactured from one or more of plastic, plastic plated with metals including copper, nickel, iron, soft iron, nickel alloys, and/or other metals and alloys, and/or other materials. In some embodiments, runner  88 , runner  89  and struts  90  are manufactured from non-conductive material. Runner  88 , runner  89 , and struts  90  may be manufactured from different materials. Runner  88 , runner  89 , and struts  90  may be manufactured through integral construction or formed separately prior to being assembled. The preceding statement is not intended to limit the (process of) manufacture of bodies similar to or substantially the same as body  85  in any way. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , wire  86  and wire  87 , as any wire listed in any figure included in this description, may be insulated, uninsulated, or partially insulated and partially uninsulated. 
     The shape of body  85  of system  10  in  FIG. 1  may be generally toroidal. In some embodiments, the body of system  10  may be arranged in any planar shape, including circular, polygonal, and/or other shapes. Alternatively, and/or simultaneously, a body such as body  85  may be arranged in a three-dimensional curve (a.k.a. space curve). Runner  88  and runner  89  of body  85  may form cores around which wire  86  and wire  87  are spirally wound, respectively. As such, wire  86  and wire  87  may be arranged in a helical shape having axes that coincide with runner  88  and runner  89 , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 1 , wire  86  and  87  may be wound such that they go around any of struts  90  of body  85  and/or around any points of engagement between one of struts  90  and one of runners  88  and  89 . The number of wire turns per complete revolution of a runner and/or the number of wire turns between adjacent struts may be characteristic measurements/features of body  85 . In  FIG. 1 , wire  86  and wire  87  are arranged to make approximately three to five turns between adjacent struts associated with runner  88  and runner  89 , respectively, and/or some other number of turns. The depiction of  FIG. 1  is intended to be exemplary, and in no way limiting. 
     Wire  86  may include two leads—lead  86   a  and lead  86   b . Wire  87  may include two leads—lead  87   a  and lead  87   b . In system  10 , body  85  is electrically coupled with one or more power sources and/or current sources, such as, e.g., current source  11  and/or a current source  12 , arranged such that electrical coupling with one or both of wire  86  and wire  87  may be established, e.g. through coupling of current source  11  with lead  86   a  and  86   b  of wire  86  and through coupling of current source  12  with lead  87   a  and  87   b  of wire  87 . The current supplied to wire  86  may be a direct current or an alternating current. The current supplied to wire  87  may be a direct current or an alternating current. The currents supplied to wire  86  and wire  87  may flow in the same direction or the opposite direction. 
     For alternating currents, operating frequencies ranging from 0 Hz to 100 GHz are contemplated. Operating currents ranging from 1 pA to 10 A are contemplated. Operating voltages ranging from 1 mV to 20 kV are contemplated. In some embodiments, a root mean square voltage of about 12 V is supplied to wire  86 . In a preferred embodiment, the frequency of the alternating current supplied to wire  86  is between 0 Hz and 20 kHz. In some embodiments, the current is less than about 1 pA, 1 nA, 1 mA, 100 mA, 250 mA, 500 mA, and/or other amounts of current. The operating frequencies for wire  86  and wire  87  may be the same or different. Other electrical operating characteristics of current supplied to wire  86  and wire  87 , such as phase, may be the same or different. System  10  may be used to exploit the electromagnetic field that is created in and/or around body  85  when electrical power is supplied to one or more wires of body  85 . The electromagnetic field promotes growth of a plant  14  disposed within or near the periphery of body  85 . 
     Some embodiments of an electrical system including a body similar to or substantially the same as body  85  in  FIG. 1 , thus including wire  86  and wire  87 , may be configured to have a current in wire  86  flowing in the opposite direction as the current in wire  87 . In some embodiments the current supplied to one wire may be a direct current, whereas the current supplied to another wire may be an alternating current. 
     In some embodiments, system  10  may include multiple bodies similar to or substantially the same as body  85 . Currents for these multiple bodies may be supplied by one or more power sources and/or current sources. 
     In some embodiments, the shape of body  85  of system  10  is arranged around and/or near multiple plants and/or other organisms. For example, system  10  may be configured and arranged to encompass a petri dish, a planter, a (photo)bioreactor, a growing tank, a row of planted crops, a green house, a field of plants, and/or any other conventionally used arrangement to grow plants. Consequently, body  85  may be configured such that the dimensions of the available space within the periphery of body  85  has predetermined dimensions. In some embodiments, the predetermined dimension includes a diameter of 1 inch, 1 foot, 3 feet, 6 feet, and/or another suitable dimension. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a system  20  for promoting growth of plant  14 , according to one or more embodiments. System  20  includes a body  95 , a wire  96 , current source  11 , and/or other components. The depiction of plant  14  as a single entity is not meant to be limiting. Plant  14  may include one or more plants and/or other organisms. For example, plant  14  may include an edible and/or commercial crop. In some embodiments, plant  14  may comprise one or more types of algae and/or phytoplankton. For example, plant  14  may comprise (edible) seaweed, Spirulina,  Chlorella , and/or types of algae suitable for the production of biodiesel and/or biofuel. 
     Body  95  of system  20  in  FIG. 2  includes two intertwined helically wound runners—runner  97  and runner  98 —sharing the same circular axis. Both runners are coupled by struts. Wire  96  is spirally wound around both runners of body  95 . In some embodiments, system  20  includes one runner, three runners, and/or another number of runners. Wire  96  may be insulated, uninsulated, or partially insulated and partially uninsulated. Wire  96  may include two leads—lead  96   a  and lead  96   b . The resulting shape of body  95  with wire  96  may be referred to as a helicoidal shape. In system  20 , body  95  is electrically coupled with one or more power sources and/or current sources, such as, e.g., current source  11 , arranged such that electrical coupling with wire  96  may be established, e.g. through coupling of current source  11  with lead  96   a  and  96   b  of wire  96 . The current supplied to wire  96  may be a direct current or an alternating current. The runners of system  20  may be similar to or substantially the same as the runners of system  10  in  FIG. 1 . 
     For alternating currents in system  20 , operating frequencies ranging from 0 Hz to 100 GHz are contemplated. Operating currents ranging from 1 pA to 10 A are contemplated. Operating voltages ranging from 1 mV to 15 kV are contemplated. In some embodiments, the operating voltage is matched to the membrane potential of a particular plant cell. In some embodiments, a root mean square voltage of about 12 V is supplied to wire  96 . In a preferred embodiment, the frequency of the alternating current supplied to wire  96  is between 0 Hz and 20 kHz. In some embodiments, the current is about 1 pA, 1 nA, 1 mA, 50 mA, 100 mA, 250 mA, 500 mA, and/or other amounts of current. System  20  may be used to exploit the electromagnetic field that is created in and/or around body  95  when electrical power is supplied to one or more wires of body  95 . The electromagnetic field promotes growth of a plant  14  disposed within or near the periphery of body  95 . 
     In some embodiments, system  20  may include multiple bodies similar to or substantially the same as body  95 . Currents for these multiple bodies may be supplied by one or more power sources and/or current sources. In some embodiments, a system may include a combination of one or more bodies similar to or substantially the same as body  85  and one or more bodies similar to or substantially the same as body  95 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a system  40  for promoting growth of certain plants, according to one or more embodiments. In particular, system  40  may be used to promote growth of plants that can thrive while submerged in water and/or move with fluids in motion, such as, e.g., algae. System  40  may include a tank  41 , a hull  42 , one or more ports  43 , an inner pipe  44 , helical coil  85   a , support member  85   b , and/or other components. Helical coil  85   a  may be held in place within tank  41  and/or physically supported by support member  85   b . For example, support member  85   b  may comprise a shelf. Pumps (not depicted) may be used to circulate fluids within tank  41  of system  40 . For example, one or more pumps may be operatively engaged with system  40  through one or more ports  43 . The pumps may move fluid and plants up near the periphery of hull  42  and back down through inner pipe  44 , and/or vice versa. Note that hull  42  may be taller than inner pipe  44  to accommodate this circulation. In some embodiments, the height of system  40  may range from about 3 feet to about 10 feet, and/or other suitable dimensions. System  40  may include one or more light sources (not depicted in  FIG. 4 ) to, e.g., promote growth of the plants within tank  41 . In some embodiments, one or more light sources may be embedded in one or more of the elements depicted in  FIG. 4 . For example, the bottom of tank  41  may comprise one or more light sources. 
     As part of the circulation, fluid and plants may be moved through the center of helical coil  85   a , which may be similar to the body  85  depicted in  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, system  40  may include a protective shell (not depicted in  FIG. 4 ) so that fluids and/or plants do not directly come in contact with helical coil  85 . System  40  may include wires (not depicted in  FIG. 4 ) and one or more current sources (not depicted in  FIG. 1 ) configured to create a particular electromagnetic field in and/or around helical coil  85   a  in a way that is similar to the described functionality of system  10  in  FIG. 1 . The orientation of system  40  is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4 . For example, tank  41  may be placed vertically, horizontally, and/or diagonally. The angle of tank  41  may be adjusted to allow maximum exposure to a light source, such as, e.g., the sun. In some embodiments, multiple tanks similar to tank  41  may be arranged and/or controlled in a coordinated fashion. The use of a helical coil in a larger body of water, such as, e.g., a lake, is contemplated, with and/or without the use of pumps to move the water through the helical coil. 
     Applications for any of the described systems herein, such as, e.g., system  10  and system  20 , herein may include affecting growth and/or growth rate of plants and/or other organisms. For example, a particular type of plant may have a typical growth rate, or range of typical growth rates, under growing conditions that lack a significant electromagnetic field. For the purposes of this description, a significant electromagnetic field may be determined as an electromagnetic field of at least a predetermined threshold level of tesla. The predetermined threshold may be 1 pT, 1 nT, 1 mT, 10 mT, 100 mT, and/or another threshold. Using any of the electrical systems described herein, the growth rate, or range of typical growth rates, of the particular type of plant may be increased to a higher growth rate, or higher range of growth rates, for the particular plant. A unit of growth rate may be inch/day, or another unit expressing some length, area, volume, or size per unit of time, and/or another appropriate unit. For some embodiments, such as e.g. an embodiment using algae or suitable similar plants, growth rate may be expressed though lipid production rate, starch content production rate, biomass content production rate. 
     For example, a specific type of plant may have a typical maximum growth level, under growing conditions that lack a significant electromagnetic field. Using any of the electrical systems described herein, the maximum growth level, or range of typical maximum growth levels, of the specific type of plant may be increased to a higher maximum growth level, or higher range of maximum growth levels, for the specific plant. Maximum growth level may be expressed in inches, square inches, liters, kilograms, lipid content, and/or another unit expressing some length, area, volume, weight, or size, and/or another appropriate unit. 
     For example, a particular type of plant may have a typical maximum yield, under growing conditions that lack a significant electromagnetic field. Using any of the electrical systems described herein, the maximum yield, or range of typical maximum yields, of the particular type of plant may be increased to a higher maximum yield, or higher range of maximum yields, for the particular plant. Maximum yield may be expressed in volume or weight per area and/or period, such as kilogram/square feet, or pounds per acre per week, and/or other units as appropriate. 
     In some embodiments, an application for any of the described systems may exploit an improved and/or increased level of protein biosynthesis for organisms exposed to an electromagnetic field created by, e.g., system  10  or system  20 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a method  300  for promoting growth of a plant. The operations of method  300  presented below are intended to be illustrative. In certain embodiments, method  300  may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described, and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method  300  are illustrated in  FIG. 3  and described below is not intended to be limiting. 
     In certain embodiments, method  300  may be implemented in one or more processing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to process information, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices executing some or all of the operations of method  300  in response to instructions stored electronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices configured through hardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed for execution of one or more of the operations of method  300 . 
     At an operation  302 , a body is installed around or near a plant. The body includes two intertwined helically wound runners, a conductive wire, and a current source. The runners are arranged in at least two complete revolutions per runner, wherein the first runner is coupled to the second runner by struts. The wire is carried by the first runner. The current source is arranged to electrically coupled with two leads of the wire causing a current through the wire along the first runner. In one embodiment, operation  302  is performed by a user of system  10  (shown in  FIG. 1  and described above). 
     At an operation  304 , a current is supplied to the wire such that an electromagnetic field is created within and near the body that causes promotion of growth of the plant disposed within or near the body. In one embodiment, operation  304  is performed by a current source similar to or substantially the same as current source  11  (shown in  FIG. 1  and described above). 
     Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.