Earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil

Abstract

The utility model discloses an earthworm feeder for reinforcing the plant remediation of contaminated soil, including storage tank, feed pipe and controlling means, wherein, the storage tank is used for fermentation and storage plant waste, and the feed pipe is by one end connection storage tank, the other end stretches into the soil's feed main pipe, and with the soil's one end of the communication of the first feed branch pipe of feed main pipe stretch into in, and the part of feed main pipe stretch into the soil and the first feed branch pipe all are equipped with the small hole of the earthworm's in and out. Controlling means is through controller control setting in the control valve of storage tank and feed main pipe intercommunication, thereby will plant waste after fermentation time, ration delivery to the inside of soil, and the earthworm is taken food. The length of feed main pipe and the first feed branch pipe can be adjusted according to the actual soil pollution depth, the plant root depth and the feeding range of selection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of soil remediation technology, and further to an earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil. Background Technology

[0002] Many undeveloped contaminated sites awaiting remediation face significant cost constraints, hindering large-scale engineering remediation efforts. Phytoremediation, as a green and low-carbon technology, has become a suitable option for these sites. To further improve remediation efficiency, introducing synergistic interactions between animals and plants to construct a plant-animal co-remediation system can create a more efficient and complementary remediation solution.

[0003] Among numerous soil animals, earthworms are the best choice due to their unique ecological functions. Their activities effectively improve soil aggregate structure, enhance aeration and water retention; earthworm excrement is not only a high-quality natural fertilizer, replenishing soil organic matter and nutrients, but also significantly promotes the proliferation and activation of rhizosphere microbial communities. This plant-animal synergistic system improves the rhizosphere environment and enhances the efficiency of plant root absorption of pollutants; furthermore, the adsorption on the earthworm's surface and the enrichment process in its digestive tract directly capture and degrade some pollutants, creating a more favorable soil environment for plant growth.

[0004] However, when putting this system into practice, the management of earthworms' food sources often becomes a critical issue. Earthworms cannot directly digest fresh plant tissue; their ideal food is fully fermented humus, such as well-fermented fallen leaves, fruit peels, and vegetable scraps. In practice, while directly adding unfermented fruit and vegetable residues to the soil is simple and easy, it can have multiple negative impacts on earthworm survival and plant growth. These residues release heat and harmful gases (such as ammonia) during natural decomposition, endangering earthworm survival. Simultaneously, the accumulation of fruits and vegetables easily breeds harmful microorganisms and pests, further inhibiting healthy root development and affecting the phytoremediation effect. Furthermore, the difference in root depth between plants and the soil depth where earthworms are active makes it difficult for earthworms to reach deeper root areas, thus affecting the overall remediation effect of the plant-animal complex system. Utility Model Content

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil includes: a storage tank for providing fermentation and storage space for plant waste; a conveying pipe including a main conveying pipe and multiple first conveying branch pipes, wherein one end of the main conveying pipe is connected to the storage tank, the other end of the main conveying pipe extends into the soil, and the end of the main conveying pipe extending into the soil is connected to the first conveying branch pipes; both the end of the main conveying pipe extending into the soil and the first conveying branch pipes are provided with a plurality of small holes, the size of which is configured to allow earthworms to pass through; a control device including a control valve and a controller, the control valve being disposed at the connection between the storage tank and the main conveying pipe, the control valve being configured to either stop or allow the plant waste in the storage tank to enter the main conveying pipe; and the controller being controlled and connected to the control valve, the controller being configured to open and close the control valve according to a preset program.

[0006] In some technical solutions, the earthworm feeder also includes a crushing device, which includes a shell and a crushing component. The shell is provided with a feed inlet and a discharge outlet communicating with the storage tank. The crushing component is disposed inside the shell and is used to crush the plant waste fed into the shell from the feed inlet into fragments of a preset size.

[0007] In some technical solutions, the crushing component includes a motor, a rotating shaft, and a plurality of blades disposed on the rotating shaft. The output end of the motor is driven to the rotating shaft, and the motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate so as to drive the blades to cut and crush the plant waste inside the housing.

[0008] In some technical solutions, the small holes are arranged circumferentially around the main conveying pipe and the first conveying branch pipe and are evenly spaced.

[0009] In some technical solutions, the conveying pipe further includes multiple second conveying branch pipes, one end of which is connected to the side wall of the storage tank, and the other end of which is adapted to extend into the soil. The end of the second conveying branch pipe extending into the soil is provided with a plurality of small holes.

[0010] In some technical solutions, the storage tank is equipped with a vent valve, which is used to discharge the gas produced by the fermentation of the plant waste in the storage tank.

[0011] In some technical solutions, the control device further includes a level gauge installed in the storage tank, the level gauge being used to monitor the accumulation height of the plant waste in the storage tank; The level gauge is connected to the controller, and the controller controls the opening and closing of the control valve based on the monitoring data of the level gauge.

[0012] In some technical solutions, the storage tank is higher than the conveying main pipe in the vertical direction, and the bottom of the storage tank is connected to the conveying main pipe.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can bring the following beneficial effects: 1. Traditional earthworm feeding methods have significant limitations: food is concentrated in the soil surface layer, failing to effectively reach earthworms and plant roots in deeper soil layers, easily leading to accumulation and waste. There is also a mismatch between the earthworm's living area and the depth of plant roots, resulting in poor phytoremediation and limited remediation effects on deeper soil contamination. The earthworm feeder provided by this invention delivers pre-fermented plant waste, readily accessible to earthworms, through a main feed pipe and a first feed branch pipe into the soil, directly transporting the food to the earthworm-active soil layer. Earthworms enter the pipes through small holes to feed. By extending the main feed pipe to adjust the soil depth, earthworms are guided to migrate to deeper soil layers where plant roots are concentrated, allowing earthworm activity to highly overlap with root growth areas and strengthening their synergistic effect. Extending the first feed branch pipe guides earthworms to move laterally, enabling them to fully interact with plant roots distributed laterally, promoting lateral migration of soil nutrients, breaking the limitations of uneven nutrient distribution, and meeting the animal-assisted restoration needs of both vertically and horizontally rooted plants. In addition, a control device is introduced to feed earthworms at preset times and in preset quantities. The automatically operating earthworm feeder also reduces manual management and lowers long-term maintenance labor costs. 2. The storage tank provided by this utility model provides an independent fermentation space for plant waste, which is transformed into stable humus that is easy for earthworms to consume. At the same time, a vent valve is added to the storage tank so that harmful gases such as biogas and ammonia produced during fermentation are discharged into the atmosphere before feeding, ensuring that only harmless fermented plant waste enters the soil through the conveying pipe, thus avoiding the harm of harmful gases to the soil roots and earthworm growth. 3. The earthworm feeder provided by this utility model is also equipped with multiple second feed delivery branches connected to the storage tank, which can cover a wider soil area, expand the feeding range, and allow earthworms in more areas to obtain food. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the earthworm feeder provided by this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the earthworm feeder provided by this utility model in another embodiment.

[0016] Figure Labels

[0017] 10—Storage tank; 20—Plant-based waste; 30—Conveying pipe; 301—Main conveying pipe; 302—First conveying branch pipe; 303—Small hole; 304—Second conveying branch pipe; 40—Crushing device; 401—Shell; 4011—Feed inlet; 4012—Discharge outlet; 402—Crushing assembly; 50—Control device; 501—Control valve; 502—Controller; 503—Level gauge. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments, but these embodiments are merely exemplary and do not constitute any limitation on the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, this utility model provides an earthworm feeder for enhancing the phytoremediation of contaminated soil, including: a storage tank 10, a feeding pipe 30 and a control device 50. The internal space of the storage tank 10 can store plant waste 20 (such as fruit shells, vegetable leaves, crop straw, etc.) and provide space for the fermentation of these plant wastes 20.

[0020] The conveying pipe 30 includes a main conveying pipe 301 and multiple first conveying branch pipes 302. One end of the main conveying pipe 301 is connected to the storage tank 10, and the other end of the main conveying pipe 301 is adapted to extend into the soil. The end of the main conveying pipe 301 extending into the soil is connected to the first conveying branch pipes 302. That is, a portion of the main conveying pipe 301 and the multiple first conveying branch pipes 302 connected thereto are together disposed in the soil. Both the end of the main conveying pipe 301 extending into the soil and the first conveying branch pipes 302 are provided with a plurality of small holes 303. The size of these small holes 303 is configured to allow earthworms to pass through. Exemplarily, the small holes 303 in the main conveying pipe 301 and the first conveying branch pipes 302 are arranged circumferentially around the pipe body and are evenly spaced. Plant waste 20 is fermented into humus that is easy for earthworms to eat in the storage tank 10. It is then transported to each of the first conveying branch pipes 302 through the conveying main pipe 301. Earthworms can freely enter and exit the conveying main pipe 301 and the first conveying branch pipes 302 through the small holes 303 on the conveying main pipe 301 and the first conveying branch pipes 302. After foraging in the pipes, they return to the soil to move around.

[0021] The length of the main feed pipe 301 can be flexibly selected according to the soil depth. If it is necessary to repair deep soil (such as the earthworm active layer at a depth of 30-50cm), a longer main feed pipe 301 can be selected; if it is for shallow soil (such as 10-20cm), the length of the main feed pipe 301 can be shortened. The length of the first feed branch pipe 302 can be set according to the feeding coverage requirements. For example, for a larger area, the first feed branch pipe 302 can be lengthened to expand the feeding range.

[0022] The control device 50 includes a control valve 501 and a controller 502. The control valve 501 is located at the connection between the storage tank 10 and the conveying main pipe 301 and is configured to either stop or allow the plant waste 20 in the storage tank 10 to enter the conveying main pipe 301. The controller 502 is connected to the control valve 501 and is configured to open and close the control valve 501 according to a preset program to periodically and quantitatively feed the fermented plant waste 20 in the storage tank 10 into the conveying main pipe 301.

[0023] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the vertical direction, the storage tank 10 is higher than the conveying main pipe 301, and the bottom of the storage tank 10 is connected to the conveying main pipe 301. When the control valve 501 is opened, the plant waste 20 inside the storage tank 10 falls directly into the conveying main pipe 301 by gravity, and is then distributed by the conveying main pipe 301 to each of the first conveying branch pipes 302.

[0024] In some embodiments, the earthworm feeder further includes a crushing device 40 for cutting and crushing plant waste 20. The crushing device 40 includes a housing 401 and a crushing component 402 disposed inside the housing 401. The housing 401 has an inlet 4011 and an outlet 4012. The crushing component 402 is used to crush the plant waste 20 fed into the housing 401 from the inlet 4011 into fragments of a preset size. The outlet 4012 on the housing 401 communicates with a storage tank 10, conveying the crushed fragments to the storage tank 10 for fermentation and storage.

[0025] The crushing component 402 can be a motor-driven rotating blade structure that cuts the plant waste 20 into small-diameter fragments through high-speed cutting, increasing the specific surface area and accelerating the fermentation process. For example, the crushing component 402 includes a motor, a rotating shaft, and multiple blades evenly arranged on the rotating shaft. The output end of the motor is driven by the rotating shaft. Driven by the motor, the rotating shaft rotates, simultaneously driving the blades on it to cut and crush the plant waste 20 inside the housing 401.

[0026] Furthermore, in the vertical direction, the discharge port 4012 of the crushing device 40 is higher than the storage tank 10, and the crushed material is fed into the storage tank 10 by gravity. The crushing device 40 may also be lower than the storage tank 10 or flush with the storage tank 10, and the crushed material is fed into the storage tank 10 by adding a conveying component (such as a pump body).

[0027] In some implementations, such as Figure 2 As shown, the conveying pipe 30 also includes multiple second conveying branch pipes 304. One end of each second conveying branch pipe 304 is connected to the side wall of the storage tank 10, and the other end of each second conveying branch pipe 304 is adapted to extend into the soil. The end of each second conveying branch pipe 304 extending into the soil is also provided with several small holes 303 that allow earthworms to pass through freely. The arrangement of the second conveying branch pipes 304 expands the coverage area of ​​the plant waste 20, allowing earthworms to obtain food in a wider soil area.

[0028] Furthermore, a control valve 501 can be independently installed on the second conveying branch pipe 304 and connected to the controller 502. The controller 502 can realize separate control of the main conveying pipe and the second conveying branch pipe according to the preset program, and perform time-sharing and zone-based feeding of the second conveying branch pipe 304 for different areas.

[0029] In some embodiments, the storage tank 10 is equipped with a vent valve to release gases produced during the fermentation of plant waste 20 within the storage tank 10. During the closed fermentation process, the plant waste 20 produces biogas, ammonia, and other gases harmful to plant roots and earthworm growth. This vent valve allows these harmful gases to be released from the storage tank 10 before or during the feeding process, effectively preventing them from being carried into the soil by the waste during subsequent feeding via the conveying main pipe 301 and harming the plants and earthworms.

[0030] In some embodiments, the control device 50 further includes a level gauge 503 installed on the storage tank 10 to monitor the accumulation height of the plant waste 20 in the storage tank 10. The level gauge 503 is connected to the controller 502, and the controller 502 controls the opening and closing of the control valve 501 based on the monitoring data of the level gauge 503, thereby controlling the feeding process. For example, if the level gauge 503 detects that the accumulation height of the plant waste 20 is close to or lower than the preset minimum safety line, it will send a low level alarm signal to the controller 502. The controller 502 has built-in priority judgment logic. After receiving this signal, it will immediately lock the control valve 501 corresponding to the main conveying pipe 301 and the second conveying branch pipe 304, keeping them closed. This control command takes precedence over the preset feeding time program of the controller 502, avoiding invalid feeding when the material source is insufficient.

[0031] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. An earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil, characterized in that, include: Storage tanks are used to provide fermentation and storage space for plant-based waste; The material conveying pipe includes a main material conveying pipe and multiple first material conveying branch pipes. One end of the main material conveying pipe is connected to the storage tank, and the other end of the main material conveying pipe extends into the soil. The end of the main material conveying pipe extending into the soil is connected to the first material conveying branch pipes. Both the end of the main material conveying pipe extending into the soil and the first material conveying branch pipes are provided with several small holes. The size of the small holes is configured to allow earthworms to pass through. A control device includes a control valve and a controller, wherein the control valve is disposed at the connection between the storage tank and the conveying main pipe, and the control valve is configured to either stop or allow the plant waste in the storage tank to enter the conveying main pipe; The controller is connected to the control valve and is configured to open and close the control valve according to a preset program.

2. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The earthworm feeder also includes a crushing device, which includes a shell and a crushing component. The shell is provided with an inlet and an outlet communicating with the storage tank. The crushing component is disposed inside the shell and is used to crush the plant waste fed into the shell from the inlet into fragments of a preset size.

3. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 2, characterized in that, The crushing assembly includes a motor, a rotating shaft, and multiple blades mounted on the rotating shaft. The output end of the motor is connected to the rotating shaft, and the motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate so that the blades can cut and crush the plant waste inside the housing.

4. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The small holes are arranged circumferentially around the main conveying pipe and the first conveying branch pipe and are spaced apart.

5. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The conveying pipe also includes multiple second conveying branch pipes. One end of the second conveying branch pipe is connected to the side wall of the storage tank, and the other end of the second conveying branch pipe is adapted to extend into the soil. The end of the second conveying branch pipe extending into the soil is provided with a number of small holes.

6. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage tank is equipped with a vent valve, which is used to release the gas produced by the fermentation of the plant waste in the storage tank.

7. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control device also includes a level gauge installed in the storage tank, which is used to monitor the accumulation height of the plant waste in the storage tank; The level gauge is connected to the controller, and the controller controls the opening and closing of the control valve based on the monitoring data of the level gauge.

8. The earthworm feeder for enhancing phytoremediation of contaminated soil according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the vertical direction, the storage tank is higher than the conveying main pipe, and the bottom of the storage tank is connected to the conveying main pipe.

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