Device and method for breeding

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a container for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising an upper side, a lower side, two long sides and two short sides, wherein at least one closable opening arranged in at least one of the two long sides of the container; and at least one air conditioning and venting device attached to at least one of the two front sides of the container. Another object of the present disclosure relates to an assembly of containers comprising at least two of the containers as described above. Another object relates to a system for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising at least one container or an assembly as described above; and a plurality of stacked breeding boxes configured for accommodating in the inner part of the container. Another object of the present disclosure relates to a method for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising the steps of: providing a container comprising a t least one closable opening arranged in at least one of the two long sides of the container; at least one air conditioning and venting device attached to at least one of the two front sides of the container; opening the at least one door; placing at least one stack stacks of breeding boxes comprising insect larvae, bug nymphae or fungi spores and a nutrition medium inside the container; adjusting temperature and humidity inside the container with the air conditioning and venting device.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR BREEDINGDESCRIPTIONField of the Disclosure

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device and method for breeding.Brief description of the related art

[0002] Insects like Diptera, particularly the black soldier fly, is mass-reared on organic side streams and biowaste to produce larval biomass and frass, among others used as pet and animal feed and fertilizer. The immature life stage of Diptera is commonly reared on organic side streams and biowastes in different containment system including plastic crates, metal crates, beds or silos. These containment systems are stacked with the insect feedstock at a feed kitchen.

[0003] Edible insects and bugs as a whole or their components and processing byproducts are more and more regarded as a sustainable source for food, feed, technical applications, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and fertilizers, soil amendments and bio-stimulants. In this context, insect farming emerges as an environmentally friendly alternative. To minimize their environmental impact, insect farms should rely on energy-efficient heating and lighting systems.

[0004] Fungi require different conditions than plants for optimal growth. Plants develop through photosynthesis, a process that converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, especially cellulose. While sunlight provides an energy source for plants, mushrooms derive all of their energy and growth materials from their growth medium, through biochemical decomposition processes. However, all the materials for growth must already be present in the growth medium. Mushrooms grow well at relative humidity levels of around 95-100%, and substrate moisture levels of 50 to 75%.

[0005] Based on these rearing containment systems, broadly two types of rearing systems can be separated with respect to the rearing of DipteraThe first system applying to plastic (EP4255180A1, EP 2 986 107 Bl, WO2016166471A1) or metal crates (EP 3 868 201 Bl), the containment is mobile, filled at the feed kitchen and then moved with manual or automatic systems into a climatized and ventilated production rooms.The second system, applying to beds (EP 4 098 114 Al, EP3496531B1), tanks (EP 3 595 437 Bl, W02022 / 096940A1) or silos (EP4201202A1), the containment is immobile, and they are filled by pumping or conveying feedstock from the feed kitchen to the containment system.

[0006] Typically, insect rearing rooms are one level high, include technical equipment and ducting on the top, are immobile and dimensioned and build custom-made depending on the facility size. Published Canadian patent application CA 3075381 Al and published European patent application EP 4 205 540 Al describe the rearing of insect larvae in containers with an HVAC system.

[0007] Published Korean patent KR 102226208 Bl relates to an air conditioning device comprising a chamber having an indoor space; and an air conditioning unit disposed on one side of the chamber to have an air conditioning space connected to the indoor space. The air conditioning unit comprises a suction unit sucking air from the outside; a control unit controlling temperature and humidity of the sucked air to enable the sucked air to satisfy the preset temperature and humidity; and a connection unit connecting the air conditioning space and the indoor space. The chamber comprises: an injection pipe connected to the connection unit and disposed along an inner wall of the chamber; and a flow passage guide provided in a longitudinal direction of the injection pipe and disposed to surround a side surface unit and a lower portion of the injection pipe.

[0008] Published Korean patent application KR 20210078811 A relates to a facility for farming edible insects, and more specifically, to an edible insect farming facility using a container, that increases the space utilization rate by stacking breeding boxes for classifying larvae and adults in a container and increases the efficiency of farming by minimizing the number of breedingpersonnel and the scope of activities. The present invention comprises: a container for storage of a breeding box with a door for indoor and outdoor access; an indoor environment detection sensor for sensing the indoor air condition of the container and transmitting a detection signal; an air conditioner for conditioning the indoor air of the container; a water supply and drainage unit for processing supply and drainage in the container and checking the amount of supply and drainage; and a terminal server for generating air information according to the detection signal to operate the air conditioner, generating supply and drainage information according to the amount of supply and drainage, and transmitting the air information and the supply and drainage information to a management server for online sharing.

[0009] Published Taiwanese patent application TW 202121981 A provides an automated cultivation device for black soldier fly larvae, which comprises: a container, a plurality of rails, and a trolley. When being pushed out from the outlet by the rail, a cultivation box will slide to an operation platform of the trolley. Then, the operation platform will laterally push the cultivation box to the feeding platform, so that the kitchen waste contained in the feeding funnel may be poured into the cultivation box. The black solider fly larvae in the cultivation box may obtain suitable amount of kitchen waste. The cultivation box after being poured with kitchen waste will be pushed to the inlet of the container by the feeding platform, so that the cultivation box may be returned on the rail and wait for the next pouring of kitchen waste. Thus, the present invention may form a cyclic kitchen waste pouring for multiple cultivation boxes on a single layer, so as to save labors and pour less amount of kitchen waste to eliminate stench generated by pouring large amount of kitchen waste at a time but not being consumed in time, thereby achieving the purpose of black solider larvae cultivation by feeding multiple times and in fixed quantity.

[0010] Published European patent application EP 3 747 264 Al relates to a system for providing conditioned air to a room for rearing insect larvae. The system comprises crates for storing the insect larvae, wherein the crates are stackable to form a vertical column and wherein the crates comprise lateral cutouts disposed on opposite sides. An air inlet duct for providing conditioned air to the crates is disposed in a vertical direction and comprises at least one nozzle for each crate in a column. The position of the at least one nozzle corresponds to the position of the lateral cutout of the respective crate. The system further comprises an air outlet duct,wherein the air outlet duct is disposed in a vertical direction and wherein the air outlet duct is disposed on a side of the stacked crates opposite to the air inlet duct.

[0011] Published Korean patent application KR 2022 0089974 A relates to an apparatus for hatching or fowling for hatching or fowling Dongae, etc. in a system for breeding Dongae, etc. used for feed. Its composition is; an upright housing having an opening and closing door installed on the front and a working space therein; a box mounting stand installed in the working space inside the housing and allowing a plurality of hatching (or fowl) boxes to be stacked and installed; a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the working space; A humidity control unit for controlling the humidity of the working space; including; The temperature control unit and the humidity control unit, an air circulation fan installed inside the housing to circulate air in the working space; a ventilation fan installed on a side wall of the housing to exhaust the air inside the working space to the outside; A place containing water, an upper open tray installed inside the housing; and a heat transfer rod installed on the tray to heat the water. A disadvantage related to the apparatus disclosed in this application is that an air inlet is provided for replenishing air escaping by a ventilation fan which is provided on the upper side for discharging air inside the working space to the outside.

[0012] Published Taiwanese patent TW 1723 666 B discloses an automatic breeding device for black soldier fly larvae including a container, a plurality of tracks and a cart. When a breeding box is pushed out of the exit portion by the track, the breeding box will slide to the operating platform of the cart, and then the operating platform will push the breeding box sideways to the feeding platform, so that the food waste in the feeding hopper is put into the breeding box. The black soldier fly larvae in the breeding box can obtain an appropriate amount of food waste, and then the feeding platform can feed the black soldier fly larvae. The platform pushes the rearing box after the food waste is put in through the entrance of the container, so that the rearing box returns to the track and waits for the next food waste to be put in. Thus, a single layer of multiple rearing boxes can be formed to put in food waste in a cycle, which can save manpower and put in a small amount of food waste, thereby eliminating the stench generated when a large amount of food waste is put in at one time and cannot be digested immediately, so as to achieve the purpose of raising black soldier fly larvae with multiple quantitative feeding. This document refers to the management of food supply and is silent about the management of larvae with different ages with respect to temperature and humidity.

[0013] A first disadvantage of solutions known from the prior art relates to rearing rooms which must be assembled on site increasing construction and commissioning time and costs. The prior art further provides rooms which are fixed and thus immobile so that they cannot be moved and expanded in size. Another disadvantage of known system from the prior art is that frequently, larvae with the same age are placed in one rearing room or container in a so called batch system. This typically results in excessive heat production with older larvae due to their high heat production. In the absence of a cooling or high ventilation this may result in larval mortality, fire risks, excessive emissions and production losses associated with larval crawl of from the rearing containment. Finally, larval production rooms frequently have equipment or ventilation ducts on top preventing their ability to be stacked on top of each other.

[0014] Thus, there is a need for a device and method for the breeding of edible insects and bugs, fungi and in particular for the larvae of Diptera avoiding the disadvantages from known solutions.Summary of the Disclosure

[0015] The present disclosure provides a container for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising an upper side, a lower side, two long sides and two short sides, wherein at least one closable opening arranged in at least one of the two long sides of the container; and at least one air conditioning and venting device attached to at least one of the two front sides of the container.

[0016] In an embodiment, the container according to the present disclosure comprises at each short side of the container an air conditioning and venting device.

[0017] It is further intended that the container comprises in an embodiment an intermediate wall for separating the inner part of the container, wherein the intermediate wall spans from the upper wall to the lower wall and is attached to the at least one of the two front sides where the air conditioning and venting device is attached and ends with a gap in front of the opposite short wall

[0018] It is envisaged that the intermediate wall is arranged centrally between the two long sides.

[0019] Another aspect relates to the intermediate wall is an accordion wall or retractable.

[0020] In an embodiment, the the air conditioning and venting device is configured to supply an air flow on one side of the intermediate wall and aspirate the air flow on the opposite side of the intermediate wall so that a circulating air flow results.

[0021] It is further intended that the container comprises on its upper and lower side elements for connecting at least two of the containers.

[0022] Another aspect relates to the container comprising elements for connecting at least two containers are selected from the group comprising pin and hole, tongue and groove, key and slot.

[0023] The closable opening of a container according to the present disclosure is a hatch, a folding door, a roller door or a sliding door, wherein the closable opening is reversibly fixed.

[0024] Another object of the present disclosure relates to an assembly of containers comprising at least two of the containers as described above.

[0025] Another object relates to a system for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising at least one container or an assembly as described above; and a plurality of stacked breeding boxes configured for accommodating in the inner part of the container.

[0026] Another object of the present disclosure relates to a method for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising the steps of providing a container comprising a t least one closable opening arranged in at least one of the two long sides of the container; at least one air conditioning and venting device attached to at least one of the two front sides of the container; opening the at least one closable opening; placing at least one stack stacks of breeding boxes comprising insect larvae, bug nymphae or fungi spores and a nutrition medium inside the container; adjusting temperature and humidity inside the container with the air conditioning and venting device.

[0027] The method employs in an embodiment the container comprising an intermediate wall for separating the inner part of the container, wherein the intermediate wall spans from the upper wall to the lower wall and is attached to the at least one of the two front sides where theair conditioning and venting device is attached and ends with a gap in front of the opposite short wall

[0028] In an embodiment the method comprises the steps of opening the at least one closable opening, folding and or retracting the intermediate door, removing the at least one stack of breeding boxes, and unfolding or extending the intermediate door.

[0029] The method relates further to the container comprising a plurality of breeding boxes with insect, bug nymphae or fungi spores in a different developmental stage on the nutrient medium.

[0030] The method comprises in an embodiment the step of adjusting the temperature in a range between 15 to 45° C.

[0031] The method further comprises the step of stacking at least two containers through their upper or lower side, respectively.

[0032] Another object of the present disclosure relates to a use of a container according to claims 1 to 9, an assembly of containers according to claim 10, or a system according to claim 11 for the rearing of larvae of the black soldier fly.

[0033] The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure.Summary of the Figures

[0034] The disclosure will be described based on figures. It will be understood that the embodiments and aspects of the disclosure described in the figures are only examples and do not limit the protective scope of the claims in any way. The disclosure is defined by the claims and their equivalents. It will be understood that features of one aspect or embodiment of the disclosure can be combined with a feature of a different aspect or aspects of other embodiments of the disclosure, in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a container with a plurality of doors arranged in a long side.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a container with an attached air conditioning and venting device.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a top sectional view into a container with attached air conditioning and venting device indicating the direction of the air flow.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a container with two air conditioning and venting devices attached to each short side of the container.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a stack of two container with attached air conditioning and venting devices.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a container with connecting elements.Detailed Description of the Disclosure and the Figures

[0041] The technical problem is solved by the independent claims. The dependent claims cover further specific embodiments of the disclosure.

[0042] The present disclosure relates to a breeding room as a modular system based on a container which is used as a rearing room. In an embodiment the container is stackable. Crates or breeding boxes for the rearing of insects or growing fungi are delivered in stacks from a feed kitchen and loaded into the container by standardized material handling equipment. The container is loaded from one long side with material handling equipment.

[0043] The container according to the present disclosure comprises a heating, ventilation, air- conditioning (HVAC) system or an air conditioning and venting device attached to at least one of the front sides for providing a longitudinal air flow in the container. The air conditioning and venting device regulates temperature and humidity by providing an air flow with a predetermined temperature and humidity and optionally on one side of the intermediate wall. It is intended that the temperature of the rearing system is kept in a range between 15 to 45°C.

[0044] The container according to the present disclosure comprises in an embodiment a central intermediate wall separating the container in longitudinal direction, wherein the intermediate wall begins at one the front sides where the air conditioning and venting system is attached and ends with a gap before the opposite front side of the container. The container is thus divided intwo sub-compartments and the air can circulate in the room from and back to the air conditioning and venting device through the container.

[0045] The intermediate wall is designed as a mobile wall which can be retracted so that stacks can be loaded or unloaded from one long side of the container. The intermediate wall is an accordion wall or a foldable wall.

[0046] It is intended to use heat developing in certain areas of the container which must be cooled for the heating of other areas of the container which have to be heated. Larvae in an advanced stadium will produce more heat and this heat can be transferred via the circulating air to an area with larvae producing less heat or even requiring a higher temperature.

[0047] The present disclosure provides a modular container within the meaning that nothing like doors or air conditioning and venting devices are attached to the container’s upper and lower sides allowing the container to be stacked. Connecting elements are present in an embodiment of the container which allow a safe stacking of the container. A standard 40 ft container may be used for building a breeding room according to the present disclosure.

[0048] The air conditioning and venting system is also used for exchanging or aspirating metabolic products from the compartments so that the larvae always have conditions optimized to their development.

[0049] The container comprises a plurality of doors on at least one long side so that stacked breeding boxes can be placed inside the container from the outside, either manually or automatically through attached systems like conveyer belts or automatic guided vehicles. In an embodiment, the doors can be arranged only on one long side or at both long sides. The rearing boxes are not moved inside the container from one compartment to another. The doors are roller shutter doors or conventional doors opening to one side.

[0050] Another object of the present disclosure is an assembly of containers as described above.

[0051] The present disclosure also discloses a method for the breeding of insects, bugs or fungi in a container as described above.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a container 1 with an upper side 11, a lower side 12, short sides 13, and long side 14. A plurality of doors 20 are arranged in a long side 14.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a container 1 with an attached air conditioning and venting device 30.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a top sectional view into a container 1 with attached air conditioning and venting device 30 and intermediate wall 25, wherein the arrow indicates the direction of the air flow. The door in the shown embodiment is an accordion door. Any other intermediate wall 25 configured for retracting to the short side 13 like a foldable intermediate wall 25 is also within the scope of the disclosure.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a container 1 with two air conditioning and venting devices 30 attached to each short side 13 of the container 1.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a stack of two containers 1 with attached air conditioning and venting devices 30.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a container 1 with first part of connecting elements 40a and second part of connecting elements 40b for a safe connection of stacked containers.

[0058] It is an advantage that a system according to the present disclosure can be preassembled offsite which reduces construction and commissioning time of the system onsite. It is possible to equip standard containers as rearing rooms so that no rooms must be build. A rearing room according to the present disclosure does not contain any equipment on the top or on the short sides so that a rearing room according to the present disclosure is stackable optimizing horizontal and vertical space improving footprint efficiency.

[0059] The system according to the present disclosure is highly flexible with respect to its modular attackable nature. The system can thus easily be adapted to the spatial conditions of buildings or of rearing facilities. The throughput of the system can also be adjusted by adding or deleting rearing rooms.

[0060] The system according to the present disclosure is energy efficient by using heat produced by older larvae for heating of compartments where younger larvae are reared. A high yield of production is achieved, because the entire container footprint is used.

[0061] The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the Applicants. It will be appreciated with the benefit of the present disclosure that features described above in accordance with any embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter can be utilized, either alone or in combination, with any other described feature, in any other embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter.Reference Numerals1 container11 upper side12 lower side13 front side14 long side20 door25 intermediate wall30 air conditioning and venting device40a first part of connecting element40b second part of connecting element

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising an upper side, a lower side, two long sides and two front sides, wherein at least one closable opening arranged in at least one of the two long sides of the container;- wherein a vertical intermediate wall is provided for separating the inner part of the container in two sub-compartments, wherein the intermediate wall spans from the upper wall to the lower wall and is attached to the at least one of the two front sides where the at least one air conditioning and venting device is attached and ends with a gap in front of the opposite front side; and at least one air conditioning and venting device connected to at least one of the two front sides of the container for providing a circulating air flow with a predetermined temperature and humidity.

2. The container of claim 1, comprising at each front side of the container an air conditioning and venting device.

3. The container of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the intermediate wall is arranged centrally between the two long sides.

4. The container of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the intermediate wall is an accordion wall or retractable.

5. The container according to any one of claims 1 to claim 4, wherein the air conditioning and venting device is configured to supply an air flow on one side of the intermediate wall and aspirate the air flow on the opposite side of the intermediate wall so that a circulating air flow results.

6. The container of any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising on its upper and lower side elements for connecting at least two of the containers.

7. The container according to claim 6, wherein the elements for connecting at least two containers are selected from the group comprising pin and hole, tongue and groove, key and slot.

8. The container of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the closable opening is a hatch, a folding door, a roller door or a sliding door, wherein the closable opening is reversibly fixed.

9. The container of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein heat from the inside of the container is provided to the at least one air conditioning and venting device for providing a circulating air flow with a predetermined temperature and humidity.

10. An assembly of containers comprising at least two of the containers according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A system for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising: at least one container according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or an assembly according to claim 9; and a plurality of stacked breeding boxes configured for accommodating in the inner part of the container.

12. A method for the breeding of insects, bugs and fungi, comprising the steps of: providing a container comprising at least one closable opening arranged in at least one of the two long sides of the container; at least one air conditioning and venting device attached to at least one of the two front sides of the container; opening of the at least one closable opening; placing at least one stack stacks of breeding boxes comprising insect larvae, bug nymphae or fungi spores and a nutrition medium inside the container; adjusting temperature and humidity inside the container with the air conditioning and venting device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the container comprises an intermediate wall for separating the inner part of the container, wherein the intermediate wall spans from the upper wall to the lower wall and is attached to the at least one of the two front sideswhere the air conditioning and venting device is attached and ends with a gap in front of the opposite short wall.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising the steps of opening the at least one closable opening, folding and or retracting the intermediate door, removing the at least one stack of breeding boxes, unfolding or extending the intermediate door.

15. The method of any one of claims 12 or 14, wherein the container comprises a plurality of breeding boxes with insect, bug nymphae or fungi spores in a different developmental stage on the nutrient medium.

16. The method of any one of claims 12 to 15, comprising the step of adjusting the temperature in a range between 15 to 45° C.

17. The method of any one of claims 12 to 16, comprising the step of stacking at least two containers through their upper or lower side, respectively.

18. The use of a container according to claims 1 to 9, an assembly of containers according to claim 10, or a system according to claim 11 for the rearing of larvae of the black soldier fly.

Images