Plant for the disinfestation of harvested cereals and process for the disinfestation of harvested cereals

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation (1) for disinsection for the eradication of insect pests present in cereals, which comprises a chamber (4) holding cereals, a device for putting under vacuum the chamber (4) containing cereals, an agitation device moving the cereals in the chamber (4), a device for injecting (5) into the chamber (4) a gaseous fluid harmful to insect pests, said injection of the harmful gaseous fluid taking place after the vacuum has been achieved, a device (15) for extracting and neutralizing the gaseous fluid present in the chamber (4) and a device for separating the eradicated insect pests and the cereals after treatment with the gaseous fluid.The invention also relates to a method for disinfesting cereals comprising steps for eradicating insect pests present in cereals using a chamber (4), a vacuum in this chamber (4), and a gaseous fluid harmful to these insect pests. Figure for the abstract: Figure 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Plant for disinsection of harvested cereals and method for disinsection of harvested cereals. Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of cereal treatment for the purpose of eradicating insect pests, for example Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, which remain present and develop in cereal crops stored in silos. The invention relates particularly to an installation for the disinfestation of harvested cereals and to a method for disinfestation of harvested cereals. State of the art

[0002] Treating cereals is essential to limit the development of insect pests that infest harvested cereals during silo storage and cause significant yield losses. Examples of cereals treated include, but are not limited to, wheat, oats, rye, barley, millet, maize, canary seed, rice, sorghum, teff, and buckwheat. Examples of insect pests include, but are not limited to, lepidopteran larvae and coleopterans, such as beetles, ladybugs, stag beetles, leaf beetles, cockchafers, weevils, ground beetles, wood beetles, wood beetles, and flour beetles.

[0003] For many years, insecticides have been used to disinfect stored cereals, but residues of these insecticides remain on the grains and are found in processed products. Regulations require that a threshold for insecticide residues in grains not be exceeded. Eventually, these insecticides will be banned for health and environmental reasons.

[0004] Preventive and curative solutions are being implemented to protect against insect pests during grain storage. To reduce the risk of infestation, a first step is to sanitize the premises, equipment, and harvesting machinery to ensure optimal working conditions (cleanliness, airtightness, air conditioning, heating, etc.). It is also possible to apply mineral powders to harvesting equipment and machinery, such as diatomaceous earth, and / or to disinfect silos and harvested grain by fumigation with hydrogen phosphide (PH3). Another measure is to prevent stored grain from degrading its quality, for example, by cooling the ambient air in the storage silo relative to the temperature of the stored grain, thereby inhibiting insect development.Another measure is to continuously monitor the risks of infestation, for example by monitoring the appearance of insects at low levels. depth in grain stocks by means of traps and / or automatic acoustic probes. Another measure consists, at the time of collection, just before the storage period, of treating the cereals before their shipment, by fumigating the grains with hydrogen phosphide or phosphine (PH3) or by applying mineral powder to the surface of the pile of stored grain, for example diatomaceous earth.

[0005] The Applicant notes that the means currently deployed are not sufficient to eradicate the insect pests present in the grain stocks, still causing considerable yield losses. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to partially overcome this drawback and, to this end, proposes an insect control system for eradicating insect pests present in cereals after harvest. According to the invention, the insect control system comprises an enclosure configured to hold cereals. The capacity of the enclosure can vary considerably, for example, from a few hundred kilograms to several tons, or even several tens of tons, which can influence the duration of the treatment in order to eradicate the maximum number of insect pests present in the cereals.

[0007] According to the invention, the disinfestation installation also includes a vacuum device configured to create a vacuum in the enclosure when the grain is placed in said enclosure. Preferably, the vacuum device will be configured to ensure a vacuum of less than four Torrs, preferably less than three Torrs. Creating a vacuum in the enclosure advantageously allows the removal of the air contained in the bodies of the insect pests present in the grain.

[0008] According to the invention, the disinfestation installation also includes an agitation device configured to set the grain in motion within the enclosure. This movement of the grain within the enclosure promotes the removal of insect pests hidden in the grain and also facilitates the detachment of insect pests that cling to the grain while still alive, as well as during or after their eradication.According to the invention, the term agitation covers both agitation of the cereals, mixing of the cereals or vibration of the cereals, or even any other movement of the cereals within the enclosure, this movement enabling the exit of insect pests from the grains where they are positioned, in particular when said insect pests are in a state of lethargy and remain in the cereal grains, feeding on these cereal grains and possibly laying eggs there, which is notably the case when the cereals are stored at low temperature.

[0009] According to the invention, the pest control system also includes an injection device configured to inject a gaseous fluid harmful to insect pests into the enclosure, said injection of the harmful gaseous fluid occurring after a vacuum has been created. The harmful gaseous fluid will preferably be ozone, but it could be carbon dioxide or any other gaseous fluid harmful to insect pests and, preferably, one that can be easily neutralized after the eradication of the insect pests. Injecting the harmful gaseous fluid after a vacuum has been created advantageously allows the insect pests to be attacked from within by means of the harmful gaseous fluid. Indeed, unlike mammals, insects do not have a centralized respiratory system, but several respiratory systems composed of vacuoles, tracheae, and tracheoles.The vacuoles are positioned along their abdomen and consist of openings lined with myofibrils, forming valve-like structures. These vacuoles can remain closed from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the insect pest. Tracheae are internal tubes that distribute air to the organs and appendages of the insects' bodies. The outermost branches of these tracheae are the tracheoles, which measure on the order of micrometers and transport oxygen to the cells and muscles. Creating a vacuum in the enclosure induces anoxia, forcing the insects out of the cereal grains in search of oxygen. Furthermore, this vacuum forces the vacuoles of the insect pests to remain open. Initially, the insect pests will enter a state of torpor and then die. Beetle-type insect pests have an exoskeleton made primarily of chitin, which is virtually rustproof.Due to the action of the vacuum, the harmful gaseous fluid will penetrate the insect pests and will irritate, then destroy the tracheoles, causing the death of these insect pests either immediately after the treatment or later, at most within twenty-four to thirty-six hours (24 to 36 hours) that follow.

[0010] Thanks to the prior action of agitating the grain, which helps to expel the insect pests from the cereal grains, and to the creation of a vacuum in the chamber, which also helps to expel the insect pests from the cereal grains while keeping their respiratory systems open, the harmful gaseous fluid can then act effectively on the insect pests to eradicate them almost entirely. In contrast, chemical treatments, such as those carried out according to the prior art, kill the insect pests within the cereal grains, which consequently remain embedded in the grain and cannot be separated from it after treatment.

[0011] According to the invention, the pest control system includes an extraction device configured to extract and neutralize the harmful gaseous fluid present in the enclosure. This prevents any release of the harmful gaseous fluid into the environment once said harmful gaseous fluid has been extracted from the enclosure.

[0012] According to the invention, the disinfestation installation includes a separation device configured to separate the eradicated insect pests from the grain after treatment with the harmful gaseous fluid. This will allow the grain to be cleaned of the eradicated insect pests, and the grain can then be returned to the silo or used for consumption or processing, for example into flour, while the eradicated insect pests can be destroyed, for example by incineration.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the disinfestation installation of the invention, the enclosure comprises a drum mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis and configured to receive and contain grain. Furthermore, the installation includes a drive device for rotating the drum about the horizontal axis to agitate the grain within the drum. This will allow the grain to be agitated within the drum by rotating said drum about the horizontal axis. "Horizontal" is understood to mean a strictly horizontal position of the axis, but also slight inclinations of this axis relative to the horizontal, for example, to facilitate the descent of the grain towards a lateral side of the drum during grain removal after treatment. Additionally, according to a possible embodiment, the inner contour wall of the drum will include blades extending towards the interior of the drum, these blades facilitating the mixing of the grain during the drum's rotation.A version of the drum without these blades is possible. Other versions of the installation remain possible for agitating the grain, for example a container that is subjected to vibrations or in which arms are arranged to move in order to stir the grain in said container.

[0014] Preferably, according to this embodiment of the drum-based insect control system, the drum has a perimeter wall with perforations configured to allow the passage of air and the harmful gaseous fluid. This advantageously allows for the creation of a vacuum and the injection of the harmful gaseous fluid into a chamber containing the drum. The perforations allow the air contained in the drum to escape, and once the drum is evacuated, the harmful gaseous fluid enters the drum to come into contact with the grain containing the insect pests. It would also be possible to provide a solid drum, i.e., without perforations. In this case, the vacuum is created directly within the drum by means of suction nozzles arranged on the drum, and the harmful gaseous fluid is injected directly into the drum, for example, by means of harmful gaseous fluid injection nozzles arranged on the drum.

[0015] Preferably, according to the aforementioned embodiment with a perforated drum, the perforations are configured to retain the cereals in the enclosure and to allow the passage of pest insects after their eradication by means of the harmful gaseous fluid. Thus, once the insect pests present in the grain are eradicated, the drum can be rotated around its horizontal axis. This allows the eradicated insect pests to be forced against the inner contour wall of the drum. These pests, being smaller than the perforations, then pass through the drum, while the grain, whose kernels are larger than the perforations, remains inside. The installation could separate the grain from the eradicated insect pests in a different way, for example, by emptying the grain still containing the eradicated insect pests from the drum or other container and placing it on a screen to separate it from the eradicated insect pests.This separation of treated cereals and eradicated insect pests can be done in situ or remotely from the enclosure, for example on a site other than the one where the treatment is carried out in order to eradicate the insect pests present in the cereals.

[0016] Preferably, according to this embodiment, the disinsection installation comprises a drum, said drum including an access hatch configured for inserting the grain to be treated into said drum and an extraction hatch configured for removing the grain after treatment and separation of the eradicated insect pests. A variant is conceivable with a drum comprising a single hatch allowing both the insertion of the grain into the drum and the extraction of the treated grain from the drum.

[0017] Preferably, according to an embodiment of the disinfestation installation in which the enclosure includes a drum, said enclosure includes a chamber configured to contain the drum, the chamber being configured to be sealed. Furthermore, the vacuum device includes a vacuum pump connected to the chamber to evacuate the air from said chamber. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the chamber includes an inlet door configured to open or close the chamber in a sealed manner, said inlet door allowing the grain to be treated to be inserted into the enclosure, and an outlet door configured to open or close the chamber in a sealed manner, said outlet door allowing the grain to be removed from the enclosure after treatment. However, a variant remains conceivable with a single sealed door allowing the grain to be inserted into the enclosure and the grain to be removed from the enclosure once said door is opened.Preferably, according to this embodiment, the chamber includes another exit door configured to open or close the chamber hermetically, said other exit door allowing the extraction of eradicated insect pests from the enclosure, after the separation of the treated cereals and the eradicated insect pests.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the pest control installation of the invention, said pest control installation comprises a conveying and evacuation device The grain handling system is configured to insert grain to be treated into the chamber and to remove the treated grain, separated from the eradicated insects. This will facilitate the handling of the grain for processing.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the pest control installation of the invention, said pest control installation includes a device for removing eradicated insect pests after their separation from the grain. Preferably, this removal device will be a screw conveyor onto which the eradicated insect pests fall after their separation from the grain, once the treatment with the harmful gaseous fluid has been carried out. The rotation of the screw conveyor moves the eradicated insect pests to an exit of the enclosure. However, a conveyor belt could be provided to transport the eradicated insect pests to an exit of the enclosure, or even other means of moving the eradicated insect pests to an exit of the enclosure.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the pest control installation of the invention, the injection device comprises an ozone production system, the harmful gaseous fluid being ozone. Furthermore, according to the invention, the extraction device comprises a suction system configured to draw the ozone contained in the enclosure and a catalyst configured to neutralize the ozone drawn from the enclosure.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the pest control installation of the invention, the vacuum device comprises a vacuum pump. Preferably, the vacuum device also comprises a steam ejector and a boiler, which will allow for faster vacuuming of a large volume chamber.

[0022] The invention also relates to a method for disinfesting cereals, which comprises the following steps: - transporting grain into an enclosure; - create a vacuum in the enclosure; - injecting a harmful gaseous fluid into the enclosure; - stir the grains in the enclosure; - extract the harmful gaseous fluid from the enclosure after treatment of the cereals and eradication of the insect pests and neutralize said harmful gaseous fluid extracted from the enclosure; - separate the treated cereals from the eradicated insect pests.

[0023] Some of the aforementioned steps may be carried out successively or simultaneously, possibly in reverse order or repeated several times. For example, it would be possible to agitate the grain in the chamber, create a vacuum in the chamber, inject the harmful gaseous fluid into the chamber, then agitate the grain again in the chamber, and finally extract the harmful gaseous fluid from the chamber. According to another example, it would be possible to agitate the grain in the chamber and, simultaneously, to perform the vacuum steps in the chamber, then inject the harmful gaseous fluid, and subsequently continue agitating the grain in this chamber for a certain time before extracting the harmful gaseous fluid from the chamber. Conversely, the harmful gaseous fluid could be extracted from the chamber while the grain agitation in the chamber continues for a certain time.

[0024] Preferably, the process includes an additional step of removing eradicated insect pests after their separation from the treated cereals.

[0025] Preferably, the process includes an additional step of extracting the treated cereals from the enclosure after their separation from the eradicated insect pests. Brief description of the figures

[0026] The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is supported by figures, including: - Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of a cereal disinsection installation according to the present invention; - Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 schematically illustrate, from different viewpoints, an embodiment of an enclosure on a cereal disinsection installation according to the present invention; - Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 schematically illustrate, from different viewpoints, another embodiment of an enclosure on a cereal disinsection installation according to the present invention; - Fig. 7 schematically illustrates another non-limiting embodiment of a cereal disinsection installation according to the present invention. Detailed description

[0027] In the rest of the description: - the term installation refers to the cereal disinsection installation that is the subject of the invention, unless otherwise indicated in the text; - the same references are used to describe the same characteristics on the different variants of implementation of the cereal disinsection installation and the enclosure of this installation, unless otherwise indicated in the text; - terms such as "high", "low", "lower", "higher", ... which may be used, will be in consideration of the normal operating position of the pest control installation resting on a horizontal support surface, for example a slab or a base.

[0028] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an installation 1 which includes a vacuum device 2, a reactor 3 defining an enclosure 4, and an injection device 5 for a gaseous fluid harmful in particular to insect pests present in cereals. Preferably ozone. For this purpose, the injection device 5 includes an ozone production system 6 comprising an oxygen concentrator 7 and an ozonator 8, a first ozone reservoir 9, a compressor 10, and a second reservoir 11 containing compressed ozone, preferably at two bar. The injection device 5 also includes a first suction system 12 and a first catalyst 13 which allow the first reservoir 9 and the second reservoir 11 to be purged and the ozone neutralized in order to convert it back into oxygen before release into the atmosphere. The vacuum device 2 includes a vacuum pump 14 which is connected to the containment 4 of the reactor 3 and will allow the air to be evacuated from this containment 4. The injection device 5 is also connected to the containment 4 of the reactor 3 and will allow ozone to be injected into this containment 4, once the vacuum has been achieved in this containment 4.Installation 1 also includes an extraction and neutralization device 15 which is connected to the containment of reactor 3 and will allow the extraction from containment 4 of the ozone which has been injected into it for the purpose of treating the cereals, which will have been previously placed in this containment 4, which was then put under vacuum. The extraction and neutralization device 15 includes a second suction system 16 and a second catalyst 17. As shown schematically in [Fig. 1], a hydraulic circuit 18 and a plurality of valves 19i to 19i0 manage the circulation of air and ozone in the installation 1 for creating a vacuum in chamber 4, filling chamber 4 with ozone, extracting the ozone present in chamber 4 and in the two tanks 9 and 11, and filling chamber 4 with air after treatment. A programmable logic controller (PLC) (not shown) will manage the opening and closing of these valves 19i to 19i0 and also the activation of the other actuators of the installation 1, for example, the motors mentioned below.

[0029] Figures 2 and 3 schematically illustrate a possible embodiment of the reactor 3 in which the containment 4 comprises a chamber 20 with a door 20a providing access to the interior of the containment 4. The door 20a is fitted with a sealing gasket 20b to seal the chamber 20 airtight. The vacuum device 2 is connected to this chamber 20 to create a vacuum within it. For this purpose, the chamber 20 will be designed to withstand a vacuum exerting a pressure on its wall that is preferably less than four Torrs, and preferably less than three Torrs.

[0030] The enclosure 4 also includes a drum 21 which is mounted for rotation inside the chamber 20, about a first axis XI, which is preferably horizontal, although a slight inclination of this first axis XI with respect to the horizontal is possible. The reactor 3 includes a motor 22 which drives the drum 21 in rotation about the first axis XI by means of a drive shaft 23 which is mounted in a pivot joint about the first axis XI on the chamber 20, by means of of a sealed bearing 24. Rolling rollers 25 arranged in the chamber 20 also receive the contour wall 26 of the drum 21, the actuation of the motor 22 thus enabling the drum 21 to be driven in rotation around the first axis XI.

[0031] The drum 21 includes an access hatch 27 through which a conduit 28 passes. This conduit allows the grain to be injected into the drum 21 or, conversely, the grain to be extracted after ozone treatment. Preferably, the conduit for injecting the grain and the conduit for extracting the treated grain will be different, to avoid any risk of contamination of the treated grain with pest injectors that may remain in the conduit used for injecting the grain. The access hatch 27 can be placed either in an open position for inserting the conduit 28 into the drum 21, or in a closed position to contain the grain within the drum 21.

[0032] The drum 21 is perforated and preferably includes perforations 29 arranged on the contour wall 26, as partially illustrated in [Fig. 2]. These perforations 29 allow a vacuum to be created in the drum 21 when a vacuum is created in the chamber 20. These perforations 29 are sized to prevent the grain placed in the drum 21 from passing through the contour wall 26 of said drum 21 and, on the contrary, to allow the passage of pest insects that will be eradicated, as will be explained later.

[0033] During the grain processing, the door 20a of chamber 20 is first opened and the access hatch 27 of drum 21 is also opened to fill drum 21 with grain to be processed. Then, the access hatch 27 and door 20a are closed, thus sealing chamber 20. The vacuum pump 14 is then activated to generate a vacuum in enclosure 4, and the motor 22 is activated to agitate the grain in drum 21. This agitation of drum 21 can be achieved by rotating motor 22 in a single direction or by successive reversals of the direction of rotation of said motor 22. To facilitate this agitation of the grain in drum 21, the contour wall 26 may have blades 30 on its inner face 26a, as illustrated in [Fig. 3]. This void in drum 21 and this agitation of drum 21 will allow the grains of cereals to be expelled, along with the pest insects that remained dormant there.Preferably, the agitation of drum 21 should begin before the evacuation of chamber 20 to encourage the expulsion of cereal pests before the vacuum is created in chamber 20, but these steps could be carried out simultaneously. The vacuum in chamber 20 of enclosure 4 creates anoxic conditions in the enclosure, which also helps to expel pests embedded in the cereal grains in search of oxygen and, furthermore, keeps the vacuoles of the insects' respiratory system open. Pests. Injecting ozone into chamber 20 repressurizes enclosure 4, forcing the insect pests to breathe the ozone, which penetrates their entire bodies, thus eradicating them from the inside in less than thirty-six hours. The agitation of drum 21, which continues after chamber 20 is evacuated, detaches the eradicated insect pests from the cereal grains and forces them through perforations 29 in the drum's outer wall 26, separating them from the treated grain. Activating the second suction system 16 removes the ozone from enclosure 4 and neutralizes it by passing it through the second catalyst 17, filling chamber 20 of enclosure 4 with air.The door 20a of chamber 20 can then be opened, as can the access hatch 27 of drum 21, for the extraction of the treated grain. The eradicated insect pests can also be removed from chamber 20, for example by means of a suction device which will store the eradicated insect pests in a container, before their destruction, for example in an incinerator.

[0034] A variant of reactor 3 is illustrated opposite Figures 4 to 6, this being able to be implemented on the installation 1 illustrated in [Fig. 1] or on the variant of installation 1 illustrated in [Fig. 7] and described below. This reactor 3 comprises, as previously for the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, a housing 4 which includes a chamber 20 in which is disposed a drum 21 having perforations 29, the drum 21 being mounted to rotate about a first axis XI which is preferably horizontal, by means of rollers 25 arranged in the chamber 20, a motor 22 driving said drum 21 in rotation by means of a transmission shaft 23 which is mounted in a pivot joint along the first axis XI on the chamber 20, by means of a sealed bearing 24.

[0035] In [Fig. 4], chamber 20 comprises, in its upper part, an entrance door 31 providing access to the interior of enclosure 4, the entrance door 31 being, for example, in the form of a sliding door, and a first sealing gasket 32 ​​for closing said entrance door 31 in a watertight manner. Chamber 20 comprises, in its lower part, a first exit door 33 providing access to the interior of enclosure 4, the first exit door 33 being, for example, in the form of a sliding door, and a second sealing gasket 34 for closing said first exit door 33 in a watertight manner.Chamber 20 also includes, in its lower part and below the first exit door 33, a second exit door 35 allowing access to the interior of the enclosure 4, the second exit door 35 being for example in the form of a sliding door, a third sealing joint 34 allowing said second exit door 35 to be closed in a manner. watertight. These sliding doors could be replaced by hinged pivot doors.

[0036] In [Fig. 4], the drum 21 includes a first access hatch 37 and a second access hatch 38, which are preferably sliding hatches. The chamber 20 and the drum 21 are configured so that the inlet door 31 and the first access hatch 37 can align to allow a first conduit 39 to be introduced through the inlet door 31 and its end 39a to be inserted into the drum 21 through the first access hatch 37. This first conduit 39 allows the drum 21 to be filled with the grain to be processed. The chamber 20 and the drum 21 are also configured so that the first exit door 33 and the second access hatch 38 can correspond in such a way as to introduce a second conduit 40 through the first exit door 33 and to house the end 40a of this second conduit 40 in the drum 21, by introducing it through the second access hatch 38.This second conduit 40 allows the processed cereals to be extracted from the drum 21.

[0037] In this [Fig.4], the reactor 3 also includes an evacuation device 41 for the eradicated pest insects, disposed under the drum 21, which may for example consist of a worm screw 42 driven in rotation about a second axis X2, preferably parallel to the first axis XI, by means of a second motor 43 and a second transmission shaft 44, this second transmission shaft also being mounted on the chamber 20 by means of a sealed bearing 45 in order to be able to seal the chamber 20. The evacuation device 41 may be a conveyor belt, according to another embodiment not illustrated.A third conduit 46 is inserted into the chamber 20, through the second outlet door 35, so as to place the end 46a of this third conduit 46 in correspondence with the end 42a of the auger 42, in order to collect the eradicated pest insects which fall onto the auger 42 when the drum 21 is rotated and once the ozone treatment has been carried out, the said eradicated pest insects passing through the said drum 21, through the perforations 29. As illustrated in figures 5 and 6, the chamber 20 has a funnel shape 51 arranged between the drum 21 and the discharge device 41, in order to concentrate the eradicated pest insects which fall from the drum 21, above the auger 42.

[0038] The vacuum device 2 is connected to this chamber 20 in order to create a vacuum in it. For this purpose, the chamber 20 will be designed to be able to withstand a vacuum exerting on the wall of the chamber 20 a pressure that is preferably less than four Torrs, preferably three Torrs.

[0039] During the processing of the cereals, the inlet door 31 of the chamber 20 is first opened and the first access hatch 37 of the drum 21 is also opened to insert the first conduit 39 and fill the drum 21 with cereals to be processed, Then the first access hatch 37 and the inlet door 31 are closed, thus sealing chamber 20. The vacuum pump 14 is then activated to generate a vacuum in enclosure 4, and the motor 22 is activated to agitate the grain in the drum 21. Preferably, the agitation of the drum 21 will begin before the chamber 20 is evacuated and will continue with it, and then continue after the vacuum in chamber 20 is released. To facilitate this agitation of the grain in the drum 21, the contour wall 26 may have blades 30 on its inner face 26a, as illustrated in [Fig. 6]. This agitation of the drum 21 will dislodge any dormant insect pests from the grain. The vacuum in chamber 4, and therefore in drum 21, also helps to keep the vacuoles of the respiratory system of insect pests open.Injecting ozone into chamber 20 repressurizes drum 21, forcing the insect pests to breathe the ozone, which penetrates their entire bodies, thus eradicating them from the inside in less than thirty-six hours. Activating the second suction system 16 removes the ozone from chamber 4 and neutralizes it by passing through the second catalyst 17, at which point chamber 4 is filled with air. The second outlet door 35 of chamber 20 can then be opened to introduce the third conduit 46.The rotation of the drum 21, by means of the motor 22, then detaches the eradicated insect pests from the cereal grains and allows these eradicated insect pests to pass through the perforations 29 on the contour wall 26 of the drum 21. The eradicated insect pests are thus separated from the treated cereals and fall onto the discharge device 41, which is simultaneously activated to discharge these eradicated insect pests into the third conduit 46. Once the separation of the treated cereals and the eradicated insect pests has been achieved, the drum 21 stops rotating and the first outlet door 33 of the chamber 20 can be opened, as well as the second access hatch 38 on said drum 21, in order to insert the second conduit 40 and extract the treated cereals from the drum 21.

[0040] The first conduit 39 can be a conduit as such, forming an expulsion outlet, or a gutter, depending on the method of conveying the grain to the enclosure 4. For example, the grain may be conveyed naturally by gravity, via a conveyor belt, via a blower system, or by any other means of conveying suitable for transporting grain. Similarly, the second conduit 40 can be a conduit as such, forming an extraction outlet, or a gutter, depending on the method of extracting the grain from the enclosure 4. For example, the extraction may be carried out by means of a suction system or naturally by gravity. The arrangement, shape, and dimensions of the first access hatch 37 and the second access hatch 38 can also be adapted on drum 21, depending on the chosen method of conveying the grain to be treated and the chosen method of extracting the treated grain. Similarly, the third conduit 46 can be a conduit as such, for example an extraction outlet, or a gutter, depending on the chosen method of removing the eradicated insect pests, for example a suction system or a conveyor belt. The eradicated insect pests will then be conveyed to a destruction device, for example an incinerator.

[0041] In [Fig. 7], the variant of the installation 1 differs slightly from that illustrated in [Fig. 1] and described previously. In this [Fig. 7], the vacuum device 2 includes, in addition to the vacuum pump 14, a steam ejector 47 and a boiler 48 which allow for faster vacuuming of the chamber 4, thus providing a larger capacity for processing grain. As previously for [Fig. 1], in this [Fig. 7], the installation 1 includes an injection device 5 for injecting a harmful gaseous fluid into the chamber 4. The injection device 5 includes an ozone production system 6 comprising an oxygen concentrator 6 and an ozonator 7, and an ozone concentration chamber 49 comprising a homogenizing vacuum 50.The injection device 5 also includes a first suction system 12 and a first catalyst 13 which allow the concentration chamber 49 to be purged and the ozone to be neutralized in order to transform it back into dioxygen, before being released into the atmosphere. Installation 1 also includes an extraction and neutralization device 15 for extracting ozone from enclosure 4 after ozone treatment of cereals, said extraction and neutralization device 15 comprising a second suction system 16 and a second catalyst 17. As schematically shown in this [Fig.7], a hydraulic circuit 18 and a plurality of valves 19i to 199 allow the circulation of air and ozone on Installation 1 to achieve a vacuum in enclosure 4, to fill enclosure 4 with ozone, to extract ozone from enclosure 4 and from the ozone concentration chamber 49 and to fill enclosure 4 with air after treatment.A programmable logic controller (not shown) will manage the openings of these valves 19i to 199 and also the other actuators of the installation 1.

[0042] Alternative embodiments of the installation 1 and the enclosure 4 may be envisaged. For example, the injection device 15 may be designed to produce and inject into the enclosure a harmful gaseous fluid, other than ozone, for example carbon dioxide or hydrogen phosphide (PH3), the extraction and neutralization device 15 for said harmful gaseous fluid being adapted accordingly. The enclosure 4 could include a container designed to be opened to allow the direct introduction of the grain to be treated, then hermetically sealed to create a vacuum directly within it, and a vibrating or stirring system for agitating the The grain is placed in the container, the vacuum device 2, the harmful gaseous fluid injection device 6, and the harmful gaseous fluid extraction and neutralization device 15 are directly connected to this container, which is emptied of the treated grain and still contains the eradicated insect pests. The separation of the treated grain and the eradicated insect pests is carried out on a separation device configured for this purpose, located at a distance from the container or at a different site than where the container is located. Other embodiments of the enclosure 4 or the installation 1 remain conceivable within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

[0043] Thus, the installation 1 and the disinsection process, which are the subject of the invention, advantageously allow for the near-total extraction of all insects embedded in cereal grains before eradicating them using a harmful gaseous fluid, thus enabling the treated cereals to be easily separated from the eradicated pests. Whereas prior art installations merely chemically treat the cereals and kill the insects embedded in the grains, no effective separation is possible.

Claims

Demands

1. A disinsection installation (1) for the eradication of insect pests present in cereals, characterized in that it comprises an enclosure (4) configured to hold cereals, a vacuum device (2) configured to create a vacuum in the enclosure (4) when the cereals are placed in said enclosure (4), an agitation device configured to move the cereals in the enclosure (4), an injection device (5) configured to inject into the enclosure (4) a gaseous fluid harmful to insect pests, said injection of the harmful gaseous fluid taking place after the vacuum has been created, an extraction device (15) configured to extract and neutralize the gaseous fluid present in the enclosure (4) and a separation device configured to separate the eradicated insect pests from the cereals after treatment with the gaseous fluid.

2. Disinsection installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure (4) comprises a drum (21) mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis and configured to receive and contain grain, said installation (1) comprising a device for rotating the drum (21) about the horizontal axis to agitate the grain in the drum (21).

3. Insect control installation (1) according to claim 2, wherein the drum (21) has a contour wall (26) provided with perforations (29) configured to allow the passage of air and harmful gaseous fluid.

4. Insect control installation (1) according to claim 3, wherein the perforations (29) are configured to retain the grain within the enclosure and to allow the passage of pest insects after their eradication by means of the harmful gaseous fluid.

5. Disinsection installation (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the drum (21) includes an access hatch (37) configured for inserting the grain to be treated into said drum (21) and an extraction hatch (38) configured for evacuating the grain after treatment and separation of the eradicated pest insects.

6. Insect control installation (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the enclosure (4) comprises a chamber (20) configured to contain the drum (21), the chamber (20) being configured to be sealed, the vacuum device (2) comprising a vacuum pump (14) connected to the chamber (20) to remove the air from said chamber (20).

7. Insect control installation (1) according to claim 6, wherein the chamber (20) comprises an inlet door (31) configured to open or close the chamber (20) in a sealed manner, said inlet door (31) allowing the insertion into the enclosure (4) of the grain to be treated and an outlet door (33) configured to open or close the chamber (20) in a sealed manner, said outlet door (33) allowing the extraction of the grain from the enclosure after treatment.

8. Insect control installation (1) according to claim 7, wherein the chamber (20) includes another exit door (35) configured to open or close the chamber (20) hermetically, said other exit door (35) allowing the extraction of the enclosure (4) of the eradicated pest insects.

9. Disinsection installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which includes a grain conveying and evacuation device configured to insert grain to be treated into the enclosure (4) and to evacuate from the enclosure the treated grain separated from the eradicated insects.

10. Disinsection installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which includes a device for removing eradicated pest insects after their separation from the grain.

11. Insect control installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the injection device (5) comprises an ozone production system (6), the harmful gaseous fluid being ozone.

12. Insect control installation (1) according to claim 11, wherein the extraction device (15) comprises a suction system (16) configured to suction the ozone contained in the enclosure (4) and a catalyst (17) configured to neutralize the ozone suctioned from the enclosure (4).

13. Insect control installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the vacuum device (2) comprises a vacuum pump (14).

14. Insect control installation (1) according to claim 13, wherein the vacuum device (2) additionally comprises a steam ejector (47) and a boiler (48).

15. A method for disinfesting cereals, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - conveying cereals into an enclosure (4); - creating a vacuum in the enclosure (4); - injecting a harmful gaseous fluid into the enclosure (4); - agitating the cereals in the enclosure (4); - extracting the harmful gaseous fluid from the enclosure (4) after treatment of the cereals and eradication of the insect pests and neutralizing said harmful gaseous fluid extracted from the enclosure (4); - separating the treated cereals from the eradicated insect pests.

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