Below Ground Composting Bin with Segmented Porous Base

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing below-ground composting systems lack essential airflow and are vulnerable to rodent infestation, while also poorly facilitating the distribution of nutrients to plant roots, as they typically have a non-porous base and lack adequate aeration and vermin-proofing.

Innovation Solution

A composting system with a composting chamber embedded partially below ground, featuring porous side portions with holes for worm ingress and egress, and a non-porous base to prevent vermin entry, along with an upper aeration section and sensors for monitoring composting performance, allowing nutrient leaching into surrounding soil and facilitating root growth stimulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the composting bin is placed below ground with a non-porous base to prevent vermin entry, then protection against harmful factors is improved, but airflow and nutrient distribution to plant roots deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevermin entryVSAvoidairflow for composting

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base is divided into multiple segments: a non-porous lower portion for vermin prevention, and porous upper portions for airflow and nutrient distribution. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the base have different properties: the lower portion is non-porous to block vermin, while the upper portions are porous to allow airflow and nutrient leaching. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between protection and functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If holes are provided in the side portions to allow worm ingress and egress, then compost distribution to plant roots is improved, but protection against vermin entry deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompost distributionVSAvoidvermin entry

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The side portions have localized holes of specific sizes that permit worm passage while blocking vermin. The hole dimensions are carefully controlled to create different functional zones: small enough to exclude rodents but large enough for worm access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The side portions are made porous with specifically sized holes that act as a filter, allowing beneficial worms to pass through while preventing larger vermin from entering the composting chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Reliability

If the composting bin is embedded below ground to allow nutrient leaching, then nutrient distribution to plant roots is improved, but aeration capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenutrient distributionVSAvoidaeration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The base is segmented into a non-porous lower portion for vermin prevention and porous upper portions for both nutrient leaching and airflow. This segmentation enables simultaneous nutrient distribution and aeration functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base combines different material properties in a composite structure: non-porous material for vermin exclusion and porous material for airflow and nutrient distribution, achieving multiple functions in a single component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively distributes nutrients to plant roots, enhances plant growth by providing hormone-like signals, and prevents rodent infestation through vermin-proof design, promoting efficient composting and root development.

Implementation Method 1

the side portions provided with holes to allow ingress and egress of worms while excluding vermin; the holes further allowing nutrients and worm castings exuded by composting worms in the chamber to leach into surrounding soil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLeaching: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

Composting worms: in this specification composting worms refers to worms which are adapted to efficiently process food waste so as to produce castings which contain biologically active microbes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDecomposition: Decomposition (biological)

Implementation Method 3

the castings containing active microbes that the plant roots can ingest directly as a nutrient source... generate a hormone-like signal attracting roots of plants located in the Rhizosphere to grow towards the castings

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHormone-like effect:

Data Source

PatentUS20230339825A1System of below ground composting

Publication Date: 2023.10.26 SYNTRO BIOSYSTEMS HLDG PTY LTD

AI summary

A composting system comprising a composting bin containing a composting material: the bin embedded at least partially below a ground surface in a root zone; the bin forming an enclosure including porous side portions and a non-porous base portion; the side portions provided with holes to allow ingress and egress of worms while excluding vermin; the holes further allowing nutrients exuded by composting material in the bin to leach into surrounding soil: the bin embedded in a root zone in a soil mass.