Controlled Atmospheric Stunning With Two-Phase Gas Exposure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional animal processing methods using controlled atmospheric stunning cause stress and injury to animals, require costly and inflexible apparatuses, and lack adaptability to existing facilities.

Innovation Solution

A two-phase stunning process where animals pass through a first environment with a first stunning gas to achieve unconsciousness, followed by a second environment with a second stunning gas to achieve irreversible unconsciousness, minimizing travel distance and stress while allowing above-ground or below-ground implementation, reducing construction and operating costs, and enhancing adaptability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional single-structure controlled atmospheric stunning is used, then animals can be rendered unconscious, but the travel distance through gases is long causing stress and injury to animals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimal stress and injuryVSAvoidtravel distance through gases

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The stunning process is divided into two separate phases: a first phase using a first stunning gas to achieve unconsciousness, and a second phase using a second stunning gas to achieve irreversible unconsciousness. This segmentation reduces the vertical travel distance in each phase while maintaining effective stunning, thereby minimizing animal stress and injury.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional single-structure stunning apparatus is used, then stunning function is provided, but construction and operating costs are high and adaptability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to existing facilitiesVSAvoidconstruction and operating costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus is divided into separate first and second phases that can be implemented independently or together. This allows facilities to choose above-ground or below-ground configurations, partially above-ground or partially below-ground, or completely below-ground implementations, reducing construction costs and improving adaptability to existing facilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If conventional single-phase stunning is used, then animals are stunned, but control over the stunning process is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol of stunning processVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The two-phase system provides better control by separating the stunning process into distinct stages with different gas concentrations and exposure times. The first phase achieves unconsciousness with controlled exposure, while the second phase ensures irreversible unconsciousness, improving reliability and control over the stunning process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3609336B1Controlled atmospheric stunning

Publication Date: 2025.08.20 BAADER FOOD SYST DENMARK AS

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AI summary

A gas stunning apparatus and system (100) includes a first environment (102) and a second environment (122). An animal (159) is passed through the first environment until the carbon dioxide concentration within the first environment is about 40%, rendering the animal unconscious. The animal is then passed through the second environment until the carbon dioxide concentration within the second environment is about 100%, rendering the animal irrevocably unconscious.