Cyclone Discharge Nozzle Airflow Cushioning for Live Insects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cyclone separation systems struggle to efficiently and reliably discharge live insects while keeping them alive and preventing adherence to internal walls, leading to clumping and damage.
Innovation Solution
A cyclone separation system with a discharge nozzle featuring an air injection member that injects upstream and lateral air flows to suspend and cushion insects, minimizing clumping and damage, and includes a camera-based counting system for batch-wise discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If live insects are discharged from the cyclone separation system using gravity and downstream flow, then the discharge process is simple, but the insects suffer damage and form clumps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs pneumatic injection of air flows into the discharge nozzle to cushion and suspend live insects during discharge. An air injection member introduces air flows that create a cushioning effect, preventing insects from adhering to walls and forming clumps, while maintaining a relatively simple discharge process structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-injects air flows into the discharge nozzle before insects arrive, creating a cushioning air layer that protects insects from damage upon contact with surfaces. This beforehand cushioning prevents adhesion to walls and reduces impact damage during the discharge process.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If air is injected upstream into the discharge nozzle to stop insect discharge, then insect survival rate improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic air injection through strategically positioned air injection members to control insect discharge. By injecting air flows in specific directions (including upstream injection), the system can stop or resume discharge without complex mechanical valves or moving parts, maintaining relatively simple device structure while improving insect survival.
Solution Approach 2:
Air flows serve as an intermediary medium to control the discharge process. Instead of using complex mechanical stoppers or valves, the system uses injected air flows to mediate between the cyclone chamber and discharge outlet, enabling start/stop control and upstream suspension of insects through pneumatic pressure alone.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple air injection channels are added to prevent clumping, then insect quality improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air injection system is segmented into multiple air injection members with distinct functions: some inject air upstream to stop discharge, others inject lateral air flows along the wall to prevent clumping. This segmentation of air injection functions into separate components allows targeted prevention of different harmful effects while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the discharge nozzle receive different air flow directions tailored to local needs: upstream air injection near the inlet to prevent adhesion, and lateral air injection along the wall to prevent clumping. This local differentiation of air flow quality optimizes insect protection without requiring uniform complex structures throughout.
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 prevents clumping and damage to live insects, ensuring high survival rates and accurate batch discharge through controlled air flows and monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the primary air injection channels is arranged to provide an injected upstream air flow in an upstream direction back into the discharge nozzle for stopping the discharge of the separated live insects
Implementation Method 2
Each of the secondary air injection channels is arranged to provide an injected lateral air flow along the inner wall part
Implementation Method 3
a cyclone separation system for separating live insects carried by an air stream
Implementation Method 4
the dust-laden air or gas is propelled into a vessel in such a manner as to create therein a vortical motion
Data Source
AI summary
A cyclone separation system (1) for separating live insects, comprising a discharge nozzle (5) having a discharge end (7) comprising a discharge channel (8) for discharging live insects from the cyclone separation system (1) when in use. The discharge channel (8) comprises primary air injection channels (11) arranged to provide an injected upstream air flow (F) in an upstream direction (U) back into the discharge nozzle (5) for stopping discharge of live insects. The discharge nozzle (5) comprises an inner wall part (12) extending between an intake end (6) of the discharge nozzle (5) and the discharge channel (8), wherein the inner wall part (12) comprises elongated secondary air injection channels (13) extending from the discharge channel (8) in the upstream direction (U), wherein the secondary air injection channels (13) are arranged to provide an injected lateral air flow (V) along the inner wall part (12).