Moisture Control Device for Animal Shed Bedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for maintaining floor cover materials in animal sheds, particularly those housing dairy cows, fail to maintain optimal moisture levels, leading to a dusty environment and skin problems in animals due to either excessive dryness or wet spots, which can cause malfunctions in equipment and health issues like mastitis.
Innovation Solution
A device equipped with pick-up means, a press, a moisture collector, and moisture supply means that automatically adjusts moisture levels based on dry matter content measurements, ensuring the floor cover material remains within a healthy range, and includes features like a buffer tank and additive supply to maintain optimal conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the floor cover material is maintained to prevent it from becoming too wet, then the material remains comfortable for animals, but the material may become too dry leading to a dusty living environment
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates measuring means (38) that detect the moisture content of the floor cover material and provide feedback to control means (50). Based on this feedback, the control means regulate the moisture supply means (32, 34) to maintain optimal moisture levels, preventing both excessive dryness and wetness. This closed-loop control system ensures the floor cover remains comfortable for animals without becoming dusty.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention dynamically adjusts the moisture content parameter of the floor cover material by supplying moisture when the material becomes too dry. The measuring means monitor the moisture content parameter, and when it falls below the optimal range, the moisture supply means increase the moisture content back to the desired level, thereby preventing dustiness while maintaining animal comfort.
2Ease of operation
If the floor cover material absorbs moisture quickly, then the living environment remains pleasant, but the absorption speed decreases as the material becomes drier
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary action by detecting when the floor cover material is approaching dryness and supplying moisture in advance before the material becomes too dry. The measuring means continuously monitor moisture content, and when it approaches the lower limit of the optimal range, the control means activate the moisture supply means to pre-moisten the material, maintaining its moisture absorption capacity and preventing wet spots.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If moisture is supplied to prevent dustiness, then the living environment improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system ensures moisture is supplied only when and where needed. The measuring means detect actual moisture content conditions, and the control means activate the moisture supply means only when the material is too dry, rather than continuous operation. This demand-based operation significantly reduces energy consumption compared to continuous moisture supply, while still effectively preventing dustiness.
4Reliability
If the device continuously monitors and adjusts moisture levels, then optimal conditions are maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed to be self-regulating through the interaction of measuring means, control means, and moisture supply means. The system automatically monitors its own operational conditions (moisture content) and adjusts itself without external intervention. This self-service capability maintains reliable moisture level control while avoiding the need for complex external control systems or manual operation.
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 device effectively maintains a healthy moisture level in the floor cover material, preventing dustiness and skin problems in animals while reducing energy consumption and equipment wear by selectively conveying and pressing material based on dry matter content, thus creating a pleasant and efficient living environment.
Implementation Method 1
the press is configured to press the supplied floor cover material and to supply moisture which has been squeezed out
Implementation Method 2
moisture supply means (32, 34) that are configured to add moisture to the floor cover material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A device (1) for the maintenance of floor cover material present on an animal-shed floor in an animal shed, and comprising: - pick-up means (10, 12, 15), - a press (20) and - a moisture collector (30), wherein the pick-up means are configured to pick up floor cover material from the animal-shed floor and supply it to the press (20), wherein the press is configured to press the supplied floor cover material and to supply moisture which has been squeezed out to the moisture collector and to convey pressed floor cover material to the animal-shed floor, and which device is provided with moisture supply means which are configured to supply moisture to the floor cover material, in particular to the floor cover material which has been picked up.