Mycelium Growth Bed Perforation for Uniform, Easy Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating mycelium composites face challenges in optimizing growth conditions, harvesting uniformity, and minimizing environmental impact, with conventional methods requiring heavy post-processing and inefficient use of resources.
Innovation Solution
A mycelium growth bed with a perforation layer is used to create a uniform layer of mycelium composite, featuring a tray with a perforation layer embedded between the substrate and the mycelium, allowing for controlled growth and easy separation of the mycelium from the substrate, reducing tear strength and enabling efficient harvesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mycelium is grown on solid state substrate without perforation layer, then mycelium can be grown, but the harvested mycelium is non-uniform and requires heavy post-processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding a perforation layer into the substrate before mycelium growth. This pre-established structure guides hyphal expansion and ensures uniform mycelium distribution from the beginning, eliminating the need for heavy post-processing to achieve uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The perforation layer serves as an intermediary element between the substrate and the mycelium. It mediates the interaction by providing a structured interface that directs hyphal growth, resulting in uniform mycelium formation while simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
2Productivity
If mycelium is grown in conventional methods, then growth can occur, but separation of mycelium from substrate is difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The perforation layer is pre-installed in the substrate to create predetermined separation planes. This preliminary structuring enables rapid and clean separation of mycelium from substrate during harvesting, significantly improving productivity and reducing time loss.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform mycelium growth is achieved through conventional means, then consistency can be obtained, but environmental impact increases due to resource-intensive processes
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-embedding the perforation layer, the system establishes controlled growth paths that ensure consistent mycelium formation without requiring resource-intensive interventions during or after growth, thereby reducing environmental impact while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The perforation layer enables the system to self-regulate mycelium growth and separation processes. The structured interface automatically guides hyphal expansion and facilitates clean separation, eliminating the need for additional resource-consuming operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A mycelium growth bed for growing a solid substrate-bound mycelium through which the mycelium composite is easily and readily removed. This is achieved through the use of a perforation layer embedded between the mycelium substrate and the mycelium composite so as to create a uniform structural weakness and thereby enhancing harvesting abilities of the ex-substrate mycelium via a greatly reduced and uniform tear strength. The perforation layer, through which the mycelium grows, allows for the gated and controlled extrusion of a matrix of colonial cells that may be easily and uniformly delaminated from the underlying mycelium substrate.