Rotating Nozzle Root Washer for Soil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning plant roots are inefficient, ergonomic, and pose safety risks, with variability in soil removal and significant soil loss, while also being wasteful with water resources.
Innovation Solution
An automated high-throughput sprayer assembly with rotating nozzles for controlled water flow, integrated with a conveyor system and recycling system to conserve water and return soil to the field, minimizing human intervention and ensuring consistent cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual root cleaning with a single nozzle hose is used, then water consumption is low, but cleaning throughput is insufficient and operator safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cleaning function into multiple nozzles (first nozzle, second nozzle, third nozzle) positioned at different locations and angles to clean different portions of the root system simultaneously, thereby increasing throughput while maintaining controlled water usage through targeted application
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs hydraulic principles by using pressurized water flow through multiple nozzles to achieve high-throughput cleaning. The controlled water flow rates and pressures are optimized to effectively remove soil while minimizing overall water consumption compared to uncontrolled manual spraying
2Manufacturing precision
If high pressure water spray is used to remove all soil, then soil removal effectiveness improves, but fine root integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different nozzles are configured with different spray characteristics suitable for different cleaning needs. The first nozzle provides initial soil removal, while subsequent nozzles with different angles and positions provide finer cleaning, allowing effective soil removal from both coarse and fine roots without damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple nozzles with different spray patterns and angles to dynamically adapt to different root structures and soil conditions, providing gentle cleaning for fine roots while effectively removing soil from stronger roots
3Reliability
If automated sprayer assembly with multiple nozzles is used, then cleaning consistency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple nozzles are designed to work together as an integrated system that handles various root sizes, soil types, and cleaning requirements through a single apparatus, achieving consistent results across different plant samples without requiring multiple separate devices or complex adjustment mechanisms
4Manufacturing precision
If soil is removed from field-grown plants, then root analysis quality improves, but field soil loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates soil from roots during the cleaning process, allowing the soil to be collected and returned to the field while the cleaned roots are used for analysis. This recovers the valuable soil resource that would otherwise be lost during manual cleaning operations
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 solution achieves efficient, safe, and consistent soil removal from plant roots, conserving water and reducing soil loss, thereby supporting research and minimizing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
providing water flow through the sprayer assembly to remove soil from the plant root system
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and system for efficient, high throughput, consistent cleaning of soil from the root system of a plant. In one embodiment, the method generally comprises positioning a plant adjacent a sprayer assembly having at least one nozzle angled so as to impact the root system at a predetermined position, providing a stream of water from a reservoir through the nozzle of the sprayer assembly, and rotating at least one of the root system and the nozzle relative to the other to remove the soil from the root system. The present invention further describes a recycling system adapted to recycle water expended during the cleaning process to minimize losses and to capture and return dislodged soil to the field from which the plant is extracted.