Slatted Floor Animal Waste Management System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal management and waste management facilities face issues with pugging and compaction damage of grazing pastures, poor drainage in stand-off pads, and inadequate separation and processing of animal waste, leading to environmental damage and inefficiencies in waste handling.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a system of animal shelters with slatted floors allowing waste to pass through into a basement for collection, a common liquid storage reservoir connected via conduits for efficient liquid waste management, and a floating cover on the reservoir to reduce evaporation, along with a canopy for ventilation and light penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If stand-off pads are constructed of wood chips, then animals can be accommodated during wet seasons, but drainage is poor and regular maintenance is required
Solution Approach 1:
The stand-off pad is segmented into multiple layers: a base layer of coarse material (gravel, crushed stone, or concrete) for drainage, and a surface layer of wood chips for animal comfort. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function - the base layer provides drainage while the surface layer provides a comfortable standing area, reducing maintenance needs.
2Productivity
If stand-off pads are constructed of concrete, then drainage is improved, but animal welfare deteriorates due to lameness and mastitis
Solution Approach 1:
The stand-off pad uses a composite structure combining inorganic materials (gravel, crushed stone, or concrete base) for drainage with organic material (wood chip surface layer) for animal welfare. The wood chip surface provides cushioning and reduces lameness and mastitis, while the inorganic base ensures efficient drainage.
3Productivity
If effluent is washed off into oxidation ponds or waterways, then drainage is achieved, but environmental damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The coarse base material (gravel, crushed stone, or concrete) converts the harmful effluent into a beneficial resource by filtering and retaining it within the pad structure. The effluent percolates through the wood chip layer and is retained in the base layer, preventing environmental damage while maintaining drainage capability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If wood chip pads are stripped and replaced regularly, then animal welfare is maintained, but time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pad structure is segmented into a permanent base layer and a replaceable surface layer. The base layer of coarse material provides long-term drainage infrastructure that does not require frequent replacement, while only the wood chip surface layer needs periodic refreshing, significantly reducing maintenance time and cost compared to replacing the entire pad.
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
This system effectively separates and manages animal waste, reducing environmental impact by minimizing runoff and promoting efficient evaporation and processing of waste, while maintaining a healthy environment for animals and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a floor to support animals, said floor including apertures therethrough allowing animal waste matter to pass through the floor
Implementation Method 2
a floating cover on the reservoir to reduce evaporation
Implementation Method 3
the drainage of liquid waste from said animal shelter to its respective conduit is as a result of hydraulic pressure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A method of separating the liquid waste from solid waste of waste produced by a farm animal in order to capture and separate environmentally undesirable components from animal waste, the method comprising providing an animal shelter structure that comprises a canopy above a floor that includes a plurality of openings to allow waste produced by animals standing on the floor to pass through the floor and into a basement below the floor, wherein the basement includes a fluid outlet to allow a draining of fluid received in the basement to pass through the opening and into a reservoir, and allowing draining of at least some of the liquid from the basement and into the reservoir prior to removing the remaining waste from the basement.