Soil Slurry Sampling for Concurrent Nutrient Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soil sampling processes require drying and grinding of samples, which are time-consuming and inefficient, and do not allow for simultaneous analysis of multiple samples.
Innovation Solution
An automated computer-controlled system that processes soil samples in their 'as collected' condition, forming a slurry with water, filtering it, and analyzing for chemical properties without drying or grinding, allowing simultaneous analysis of multiple samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional drying and grinding processes are used for soil samples, then sample preparation is thorough, but processing time increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the drying and grinding steps from the traditional soil sample preparation process. By using a slurry-based approach where fresh soil is mixed with extraction solution, the method removes the time-consuming drying and grinding operations while maintaining effective nutrient extraction through direct chemical interaction with fresh soil particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the soil sample from dried and ground solid to fresh slurry form. This parameter change allows the soil to be processed in its natural moist state, eliminating the need for drying, and enables direct extraction of nutrients without mechanical grinding, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining preparation quality.
2Measurement precision
If traditional sequential processing is used for soil samples, then each sample is analyzed individually, but productivity decreases and multiple samples cannot be analyzed simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sample processing into individual test wells or reaction vessels within a multi-sample array. Each segment (well) can contain a different soil sample and be processed simultaneously through the same extraction and analysis protocol, enabling parallel processing of multiple samples while maintaining individual analysis accuracy through isolated reaction environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple individual sample processing operations into a single simultaneous batch process. By combining multiple samples in separate compartments of the same system and applying the extraction and analysis protocol to all samples at once, the method achieves high productivity through parallel processing while maintaining the precision of individual sample analysis.
3Measurement precision
If complex multi-step processing is used for soil samples, then comprehensive analysis is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal slurry-based extraction system that can handle multiple types of soil samples and analyze various nutrients through a single integrated process. The same basic apparatus and protocol can extract and measure different nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.) from different soil samples, reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability through multi-functional reagents and detectors.
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
Enables rapid and efficient analysis of soil samples for various chemical properties, including plant-available nutrients, without the need for drying or grinding, and supports analysis of other agricultural samples like vegetation and manure.
Implementation Method 1
a mixer-filter apparatus which mixes the collected raw soil sample in the 'as sampled' condition (e.g. undried and unground) with water to form a sample slurry
Implementation Method 2
The mixer-filter apparatus then filters the slurry during its extraction from the apparatus
Implementation Method 3
centrifugating the slurry sample to yield a clear supernatant
Implementation Method 4
sensing or analysis for detection of the analytes and/or chemical properties such as via colorimetric analysis
Data Source
AI summary
An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.