JP2006288238A - Device for cultivating and harvesting floating grass - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for cultivating floating grass suitable for cultivation of floating grass, enabling automatic harvesting work, having high productivity and economically excellent. <P>SOLUTION: The device for cultivating floating grass 1 retains culture solution 28, and is provided with a cultivation tank 2 where the floating grass is increased, a harvesting means 3 set up at a prescribed position of the cultivation tank 2, and a liquid managing device 6 set up to the cultivation tank 2 and having a liquid leading means (such as a nozzle 61) leading the culture solutions 28 at the prescribed positions to the prescribed directions to lead almost the floating grasses to the harvesting means 3 one after another as a whole. The cultivation tank 2 preferably has a guide wall 5 guiding the flow of the culture solution 28 retained in the cultivation tank 2. The guide wall 5 partitions the liquid surface of the culture solution 28 into a flexural belt state having a predetermined width and extending to its dead end 57 from one end 56. The cultivation tank 2 may have a reflux liquid path sending at least the culture solution 28 to the one end 56 from the dead end 57. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus that grows and grows floating grass in a culture solution.

In recent years, hydroponics apparatuses that cultivate various plants such as agricultural crops using a culture solution held in a cultivation tank have become widespread. For example, the hydroponic cultivation apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a culture solution circulation path and a liquid feed pump in order to circulate a culture solution containing nutrients necessary for growth in a cultivation tank. In order to activate the microbubble generator, the microbubble generator is provided to increase the dissolved oxygen concentration by releasing the microbubbles into the culture solution. In hydroponic cultivation equipment, capital investment is made in consideration of productivity so that many harvests can be obtained in a limited installation space.
JP 2004-321209 A

  By the way, the conventional hydroponic cultivation apparatus generally circulates the culture solution using power while fixing and holding the plant. Therefore, it was not necessarily suitable for cultivation of plants that proliferate and grow while floating on the water surface like floating grass. For example, there are varieties that can be used for food, such as water hyacinth, and other uses such as ornamental, feed, and fertilizer are also considered, so a dedicated cultivation device suitable for floating grass is required. It is also important to minimize manpower in order to increase productivity for investment costs. For this reason, if not only the growth and growth of floating grass is performed automatically but also the harvesting operation can be automated, the cultivation apparatus is economically excellent.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described background, and provides a floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus that is suitable for cultivation of floating grass, can automatically perform harvesting work, and is economically excellent in high productivity.

  The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus of the present invention includes a cultivation tank that holds a culture solution and propagates floating grass, a harvesting means provided at a predetermined position of the cultivation tank, and a culture tank provided at the cultivation tank, each of which is at a predetermined position. And a liquid management device having liquid guiding means for guiding the liquid in a predetermined direction and guiding a large number of floating grasses to the harvesting means one after another. The present invention provides an unprecedented new type of cultivation apparatus in which floating grass is propagated and grown while floating, guided to harvesting means and harvested.

  A cultivation tank holds a culture solution inside and grows floating grass. For example, a water-tight box-shaped water tank can be used. It is preferable that the cultivation tank has a size that matches the cultivation amount of the desired floating grass and has a sufficient depth that does not hinder the growth and floating of the floating grass. An appropriate amount of the culture solution is held inside the cultivation tank, and a harvesting means is provided at a predetermined position. The culture solution is obtained by dissolving nutrients necessary for the growth of floating grass in water.

  The harvesting means is means for separating the floating grass in the cultivation tank that has been grown and grown from the culture solution, transferring it to the outside of the tank, and sending it to the next step such as shipment or processing. The harvesting means can be configured to operate unattended by combining a conveyor using a motor or the like as a power source in accordance with the state of floating grass.

  The liquid management apparatus is an apparatus that has liquid guiding means and manages the flow of the culture liquid. The liquid management device may be provided with a liquid volume management function that discharges when the liquid volume of the culture solution increases and replenishes when the liquid volume decreases. At this time, the liquid level of the culture medium is detected and discharged when the level exceeds the upper limit level, and replenished when the level falls below the lower limit level, or the culture medium is periodically replenished and the overflowed amount is stored and stored again. Applicable methods can be applied. Moreover, you may make it have a fertilizer management function which supplies a fertilizer when the content concentration of the nutrient in a culture solution falls.

  The liquid guiding means is a means that is provided inside or around the cultivation tank and guides the culture solution at a predetermined position in a predetermined direction. And it arrange | positions so that the flow of a culture solution may be formed in a cultivation tank as a whole, and the floating floating grass may be guide | induced to a harvesting means.

  In the floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, cultivation and harvesting are performed as follows. That is, floating grass floating on the surface of the culture solution inside the cultivation tank absorbs nutrients from the culture solution, and proliferates by straining or the like to grow large. The grown floating grass is guided to the harvesting means by the flow of the culture solution produced by the liquid guiding means. A harvesting means isolate | separates the induced floating grass one by one from a culture solution, transfers to the tank outside, and harvests. Although the floating grass in the cultivation tank is reduced by harvesting, the remaining floating grass grows, so that it can be harvested again. Thus, the cultivation cycle can be repeated without requiring operations such as sowing and replanting.

  In addition, the liquid management device can be configured to manage the liquid volume and nutrient content of the culture liquid, and automatically replenish appropriately when there is a shortage. In the present invention, almost no manpower for cultivation and harvesting is necessary, and only maintenance and inspection are required, so that the cultivation apparatus is highly productive and labor-saving.

  Hereinafter, the floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus of the present invention will be described in more detail. At least a part of the liquid guiding means may be composed of a propeller and a motor that rotationally drives the propeller. Propellers may be arranged in the culture medium to induce floating grass by directly propelling the culture medium, or disposed on the liquid surface to indirectly induce culture medium and floating grass by air convection. Also good. A commercial power source can be used as the motor power source, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a solar cell or the like may be used. Natural energy such as wind power can be used as the driving force instead of the motor.

  At least a part of the liquid guiding means is a nozzle that ejects the culture liquid as a jet, and the liquid management device has an intake port for taking in the culture liquid, a liquid feeding pipe for supplying the culture liquid to the nozzle, and the intake port You may make it have a pump which pumps the culture solution taken in from this to the liquid feeding pipe. Further, the liquid management device may have a fertilizer supply means for supplying fertilizer. Instead of the propeller, a nozzle for ejecting the culture solution may be used, or a combination of the two can be used. A plurality of nozzles can be arranged so that the ejected culture solution forms a flow of the entire culture solution in the cultivation tank and induces floating grass. When, for example, liquid fertilizer is supplied to the liquid feeding pipe by the fertilizer supply means, the fertilizer is dissolved as nutrients, diluted, and ejected from the nozzle. Furthermore, the fertilizer is suitable for cultivation because it travels throughout the culture tank along the flow of the culture solution.

  The harvesting means may have an endless separation means for separating the floating grass from the culture solution. The separation means may be a device having a mesh-like endless belt that scoops up the floating grass. The harvesting means includes, for example, a lower roller disposed in the culture solution, an upper roller disposed in the air obliquely above the lower roller, a drive source that rotates one of the rollers, and a gap between the two rollers. It is possible to use an apparatus comprising a mesh-like endless belt that is slanted and stretched and a harvesting box that is provided below the upper roller. According to the illustrated apparatus, one of the rollers is rotated by the driving source, and the endless belt is also rotated between the rollers like a conveyor. Then, the induced floating grass is captured one after another in the liquid portion of the endless belt, scooped out from the culture solution and transferred onto the liquid surface. Then, the floating grass is transported obliquely upward, gets over the upper roller, falls into the harvesting box, and is automatically boxed.

  As the separating means, an endless belt having a plurality of sieves can be used instead of the mesh-like endless belt. The separating means can be an endless chain having a plurality of hooks. The separation method can be appropriately selected from a method of squeezing with a mesh, a method of scooping up with a sieve, a method of hooking up with a hook, and the like according to the form of the floating grass.

  The cultivation tank preferably has a guide wall for guiding the flow of the culture solution held in the cultivation tank. The guide wall may be composed of a floating head that floats on the surface of the culture solution and a wall that hangs downward from the floating head and is fixed to the bottom of the cultivation tank. As described above, the culture liquid is induced by the liquid guiding means. However, it is difficult to guide the floating grass to the harvesting means in the two-dimensional expansion of the cultivation tank, which tends to be inefficient. This is because the actions of a plurality of liquid guiding means interfere with each other or are influenced by external wind. Therefore, it is preferable to form a liquid path through which the culture solution can flow by partitioning the inside of the cultivation tank with a guide wall and guide the culture solution in a desired direction. The guide wall can be a fixed wall that is fixedly attached, but it can also be a movable wall that has the floating head and the wall as described above, and the floating head floats. The movable wall has an advantage that the liquid path can be easily changed by changing the fixed position below the wall portion. Furthermore, when floating grass is partially concentrated, there is also an advantage that the liquid channel is expanded and the guidance to the harvesting means can be performed smoothly.

  The guide wall may partition the liquid surface of the culture medium into an endless bent band having a predetermined width. Further, the guide wall divides the liquid surface of the culture solution into a bent band shape having a predetermined width and extending from one end to the end, and the cultivation tank sends at least the culture solution from the end to the one end. You may make it have a reflux liquid path. In the liquid path divided into endless bent strips, the culture solution and the floating grass can be guided along the liquid path. And a harvesting means can be provided in one place or a plurality of places in the middle of an endless liquid channel. Thereby, floating grass can be propagated, grown and harvested while circulating around the liquid channel. In addition, it is preferable to provide a harvesting means in the vicinity of the end of the liquid path partitioned into a bent band extending from one end to the end. Thereby, floating grass can be propagated and grown while being guided from one end to the end, and subsequently harvested.

  As described above, when the liquid surface of the culture liquid is divided to form a liquid path and the culture liquid and floating grass are guided in a certain direction of the liquid path, the flow of the culture liquid is not equalized and stagnated. For this reason, the favorable cultivation conditions made uniform in the whole cultivation tank are obtained, and there is no fear that floating grass will be guided smoothly and will stay. Therefore, floating grass can be cultivated extremely efficiently.

  The cultivation tank may have a frame that floats on the sea surface and surrounds the predetermined sea surface, and a sheet that covers the predetermined sea surface and is fixed to the frame so that a peripheral edge thereof is located on the sea surface. As described above, a cultivation tank having a frame and a sheet can be provided on the sea surface. The cultivation tank on the sea surface may be equipped with a breakwater that prevents splashing, a tethering device for anchoring to a specific point, a propulsion device for movement, and the like. In the cultivation tank on the sea surface, the inner culture liquid and the outer seawater are balanced mechanically, so that the cultivation tank can be formed with a small mechanical strength. In addition, since there is no restriction on the installation site, it is easy to set an appropriate scale. It can be set as the cultivation apparatus excellent in economical efficiency by these two points.

  The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus of the present invention is a liquid having a cultivation tank for holding a culture solution, a harvesting means for harvesting floating grass, and a liquid guiding means for guiding the culture solution in a predetermined direction and guiding the floating grass one after another to the harvesting means. And a management device. For this reason, it is suitable for cultivation of floating grass floating on the surface of the water, and even the harvesting operation can be performed automatically and the productivity is extremely high. Further, the liquid surface of the culture solution may be partitioned into endless bent strips having a predetermined width by the guide wall, or may be partitioned into bent strips having a predetermined width and extending from one end to the end. When the liquid path is formed in this way, the flow of the culture liquid is not equalized and stagnated, and good cultivation conditions that are uniform throughout the cultivation tank can be obtained, and the floating grass can be guided smoothly and extremely efficiently. It is possible to grow floating grass. Furthermore, it can also be set as the cultivation apparatus excellent in economical efficiency by providing a cultivation tank on the sea surface.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a bird's-eye view of a floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus 1 in FIG. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus 1 is provided on the sea surface L, and includes a cultivation tank 2, harvesting means 3, a liquid management apparatus 6, and a guide wall 5.

  The cultivation tank 2 has a shallow box shape with an open bottom at the top, and is composed of a frame 21 forming a side surface and a sheet 26 forming a bottom portion. The frame 21 floats on the sea surface L and surrounds the sea surface L in a rectangle. The frame 21 includes a strong frame body 22 having a rectangular cross section and a floating body 23 that is built in the frame body 22 and has an internal space, and has an overall specific gravity of less than 1. The cross-sectional shape of the frame 21 is not limited to a rectangle but may be a circle or the like, and the constituent members are not limited to the embodiment, and wood having a specific gravity of less than 1 or a hollow resin may be used.

  The sheet 26 covers the entire surface of the rectangular sea surface L surrounded by the frame 21. The peripheral edge of the sheet 26 is bent upward to form a box shape, and is fixed to the inner upper portion of the frame 21. The sheet 26 can be a flexible and watertight rubber sheet or the like. An appropriate amount of culture solution 28 is held inside the box-shaped sheet 26 of the cultivation tank 2. Although the water line of the cultivation tank 2 moves up and down by the increase / decrease of the culture solution 28, the peripheral edge part of the sheet | seat 26 is made further above the upper limit of a water line, and the permeation of seawater is blocked | prevented.

  The guide wall 5 divides the liquid surface of the culture solution 28 in the cultivation tank 2 into a bent band shape having a predetermined width and extending from one end 56 to the terminal end 57 to form a liquid path. The liquid channel has a lower left corner of FIG. 1 as one end 56, extends in a zigzag shape toward the right and reaches the lower right corner, and then passes through the upper right corner and the upper left corner, and ends at the lower left corner. The harvesting means 3 is provided between the one end 56 and the terminal end 57. The guide wall 5 includes a floating head 51 that floats on the liquid surface of the culture solution 28 and a wall 52 that hangs downward from the floating head 51 and is fixed to the bottom sheet 26. For the floating head 51, a hollow floating body, polystyrene foam or the like can be used. For the wall portion 52, the same rubber sheet as the sheet 26 can be used. In addition, it is not necessary to adhere between the lower part of the wall part 52 and the sheet | seat 26, and it is permissible even if the culture solution comes and goes.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the harvesting means 3 is provided at the lower left corner of FIG. 1 of the cultivation tank 2 and is arranged so as to harvest floating grass guided to the end 57 of the liquid path formed by the guide wall 5. Yes. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the harvesting means 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the harvesting means 3 includes a box 30, a lower roller 31, an upper roller 32, a drive source (not shown), an endless belt 33, and a transfer conveyor 36.

  The box 30 is a box-shaped member that communicates with the terminal end 57 of the culture fluid 28 and has water-tightness with respect to seawater. The box 30 supports each member constituting the harvesting means 3 and incorporates a main part of the liquid management means 6 described later. The lower roller 31 is disposed in the culture solution 28 in the box 30, and the upper roller 32 is disposed in the atmosphere obliquely above the lower roller 31. The endless belt 33 is inclined and stretched between the two rollers 31 and 32. When an unillustrated drive source drives the upper roller 32, the upper roller 32 rotates to the right in the drawing, and the endless belt 33 also rotates to the right in the drawing between the rollers 31 and 32 like a conveyor. The drive source can be used for continuous use, periodic intermittent use, and use by any operation. The endless belt 33 is formed of a mesh-like member having a hole on one surface, and includes a large number of upstanding pins 34. The transfer conveyor 36 is a general belt conveyor that transfers articles, and is arranged on the upper surface of the box 30, with one 37 suspended below the upper roller 32 and the other 38 suspended outside the cultivation tank 2. Yes.

  The liquid management device 6 includes a nozzle 61 corresponding to a liquid guiding unit, an intake port 62 for the culture liquid 28, a pump 63, a liquid feeding pipe 64, and a fertilizer supply unit 7. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of nozzles 61 are provided in the bent portion of the liquid path formed by the guide wall 5, and the culture liquid 28 pumped from a pump 63 described later is used as a jet to submerge the liquid in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Or it is configured to be ejected into the air. As a result, the culture solution 28 as a whole flows from one end 56 to the other end 57 of the liquid path, and the floating grass can be guided to the harvesting means 3.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of the liquid management device 6. The intake port 62 communicates with the bottom of the harvesting means 3 or the end 57 of the liquid path, and can take in the culture solution 28. The pump 63 takes in the culture solution 28 from the intake port 62 and pumps it to the liquid feeding pipe 64. A three-way liquid supply valve 65 is provided in the middle of the liquid supply pipe 64 exiting from the pump 63, and the pressure destination can be switched between the cultivation tank 2 and the discharge port 66. The discharge port 66 is for discharging the culture solution 28 that has become excessive due to rainfall or the like. The liquid feeding pipe 64 directed to the cultivation tank 2 branches in the middle and communicates with all the nozzles 61. Further, the liquid feeding pipe 64 may be provided with a branch toward one end 56 of the liquid path. A path from the intake port 62 to the one end 56 of the liquid path through the pump 63 is a reflux liquid path.

  The fertilizer supply means 7 includes a fertilizer tank 71 and a fertilizer valve 72. The fertilizer tank 71 stores liquid fertilizer containing nutrients necessary for the growth of floating grass at a high concentration. The fertilizer valve 72 opens and closes between the fertilizer tank 71 and the liquid feeding pipe 64, and the fertilizer flows into the culture solution 28 by opening.

  The opening / closing operation of the liquid feeding valve 65 and the fertilizer valve 72 and the on / off operation of the pump 63 may be performed manually or by an electric control device. When an electrical control device is used, it is preferable that the liquid feeding valve 65 and the fertilizer valve 72 are electromagnetic valves, and a liquid level detection unit, a liquid quality detection unit, a flow detection unit, and the like are attached. These detection units can detect the liquid level, nutrient content concentration, and flow state of the culture solution 28, and the culture solution can be managed under appropriate cultivation conditions by automatic control. In addition, you may make it reflect on control conditions, detecting and referring the temperature etc. which are concerned with cultivation conditions.

  Further, a water supply tank or a fresh water generation device may be provided to compensate for the shortage due to evaporation of the culture solution 28 and communicated with the liquid supply pipe 64 via a valve. The water supply tank stores rainwater and can be installed on the sea surface adjacent to the cultivation tank 2. Moreover, a fresh water production | generation apparatus is an apparatus which refine | purifies fresh water from seawater. By providing a water supply tank or fresh water generation device, it can be applied to areas with low precipitation.

  Next, the cultivation and harvesting method using the floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described. First, an appropriate amount of the culture solution 28 having a nutrient content concentration is prepared in the cultivation tank 2, the pump 63 is operated, the culture solution 28 is ejected from the nozzle 61, the flow of the culture solution 28 is formed, and the cultivation conditions are set. Arrange. Next, an appropriate amount of floating grass as a base for cultivation is floated on one end 56 of the liquid path formed by the guide wall 5. As a result, the floating grass grows by absorbing the nutrients of the culture solution 28 and grows large. At the same time, the floating grass rides on the flow of the culture solution 28 and is directed toward the end 57. As a result, most of the liquid level of the culture solution 28 is occupied by floating grass.

  When floating grass reaches the end 57 of the liquid passage, the harvesting means 3 is activated. Then, the endless belt 33 rotates to the right in the figure, and the pin 34 catches and catches the floating grass near the lower roller 31. The floating grass is captured one after another, scooped out, placed on the endless belt 33, and transferred toward the upper roller 32. The transferred floating grass rides over the upper roller 32 and falls onto one of the transfer conveyors 36. Further, the floating grass is transferred to the other 38 by the transfer conveyor 36 and falls outside the cultivation tank 2. Therefore, floating grass can be boxed automatically by placing a harvesting box here. Since the outside of the cultivation tank 2 is at sea, it can be transported immediately if a carrier ship is placed next to it.

  A part of the culture solution 28 in the harvesting means 3 is taken in from the take-in port 62 by the pump 63, and fertilizer is supplied from the fertilizer tank 71 as necessary, and from the liquid feed pipe 64 to the nozzle 61 or one end 56 of the liquid path. Refluxed.

  According to the floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus 1 of the embodiment, since the floating grass grows and grows one after another and the fertilizer is automatically applied even after the floating grass is multiplied, it is extremely efficient. Cultivation and harvesting takes place. In addition, you may add a floating grass to the one end 56 of a liquid path as needed.

It is a bird's-eye view which shows the floating grass cultivation harvesting apparatus of the Example of this invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1. It is a vertical sectional view of the harvesting means in the embodiment of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the principal part of the liquid management apparatus in the Example of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1: Floating grass cultivation harvesting device 2: Cultivation tank
21: Frame 22: Frame 23: Floating body
26: sheet 28: culture solution 3: harvesting means
30: Box 31: Lower roller 32: Upper roller
33: Endless belt 34: Pin
36: Transfer conveyor 37: One 38: The other 5: Guide wall
51: floating head 52: wall
56: One end of the liquid path 57: End of the liquid path 6: Liquid management device
61: Nozzle (liquid guiding means) 62: Intake port
63: Pump 64: Liquid feeding pipe 65: Liquid feeding valve
66: Discharge port 7: Fertilizer supply means
71: Fertilizer tank 72: Fertilizer valve L: Sea surface

Claims (11)

A cultivation tank that holds the culture solution and propagates floating grass,
Harvesting means provided at a predetermined position of the cultivation tank;
A liquid management apparatus provided in the cultivation tank, each having a liquid guiding means for guiding the culture solution at a predetermined position in a predetermined direction, and guiding a large number of floating grasses to the harvesting means one after another;
Floating grass cultivation and harvesting device characterized by comprising:   The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the liquid guiding means includes a propeller and a motor that rotationally drives the propeller.   At least a part of the liquid guiding means is a nozzle that ejects the culture liquid as a jet, and the liquid management device has an intake port for taking in the culture liquid, a liquid feeding pipe for supplying the culture liquid to the nozzle, and the intake port The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pump that pumps the culture solution taken in from the liquid feeding pipe.   4. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid management device has fertilizer supply means for supplying fertilizer.   5. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the harvesting means has endless separation means for separating the floating grass from the culture solution.   6. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the separation means is a device having a mesh-like endless belt that scoops up the floating grass.   7. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation tank has a guide wall for guiding the flow of the culture solution held in the cultivation tank.   8. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the guide wall includes a floating head that floats on a liquid surface of the culture solution and a wall portion that hangs downward from the floating head and is fixed to the bottom of the cultivation tank.   The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the guide wall divides the liquid surface of the culture solution into an endless bent band having a predetermined width.   The guide wall divides the liquid level of the culture solution into a bent band shape having a predetermined width and extending from one end to the end, and the cultivation tank is a reflux solution for sending at least the culture solution from the end to the one end. The floating grass cultivation and harvesting apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, comprising a path.   11. The floating grass cultivation according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation tank has a frame that floats on the sea surface and surrounds the predetermined sea surface, and a sheet that covers the predetermined sea surface and is fixed to the frame so that a peripheral edge thereof is located on the sea surface. Harvesting equipment.

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