AGRICULTURAL SAMPLING SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS

    公开(公告)号:US20240207798A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-06-27

    申请号:US18555327

    申请日:2022-05-11

    摘要: 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 are disclosed. 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 (e.g., 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 preparation sub-system may comprise a slurry recirculation flow loop configured with devices to stir, measure, and adjust a water to solids ratio of the slurry. The object of the claimed invention is a slurry stirring device (8030) comprising an elongated housing (8094) defining a vertical centerline and a stirring chamber, a slurry inlet (8032) configured to receive the slurry, a slurry recirculation inlet (8033a) configured for fluid coupling to a closed slurry recirculation flow loop, and a slurry recirculation outlet (8033b) configured for fluid coupling to the slurry recirculation flow loop; and a rotatable blade mechanism configured to maintain the slurry in an agitated mixed condition in the stirring chamber.

    PLUNGER MIXER DEVICE
    9.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20230390721A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-12-07

    申请号:US17833913

    申请日:2022-06-07

    摘要: Disclosed is a plunger mixer device (307B, 309B, 311B, and 313B) deployable within a hollow shaft injection drill bit system (305B). The plunger mixer device (307B, 309B, 311B, and 313B) includes a motor (313B), a piston (507D), and a plunger motor assembly (403C, 405C, 407C, 409C, 411C, 413C, and 415C). The motor (313B) is connected to a feeder auger tip. The piston (507D) is configured to be driven by the motor (313B). The piston (507D) is connected to a feeder auger (103C, 105A, 109B, and 205A). The plunger motor assembly (403C, 405C, 407C, 409C, 411C, 413C, and 415C) includes a stacked series of panels (503D, 505D, and 507D), and a plurality of motor shafts (311D). The stacked series of panels (503D, 505D, and 507D) has a plurality of ribbed panels (307D) with a rib locking feature. One of the stacked series of the panel (507C) is actuated by the motor (313B). The ribbed panels (303C) lock between each other when the ribbed panels (305D, 307B, 307D, and 309B) are spun into a fully formed deployment. The ribbed panels (303C, 305C, and 307C), upon deployment, serve to mix wet and dry materials by subsurface hollow shaft drilling augers (103A) ascending in communication with a feeder auger ascent and the subsequent descent.

    AUTOMATED TANK MIXING FOR CUSTODY TRANSFER
    10.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240325999A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-10-03

    申请号:US18619576

    申请日:2024-03-28

    摘要: Methods and systems for intermittently mixing a fluid in a tank based on information received from at least two data acquisition devices that are vertically spaced on the tank and capable of obtaining at least one property or characteristic of the fluid that is in the tank and adjacent to each data acquisition device. A data analyzer compares data measurements received from the data acquisition devices and intermittently operates a mixer to maintain homogeneity of at least one chemical characteristic or physical property of the fluid both prior to and during dispensing of the fluid from the tank. The method further utilizes information received from the at least two data acquisition devices to assist in calculating a volume of fluid dispensed from the tank.