The controller that receives at least one sensor signal indicative of a measured profile of a particulate material within a storage tank of an agricultural system. The controller also determines whether a variation between the measured profile and a target profile is greater than a threshold value. The controller outputs a first output signal to a user interface indicative of instructions to inform an operator of a profile variation, outputs a second output signal to an agitator indicative of activation of the agitator, or a combination thereof, in response to determining that the variation between the measured profile and the target profile is greater than the threshold value.

A litter processing system is provided implementing one or more robotic vehicles to process livestock litter, detect conditions of the litter with a plurality of sensors, and treat the litter based upon data collected by the sensors. The vehicles may include processors and software that control vehicle tasks. The vehicle's onboard software may be controlled by a server having an instance of the software thereby controlling operation of the vehicles and collecting sensor data from the vehicles via a wireless network.

Apparatus for processing kitchen waste is disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises an inlet for receiving the kitchen waste, a comminuter to comminute the received waste, a dewatering device to dewater the comminuted waste, a compressor to compress the dewatered comminuted waste, and an outlet to provide processed waste ready for collection, wherein the inlet has a lid moveable between a closed position and an open position and the inlet communicates with a hopper having an outlet, the hopper outlet communicating with the comminuter by a door mechanism, and wherein the door mechanism and the lid are interlocked such that the door mechanism opens to supply food waste to the comminuter only when the lid is in the closed position and such that the lid is openable to allow a user to add food waste into the hopper only when the door mechanism is closed.

A particulate material sensing and agitation control system of an agricultural system having a drive system configured to operate an agitating system, and a controller having a memory and a processor. The controller is configured to receive at least one sensor signal indicative of a profile of a particulate material within the agricultural system, and output a control signal to instruct the drive system to operate the agitating system in a selected operating mode of a plurality of operating modes based on the profile of the particulate material. The agitating system is configured to interact with the particulate material in each operating mode of the plurality of operating modes, and the plurality of operating modes includes an agitation mode and a leveling mode.

The invention focuses on a device for sequentially introducing additives in a polymer granulate and the use of the device for mixing the polymer granulate with the additives. The device consisting of a mixer with housing, comprising at least one mixer shaft attached in helix arranged non-continuous conveying pattern shapes, being rotated by a drive for the transport, whereby the mixer in the housing featuring an inlet for the polymer granulate to be mixed and each of the several subsequent inlets for the additive is followed by an outlet for the polymer granulate mixed with the additive, so that two or several mixing zones being formed in the mixer and whereby at least between at two mixing zones on the surface of the mixing shaft one section featuring a continuous screw conveyor instead of the non-continuous conveying pattern shapes, the section not being penetrable for returning solids from the subsequent mixing zone.

A particulate material agitation and leveling control system includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a sensor signal indicative of a measured load on a drive system coupled to an agitation and leveling system, select an operating mode of the agitation and leveling system from an agitation mode and a leveling mode based on the measured load, and instruct the drive system to operate the agitation and leveling system based on the operating mode.

A particulate material agitation and leveling control system includes a controller having a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a sensor signal indicative of a measured load on a drive system coupled to an agitation and leveling system, select an operating mode of the agitation and leveling system from an agitation mode and a leveling mode based on the measured load, and instruct the drive system to operate the agitation and leveling system based on the operating mode.

An agitation control system of an agricultural system. The agitation control system includes an agitator that induces movement of particulate material through the agricultural system. An agitator motor couples to the agricultural system to move the agitator. A first motor couples to the agitation control system. The first motor includes a first sensor that detects a first temperature of the first motor and emits a first signal indicative of the first temperature. A controller couples to the agitator motor and to the first motor. The controller receives the first signal indicative of the first temperature from the first sensor and determines an ambient temperature from the first temperature. The controller controls the agitator motor in response to the ambient temperature.

An agitation control system of an agricultural system. The agitation control system includes an agitator that induces movement of particulate material through the agricultural system. An agitator motor couples to the agricultural system to move the agitator. A first motor couples to the agitation control system. The first motor includes a first sensor that detects a first temperature of the first motor and emits a first signal indicative of the first temperature. A controller couples to the agitator motor and to the first motor. The controller receives the first signal indicative of the first temperature from the first sensor and determines an ambient temperature from the first temperature. The controller controls the agitator motor in response to the ambient temperature.

A particulate material sensing and agitation control system of an agricultural system includes a drive system configured to operate an agitating system, a plurality of sensors, in which each sensor of the plurality of sensors may detect presence of particulate material at the sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a functional status of each sensor of the plurality of sensors, and, in response to determining the functional status of a respective sensor of the plurality of sensor is functioning, determine a detection status of the respective sensor. The controller is further configured to output a control signal to instruct the drive system to operate the agitating system in a selected operating mode of a plurality of operating modes based on a position within the agricultural system, the functional status, and the detection status of each sensor of the plurality of sensors.