A receptacle having a plurality of interconnected chambers arranged to permit multiple process steps or processes to be performed independently or simultaneously. The receptacles are manufactured to separate liquid from dried reagents and to maintain the stability of the dried reagents. An immiscible liquid, such as an oil, is included to control loading of process materials, facilitate mixing and reconstitution of dried reagents, limit evaporation, control heating of reaction materials, concentrate solid support materials to prevent clogging of fluid connections, provide minimum volumes for fluid transfers, and to prevent process materials from sticking to chamber surfaces. The receptacles can be adapted for use in systems having a processing instrument that includes an actuator system for selectively moving fluid substances between chambers and a detector. The actuator system can be arranged to concentrate an analyte present in a sample. The detector can be used to detect an optical signal emitted by the contents of the receptacle.

A microfluidic emulsion droplet generation system and methods of use thereof are provided. The system may include a microfluidic substrate having a flow path configured and arranged for emulsion droplet generation, at least one textured surface in the flow path configured and arranged for inducing surface-mediated coalescence of emulsion droplets; and at least one channel junction in the flow path for emulsion droplet formation.

A horizontal mixer for mixing bulk material, such as agricultural material, is provided. The horizontal mixer includes a mixing container for accommodating bulk agricultural material to be mixed. The mixing container includes side walls connected at their bottom edges by a trough; a front wall spanning a front side of the container; a rear wall spanning a rear side of the container; and an exit door through which mixed agricultural material can exit. Further, one or more bottom augers situated longitudinally in the trough, wherein at least one of the one or more bottom augers is a ribbon auger; and one or more top augers situated longitudinally in the mixing container stacked above the one or more bottom ribbon augers. The trough has a shape to accommodate the one or more bottom ribbon augers.

The invention discloses an environmentally friendly fertilizer device based on big data, comprising a work box and a crushing space set in the work box, wherein a crushing driving space is set in one end wall of the crushing space, wherein a crushing mechanism is set in the crushing driving space; by turning on a first electromagnetic switch, the kitchen garbage enters the crushing space from the feed inlet, so the kitchen garbage is crushed by the crushing space. A transmission space is arranged in the lower end wall of the crushing space, and a driving space is set in the lower end wall of the crushing driving space; a stirring space is set in the lower end wall of the transmission space; the crushed kitchen garbage enters the stirring space through a circulation pipeline and is stirred by the stirring mechanism, thereby the kitchen garbage can be fully fermented.

A horizontal mixer for mixing bulk material, such as agricultural material, is provided. The horizontal mixer includes a mixing container for accommodating bulk agricultural material to be mixed. The mixing container includes side walls connected at their bottom edges by a trough; a front wall spanning a front side of the container; a rear wall spanning a rear side of the container; and an exit door through which mixed agricultural material can exit. Further, one or more bottom augers situated longitudinally in the trough, wherein at least one of the one or more bottom augers is a ribbon auger; and one or more top augers situated longitudinally in the mixing container stacked above the one or more bottom ribbon augers. The trough has a shape to accommodate the one or more bottom ribbon augers.

A microfluidic emulsion droplet generation system and methods of use thereof are provided. The system may include a microfluidic substrate having a flow path configured and arranged for emulsion droplet generation, at least one textured surface in the flow path configured and arranged for inducing surface-mediated coalescence of emulsion droplets; and at least one channel junction in the flow path for emulsion droplet formation.

The invention discloses an environmentally friendly fertilizer device based on big data, comprising a work box and a crushing space set in the work box, wherein a crushing driving space is set in one end wall of the crushing space, wherein a crushing mechanism is set in the crushing driving space; by turning on a first electromagnetic switch, the kitchen garbage enters the crushing space from the feed inlet, so the kitchen garbage is crushed by the crushing space. A transmission space is arranged in the lower end wall of the crushing space, and a driving space is set in the lower end wall of the crushing driving space; a stirring space is set in the lower end wall of the transmission space; the crushed kitchen garbage enters the stirring space through a circulation pipeline and is stirred by the stirring mechanism, thereby the kitchen garbage can be fully fermented.

A receptacle comprises opposed members, a plurality of chambers having perimeter walls defined by seals formed between the opposed members and portals interconnecting the chambers, and a rigid frame supporting the opposed members at their peripheral edges. The frame comprises a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, and the peripheral edges of the opposed members are retained between the front and rear frame portions. An inlet port extends between the front and rear frame portions and is in fluid communication with one of the chambers.

A method of processing a sample in a receptacle comprising a plurality of chambers. Each of the chambers is connected to at least one other chamber by a portal and at least a first one of the chambers is formed of a flexible material. The method includes the steps of causing gas bubbles contained in the first chamber to accumulate in a portion of the first chamber, applying a compressive external force to the first chamber to cause some or all of the liquid contents of the first chamber to flow into an interconnected second chamber through a portal connecting the first and second chambers; and preventing the gas bubbles accumulated in a portion of the first chamber from flowing through the portal into the second chamber

An aerobic composting system and method utilizes circulation of a gas through a mixture of liquid and organic materials to continuously mix the liquid and organic materials while encouraging aerobic organisms which aid with the composting process. The aerobic composting system generally includes a container which is adapted to store a volume of a liquid to be continuously mixed with organic materials to produce compost. The container may include a first opening through which the liquid and/or organic materials are introduced into a cavity of the container. The container may also include a second opening such as a spigot through which the resulting compost is dispensed. A gas dispenser is positioned on the floor of the container within the cavity to continuously dispense a gas through the liquid so as to mix the organic materials with the liquid and to encourage aerobic organisms which aid with the composting process.