Seed treatment apparatus

Abstract

A seed treatment apparatus provides for minimal waste of products for treating seeds, in that it is precisely controllable and automatically adjustable. A volume of seeds to be treated and a flow rate of treatment product for treating the seeds can both be sensed. At least one of the flow rate of the treatment product and the volume of seeds can automatically be adjusted if it is determined that a ratio of the flow rate of treatment product to the volume of seeds is not the same as a predetermined flow rate to volume ratio.

Claims

1. A seed treatment apparatus, comprising: a housing having a seed inlet for receiving seeds and a seed outlet for dispensing the seeds; a control processor; a seed meter disposed within the housing for volumetrically measuring and dispensing the seeds thereby providing a controlled volumetric flow of seeds, the seed meter controlled by the control processor, wherein the seed meter comprises a rotatable seed wheel having an outer surface and a plurality of slots for containing a metered volume of seeds; a seed treatment applicator for receiving seeds from the seed meter and treating the seeds; a plurality of treatment tank units each with a treatment fluid, each treatment tank unit with a pump controlled by the control processor, each treatment tank unit being in fluid communication with the seed treatment applicator, whereby the volumetric flow of the treatment fluid is controlled by the control processor; the process controller communicatively coupled with the seed meter and the treatment tank pumps, wherein the process controller automatically adjusts at least one of the volumetric flow of treatment fluid and the volumetric flow of seeds in response to a change in the other thereby maintaining a predetermined ratio of the flow rate of treatment fluid to the volumetric flow of seeds; and a seed sensor disposed adjacent the seed meter for sensing a volume of seeds to be dispensed from the seed meter to the seed treatment applicator, the seed sensor connected to the control processor; wherein each one of the plurality of slots extends across the length of the rotatable seed wheel and is parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotatable seed wheel, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a tumbling drum for additional coating of the seeds by seed to seed contact, wherein the tumbling drum is positioned between the seed treatment applicator and a seed discharge portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each treatment tank unit has a flow sensor disposed adjacent each respective treatment tank for sensing a flow rate of respective treatment fluid being dispensed to the seed treatment applicator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seed treatment applicator comprises an atomizer configured as a rotating plate for applying the treatment fluid to seeds and a dispersion cone that generally uniformly disperses the seeds around the atomizer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control panel connected to the control processor whereby a user monitors and controls the flow of treatment fluid and the volumetric flow of seeds and adjusts one of the flow of treatment fluid and the volumetric flow of seeds whereby the control processor automatically adjusts the other of the flow of treatment fluid and the volumetric flow of seeds.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a motor configured to dispense a seed after the seed has been metered and to rotatably fill an adjacent slot in the seed wheel.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, where one or more of the plurality of treatment tank units comprises a premix tank.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a grader positioned at a top portion of the rotatable seed wheel.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control processor is configured to receive batch data from an operator.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said batch data are selected from the group consisting of treatment composition, treatment application rate, seed treatment rate, or any combination thereof.

10. A method of treating seeds with the seed treatment apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising: depositing a plurality of seeds through the seed inlet in the seed treatment apparatus into the seed meter; controlling the seed meter by the control processor to provide a volumetric flow rate of seeds passing therethrough; sensing the seed in the inlet above the seed meter and sending data to the control processor for determining when the seed meter will run out of seed for metering; discharging the seeds from the seed meter at the volumetric flow rate through a seed treatment region of the seed treatment applicator; individually pumping from each of the plurality of treatment tank units treatment fluid into the seed treatment applicator and controlling each pump by the control processor thereby regulating a volumetric flow rate and thereby coating the seeds passing through the seed treatment region at a predetermined ratio, with the treatment fluid from the plurality of treatment tank units; discharging the treated seeds from the seed treatment applicator; wherein when one of the flow rate of the treatment fluid pumped to the seed treatment applicator and the volumetric flow rate of seeds changes during the seed treatment, the other is automatically changed by the control processor thereby maintaining a predetermined ratio of the volumetric flow rate of treatment fluid to the seed volumetric flow rate.

11. A method of adjusting the application of a treatment-fluid to a plurality of seeds in the seed treatment apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising: depositing seed into the seed inlet to be fed into the rotatable seed wheel and controlling by the rotation of the rotatable seed wheel a volumetric feed rate of seeds to be treated in the seed treatment apparatus with a control processor; dropping the seeds from the seed wheel into a seed treatment region of the seed treatment applicator, controlling the volumetric flow rate of the treatment fluid for coating the seeds by the control processor in a predetermined ratio of volume of treatment fluid to seed volume; monitoring the volumetric flow rate of the treatment fluid and the volumetric feed rate of the seeds by the control processor; and automatically adjusting by the control processor the volumetric flow rate of the treatment fluid when the volumetric feed rate of seeds changes, and automatically adjusting by the control processor, the volumetric feed rate of seeds when the volumetric flow rate of the treatment fluid changes, thereby maintaining the predetermined ratio of volume of treatment fluid to seed volume.

12. A method of treating seeds with the seed treatment apparatus according to claim 1, the method comprising: depositing a plurality of seeds through the seed inlet in the seed treatment apparatus into the seed meter; controlling with the seed meter a volumetric flow rate of seeds passing therethrough; sensing the seed in the inlet above the seed meter and sending data to the control processor for determining when the seed meter will run out of seed for metering; discharging the seeds from the seed meter at the volumetric flow rate through a seed treatment region of the seed treatment applicator; pumping a treatment fluid into the seed treatment applicator at a volumetric flow rate thereby coating the seeds passing through the seed treatment region at a predetermined ratio, with treatment fluid; discharging the treated seeds from the seed treatment applicator; determining with the control processor when the seed meter will run out of seed based on sensing the seed in the seed inlet and stopping the pumping of the treatment fluid when the seed will stop passing through the seed treatment region; wherein when one of the flow rate of the treatment fluid pumped to the seed treatment applicator and the volumetric flow rate of seeds controlled by the seed meter is automatically adjusted during the seed treatment when the other is changed thereby maintaining a predetermined ratio of the volumetric flow rate of treatment fluid to the seed volumetric flow rate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a top view of a portion of a seed treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the portion of a seed treatment apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along the line 1A-1A.

(3) FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the portion of a seed treatment apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along the line 1B-1B.

(4) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seed treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 3 is a flowchart of process steps taken to coat seeds with treatment products according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 4 is a partial view of a seed treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 5 is a flowchart of process steps taken to operate a seed treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process for retrofitting a seed treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Referring to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B and 2, there can be seen elements of a seed treatment apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Seed treatment apparatus 100 can include a housing 102 including an inlet 104, a seed wheel 106, a dispersion cone 108, an atomizer wheel 110, and an outlet 112. Housing outlet 112 can connect to a polishing drum 114 or mixing chamber. The atomizer wheel 110 can be fluidly connected to one or more 15 treatment tanks 116 containing products for treating the seeds via an inlet tube 118. The system can be connected to a computer system with a processor having a control panel 120 for monitoring and/or adjusting the system.

(10) FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart showing a process 200 by which seeds can be treated according to an embodiment of the present invention. Seed can first be fed into the apparatus at the housing inlet at step 202 such that it travels through the apparatus under the influence of gravity. In a preferred configuration, the apparatus is therefore vertically arranged. After entering the housing, the seed travels into and fills metering compartments, such as slots, in the seed wheel at step 204. The seed wheel is configured to collect a predetermined quantity of seed as it rotates to ultimately dispense the seed. In one embodiment, the seed wheel meters the seed based on a volume of the seed. This is advantageous because the amount of seed treatment needed is may advantageously be based on surface area, which correlates more accurately to volume than to other metering measures, such as weight and number of seeds. Seed wheel can be rotated by a motor, such as, for example, a ⅓ horsepower variable speed motor, to dispense the seed once it has been metered and to rotatably fill each adjacent slot in the wheel. After being dispensed from the seed wheel, seed falls onto the dispersion cone at step 206. The dispersion cone dispenses the seeds generally uniformly into the spinning atomizer wheel at step 208 into a curtain of treatment fluid provided by the atomizer to coat the seeds at step 210. Seeds are then ejected out of the housing outlet at step 212 and can then be further processed or packaged at step 214.

(11) Referring to FIG. 4, there can be seen a portion of a seed treatment apparatus 100 incorporating a seed wheel 106 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Seed wheel 106 can include a plurality of radially inwardly extending slots 122 for containing seed positioned there around. A grader 124 can be positioned at a top portion of seed wheel 106 and connected to housing 102 such that it remains stationary as housing 102 rotates. Grader 124 can be positioned forward of inlet 104 relative to the direction of rotation of seed wheel 106 so that as seed is input through inlet 104 and into seed wheel 106 as it is rotated by motor 126, the grader 124 levels the seed to ensure a uniform volume of seed in each slot 122. One or more sensors (not pictured) can be positioned above the seed wheel 106 to provide the control processor data on the amount of seed in the inlet 104 which correlates to when the seed wheel slots 122 will stop being filled with seed and also correlates with when the seed will stop being deposited on the cone 108 and passing into the seed treatment region. Importantly, the control processor can then shut down the treatment fluid flow when the seed will stop passing through the seed treatment region. In one embodiment, the seed level sensor is a capacitive sensor such as those available from Turck, Inc.

(12) The treatment portion can have an atomizer wheel 110 that receives treatment fluid from the treatment tank units 116 through an inlet tube 118 and disperses the fluid onto seeds. Atomizer wheel 110 is designed to apply treatment products at a constant rate to evenly coat each seed. In one embodiment, it can apply treatment products by atomizing them onto a falling curtain of seed before the seeds are discharged. After seeds are treated at the atomizer wheel 110, they can be discharged out of the housing 102 into a tumbling drum 114 for additional coating of the seeds by seed to seed contact. The drum then may discharge the seed for packaging or transport to the planting location. In another embodiment, seeds can be discharged from housing for packaging and transport without further processing in drum 114.

(13) Operation of atomizer wheel 110 can be tied to seed wheel 106 such that when seed wheel 106 stops rotating (because of a pause in operation or because there is no more seed left to treat), atomizer wheel 110 can stop operating either at the same time or at a predetermined time shortly afterwards.

(14) Treatment products are received into the atomizer wheel 110 through an inlet tube 118 that is fluidly connected to one or more treatment tank units 116. Tank units can include premix tanks designed to mix liquid treatment products requiring dilution or agitation. Premix tanks can include motorized rotating paddles and internal baffles for mixing the treatment products and providing suspension of the liquid with minimal foam. Non-mixing tanks can also be connected to atomizer wheel, such as, for example, water tanks, bulk tanks and dye tanks.

(15) Pumping systems 128, such as peristaltic pumps, draw treatment products from tanks and dispense them to the atomizer wheel through fluid lines. Pumping system can include flow meters for measuring and/or regulating the amount of product being dispensed. Fluid lines can enter a static mixer to mix treatment products from various tanks before entering inlet tube.

(16) Seed treatment apparatus 100 can include a computerized treatment system that proportions amounts of seed and treatment products to provide for minimal treatment product waste. Computerized treatment system can include sensors, flow meters, and/or controls to monitor/control both the flow rates of the treatment products coming out of the pumps and the metered volume of seeds released from the seed wheel. Based upon a pre-programmed algorithm, the system can automatically adjust the flow rates of the treatment products based on the volume of seeds to be treated at a given time to control the amount of treatment product applied to the seeds. Thus, if a flow sensor sensing the flow rate of the treatment products and a seed sensor sensing the volume of seeds indicate that the ratio of flow rate to volume is not within a desired amount of a predetermined optimal ratio or a range of ratios, the system can automatically adjust the flow rate and/or the volume. This provides a more accurate distribution of treatment product because the correlation of volume of seeds to amount of treatment product needed is more accurate than a correlation to number of seeds or weight of seeds.

(17) The system can also include a display providing the information to a user and allowing the user to make manual adjustments to the parameters. Display can allow a user to calibrate flow rates for treatment products and seed and to set other parameters, such as the amount of time the pumps should run and the specific chemical recipe of the treatment products that is to be applied. A user can also enter a desired ratio between flow rate of treatment products and volume of seed for the computer system to follow in automatically adjusting the flow rate as the volume of seed varies. Alternatively, this ratio can be preprogrammed in the system for the specific type of seed and treatment composition.

(18) FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart depicting one example of user operation 300 of an embodiment of seed treatment apparatus according to the present invention. Initially, the system must be powered on at step 302. The user can then enter the desired fluid application rate that dictates the operation of the pumps at step 304 and the seed feed rate than is controlled by the speed at which the seed wheel rotates at step 306. The user can then deposit seed in the seed inlet and activate the coating process for treating the seeds at step 308. The treating process will continue automatically as described above until all of the seed is coated. As the treating process takes place, the user can optionally adjust the seed feed rate at step 310. If the seed feed rate is adjusted, the fluid application rate will automatically be adjusted proportionally. Once all of the seed has been treated, at step 312 the system can be shut off.

(19) Adjustment of application of treatment products relative to volume of seeds can be especially useful at the end of a series of seed batches. For example, a mass of seeds may be deposited into the inlet. The seed wheel then rotates at a predetermined rate, filling each slot with the metered volume of seeds. However, at the end of the mass of seeds, if more seeds are not deposited directly on top of the previous seeds, the last slot on the seed wheel to be filled may not be filled to the preset metered volume. In this situation, the amount of treatment product pumped into the atomizer for this final batch of seeds would be reduced proportionally based on the volume of seeds as measured by the seed level sensor. This can prevent a large amount of treatment product waste from this final batch. In addition, during operation there may be times when it is desirable to either increase or decrease the rate at which seed is fed into the seed wheel. When the seed rate is manually adjusted, the system can automatically adjust the pump output to match the increase or decrease in seed volume in each batch of seeds so that there is not either too much or too little treatment product applied.

(20) In a further embodiment, an existing system utilizing pumps for applying treatment products to seeds can be retrofit with the above described sensors, flow meters, controls, etc. to convert the system into one that modifies pump volume based on seed flow. Retrofitting an existing system can include some or all of the steps 400 depicted in FIG. 6 in any order. The existing system may already include a seed inlet, a means for dispensing seeds, a means for coating seeds and a pump system for supplying treatment products to seeds. Steps that could be taken include, for example, replacing the means for dispensing seeds with the volumetrically-based seed wheel described above or installing a seed level sensor in the means for dispensing seeds for measuring the volume (or weight) of seeds being dispensed at step 402, installing one or more flow meters for measuring the speed and/or volume of treatment products being pumped to the means for coating seeds at step 404 and installing a computer system, display, and/or software to allow the fluid application rate and seed flow rate to be modified and to automatically adjust the output of treatment products from the pumps based on the volume of seeds to be treated at step 406.