METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR PRODUCING SILAGE

Abstract

A method for silaging harvested crops includes distributing and compacting silage consisting of shredded foliage plants in a silo. The silo is then sealed and then fermented in the silo. At least one part of the silage is flushed with an inert gas after an aerobic phase of the fermentation is detected with a first sensor. The inert gas may also be introduced into the silage if a penetration of atmospheric oxygen is detected in the silage with a second sensor.

Claims

1. A method for silaging harvested crops, the method comprising: distributing and compacting silage in a silo, wherein the silage includes shredded foliage plants; sealing the silo; fermenting the silage in the silo; and flushing at least one part of the silage in the silo with an inert gas after an aerobic phase of the fermentation.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising detecting the end of the aerobic phase of the fermentation with a first sensor, wherein detection of the end of the aerobic phase initiates the automatic activation of a valve for conducting the inert gas thereby from a container through one or more lines into the silage.

3. The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising detecting a penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage with a second sensor, wherein detection of the penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage initiates the automatic activation of a valve for conducting the inert gas thereby from a container through one or more lines into the silage.

4. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the entire silo is supplied with the inert gas when the penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage is detected.

5. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein detecting the penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage includes detecting the penetration of atmospheric oxygen into one of a plurality of regions of the silo, and wherein the inert gas is introduced only into the one of the plurality of regions in which the atmospheric oxygen is detected.

6. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the first sensor is configured to detect the end of the aerobic phase using the temperature of the silage.

7. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect the penetration of oxygen into the silage using atmospheric oxygen penetrating one or more reaction products.

8. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect the penetration of oxygen into the silage by sensing oxygen directly.

9. The method set forth in claim 1, further comprising identifying an interface at which the silo is opened for removing silage based on data from a first sensor for detecting the end of the aerobic phase of the fermentation and a second sensor for detecting penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage so as to prevent on the basis thereof discharge the inert gas into an empty region of the silo.

10. The method set forth in claim 9, detecting an oxygen component in the silage in the vicinity of the interface, and introducing the inert gas into the silo near the interface when the oxygen component exceeds a threshold value.

11. An arrangement for silaging harvested crops, the arrangement comprising: a silo (10) for receiving silage (16), the silage including shredded foliage plants; wherein the silo includes a base (12) and a seal (18) covering the base such that fermentation of the silage may occur; a valve controllable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the valve is configured to introduce an inert gas into the silo when disposed in the open position to flush the silage with the inert gas after an aerobic phase of fermentation is substantially complete.

12. The arrangement set forth in claim 11, further comprising a first sensor configured to detect the end of the aerobic phase of the fermentation of the silage (16) in the silo (10), the first sensor coupled to a computer that is operable to control the valve between the open position and the closed position. When the end of the aerobic phase of the fermentation of the silage is detected.

13. The arrangement set forth in claim 11, further comprising a second sensor configured to detect a penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage, the second sensor coupled to a computer that is operable to control the valve between the open position and the closed position when the penetration of atmospheric oxygen into the silage is detected.

14. The arrangement set forth in claim 11, further comprising a container including the inert gas, the container coupled to the valve for supplying the inert gas.

15. The arrangement set forth in claim 11, further comprising a line extending from the valve into the silage within the silo for conducting the inert gas into the silage.

16. The arrangement set forth in claim 15, wherein the line includes a nozzle positioned for injecting the inert gas into the silage.

17. The arrangement set forth in claim 15, wherein the line includes a plurality of nozzles, with each nozzle positioned for injecting the inert gas into a respective region of the silo.

18. The arrangement set forth in claim 17, further comprising a computer in communication with the valve and the plurality of nozzles, wherein the computer is configured to selectively control the valve and the plurality of nozzles to introduce the inert gas into only one of the plurality of regions through a respective one of the plurality of nozzles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a silo.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the silo along the cut-line 2-2 of shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively for the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the disclosure, as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the teachings may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components and/or various processing steps. It should be realized that such block components may be comprised of any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions.

[0024] Terms of degree, such as “generally”, “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of a given value or orientation, for example, general tolerances or positional relationships associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.

[0025] Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a silo is generally indicated at 10. Referring to FIG. 1, the silo 10 is configured in the form of a so-called bunker silo. The silo comprises a base 12 and lateral walls 14 which are generally all produced from concrete. The silo 10 is designed as a trench silo in which shredded foliage plants are introduced, distributed and compacted as known per se in the prior art (EP 3 403 487 A1, EP 3 403 488 A1, the disclosure thereof being incorporated by way of reference in the present documentation) and therefore is open to the front and to the rear. The shredded foliage plants, denoted hereinafter as silage 16, may be supplied with an ensilage agent during harvesting or during or after storage in order to improve the fermentation. Additionally, after compacting, the silage 16 is covered at the top and toward the open sides of the silo 10 with a film 18 (see FIG. 2) in order to shield the silage from the oxygen in the surrounding air.

[0026] Openings through which gas-conducting lines 20 extend are provided in the base 12 and in the walls 14. Nozzles 22 are arranged on the inner sides of the base 12 and the walls 14, the gas supplied into the lines 20 being able to flow through said nozzles into the interior of the silo 10 and thus into the silage 16. The lines 20 are connected to the outlet of a valve 24, the inlet thereof being connected to a container 26 (for example a gas bottle) which is filled with pressurized gas.

[0027] It might also be conceivable to conduct the lines 20 through openings in the film 18 in order to supply the silo 10 from above. The lines would also be conducted through openings in the film 18 when the silage 16 is piled up in a heap which is covered at the top and on all sides by film 18. In a further embodiment, the silo is designed as a vertical tank which is filled with the silage. The compacting is carried out in this case by the inherent weight of the silage or additional means and the nozzles 22 are fitted into the base and the walls of the tank.

[0028] The valve 24 is controllable by means of a computer 28 which in turn is connected to a first sensor 30 and a second sensor 32, i.e. sensors 30 and 32. The computer 28 could also be designed as a mobile device (smart phone or the like) and wirelessly control the valve 24. The valve 24 may be moved by the computer 28 between at least an open and closed position and in a developed embodiment also into one or more intermediate position(s).

[0029] The sensors 30 arranged inside the silage 16 detect the temperature of the silage 16 and the sensors 32 detect specific constituents of the silage 16, in particular those which indicate undesired putrefaction (for example butyric acid or ammonia or the pH value) or serve for detecting oxygen. The sensors 32 may be designed, for example, as near-infrared spectrometers or the like. It might also be possible to detect by means of the sensors 32 the quantity of gas from the container 26 which is located in the surroundings of the sensor 32 in order to be able to close the valve 24 again when a predetermined pressure or gas component is reached.

[0030] The sensors 30, 32, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may be connected by cable to the computer 28 (in this case the locations at which said cable passes through the film 18 would be sealed or the cables would be located below the film 18 and laid between the base 12 or the side walls 14, on the one hand, and the film 18, on the other hand, and here a suitable seal is provided in order to avoid the entry of atmospheric oxygen) or the sensors are wirelessly connected to the computer 28 in a signal-transmitting manner, for example by radio waves.

[0031] In contrast to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each nozzle 22 and line 20 may be individually assigned a valve 24 or in each case a plurality of nozzles 22 are connected to a bus bar 34 which is assigned a suitable valve 24, as shown in FIG. 2 for the nozzles 22 on the base 12 and on the left-hand wall 14. In other words, the nozzles 22 may be activated individually or in groups by the computer 28 and the valve 24, wherein the groups comprise locally adjacent nozzles 22, whether for the entire base 12 or a part thereof, or for an entire wall 14 or a limited part thereof, with nozzles 22 adjacent vertically or horizontally or in both directions. Also conceivable might be a simultaneous supply of all nozzles 22 by means of a single valve 24. A pressure regulator (not shown) may also be provided upstream or downstream of the valve 24 or integrated therein.

[0032] The gas in the container 26 is a chemically inactive (inert) gas such as a noble gas (helium, argon, etc.) or nitrogen. The silo 10, after being filled with the silage 16 and the compacting thereof and being covered with the film 18 and the termination of the aerobic phase of the fermentation, is thus filled with the gas in order to prevent the silage 16 from being spoiled by possibly penetrating atmospheric oxygen.

[0033] The supply of gas to the silo 10 may be carried out in the simplest case by a user input into the computer 28, for example when after observing the silo 10 the farmer comes to the conclusion that the aerobic phase is terminated. In addition, it might also be conceivable to dispense with the sensors 30, 32 and the computer 28 and to actuate the valve 24 by hand. In a developed embodiment, however, using the signals of the sensors 30 and/or 32 the computer 28 identifies the end of the aerobic phase and opens the valve 24, optionally according to a display of the intended filling of the silo 10 with the gas on a user interface 36, and a confirmation input being obtained from the farmer by means of a keyboard, or the like.

[0034] In this case, the filling of the silo 10 with gas with individual or group activation of the nozzles 22 initially takes place from below (by supplying the nozzles 22 arranged below) when the gas in the container 26 is lighter than air, such as for example in the case of helium, or similarly from above, by supplying the nozzles 22 arranged above when the gas in the container 26 is heavier than air. The gas which flows in potentially displaces atmospheric oxygen still present in the silage 16 or penetrating through a leak in the film 18 or between the film 18 and the walls 14 or the base 12 and prevents undesired putrefaction processes in the silage.

[0035] It might alternatively or additionally also be conceivable to supply the silage 16 with the gas from the container 26 only when undesired reactions occur or may occur in the silage due to atmospheric oxygen (for example in the case of directly establishing oxygen by means of a sensor 32), which is able to be identified by the computer 28 using the signals of the sensors 30, 32 distributed over the entire silo 10. In this case, either the entire silo 10 is supplied with gas or only the nozzles 22 which are adjacent to the adjacent sensor(s) 30 and/or 32, establishing the undesired reaction or the possibility thereof, are supplied individually or in groups. Additionally, based on the signals of the sensors 30, 32 a warning message may be provided on the user interface 36 relative to the position and optionally the size of the leakage, so that if required the farmer is able to seal the leakage. The sensors 30 detect possible temperature rises which indicate an undesired reaction and the sensors 32 detect the products of an undesired reaction (indirect detection) and/or penetrating atmospheric oxygen (direct detection). The sensors 32 could also be designed as sensors for detecting the pH value of the silage 16 which is also influenced by penetrating atmospheric oxygen.

[0036] The signals of the sensors 30, 32 may also serve to identify the position of an interface at which the silo 10 is opened for removing silage 16, so as to prevent on the basis thereof (with individual or group activation of the nozzles 22) an opening by means of the computer 28 and the valve 24 of the nozzles 22 which otherwise would discharge the gas into empty regions of the silo 10 (no longer filled with silage 16). Alternatively or additionally, the sensors 30, 32 serve to detect the oxygen component in the silage 16 (and/or undesired reaction products such as butyric acid or ammonia, see above) in the vicinity of the interface and if required to supply gas from the container 26 to the respectively adjacent nozzles 22 or as a precaution all of the nozzles 22 of the silo 10 (optionally with the exception of the nozzles 22, which would discharge their gas into the regions of the silo 10 which are already empty).

[0037] As used herein, “e.g.” is utilized to non-exhaustively list examples, and carries the same meaning as alternative illustrative phrases such as “including,” “including, but not limited to,” and “including without limitation.” As used herein, unless otherwise limited or modified, lists with elements that are separated by conjunctive terms (e.g., “and”) and that are also preceded by the phrase “one or more of,” “at least one of,” “at least,” or a like phrase, indicate configurations or arrangements that potentially include individual elements of the list, or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” and “one or more of A, B, and C” each indicate the possibility of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (A and B; A and C; B and C; or A, B, and C). As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Further, “comprises,” “includes,” and like phrases are intended to specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0038] The detailed description and the drawings or figures are supportive and descriptive of the disclosure, but the scope of the disclosure is defined solely by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the claimed teachings have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the disclosure defined in the appended claims.