Pneumatic Transport of Insects

Abstract

A method and a device for transporting a plurality of insects from a chamber to a location via a channel, wherein the insects are transported by means of an apparatus for producing a medium flow, and wherein a transport additive is added to the medium flow during transport, the amount of the transport additive being set in accordance with the amount of insects moved.

Claims

1. A method for transporting a plurality of insects from a chamber via a channel to a location, wherein the insects are actively moved by means of the action of a medium flow, wherein the insects are at least partially actively moved via the medium flow from the chamber to further chambers and/or locations, wherein a carrier additive is added to the medium flow during transport, the amount of which is set in particular in accordance with the amount of insects moved.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein feed is added to the medium flow during transport, the amount of which is set in particular in accordance with the amount of insects moved.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an apparatus is provided for producing a medium flow adapted to at least partially actively transport the insects from the chamber to the location by means of the medium flow.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising a plurality of chambers and/or locations, wherein for at least one chamber at least one insertion opening is provided through which the insects are supplied, and the channel optionally connects the chamber to one of the further chambers or locations.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein an apparatus is used, by means of which the channel is at least partially moved in the direction of at least one chamber or location.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus for producing a medium flow produces a medium flow having a velocity in a range of 0.1 m/s to 80 m/s.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus for producing a medium flow is designed as a compressor station.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein bends are provided in the channel, which have a bending radius greater than 0.5 meter.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a shelf is provided with shelves for an arrangement of the insects.

10. A use of a carrier additive for the gentle transport of insects or very small animals in a medium flow, wherein a device is used for transporting a plurality of insects, said device having a chamber with insects, a channel connecting said chamber to a location, and an apparatus for producing a medium flow adapted to at least partially actively transport said insects from said chamber to said location by means of said medium flow.

11. A method for transporting a plurality of insects from a chamber via a channel to a location, wherein the insects are actively moved by means of the action of a medium flow.

12. A device for transporting a plurality of insects, in particular insect larvae, comprising a chamber with insects, and a channel connecting said chamber to a location, an apparatus for producing a medium flow adapted to at least partially actively transport said insects from said chamber to said location by means of said medium flow.

13. The method according to claim 2, wherein an apparatus is provided for producing a medium flow adapted to at least partially actively transport the insects from the chamber to the location by means of the medium flow.

14. The method according to claim 4, wherein an apparatus is used, by means of which the channel is at least partially moved in the direction of at least one chamber or location.

15. The method according to 4, wherein the apparatus for producing a medium flow produces a medium flow having a velocity in a range of 0.1 m/s to 80 m/s.

16. The method according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus for producing a medium flow is designed as a compressor station, in particular as side channel compressor, piston compressor or the like.

17. The method according to claim 4, wherein bends are provided in the channel, which have a bending radius greater than 0.5 meter.

18. The method according to claim 7, wherein the compressor station comprises a side channel compressor.

19. The method according to claim 7, wherein the compressor station comprises a piston compressor.

Description

[0045] In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device for transporting a plurality of insects, in particular insect larvae;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged schematic representation of a portion of a channel in the area of a bend, in cross-section, labeled A-A in FIG. 1; and

[0048] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged schematic representation of a nozzle in the end area of the channel of FIG. 1 in the area marked X.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic, partially cut representation a device for transporting objects and/or living creatures. In the embodiment shown, insects, in particular insect larvae, are transported using the device for transporting. The device has a chamber 1 into which insects can be filled or the insects are present in the chamber 1. Furthermore, the device has a channel 2. The channel 2 connects the chamber 1 with a location 3 to which the insects are transported. Furthermore, an apparatus 4 for producing a medium flow is provided. By means of the medium flow, the insects or insect larvae can be at least partially actively transported from the chamber 1 to the location 2.

[0050] The chamber 1 has an insertion opening 6 through which the insects can be fed. The chamber 1 can be separated from a sluice 8 designed as a rotary feeder by means of a slider 7. By means of the sluice 8, the insects or insect larvae can be fed to the channel 2.

[0051] The sluice 8 is designed as a rotary feeder and has a sluice wheel 9 rotating about an axis of rotation that extends perpendicular to the paper axis and intersects the center D of the sluice wheel 9. The sluice wheel has blades 10 curved in the plane transverse to the axis of rotation.

[0052] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an additional or alternative introduction of a medium flow is provided at a bend, curve or bend K of the channel 2 (FIG. 3). For this purpose, the wall of the channel 2 in this area has a feed 11 for feeding the additional medium flow, which is arranged on the outside of the curve, bend or arc. Inside the channel 2, in the curve K, the inner wall of the channel 2 adjacent to the outside of the curve is lined with porous material 12. The porous material 12 allows the additional medium flow introduced into the channel 2 by the feed 11 to diffuse into the free portion of the channel 2. A medium flow pad 13 can form between the porous material 12 and the free portion of the channel 2.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the area X of FIG. 1. In the area of the location 3, an outlet opening 14 is provided, where the wall of the channel 2 is bent in over an angular range of the circumference in the end area. For this purpose, FIG. 2 shows a curved upper area in which a radius is indicated schematically transverse to the longitudinal extent of the channel 2. The lower area at the outlet opening 14 extends straight across the longitudinal extent of the channel 2.

[0054] The application describes the following embodiments:

1. A method for transporting a plurality of insects from a chamber (1) via a channel (2) to a location (3), wherein the insects are actively moved by means of the action of a medium flow.
2. The method according to embodiment 1, wherein the insects are at least partially actively moved via the medium flow from the chamber (1) to further chambers (2) and/or locations.
3. The method according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein feed and/or a transport additive is added to the medium flow during transport, the amount of which is set in particular in accordance with the amount of insects moved.
4. A device for transporting a plurality of insects, in particular insect larvae, characterized by a chamber (1) with insects, and a channel (2) connecting said chamber (1) to a location (3), an apparatus (4) for producing a medium flow adapted to at least partially actively transport said insects from said chamber (1) to said location (3) by means of said medium flow.
5. The device according to embodiment 4 having a plurality of chambers (1) and/or locations, wherein for at least one chamber (1) at least one insertion opening (6, 7) is provided through which the insects can be supplied and the channel (2) is designed to connect the room (1) selectively with one of the further chambers (1) or locations.
6. The device according to embodiment 4 or 5, having an apparatus to at least partially move the channel (2) in the direction of at least one chamber (1) or location.
7. The device according to any one of embodiments 4 to 6, wherein the apparatus (4) for producing medium flow is designed to produce a medium flow at a velocity in a range of 0.1 m/s to 80 m/s.
8. The device according to any one of embodiments 4 to 7, wherein the apparatus (4) for producing a medium flow is designed as a compressor station, in particular as a side-channel compressor, piston compressor or the like.
9. The device according to any one of embodiments 4 to 8, wherein bends are provided in the channel (2) which have a bending radius greater than 0.5 meter.
10. An insect development station having a device according to any one of embodiments 4 to 9.
11. The development station according to embodiment 10, wherein there is a shelf with shelves for arrangement of the insects.
12. An automated insect rearing and handling system comprising at least one device according to any one of embodiments 4 to 11, wherein the insects are provided in different stations and the stations are operated in an automated manner with respect to handling and transport.
13. A use of an apparatus (4) for producing a medium flow for transporting a plurality of insects, in particular insect larvae, from a chamber (1) to a location (3) via a channel (2) by means of the medium flow, wherein the medium flow at least partially actively moves the insects from the chamber (1) to the location (3).
14. The use of a carrier additive for the gentle transport of insects or very small animals in a medium flow, wherein, in particular, a device in accordance with any one of embodiments 1 to 9 is used.