PRODUCTION SURFACE WITH SYSTEM OF UNDERFLOOR HEATING AND/OR COOLING OF INSECT FEED, USE OF UNDERFLOOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BREEDING INSECTS USING THEREOF

Abstract

The first object of the invention is a production surface for rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects, which comprises: at least one breeding surface (14) for breeding insects for laying feed thereon and an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system (1) with a closed flow of heating-cooling medium for heating/cooling the feed on the breeding surface. The invention also relates to a method for breeding insects including a step of rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects using a production surface with an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system. Another object of the invention is a method for breeding insects including the steps of: laying the feed, heating/cooling the laid insect feed, and using an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system to heat and/or cool the feed on the breeding surface. Another object of the invention is a heated production surface for rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects comprising an electrical underfloor feed heating system (21), use thereof and a method for breeding using thereof.

Claims

1. A production surface for rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects, comprising: a) at least one breeding surface for breeding insects for laying the feed thereon, b) an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system with a closed flow of the heating-cooling medium for heating and/or cooling the feed on a breeding surface, wherein the underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system with a closed flow comprises at least one heating-cooling medium supply circuit and at least one heating-cooling medium return circuit connected to each other, and the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit are fluidly connected to a heat exchanger for heating/cooling the heating-cooling medium, and the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit comprise distributors for the heating-cooling medium, and to the heating-cooling medium distributor via a shut-off valve heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material are connected for the distribution of heat and/or cold on the breeding surface, wherein the heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material of the underfloor system for heating/cooling the feed on the breeding surface are permanently integrated directly into said at least one breeding surface for laying the feed for insect breeding thereon, wherein the heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material are placed under the breeding surface in at least two rows parallel to each other, wherein the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit are connected via a three-way valve, wherein the rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects concern insects of the orders Coleoptera and/or Diptera.

2. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the breeding surface comprises at least one story, which comprises an autonomous conveyor belt, with profiled lateral sidewalls arranged bilaterally along the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, the edges of the lateral sidewalls are bent inwards and wherein the heating medium is water or glycol.

3. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger provides heating/cooling of the heating-cooling medium to a temperature in the range of 15-50° C.

4. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the breeding surface made of a material with good thermally conductive properties selected from the group consisting of: copper, steel, aluminum, plastic, ceramic, concrete, and steel, including but not limited to, stainless steel.

5. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the heating-cooling pipes are made of a material with good thermally conductive properties selected from the group consisting of: copper, steel, aluminum, and synthetic material.

6. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is based on a source of electrical energy, gas or the use of heat/cooling pumps or recuperation.

7. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the heating-cooling pipes arranged in the breeding surface form at least two rows of heating-cooling pipes spaced from each other from 1 to 30 cm.

8. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit comprise a system of shut-off valves, drain valves, vents, at least one temperature sensor and at least one pressure sensor, which are fluidly connected to each other.

9. The production surface according to claim 1, wherein the heating-cooling medium return circuit comprises a rotameter or the heating-cooling medium supply circuit comprises a solid particle filter.

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. A method for breeding insects comprising a step of rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects, wherein in said step the feed is heated and/or cooled by means of an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system with a closed flow of heating-cooling medium for heating/cooling the feed on the breeding surface, and wherein the step of rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects is carried out on the production surface of claim 1.

13. A method for breeding insects comprising: a) feed at the storage temperature is laid on the breeding surface adapted for laying feed for breeding insects, b) insect feed laid on the breeding surface, on at least one breeding surface adapted for laying feed for breeding insects thereon is heated and/or cooled by means of an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system a closed system, wherein the underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system includes: c) at least one heating-cooling medium supply circuit and at least one heating-cooling medium return circuit connected to each other, and the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit are fluidly connected to a heat exchanger for heating/cooling the heating-cooling medium and the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit comprise heating-cooling medium distributors, and heating-cooling pipes made of thermally conductive material are connected to the heating-cooling medium distributor via a shut-off valve providing heat/cooling distribution on the breeding surface, wherein the pipes made of thermally conductive material of the system for heating/cooling the feed on the breeding surface are permanently integrated into at least one breeding surface for laying the feed for breeding insects thereon, wherein the heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material are arranged in at least two rows parallel to each other, wherein the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit are connected via a three-way valve, wherein rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects concern insects of the orders Coleoptera and/or Diptera.

14. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the feed is heated/cooled to a temperature in the range of 7′ C to −50° C. or wherein the heat exchanger provides heating/cooling of the heating-cooling medium to a temperature in the range of 7° C. to 50° C.

15. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the bred insects are placed in drawer, box, or self-supporting systems.

16. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the breeding surface comprises at least one story, provided with an autonomous conveyor belt with profiled lateral sidewalls arranged bilaterally along the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, and the edges of the lateral sidewalls are bent inwards, and wherein the heating medium is water or glycol.

17. (canceled)

18. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the heating-cooling pipes are made of a material with good thermally conductive properties selected from the group consisting of: copper, steel, aluminum, and synthetic material.

19. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the heat exchanger, is based on an electrical or gas energy source or the use of heat pumps or heat/cold recuperation.

20. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the heating-cooling pipes arranged in the breeding surface form at least two rows of heating-cooling pipes spaced from each other by from 1 to 30 cm.

21. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit include a system of shut-off valves, drain valves, vents, at least one temperature sensor and at least one pressure sensor, and are fluidly connected to each other.

22. The method for breeding insects according to claim 13, wherein the heating-cooling medium return circuit includes a rotameter or the heating-cooling medium supply circuit comprises a solid particle filter.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A method for using an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system with a closed flow, wherein the system is used to heat and/or cool feed on a breeding surface for breeding insects, wherein said underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system includes at least one heating-cooling medium supply circuit and at least one heating-cooling medium return circuit connected to each other, and the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit are fluidly connected with a heat exchanger for heating/cooling the heating-cooling medium, and the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit comprise heating-cooling medium distributors, and heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material for distribution of heat/cooling on the breeding surface are connected to the heating-cooling medium distributor via a shut-off valve, wherein the heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material of the system for heating/cooling the feed on the breeding surface are permanently integrated into at least one breeding surface for laying the feed for breeding insects thereon, wherein the heating-cooling pipes of thermally conductive material are arranged in at least two rows parallel to each other, wherein the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit are connected via a three-way valve, wherein the rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects concern insects of the orders Coleoptera and/or Diptera, wherein the breeding surface comprises at least one story, provided with an autonomous conveyor belt with profiled lateral sidewalls arranged bilaterally along the direction of movement of the conveyor belt, and the edges of the lateral sidewalls are bent inwards.

26. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heating-cooling medium is water or glycol.

27. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heat exchanger provides heating/cooling of the heating-cooling medium to a temperature in the range of 15-50° C.

28. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heating-cooling pipes are made of a material with good thermally conductive properties selected from the group consisting of: copper, steel, aluminum, and plastic.

29. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heat exchanger is based on an electrical or gas energy source or the use of heat pumps or heat/cold recuperation.

30. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heating-cooling pipes arranged in the breeding surface form at least two rows of heating-cooling pipes) spaced from each other by from 1 to 20 cm.

31. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heating-cooling medium supply circuit and the heating-cooling medium return circuit include a system of shut-off valves, drain valves, vents, at least one temperature sensor and at least one pressure sensor, and are fluidly connected to each other.

32. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the heating-cooling medium return circuit includes a rotameter or the heating-cooling medium supply circuit includes a solid particle filter.

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. The method for using the system according to claim 25, wherein the breeding surface is made of a material with good thermally conductive properties selected from the group consisting of: copper, steel, aluminum, plastic, ceramic, and concrete.

36. A heated production surface for rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects, comprising: a) at least one breeding surface for breeding insects for laying feed thereon, b) an underfloor feed heating system comprising an electrical underfloor heating system permanently placed in the breeding surface, wherein the electrical underfloor heating system is selected from the group consisting of: a heating mat or a heating cable.

37. The heated production surface for rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects according to claim 36, wherein the electrical underfloor heating system comprises a heating cable controlling the operation of the heating cable, said control-power unit being connected to an energy source.

38. A method for breeding insects comprising a step of rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects in which the feed is heated using a heated production surface for rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects, which comprises: a) at least one breeding surface for breeding insects for laying feed thereon, b) an underfloor feed heating system comprising an electrical underfloor heating system permanently placed in a breeding surface, wherein the electrical underfloor heating system is selected from the group consisting of a heating mat or a heating cable.

39. The method for breeding insects according to claim 38, wherein the electrical underfloor heating system comprises a heating cable placed in the breeding surface connected via connection wires to a control-power unit controlling the operation of the heating cable, said control-power unit being connected to an energy source.

40. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0066] The present invention has been illustrated in figures, which serve only to illustrate examples of the embodiment of the invention and do not limit its scope in any way.

[0067] FIG. 1. shows a diagram of an underfloor heating and/or cooling system of a breeding surface for breeding invertebrates.

[0068] FIG. 2. shows a part of an underfloor heating and/or cooling system supplying a heated medium when it is used to heat the feed; and supplying a cooled medium when it is used to cool the feed.

[0069] FIG. 3. shows a part of an underfloor heating and/or cooling system supplying a cooled medium when it is used to heat the feed, and supplying a heated medium when it is used to cool the feed.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of an underfloor heating/cooling system of a breeding surface for breeding invertebrates with multiple layouts of breeding surface.

[0071] FIG. 5. shows a temperature dependence on feed heating time (A), shows a cross-section of a breeding surface (one storey of a breeding line) with a conveyor belt with lateral sidewalls with bending, here preferred embodiment with double bending (B).

[0072] FIG. 6. shows a diagram of a fragment of a production line with a storey layout of breeding surfaces, for clarity an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system has been omitted from the figure.

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a breeding surface with an underfloor feed heating system which is an electrical underfloor heating system permanently placed in the breeding surface.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0074] The following examples are included only to illustrate the invention and to explain its particular aspects, not to limit it, and should not be equated with the entire scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Construction of an Underfloor Heating and/or Cooling System for a Breeding Line for Breeding and Rearing Insects

[0075] The underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system 1 for heating/cooling the feed in insect breeding (FIG. 1) consists of two parts of a closed heating-cooling medium circulation system. The first part of the system (FIG. 2) is connected at the outlet via the shut-off valve 12 to the heat exchanger 3 and constitutes the circuit supplying 17 the system with the heated/cooled heating-cooling medium. The second part of the system (FIG. 3) return circuit 18 serves to receive the cooled/heated heating-cooling medium and transfer it to the heat exchanger 3, where it is again heated/cooled. The circuits 17 and 18 are connected via heating-cooling pipes 15, which are embedded or otherwise permanently placed in the floor constituting the breeding surface 14. The method of permanently placing (integrating the pipes 15 into the heating/cooling surface/breeding surface 14) in the breeding surface 14 (floor) of the heating-cooling pipes is known in the field of construction. It should be made clear, for the sake of clarity, that by breeding surface 14 is meant a fragment of the floor or substrate on which the breeding is carried out. By permanently integrating the heating-cooling pipes 15 into the breeding surface 14, it should be understood that the heating-cooling pipes 15 are placed in a given fragment of the breeding surface on which insects are to be bred and, e.g., that the pipes are embedded in the given fragment of the breeding surface by filling it with a mass, so that the pipes 15 and the breeding surface 14 form a whole. The filling mass may be any building mass or any polymeric mass, a mixture thereof or any other mass known in the field of construction. The construction of the surface, in terms of construction, is of any design, but with the condition that the breeding surface 14 conducts heat well. Hence, the material required for its construction should provide good thermally conductive properties. The breeding surface 14 may comprise, at the point of direct contact with the breeding mass which is to be heated by the system 1, any thermally conductive material. The breeding surface may also be entirely made of such material. It is preferable if it is made of metal, e.g. copper, steel or aluminum, synthetic material, ceramic or concrete, or if the breeding surface is provided with a conveyor belt. However, stainless steel seems to be the best solution due to its ease of cleaning, approval for contact with food and feed materials and relatively low operating costs.

[0076] Each part of the system consists of the following constructional elements: [0077] a system of heating-cooling pipes 15 of oxygen-cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) discharging heat from the medium to the feed or transferring cold from the medium to the feed on breeding surfaces 14 with a system of shut-off valves 12; [0078] a system of filters 11, shut-off valves 12, vents 10; [0079] set of temperature sensors 7 and pressure sensors 8 for heating-cooling medium; [0080] heat exchanger 3, as a heat source in the form of a gas furnace or in the form of a heat pump as a source of both heat and cooling; [0081] a system of pipes 16 of carbon steel supplying the heating-cooling medium from the heat exchanger 3 to the distributor 13 supplying the PEX heating/cooling pipe system 15 with the heating-cooling medium; [0082] drain valves 5 for heating-cooling medium.

[0083] The part supplying the system with heated/cooled medium additionally comprises a drain valve 5, which enables draining the medium e.g. when servicing the line or needing to replace the medium, placed downstream of the first circulation pump 6 and a three-way valve 2 directly connected to upstream of the second circulation pump 6, it enables mixing the medium from both parts of the system in order, e.g. to regulate the pressure or temperature. Whereas the part of the system receiving the cooled/heated heating-cooling medium comprises a pressure equalization valve 4, placed upstream of the shut-off valve 12 connecting at the outlet of the second part of the system with the heat exchanger 3.

[0084] The heating-cooling medium in the underfloor system for heating the feed in insect breeding was water, heated by a gas furnace or heat pump as heat exchanger 3. The temperature of water leaving the furnace was 39° C. The heated water was discharged from the furnace or heat pump through a steel pipe 16 placed in an insulating bundle to minimize heat loss. The intensity of the water flow was 0.16 m.sup.3/h. The water, after passing through a solid particle filter 11 (mesh filter), was pumped by a circulation pump 6 to the distributor 13 of the heating-cooling installation placed on the production surface of the breeding surface 14 for insect breeding and rearing.

[0085] In order to discharge the heat to the feed, heated water is fed from the distributor 13 into a heating-cooling installation consisting of heating-cooling pipes 15, made of PEX, which are embedded in two rows 20 cm apart from each other along the breeding surface 14 intended for rearing insects. The heating-cooling pipes 15 are embedded directly in the breeding surfaces 14, onto which the feed for the bred insects is then laid. The laid feed has a temperature lower than the heating-cooling medium and of about 20° C., as a result of which it begins to receive its heat, until it reaches a thermal equilibrium at the level of 39° C. The water, cooled to a temperature of about 38° C., returns through the pipe system 15 to the heating device (heat exchanger 3) maintaining a constant temperature of the medium in the heating system.

[0086] Temperature sensors 7 as well as pressure sensors 8 of the heating-cooling medium are placed at specific points in the heating-cooling system, providing information about its physical parameters. A rotameter 9 is also installed at the entry to the breeding surfaces 14 in order to measure the flow rate of the medium. The gas boiler or heat pump is provided with an automatic temperature regulation allowing for any temperature setting in the range from 7 to 50° C.

[0087] The underfloor heating system 1 may also comprise a multiple layout of heating-cooling pipes 15, i.e. the heating-cooling medium supply circuit 17 and the return circuit 18 for the cooled medium may comprise a heating-cooling pipe layout led out to more than one breeding surface 14. FIG. 4 illustrates such a variant of embodiment of the invention. This is only an example showing that the breeding surfaces 14 may be more than one, and their number depends only on the adjustment of the flow in the remaining part of the system 1 and on the capacity of the heat exchanger 3.

Example 2: Use of an Underfloor Heating/Cooling System for Heating the Feed

[0088] Tests carried out during the testing of the system have shown that the feed in the described system heats up three times faster than in the open air, which translates into effectiveness and speed of use of this system in providing appropriate thermal conditions for insects.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Heating the feed with and without installed heating/cooling system (FIG. 5 A) Temperature ° C. Days Hour With the heating system Without the heating system 0 06:00 15 15 18:00 24 16 1 06:00 28 18 18:00 31 22 2 06:00 34 25 18:00 36 27 3 06:00 37 28 18:00 37 30 4 06:00 38 32 18:00 37 35 5 06:00 35 36 18:00 33 37 6 06:00 33 37 18:00 33 34 7 06:00 32 18:00 30 8 06:00 29 18:00 29 9 06:00 28 18:00 28

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Summary of results for heating the feed Feed heating No feed heating Type of feed Fruit and vegetable mix Fruit and vegetable mix Layer thickness 5-7 cm 5-7 cm Heating duration 6 days 9 days

Example 3: Comparative Measurement of Body Weight of Bred Insects and Feed Conversion Ratio

[0089] Comparative measurements were carried out using the breeding method according to the invention and known breeding methods without heating/cooling the feed.

[0090] Insects bred using the described breeding method according to the invention are characterized by a 25% faster fattening, achieving a 7.5% higher body weight at the end of the fattening, as well as a reduction of up to 12% in the feed conversion ratio (FCR).

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Results of an insect rearing experiment on surfaces with and without heating the feed. Feed heating No feed heating Type of feed Fruit and vegetable mix mix. Fruit and vegetable mix Insect species H. illucens H. illucens BWG kg/m.sup.2 6.51 5.93 FCR 6.81 7.5 Survival 92% 51% Rearing time 6   8

Example 4: Measurement of Insect Survival

[0091] Insects bred using the method according to the invention were characterized by reduced stress related to feeding the larvae, which increased their survival, which was observed to be up to 41% higher when using an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system 1 or a heated production surface, as compared to the standard rearing method where entire holding rooms are heated (Tab. 3).

Example 5: Use of an Underfloor Heating/Cooling System for Cooling the Feed

[0092] Tests carried out during the testing of the system have shown that the feed cools down quicker with an underfloor heating/cooling system for cooling the feed in the case of too high temperatures than in the open air, which translates into the effectiveness and speed of the use of this system in providing appropriate and stabilised close to optimal thermal conditions for the insects, as well as cooling them down and avoiding overheating or even killing them due to too high temperatures.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Cooling the feed with and without installed underfloor heating/cooling system. Temperature Days Hour With cooling system Without cooling system 1 06:00 38 38 18:00 35 38 2 06:00 30 37 18:00 29 37 3 06:00 28 36 18:00 28 34 4 06:00 28 32 18:00 28 31 5 06:00 30 18:00 30 6 06:00 29 18:00 28 7 06:00 28 18:00 28

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Summary of results for cooling the feed With feed cooling No feed cooling Type of feed Fruit and vegetable mix Fruit and vegetable mix Layer thickness 5-7 cm 5-7 cm Cooling duration 3 days 6 days

Example 6: Drying of Fertiliser

[0093] In this example of embodiment (Tab. 6 and Tab. 7), the use of an underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system and a heated production surface according to the invention for the drying of secondary metabolites by heating the breeding surface 14 after the production of insects including faeces, being a component of the fertilizer, is shown.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Results of experiment showing drying of faeces/fertiliser (FIG. 7) Feed moisture Heating system No heating Rearing days % dry mass % dry mass 1 25 25 2 30 27 3 40 30 4 60 35 5 70 40 6 80 50 7 60 8 70 9 80 10

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Summary of results for drying of fertilizer Feed heating No feed heating Start moisture 25% dry mass 25% dry mass Final moisture 80% dry mass 80% dry mass Type of feed Fruit and vegetable mix Fruit and vegetable mix Layer thickness 5-7 cm 5-7 cm Heating duration 6 days 9 days

Example 7: Construction of an Electrical Underfloor Heating System for Insect Breeding and Rearing

[0094] A heated production surface for rearing and/or breeding insects and/or larval forms of insects with an electrical underfloor heating system for heating the feed in insect breeding is shown in FIG. 7 and includes an electrical underfloor heating system 21 comprising a heating cable 23 embedded or otherwise permanently placed in the floor constituting the breeding surface 14. The method of permanently placing (integrating the heating cable 23 into the heating surface in the breeding surface 14 (floor) is known in the field of construction. It should be made clear, for the sake of clarity, that the breeding surface 14 should be understood as a fragment of the floor or substrate on which the breeding is carried out. By permanently integrating the electrical heating cables 23 into the breeding surface 14, it should be understood as placing the cables in a given fragment of the breeding surface 14, on which insect breeding is carried out, and, e.g., embedding these cables in the given fragment of the breeding surface 14 by filling it with a mass, in such a way that the heating cables 23 and the breeding surface form a whole. The filling mass may be any building mass or any polymeric mass, a mixture thereof or any other mass known in the construction field. The construction of the surface, in terms of construction, is of any design, but with the condition that the breeding surface 14 conducts heat well. Hence, the material required for its construction should provide good thermally conductive properties. The breeding surface 14 may comprise, in direct contact with the breeding mass (feed and insects) which is to be heated by the system, any thermally conductive material. The breeding surface may also be entirely made of such a material.

[0095] It is preferred for it to be of metal, e.g. copper, steel or aluminum, plastic, ceramic or concrete. However, stainless steel seems to be the best solution due to its ease of cleaning, approval for contact with food and feed materials and relatively low operating costs, or a breeding surface provided with a conveyor belt.

[0096] An electrical underfloor feed heating system for insect breeding and rearing includes the following constructional elements: [0097] heating cable 23 placed in the breeding surface 14; [0098] connection wires 24; [0099] feed temperature sensor 25 on the breeding surface; [0100] control-power unit 26, which powers the heating cable and controls the operation of the heating cable.

[0101] In order to transfer the heat to the feed, the heating cable 23 is powered by a current with predetermined parameters (voltage, frequency, amperage) controlled by the control-power unit 26 on the basis of data received from the feed temperature sensor 25. The control-power unit 26 is powered by an external power source coming from the mains or from a battery or a power generator. The control-power unit 26 is connected to the heating cable 23 via connection wires 24. The control-power unit allows to automatically change the parameters of the outgoing current in order to maintain the temperature of the heating cable within a predetermined temperature range from 7 to 50° C., preferably 20° C.−48° C., more preferably to 25-35° C., more preferably to 28-32° C. or other or zonally different.

[0102] An electrical underfloor heating system constituting a feed heating part in a heated production surface for rearing and/or breeding of insects and/or larval forms of insects may also comprise multiple layout of heating cables and the cables may be routed to more than one breeding surface.

[0103] When using an electrical underfloor feed heating system, the same results were obtained as in the case of an underfloor heating and/or cooling system with a closed flow of the heating-cooling medium, included in Tab. 3, 6, 7. The use of an electrical underfloor feed heating system allows to heat the feed to the desired temperature and stabilize it within the selected temperature range so as to ensure optimum breeding conditions for a given insect species (temperature optimum).

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0104] 1—underfloor feed heating and/or cooling system [0105] 2—three-way valve [0106] 3—heat exchanger [0107] 4—balancing valve [0108] 5—drain valve [0109] 6—circulation pump [0110] 7—temperature sensor [0111] 8—pressure sensor [0112] 9—rotameter [0113] 10—vent [0114] 11—solid particle filter [0115] 12—shut-off valves [0116] 13—distributor [0117] 14—breeding floor/surface [0118] 15—heating-cooling pipes (e.g. of PEX plastic) [0119] 16—pipes e.g. steel pipes [0120] 17—supply circuit [0121] 18—return circuit [0122] 19—conveyor belt [0123] 20—lateral sidewalls [0124] 21—electrical underfloor heating system [0125] 22—fragment/segment of a multi-storey production surface [0126] 23—heating cable [0127] 24—connection wires [0128] 25—feed temperature sensor [0129] 26—control-power unit