Patent Application
20130255144
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to methods and apparatuses for sterilizing soil in agriculture and horticultural businesses and practices, and more particularly, to both a method and apparatus for sterilizing soil in the field by pressure providing a replacement for chemical methods such as the use of methyl bromide and the like.
2. Background Art
The present invention is a method and apparatus for sterilizing soil in agriculture and horticultural businesses and practices which uses pressure to sterilize the soil in the field, and thus provides an environmentally clean and efficient replacement for chemical methods such as the use of methyl bromide and the like.
In all agricultural and horticultural businesses and practices, soil pathogens, weed seeds, nematodes, and microbes are an ever present problem. Numerous methods and apparatuses have been proposed and implemented in attempts to limit disease and crop loss due to soil pathogens, weed seeds, nematodes, and microbes. The principal prior means for soil sterilization are steam, heat, solarization, herbicides, and fungicides.
For example, heat has been used in a number of applications in the form of steam, heat chambers, flame apparatuses, and burners. However, a number of limitations arise when heat is used, primarily its expense, and problems with reliability and affordable application.
A wide variety of soil treatment chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and anti-microbials have also been proposed and implemented. Although some such treatments have limited usefulness, in all cases there is a trade-off with environmental contamination of the soil, the crops being grown in the soil, run-off water, and the like. Furthermore, many jurisdictions have now made the use of such chemicals illegal or have severely limited their use. For example, methyl bromide was a fairly efficient soil treatment method, but due to its toxicity is now banned in many areas. Currently chemical fumigation costs around $3500 per acre.
Solarization techniques have also been attempted to sterilize soil, where typically plastic sheets are used, or by connecting a series of tarpaulins with long-lasting heat resistant glue. However, these techniques are very expensive, often with the plastic or tarpaulins becoming brittle and tearing after long use, and are greatly limited when large acreages are involved.
Accordingly, there is a great need for a clean, efficient, and inexpensive way to sterilize soil in the field and other growing mediums in agriculture and horticulture businesses and practices. The present invention provides, for the first time a method and apparatus for soil sterilization which uses pressure to sterilize the soil or other growing medium. The method and apparatus disclosed herein, is efficient, reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. It is effective to control many soil pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and specific weeds, and specifically is very useful to control verticillium, nematodes, weed seeds and the like.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for the sterilization or partial sterilization of soil in the field by pressure comprising grinding up soil using a rototilling mechanism, creating a pulverized soil; conveying the pulverized soil to a two-part holding container, the two-part holding container has an upper section and a lower section, the upper section and the lower section of the two-part holding container having a dividing element allowing for the controlled movement of pulverized soil; and, transferring the pulverized soil from the lower section of the two-part holder container to a middle container which operably is linked to a pressurization mechanism, thereby allowing for the pulverized soil to be treated and sterilized with high pressure in the middle container resulting in a treated soil. The treated soil is then transferred to a transfer container being configured to shape a growing bed to a desired configuration using the treated soil which is deposited there.
The preferred apparatus of the present invention, for partial or complete soil sterilization comprises, in one embodiment, a rototilling mechanism for grinding up soil, a two-part holding container, the two-part holding container comprising an upper section and a lower section, the upper section and the lower section of the two-part holding container having a dividing element allowing for the controlled movement of the soil from the upper section to the lower section of the two-part holding container. A middle container is operably linked to the two-part holding container, and being operably linked to a pressurization mechanism, thereby allowing for the soil to be treated and sterilized with high pressure in the middle container resulting in a treated soil. A transfer container is provided being configured to shape a growing bed to a desired configuration using the treated soil which is deposited there. The energy required to pressurize the middle container may come from a tractor which may also pull the apparatus, or from a separate engine.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with a general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, exemplary embodiments illustrating the principles of the present disclosure and how it may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
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Middle container 28, is operably connected to a pressurization mechanism which may be a pressure hose 60, powered from tractor 12, a compressor, or from a separate engine. When door 29, which is preferably a sliding type door, and controlled by control wire 58, communicatively linked to control panel 50, closes, pressurization of middle container 28, may begin, thereby allowing for the soil to be treated and sterilized with high pressure in said middle container resulting in a treated soil. Depending on whether partial or complete sterilization is desired pressure within middle container 28, can be adjusted, from lower pressures to hundreds of times or more atmospheric pressure, if certain microbes and pathogens are to be eliminated. A wireless control mechanism can replace control wire 58, in other embodiments.
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Transfer container 34, is preferably configured with upper sliding door or panel 36, with control wire 51, and receives the sterilized soil from middle container 28. Transfer container 34 preferably has aperture or opening 37, with door 38, controlled by control wire 66, operably linked to control panel 50. Control wire 66, can be replaced by a wireless control mechanism, in other embodiments. Transfer container 34, is preferably configured to shape a growing bed to a desired configuration, using growing bed shaper 40, which may be wedge, plow shaped, or any other configuration desired, so as the treated soil is deposited, a desired configuration of growing bed in created with the treated soil. Soil grinding mechanism, soil grinder 71, may be operably positioned in transfer container 34. Grinder 71, is used to break up the pressurized treated soil which may crust or clump up. Soil grinder 71, is preferably positioned near the top of transfer container 34, and has mount/axle 72, operably connected to control and power wire 73.
Preferably, if middle container holds, for example, X volume of soil, upper container 20, and transfer container 34, would be sized to hold plus or minus 5 times the amount of soil as middle container 28. This allows the entire apparatus 10, to maintain a steady forward movement, when moved by tractor 12, or when a separate engine is used. The forward movement speed will be determined by how much time the pressurization chamber requires to kill the pathogens.
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Apparatus 10, may be housed in housing 65, as shown in
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In operation and use apparatus 10, and the methods described herein, provide for a clean, efficient, and inexpensive way to sterilize or partially sterilize soil in the field, and other growing mediums in agriculture and horticulture businesses and practices, both large and small scale. The present invention provides, for the first time a method and apparatus 10, for soil sterilization which uses pressure to sterilize the soil or other growing medium. The method and apparatus described herein may be used in combination with heat, as provided by heat element 41, or in some circumstances with chemicals such as fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and the like, albeit, at far lower concentrations than conventionally required. The method and apparatus 10, disclosed herein, is efficient, reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. It is effective to control many soil pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and weeds, and the like, and specifically is very useful to control pests such verticillium, nematodes, and weed seeds. Apparatus 10, may be used and powered by a tractor 12, or separate engine and compressor 70, and may be variously configured for different applications, larger for agricultural operations and smaller versions for horticultural or small scale farms, and organic farms.
Additional advantages and modification will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. For examples various type of compressors and engines to power the compressors may be used to pressurize and treat the soil, manual mechanisms may be substituted for the wire or wireless controls on the different doors and openings, and numerous housing configurations may be used. Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.
