CN112236035B

CN112236035B - Method for stimulating sap to actively flow out of tree

Info

Publication number: CN112236035B
Application number: CN201980023039.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 斯科特·奥德温宁
Original assignee: Si KeteAodewenning
Current assignee: Si KeteAodewenning
Priority date: 2018-03-13
Filing date: 2019-03-13
Publication date: 2023-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2039-03-13
Also published as: WO2019197906A3; WO2019197906A2; CA3219549A1; CN115777484A; CN112236035A; CA3092751A1; CN113207613A; CA3092751C

Abstract

A method of stimulating active outflow of sap from multiple outflow tubes of a tree by wrapping the tree with a metal liner and an elastic tube, adding an insulated outer shell, and flowing a heated or cooled anti-freeze fluid through the elastic tube to heat or cool a portion of the trunk. At least one fluid pump, heat exchanger and controller are used to adjust the temperature based on forest information and weather history information to create a more efficient sap collection and treatment method.

Description

Method for stimulating sap to actively flow out of tree

Cross-referencing

This application claims priority from provisional application No. 62/642,278 entitled "method of stimulating active egress of sap from trees" filed on us patent and trademark office at 3/13 of 2018 and us non-provisional application No. 16/352,216 entitled "method of stimulating active egress of sap from trees" filed on 3/13 of 2019, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method for stimulating the active outflow of sap from maple and other trees having a desired sap.

Background

There is a need for a method to extend the time to harvest and collect sap from a tree. Sap is typically harvested through an outflow tube (sometimes referred to as a spigot) that is inserted into a corresponding threaded hole in the trunk of the tree during dormancy. Sap flows out of the tree through outflow pipes and is then further collected. Some use a bucket or similar container to collect sap that drips under gravity and accumulates below the outflow pipe. Others draw sap to a central sap processing facility and use vacuum systems to effect the collection of sap.

There is a need to improve the time during which sap is drained from trees and to collect the sap with a device that does not damage the trees. So that sap can be obtained from all kinds of maples, walnuts, ash walnuts, linden trees, pecans and other possible trees.

Drawings

The embodiments will be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts the installation of a partial device on a single tree according to one or more embodiments that may be used in the present method.

FIG. 2 depicts a single tree device with an outer shell installed in accordance with one or more embodiments that may be used in the present method.

Fig. 3 depicts an embodiment of a system for stimulating the active outflow of sap according to one or more embodiments that may be used in the present method.

FIG. 4 is a system diagram of a maple forest installed with an attached sap handling system in accordance with one or more embodiments that can be used in the present methods.

FIGS. 5A and 5B depict a housing having a plurality of closable portholes and a plurality of fasteners, according to one or more embodiments that may be used in the present method.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a processor connected to a network in accordance with one or more embodiments that may be used in the present method.

Fig. 7A and 7B show an embodiment of a main boiler and a main chiller that can be used in the present method.

FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of a sap collection circuit bundled with a return hose within an insulated enclosure that may be used in the present method.

Fig. 9A and 9B depict a controller that may be used in the present method.

Fig. 10A and 10B depict steps of the method of the present invention.

Fig. 11A and 11B depict historical databases of exemplary forests that may be used in the present method.

The present embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the listed drawings.

Detailed Description

Before explaining the present method in detail, it is to be understood that the present method is not limited to particular embodiments and that the present method may be practiced or carried out in various ways.

The present invention relates to a method of stimulating active outflow of sap from a plurality of outflow tubes by wrapping trees with a metal inner liner and an elastic tube, adding an insulating outer shell, and flowing a heated or cooled anti-freeze fluid through the elastic tube to heat or cool a portion of the trunk. The temperature is adjusted based on forest information and weather history information using at least one fluid pump, heat exchanger and controller to create a more efficient sap collection and treatment method.

The method uses apparatus to artificially stimulate certain trees to produce sap, typically by heating or cooling a separate portion of the trunk in contact with the ground.

There is a need for a method of increasing sap production during tree dormancy under insufficiently warm day and insufficiently cold night conditions, and wherein the sap production stimulated during the dormancy is affected by ambient weather conditions from one fifth the average daily production during conventional sap recovery periods to up to one and one half times the average daily production during conventional sap recovery periods.

There is a need to increase sap production from maple, walnut, ash walnut, basswood, hickory and possibly other trees.

The method allows the operator to heat or cool only a portion of the trunk of certain species of trees to stimulate sap production.

In an embodiment of the method, an expandable insulating outer shell or plastic shell would be added on top of the hose and metal liner to form a layer of hot or cold air as an insulating layer and as a weather barrier.

To accommodate tree harvesting in different locations per year, a "closeable porthole" design may be used for this enclosure.

The method also involves the use of a main boiler and a main refrigerator, wherein the central boiler will heat the fluid to be pumped out into the forest and the central refrigerator will cool the fluid to be pumped out into the forest.

This method artificially stimulates sap production in certain trees by applying cold and heat to a small portion of the tree trunk in contact with the ground.

In an embodiment of the method, cold temperatures during the night can freeze the trees, and then a portion of the trunk can be heated during the day, causing sap to flow. It is expected that such daytime heating will be particularly effective in areas where the temperature is close during the day, but not sufficient to melt the sap during the day.

In an embodiment of the method, a part of the trunk may be cooled during the night, and then warm temperatures during the day may heat the tree, causing sap to flow. It is expected that this nighttime cooling is particularly effective in areas where nighttime temperatures are close but not sufficient to freeze the sap overnight.

The method comprises the step of distributing heating fluid from a main boiler or cooling fluid from a main chiller to one or more trees in a controlled manner.

In embodiments of the method, a plurality of trees may be heat or cold treated and may be distributed over a wide area, sometimes up to 1000 acres or 4046859 square meters or more.

The method can be used for tree groups, each group of tree groups is provided with a tree heating loop, and the tree groups such as 25 maple sugar trees can be influenced.

In an embodiment of the method, each tree heating circuit may comprise: a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the boiler to the tree heating fluid; the controller is used for acquiring the temperature of the tree heating liquid and opening or closing the heat exchanger according to the requirement; a fluid pump, such as a water pump, continuously pumps the tree heating fluid through the supply hose onto the trees and through the return hose back to the heat exchanger.

In embodiments of the present method, the plastic tubing, fittings and equipment used to collect sap from a flock of trees may be referred to herein as a "sap collection circuit" which includes specific components for a flock of trees, such as for 25 maple sugar trees.

In an embodiment of the method, each sap collection circuit may use a vacuum pump in the sap handling device that will create a vacuum in the plastic tubing that will connect to the outflow conduit of the tree and draw sap through the plastic tubing into the sap handling device. The vacuum pump will also be connected to a sap extractor which can extract sap from the plastic tubing into a sap storage tank while maintaining a vacuum in the plastic tubing.

In an embodiment, each sap collection circuit may be bundled with a heated fluid return hose within an insulated enclosure to ensure that sap continues to flow in cold climates.

In an embodiment of the method, a refrigerator may be used to stimulate production of sap, and waste heat from the refrigerator may be used in the juice concentrate processing to produce syrup.

The refrigerator introduces a new source of recoverable waste heat. Instead of releasing its heat, a heat sink (heat sink) may be used to store the waste heat when operating the refrigerator. Reverse osmosis filters may be used to remove water from the sap and a radiator may be used to preheat the filtered sap before it is boiled in the evaporator.

A controller may be used in the present method to regulate the temperature of the fluid flowing to the trees. The controller may use historical information about the forest and historical information about the current climate to determine whether more heat must be removed from the anti-freeze fluid or whether more heat needs to be applied to the anti-freeze fluid before delivering the anti-freeze fluid to the forest trees.

The method can combine the condenser and the evaporator in the sap treatment process, and condense the water vapor generated by the evaporator to generate more purified water, and the water can be bottled and sold separately from the sap.

In an embodiment, a water vapor condenser may be used as a heat exchanger to heat the concentrate before it enters the evaporator for boiling.

In an embodiment, the sap may be heat treated with solar energy. An optimized parabolic solar collector device can be used to heat the fluid of the system.

In another form of the method, heated anti-freeze fluid is pumped into forest trees for a period of time to warm the trees prior to sap removal. The sap will then start to flow and continue to flow after the heated anti-freeze fluid stops flowing to the forest. Geothermal boilers or other heating devices may be used to effect heating in sequence or simultaneously as solar heating is applied.

In embodiments, the method may use waste heat from system equipment (e.g., a filling machine) to process the sap or heat the antifreeze fluid.

In an embodiment, the method may use a heat sink that may utilize waste heat from the evaporator and the filling machine: first, the collected sap is preheated after being concentrated by the reverse osmosis filter and before being injected into the evaporator. And/or second, after the circuit through the forest, increasing the heat of the fluid in the boiler before the fluid is once heated by the main boiler.

Forest fires are prevented by controlling the heat into and out of the trunk to stimulate the active flow of sap from the tree without the need to use open flames adjacent to the tree or in the forest.

Methods of stimulating active sap outflow protect wildlife in forests by providing for sap to flow in the trees rather than emitting smoke into the air or using uncontrolled and unmonitored heating devices.

The method creates an artificial, controlled freeze-thaw cycle that enables the economical production of purified water and syrup in autumn, winter and spring throughout the dormancy of trees producing sap. The system of the invention prolongs the production period of syrup.

The process allows for the economical production of purified water and syrup by extracting purified water from alternative, relatively small distributed sources, instead of using water from a local natural source (e.g., a stream) or by draining an aquifer. The system enables the widespread use of pure water sources distributed over a wide geographical area.

The method can realize the production of pure water and syrup in areas far beyond the geographical limit of the current syrup production. The system expands the geographical area of syrup production and can create employment opportunities in remote areas where agricultural activity is not present.

The present method provides a means of protecting current syrup producers from climatic and local weather conditions changes by creating a stable freeze-thaw cycle that will produce known amounts of pure water and syrup.

The method eliminates the risk of yield in syrup production. The method will encourage land owners and lenders to participate in the sap collection industry and encourage new entrants to the industry.

The present invention allows syrup operators to utilize the land and assets that they have deployed to produce more pure water and syrup.

The present method can make more efficient use of capital already deployed.

The method can produce enough sap, and other sap except maple can reach the scale economy, thereby enabling the mass production of pure sap syrups such as walnut syrup, basswood syrup, hickory syrup and the like.

The method can economically produce syrup of sap other than maple in large quantities.

Use of the present method will provide more employment opportunities and will attract forestry workers in a much longer period than traditional sap production periods (which are typically 6 to 12 weeks in spring) and provide them with profitable employment opportunities. The invention will create a longer work cycle for seasonal workers.

The method effectively utilizes waste heat to save energy sources required for producing pure water and syrup as much as possible.

The present invention uses renewable energy sources to provide the heat and/or cooling energy required to stimulate sap production and to provide the heat required to evaporate the moisture in the sap to produce syrup, thereby preventing a) the production of greenhouse gases by heating through the combustion of fossil fuels, or b) the generation of large electrical loads on the electrical grid in remote areas.

The present invention avoids the cost and difficulty of servicing large and remote electrical loads.

The present invention uses the following definitions:

the term "closable porthole" refers to an opening in the casing allowing an outflow hose to be extended for connection to a sap collection circuit. The closable porthole can be of various shapes: circular, square, rectangular, triangular, ranging in size from 1 inch or 2.54 cm in diameter (to accommodate only one outflow tube) to larger (to drill holes in larger spaces or to accommodate multiple outflow tubes).

The term "instruction" as used herein may be a pre-write instruction in the second data store to control the operation of each controller; the instructions include an emergency disconnect switch. The instructions may include: increasing the flow rate of the heated fluid at the pump, and increasing the target fluid temperature range.

The term "concentrated sap" may refer to a leachate, which is a product containing impurities that are produced by passing the sap through a reverse osmosis filter. The concentrated sap may have a sugar content of from 8% to 40% depending on the sugar content of the sap entering the reverse osmosis filter and the mass of the reverse osmosis filter.

The term "condenser" refers to a device for condensing water vapor. An example of this is the surface condenser of a shell and tube heat exchanger, where the concentrated sap flows through the tube side and the water vapour enters the shell side where condensation takes place outside the tubes. This process also has the advantage of preheating the concentrated sap before it enters the evaporator. The condenser may be an Alfaval Visco Line multitubular Unit.

The term "controller" refers to a device having a processor and data storage with computer instructions for instructing the processor to control the rate of the fluid pump and computer instructions for controlling the temperature of the antifreeze fluid to and from the heat exchanger using at least one of: a preset value for a particular forest stored in the data store, a library of preset values for multiple types of forests stored in the data store, and instructions provided from a second processor at a remote location over a network.

The term "evaporator" refers to a device designed to boil the sap until it is approximately 66% sugar, a state of which is known as syrup. The evaporator may be a Lapierre primary evaporator having trays (pans) of 24 inches by 72 inches or 60.96 cm by 182.88 cm in size that can handle 100 to 300 effluent streams.

The term "expandable fastener" refers to a stretchable cord. For example, the expandable fastener may be a 7 inch or 17.78 cm polyurethane elastic band with S-shaped hooks, with a total length of 12 inches or 30.48 cm. The S-shaped hook of the fastener may be attached to an eyelet at the vertical ends of the housing, connecting the vertical ends together around the trunk.

The term "filtered water" may refer to pure water, which is a product of a tree fluid passing through a reverse osmosis filter.

The term "first data memory" may refer to a non-transitory machine-readable memory, such as Lenovo Laptop IdeaPad ^TM The upper memory is an 8GB data memory.

The term "first processor" may refer to a processor in a notebook computer, such as Lenovo Laptop IdeaPad ^TM It may be an AMD A9-9425.1GHz processor that may communicate with two other processors.

The term "antifreeze fluid" refers to a fluid that is anticoagulated at temperatures as low as Fahrenheit or-40 degrees Celsius.

As used herein, the term "main boiler" refers to a device or system that is fluidly connected to a heat exchanger to sequentially provide superheated fluid to the heat exchanger. The main boiler may be at least one of: geothermal systems, solar heating systems, radiators, combustion boilers and electric boilers or combinations thereof. One example of a main boiler may be an NTI corporation boiler model TX151C "combi" boiler.

The term "main chiller" as used herein refers to a device fluidly connected to a heat exchanger for sequentially providing a cooled fluid to the heat exchanger. The main refrigerator may be at least one of: geothermal system, electric refrigerator and gas refrigerator or their combination. One example of a primary chiller may be a cryogenic process chiller capable of cooling a freeze resistant fluid to-40 degrees Fahrenheit or-40 degrees Celsius, such as a 150 gallon or 568 liter Mydax CryoDax cryo-pumped chiller.

The term "metal liner" refers to a continuous metal layer, such as aluminum Foil, e.g. Handi-Foil ^TM General purpose aluminium foil.

The term "network" refers to the internet, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, a cellular network, a local area network, a wide area network, or a combination of these networks.

The term "reverse osmosis filter" may be a filter that will push water through a permeable membrane to remove impurities. A certain amount of sap using a reverse osmosis filter will result in a certain amount of pure water and a certain amount of percolate or concentrated sap. During the processing of maple syrup, the percolate is retained and boiled to make maple syrup. A useful reverse osmosis filter may be the Lapierre TURBO-8042-250-3HP 2000 series, which can process 1000 liters of sap per hour, and can process 500 to 2500 outflow ports.

The term "sap collection circuit" refers to a series of flexible pipes connected from effluent pipes on the tree to a vacuum pump, a sap extractor and a sap collection tank. In an embodiment, the sap collection circuit is bundled together with hoses containing heated anti-freeze fluid in insulated conduits to ensure mobility of sap in the sap collection circuit under freezing temperature conditions of the forest.

The term "sap flow rate" may refer to a sap flow rate from a tree, including half a pint per day to one gallon per day or 3.8 liters per day or more.

The term "second data memory" may refer to a non-transitory machine-readable memory, such as Lenovo Laptop IdeaPad ^TM The upper memory is an 8GB data memory.

The term "second processor" may refer to a processor in a notebook computer, such as Lenovo Laptop IdeaPad ^TM It may be an AMD A9-9425.1ghz processor that may communicate with at least one other processor or several other processors, as appropriate.

The term "shell" refers to a single or multi-layer structure of insulating material applied to a flexible pipe on a tree trunk to capture the heat provided by the flexible pipe. For example, a multi-layer foam packaging insulation material, such as rFOIL 2290 standard reflective duct insulation, may be used.

The term "outflow conduit" refers to a plastic tube that collects sap from the exit holes of the trunk and conducts it out of the tree. The outflow tube may be a Lapierre 3/16 inch or 0.48 cm transparent seasonal elbow.

The term "syrup filler" is a machine that fills syrup into bottles in a controlled manner. Reference may be made to the H20 Innovation ereaemb 360 maple syrup filling machine which fills 450 bottles of syrup with a volume of 250mL per hour.

The term "target fluid flow rate" refers to the flow rate of the antifreeze fluid, which may be a flow rate of 10 gallons or 37.85 liters per minute to 100 gallons or 378.5 liters per minute or more.

The term "target temperature range" refers to a temperature range applied to the anti-freeze fluid, such as a temperature range varying from-40 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or 93.3 degrees Celsius.

The term "third processor" may refer to a processor in a notebook computer, such as Lenovo Laptop IdeaPad ^TM The processor may be an AMD A9-9425.1GHz processor that may communicate with two other processors.

The term "liquid filling machine" may refer to various types of automatic filling machines, such as Neptune 1000BPH (filling per hour) semi-automatic filling lines.

The present invention provides a method of stimulating the active outflow of sap from at least one live tree having a trunk.

A method of stimulating the active outflow of sap from at least one live tree having a trunk, the method comprising installing a metal liner around a length of the trunk and wrapping the trunk with a flexible tube on the metal liner, the flexible tube being connected at one end to a supply hose and at the other end to a return hose.

Next, an outer shell may be installed over the flexible tube and the metal liner, thereby forming an air insulation layer around the flexible tube and over the metal liner.

The outflow tube can be inserted into the tree through the housing. The outflow pipe may be fluidly connected to the sap collection circuit and connect the sap collection circuit to the pump while tying the sap collection circuit with the return hose.

The supply hose and the return hose are fluidly connected to a first fluid pump. A first fluid pump is connected to the heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger is connected to a second fluid pump and a first source.

The superheated antifreeze fluid from the first source is temperature-modified in the heat exchanger, the temperature of the superheated antifreeze fluid is reduced by the heat exchanger, and the temperature-modified superheated antifreeze fluid is then flowed to the at least one tree through the supply hose. Sap is collected using a sap collection circuit.

The controller controls the rate of the fluid pump, the temperature of the antifreeze fluid entering and exiting the supply hose and the return hose using at least one of: a library of preset values for a particular forest stored in a data store of the controller, preset values for a plurality of types of forests in the data store, thereby extending a sap recovery period of at least one tree. As shown, historical data on temperature and forest composition may be used for these calculations.

In an embodiment, the metal liner is secured to a length of trunk using tape.

In an embodiment, the elastic tube is wound around the tree in a helical configuration.

In an embodiment, the outer shell is mounted over the elastic tube and the metal liner, thereby forming an air insulation layer around the elastic tube using the plurality of expandable fasteners.

In an embodiment, the outflow pipe is mounted on the tree through a closable porthole in the housing.

In an embodiment, the vacuum pump is a pump in the sap collection circuit.

In an embodiment, the sap collection circuit bundled with the return hose is insulated wrapped.

In an embodiment, the supply hose is thermally insulated.

In an embodiment, the main boiler provides superheated fluid as a first source to the second fluid pump.

In an embodiment, the refrigerator provides subcooled antifreeze fluid as a first source to the second fluid pump.

In an embodiment, the main boiler and the main chiller may be used as a first source and a second source to provide superheated and sub-cooled antifreeze fluid to the heat exchanger in sequence.

In embodiments, the sap collection circuit may be fluidly connected to a sap extractor that is connected to a pump and a sap storage tank.

In an embodiment, when the primary boiler and the primary refrigerator are used simultaneously, the controller is operable to stop flow of the superheated antifreeze fluid to the heat exchanger while simultaneously initiating sequential flow of the subcooled antifreeze fluid from the second source to the heat exchanger and flowing the modified temperature subcooled antifreeze fluid through the supply hoses to the plurality of trees to extend the sap recovery period of the at least one tree.

In an embodiment, a second processor at a remote location, such as 1000 miles, may issue instructions over a network to control the fluid pump, the first source, and the controller.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a partial plant installation on a single tree that can be used in the present method.

The sap in a tree 8 having a trunk 10 is shown actively flowing out of the trunk.

Wrapped around the trunk 10 is a metal liner 300, the metal liner 300 wrapping around a portion 301 of the trunk 10.

At least one elastic tube 24 is wrapped around the metal liner 300.

The flexible tube may be a 60 foot or 18.3 meter long hose.

The flexible tube connects two hoses, a supply hose 20a and a return hose 20b.

The flexible tube continuously receives either heated antifreeze fluid 62 or subcooled antifreeze fluid 66 (shown in FIG. 2).

The heated antifreeze fluid 62 is in a liquid state at a temperature in the range of-60 degrees fahrenheit to 32 degrees fahrenheit or-51 degrees celsius to 0 degrees celsius.

The reduced temperature superheated anti-freeze fluid 63 flowing from the tree flows through the return hose 20b. The temperature of the reduced temperature superheated anti-freeze fluid 63 drops to 1 to 200 degrees fahrenheit or-17.2 to 93.3 degrees celsius.

The hose may be a round plastic tube having a diameter of 0.5 inch to 2 inches or 1.27 cm to 5.08 cm.

Fig. 2 depicts a maple tree having a trunk 10 and encased in a metal liner with an elastomeric tube 24 that can be used in the present method.

The outer shell 40 is secured around the elastomeric tube and the metal liner is wrapped around the elastomeric tube 24 (as shown in figure 1) to form an air insulating layer 41.

The housing 40 forms an air insulation 41 between the trunk 10 and the housing 40.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the super cooled, anti-freeze fluid 66 at the target temperature flows through the supply hose 20a and then to the elastic tube 24, which is helically wrapped around the metal liner above the trunk.

The supercooled antifreeze fluid 67 at an elevated temperature flows from the trees to the return hose 20b. The temperature of the liquid 67 in the return hose is raised from 1 degree fahrenheit to 100 degrees fahrenheit or from-17.2 degrees celsius to 37.8 degrees celsius.

FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of an apparatus for a method of stimulating active outflow of sap.

Fig. 3 shows at least one fluid pump 70a fluidly connected between the heat exchanger 50 and the supply and return

hoses

20a, 20b.

Fig. 3 shows a first source, labeled main boiler 64, and a second source, labeled main chiller 68.

The fluid pump 70b flows either superheated fluid from the main boiler or subcooled fluid from the main chiller to the heat exchanger 50, which heat exchanger 50 is electrically controlled by the controller 80c.

Figure 3 shows a sap collection circuit 202 connecting the vacuum pump 102, the sap extractor 104, and the sap storage tank 98.

The vacuum pump 102 creates a vacuum in the sap collection circuit 202, draws sap from the sap collection circuit 202 into the sap extractor 104, and flows the sap into the sap storage tank 98 while maintaining the vacuum in the sap collection circuit 202.

The figure shows that the heat exchanger 50 is fluidly connected to four different trees 8a to 8d.

The figure shows a metal liner installed on each tree, with the elastomeric tube wrapped around each metal liner covered by

outer shells

40a, 40b, 40c and 40 d.

Each housing may be secured around the tree with a plurality of

expandable fasteners

90a, 90b, 90c, and 90 d.

The sap collection circuit 202 may be located within an insulated conduit proximate the return hose 20b that heats and maintains the flow of sap.

The heat exchanger 50 delivers either the superheated antifreeze fluid 62 at the target temperature or the subcooled antifreeze fluid 66 at the target temperature to the supply hose.

The heat exchanger receives either superheated antifreeze fluid 63 from the return hose that is reduced in temperature from 1 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or-17.2 to 93.3 degrees Celsius, or subcooled antifreeze fluid 67 from the return hose that is increased in temperature from 1 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or-17.2 to 37.8 degrees Celsius.

The controller 80c is electrically connected to the heat exchanger 50 and the fluid pump.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a maple forest having trees 8a-8c that produce sap 6 for use in the present process.

The present method may use a sap treatment system 100.

The sap handling system 100 has a sap storage tank 98 for receiving sap from a forest.

The sap treatment system 100 has a reverse osmosis filter 110 for receiving sap 6 from the sap storage tank 98 and separating out water 112 and forming a concentrated sap 114.

The sap processing system has an evaporator 120 for evaporating concentrated sap 114 to form syrup 122 and water vapor 124.

The sap handling system has a condenser 130 for receiving the water vapour 124 and the concentrated sap 114 such that the water vapour 124 and the concentrated sap 114 in the condenser 130 are capable of heat exchange and condensing the water vapour 124 to form liquid water 150.

In one embodiment, concentrated sap 114 may pass through condenser 130 and through geothermal system 65, solar heating system 61, radiator 93, or a combination thereof, before entering evaporator 120.

The syrup filler 146 may be coupled to the evaporator 120 to receive the syrup 122 and to bottle it.

A liquid filler 148 may connect the condenser 130 and the reverse osmosis filter 110 and may receive the condensed water 150 and the water 112 for bottling the water 112 and the condensed water 150.

Fig. 5A and 5B depict one embodiment of a housing 40 that encloses

elastomeric tubes

24a,24b,24c in one embodiment of the method.

Fig. 5B shows the outer shell 40 mounted around the inner liner 300 on the trunk.

In one embodiment, the enclosure 40 has a plurality of closable portholes 160a-160n.

The plurality of closable portholes 160a-160n may be arranged in rows and columns.

In one embodiment, rows and columns of closable portholes may be aligned.

Outflow pipes

173a and 173b may be inserted into the trunk through closable portholes to promote active outflow of sap.

Effluent pipes

173a and 173b may be connected to the

hoses

172a and 172b of the sap collection circuit, which may deliver sap to the sap handling system.

In one embodiment, each closable porthole 160a-160n can have an opening of 1 square inch to 6 square inches or 2.54 square centimeters to 15.24 square centimeters. Some of the closable portholes 160a-160n may be located 2 inches or 3 inches or 5.08 centimeters to 7.62 centimeters from the bottom and/or top of the enclosure 40.

Fig. 5A shows a plurality of expandable fasteners 90a-90d (also shown in fig. 3) that may be used with eye loops (eye loops) to hold the outer shell 40 around the metal liner on the trunk.

The expandable fasteners 90a-90d may be a plurality of expandable fasteners 90a-90d, such as bungee cords with clips. Each bungee cord and clip 90a-90d may engage a separate eyelet, referred to herein as an "eyelet". The bungee cord connected to the eye loops will prevent the outer shell 40 from restricting the growth of trees for years.

Fig. 6 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller 30 with a first processor 51, said first processor 51 being electrically connected to a first data storage 53 and a network 167 that can be used in the present method.

The first data storage 53 may have computer instructions for controlling the temperature and fluid flow rate.

The first data storage 53 may have computer instructions for controlling the pumping rate of the fluid pump.

The first data store 53 may have computer instructions for controlling the temperature of the antifreeze fluid entering and exiting the heat exchanger.

The first data store 53 may have preset values for a particular forest, may have a library of preset values for multiple types of forests, and has a set of instructions received from the second processor.

The network 167 may be a satellite network, a cellular network, a global communication network such as the internet, or a combination thereof.

The second processor 165 is remotely located, for example, at 1050 miles or 1690 kilometers from the first processor in the controller 30, and may communicate with the first processor via the network 167.

The second processor 165 is in communication with a second data store 166, which second data store 166 contains instructions 199, which may be pre-written instructions for flow rate, rate of temperature change, and stop operation.

The second processor may communicate with a client device 177, such as a cellular telephone, to enable further remote communication and monitoring of the system.

Figure 6 shows a third processor 171 connected to the network for outputting from a remote location computer instructions for electronic monitoring and control of the reverse osmosis filter, evaporator and condenser in a third data storage 174.

Fig. 7A and 7B illustrate embodiments of a second source and a first source of antifreeze fluid that may be used in the present method.

Fig. 7A shows a main chiller 68, which may be one or more of the following: a geothermal system 65, an electric chiller 73 and a gas chiller 75, the main chiller providing an output of subcooled antifreeze fluid through a supply hose. The main refrigerator receives the supercooled antifreeze fluid, whose temperature is increased, through a return hose to be cooled again.

FIG. 7B illustrates a main boiler 64 that provides a source of superheated antifreeze fluid, which may be one or more of the following: geothermal system 65, solar heating system 61, combustion boiler 79, radiator 93 and electric boiler 77. The main boiler provides an output of superheated antifreeze fluid. The main boiler receives a reduced temperature superheated antifreeze fluid for reheating.

FIG. 8 shows the sap collection circuit 202 bundled with the return hose 20b in the insulated housing 206 of the insulated conduit 700 in an embodiment of the method.

Fig. 9A and 9B illustrate an exemplary controller 80c in an embodiment of the present method.

The controller comprises a first processor 51 and a first data memory 53.

The first data store 53 includes a sap flow model 140 that calculates a current target temperature range 265 using the historical target temperature range, historical target fluid flow rate, historical ambient temperature, historical weather conditions, and historical sap flow rate from the database 69 in the first data store 53, and calculates a current target fluid flow rate 267 to obtain a maximum sap flow rate for the forest by date and time 269.

The database 69 has historical target temperature ranges 131 for the anti-freeze fluid by date and time for the forest; historical target fluid flow rate 132 of the antifreeze fluid by date and time for the forest.

FIG. 9B shows that database 69 contains historical ambient temperatures 133 for the forest by date and time.

The database contains historical weather conditions 134 for the forest by date and time.

The database contains historical sap flows 135 for the forest by date and time.

The first data storage 53 contains computer instructions 57 for instructing the first processor to control the heat exchanger to produce either heated antifreeze fluid or cooled antifreeze fluid within the calculated current target temperature range.

The first data storage 53 contains computer instructions 55 for instructing the first processor to control the fluid pump to pump either the heated anti-freeze fluid or the cooled anti-freeze fluid within the calculated current target fluid flow rate such that the forest produces the maximum sap flow rate by date and time.

The first data store 53 contains computer instructions 59 to periodically update the calculated current target temperature range and target fluid flow rate for the forest to generate a maximum sap flow rate from every 30 minutes to every 24 hours by date and time.

Methods of stimulating the active outflow of sap from a tree having a trunk may include, but are not limited to, the following steps. One of ordinary skill in the art may use the present methods and is not limited to a particular order or sequence.

Fig. 10A and 10B depict a series of steps of the method.

Step 400 involves applying tape to install a metal liner around a length of trunk.

Step 402 involves wrapping the trunk with an elastic tube, preferably in a helical winding.

Step 404 involves installing an outer shell over the elastomeric tube and the metal liner, forming an air insulation layer around the elastomeric tube.

Step 406 involves connecting one end of the flexible tube to a supply hose and the other end to a return hose.

Step 408 involves installing an outflow pipe on the tree through a closable porthole in the housing.

Step 410 involves connecting the outflow conduit to a sap collection circuit.

Step 412 involves connecting the sap collection circuit to a vacuum pump.

Step 414 involves connecting the supply hose and the return hose to the first fluid pump.

Step 416 involves connecting the sap collection circuit to a return hose and wrapping with insulation.

Step 418 involves wrapping the supply hose with insulation.

Step 420 involves fluidly coupling a first fluid pump to the heat exchanger.

Step 422 involves connecting the heat exchanger to a second fluid pump.

Step 424 involves connecting a second fluid pump to the first and second sources, which may be a main boiler and a main chiller, wherein the first and second sources are used in sequence.

Step 426 involves connecting the sap collection circuit to a sap extractor.

Step 428 involves connecting the sap extractor to a vacuum pump and a sap storage tank.

Step 430 involves receiving the superheated antifreeze fluid from the first source, changing the temperature of the antifreeze fluid by applying heat from the heat exchanger, and flowing the changed temperature superheated antifreeze fluid through the supply hose to the plurality of trees.

Step 432 is collecting the sap into a sap storage tank using a sap collection circuit.

Step 434 is stopping the flow of superheated antifreeze fluid into the heat exchanger, flowing subcooled antifreeze fluid from the second source to the heat exchanger, and flowing temperature-altered antifreeze fluid from the supply hoses to the plurality of trees to extend the harvest time of the sap.

The method may include controlling the rate at which the fluid pump pumps, controlling the temperature of the antifreeze fluid in and out of the hose using at least one of: a preset value for a particular forest stored in the data store, a library of preset values for a plurality of types of forests stored in the data store, and instructions provided from a second processor at a remote location over the network.

FIGS. 11A and 11B depict a 9-column historical database for a forest in Halliberton county.

The first column represents a day of the month.

The second column represents a month of the year.

The third column indicates the year.

The fourth column uses the time of day expressed in 24 hours.

The fifth column represents the target temperature range (in degrees Fahrenheit) of the antifreeze fluid for the day, month, year, and time displayed in the row. The target temperature range in degrees celsius is the temperature in degrees fahrenheit minus 32, divided by 1.8.

The sixth column represents the target fluid flow rate (in gallons/minute) for the antifreeze fluid over the temperature range for the day, month, year, and time shown in the row. The target fluid flow rate in liters per minute is the target fluid flow rate in gallons per minute multiplied by 3.78.

The seventh column represents the ambient temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit) at the day, month, year, and time displayed in the row. The ambient temperature in degrees celsius is the ambient temperature in degrees fahrenheit minus 32, divided by 1.8.

The eighth column represents the weather conditions at the time of the day, month, year, and time displayed in the row.

The ninth column shows the sap flow rate (in gallons/day) for the particular forest shown in that row for that day, month, year, and time. The sap flow rate in liters/day is the sap flow rate in gallons/day multiplied by 3.78.

The controller calculates a current target temperature range and a current target fluid flow rate by using the database stored in the data storage and a historical target temperature range, a historical target fluid flow rate, a historical environmental temperature, a historical weather condition, a historical sap flow rate of the anti-freezing fluid, which are divided by date and time in the forest, and a sap flow model in the first data storage, and obtains a maximum sap flow rate according to the historical target temperature range, the historical target fluid flow rate, the historical environmental temperature, the historical weather condition and the historical sap flow rate in the forest; computer instructions in the first data store for instructing the first processor to control the heat exchanger to produce either the heated antifreeze fluid or the cooled antifreeze fluid within the calculated current target temperature range, and for instructing the first processor to control the fluid pump to pump either the heated antifreeze fluid or the cooled antifreeze fluid within the calculated current target fluid flow rate range, such that the forest produces a maximum tree fluid flow rate at the date and time.

Examples

In one embodiment, the method of stimulating active outflow of sap from at least one live tree having a trunk may be performed on a live tree, such as a maple having a minimum chest diameter of 10 inches or 25.4 centimeters (which may be equal to or greater than 70 inches or 177.8 centimeters).

Each tree may contain a section of trunk that is 2 feet to 7 feet or 0.61 meters to 2.13 meters high.

In this embodiment, a metal liner such as an aluminum Foil layer (e.g., handi-Foil aluminum Foil) may be wrapped around a length of the trunk.

In this example, the trunks of 6 trees were wrapped with a metal liner of aluminum foil. Each tree would be wrapped 6 feet or 1.83 meters long to wrap the trunk portion of each live tree.

In this embodiment, each metal liner having an outer diameter of 0.625 inches or 1.59 cm and an inner diameter of 0.485 inches or 1.23 cm is wrapped with at least one flexible tube, which may be a radiant heat pipe, i.e., a cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) tube, such as an Everhot 1/2 inch or 1.27 cm PEX oxygen barrier tube.

In this embodiment, each tree has approximately the same diameter, and a 50 foot or 15.24 meter long length of elastic tubing is helically wound around each segment of the trunk. In one embodiment, hoses of 30 feet to 100 feet or 9.14 meters to 30.48 meters may be used on each section of the trunk, depending on the diameter of the tree and the height of the trunk. The inner diameter of the flexible tube may be 0.25 inch to 1 inch or 0.635 cm to 2.54 cm to ensure fluidity of the fluid as it passes through the tube.

Each elastic tube of each tree continuously receives either heated anti-freeze fluid or cooled anti-freeze fluid during the period from 11/1/2019 to 3/31/2020.

The heated antifreeze fluid may be a water/glycol mixture. The concentration of the glycol can be adjusted according to the local environmental temperature range of the forest. For example, if the local ambient temperature range is reduced to-35 degrees Fahrenheit or-37.2 degrees Celsius, a 50/50 water/glycol mixture will be used. If the local ambient temperature range is as low as-10 degrees Fahrenheit or-23.3 degrees Celsius, a 60/40 water/glycol mixture will be used. Liquid "antifreeze" for automotive radiators may also be used.

In this embodiment, the heated anti-freezing fluid is anti-frozen at a temperature of-76 degrees Fahrenheit to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or-60 degrees Celsius to 0 degrees Celsius.

After the elastic tube is wound around the tree, the elastic tube is connected to the hose.

The supply and return hoses may be variable diameter plastic hoses connecting the flexible tubes on each tree to a heat exchanger. The dimensions of these lines are in any case ³ / ₄ Or 1.9 cm (lateral lines directly connected to the trees) to 2 "or 5.08 cm (main line entering the processing plant). They should be insulated using foam rubber and may be a cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX) pipe, such as Everhot ³ / ₄ "or 1.9 cm PEX oxygen barrier tubing.

In this example, the supply and return hoses are 3/4 inch or 1.9 cm hoses having an outer diameter of 0.875 inch or 2.22 cm and an inner diameter of 0.681 inch or 1.73 cm to increase the flow rate.

An outer shell forming an air insulation layer is mounted over the resilient tube on the metal liner. The air insulation layer captures heat provided by the flexible tube to the trunk section.

In this embodiment, the air layer may be made of a multi-layer bubble film insulation material (e.g., rFOIL 2290 standard reflective duct insulation layer) (e.g., insulation material manufactured by Covertech Flexible Packaging, canada).

The housing may be another material, such as mineral wool insulation. The mineral wool is waterproof mineral wool.

In this embodiment, an optional plastic layer may be placed on the mineral wool.

The heat exchanger is fluidly connected to a plurality of supply and return hoses that are connected to each of the elastomeric tubes.

In this embodiment, the heat exchanger is a buffer tank located between the main boiler and the main refrigerator, and the flexible tube is connected to the elastic tube at the tree. The buffer tank may be a 30 gallon or 114 liter or 200 gallon or 757 liter T2 Thermo2000 BuffMax buffer tank. The surge tank in this embodiment is a 30 gallon or 114 liter tank.

The surge tank is configured to: superheated fluid is received from a first source (e.g., a "combi" NTI high efficiency regulated condensing boiler having a boiler model TX 151C).

The heat exchanger transfers the superheated antifreeze fluid at the target temperature to the supply hose and then to the at least one flexible tube wrapped around each of the 6 trees, the heat exchanger receiving the reduced temperature superheated antifreeze fluid from the return hose of each of the 6 trees at a temperature from 1 to 200 degrees fahrenheit or-17.2 to 93.3 degrees celsius.

During north america from 11 months 1 to 12 months 31 and from 2 months 15 to 4 months 30, the heat exchanger may receive the subcooled antifreeze fluid from a second source and deliver the subcooled antifreeze fluid 66 at a target temperature to the supply hose, and then at least one elastic tube is wrapped around at least one tree and receives the warmed antifreeze fluid 67 from the return hose that is elevated to a temperature of 1 to 100 degrees fahrenheit or-17.2 to 37.8 degrees celsius.

In the 6 trees of the present example, a first fluid pump is fluidly connected between the heat exchanger and the supply and return hoses, and a second fluid pump is connected between the first source, the main boiler and the heat exchanger. The main boiler may be an efficient conditioning condensing boiler, such as a "combi" NTI boiler with a boiler model TX 151C.

Fluid pumps are devices that move fluid by mechanical action, such as electric rotary positive displacement pumps. In this embodiment, the fluid pump connected between the heat exchanger and the hose may be a Glan-Rich UPS 26-29FC non-submersible circulation pump (three speed, rated at 1/6 HP), while the fluid pump connecting the boiler and the heat exchanger may be a Glan-Rich UPS 15-58FC non-submersible circulation pump (three speed, rated at 1/25 HP).

Controller such as notebook computer (e.g., lenovo Laptop IdeaPad) ^TM ) Is electronically connected to the heat exchanger and the fluid pump.

The controller includes a first processor, which in this embodiment is an AMD A9-9425.1GHz processor.

The controller includes a first data storage having an internal memory of 8 GB.

The first data store is a database, which in this embodiment may be an Excel file containing a data table with date, time, historical ambient temperature, historical weather conditions, historical target superheated fluid temperature, historical target superheated fluid flow rate, and historical sap flow rate information.

For this embodiment of 6 trees in Ha Libu ton county, ontario, canada, the historical target temperature range for the anti-freeze fluid for the forest by date and time may be 100 to 200 degrees fahrenheit or 37.8 to 93.3 degrees celsius; the historical target fluid flow rate may be 10 gallons per minute to 100 gallons per minute; the historical ambient temperature of the forest by date and time may be-40 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or-40 to 37.8 degrees Celsius; the historical weather conditions by date and time for the forest may be sunny, 20% to 80% cloudy, rain, snow, windy; the historical sap flow rate by date and time for the forest may range from half a gallon or 0.24 liter per day to one gallon or 0.47 liter per day or more.

In this embodiment, the controller uses the Sap Flow Model software program to calculate a target fluid temperature range and a target fluid Flow rate that will maximize the Sap Flow rate of the forest at a certain date and time.

In this embodiment, the sap flow model algorithm for the target fluid temperature is: target fluid temperature (degrees fahrenheit) =180 ° f- (local ambient temperature + 30) × (1, clear day = yes; 0.5, clear day = no) + (20 ° f × (1, windy = yes; 0, windy = no)). Target fluid temperature (degrees celsius) =82.2 ℃ (- (local ambient temperature +16.7 ℃) x (1, clear day = yes; 0.5, clear day = no) + (11.1 ℃x (1, windy = yes; 0, windy = no)) in degrees celsius.

In this embodiment, the sap flow model algorithm for the target fluid flow rate is: target fluid flow rate = "high" (30 GPM or 113.6 LPM), (sunny = no, strong wind = yes); "medium" (20 GPM or 75.71 LPM) (sunny = no, strong wind = no) or (sunny = yes, strong wind = yes); otherwise "low" (10 GPM or 37.9 LPM).

In this embodiment, the controller is connected to the heat exchanger and the fluid pump via the internet. The controller sets a target fluid temperature on the buffer tank and a target fluid flow rate on the fluid pump according to the result of the sap flow model. In this embodiment, these settings are updated every 30 minutes.

While these embodiments have been described with emphasis, it should be understood that embodiments other than those specifically described herein may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of stimulating active outflow of sap from at least one live tree having a trunk, comprising:

installing a metal liner around a length of the trunk, wrapping the trunk with an elastic tube over the metal liner, and connecting one end of the elastic tube to a supply hose and the other end to a return hose;

installing an outer shell over the flexible tube and the metal liner, thereby forming an air insulation layer around the flexible tube and over the metal liner;

installing an outflow pipe on the tree through the shell, connecting the outflow pipe to the sap collection circuit, connecting the sap collection circuit to the pump, and binding the sap collection circuit and the backflow hose together;

fluidly connecting a supply hose and a return hose to a first fluid pump, fluidly connecting the first fluid pump to a heat exchanger, and fluidly connecting the heat exchanger to a second fluid pump and a first source;

receiving superheated antifreeze fluid from a first source and altering the temperature of the superheated antifreeze fluid with a heat exchanger, the altered temperature superheated antifreeze fluid flowing through a supply hose to the tree; collecting sap using a sap collection circuit;

the controller controls the fluid pumping rate and the temperature of the antifreeze fluid in and out of the supply and return hoses using at least one of: a library of preset values for a particular forest stored in a data storage of the controller and preset values for a plurality of types of forests in the data storage to create or enhance a freeze-thaw cycle in a tree to affect a state of sap in the tree, thereby extending a sap recovery period of the tree.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a metal liner is secured to the section of the trunk using tape.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the elastic tube is wrapped around the tree in a helical configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is mounted over the elastic tube and the metal liner using a plurality of expandable fasteners to form an air insulation layer around the elastic tube.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the outflow pipe is mounted on the tree through a closable porthole in the housing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pump of the sap collection circuit is a vacuum pump.

7. The method of claim 1 including the step of thermally insulating the sap collection circuit bundled with the return hose.

8. The method of claim 7, including the step of heat insulating the supply hose.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising providing superheated fluid to the second fluid pump using the main boiler.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the subcooled antifreeze fluid to the second fluid pump using a refrigerator.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising providing the superheated anti-freeze fluid and the subcooled anti-freeze fluid to the heat exchanger sequentially using a main chiller and the main boiler.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of connecting the sap collection circuit to a sap extractor, the sap extractor being connected to the pump and a sap storage tank.

13. The method of claim 11 including the step of stopping the flow of superheated antifreeze fluid to the heat exchanger and sequentially flowing subcooled antifreeze fluid from a second source to the heat exchanger and flowing the altered temperature subcooled antifreeze fluid through the supply hose to the tree to extend the sap recovery period of the tree.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of: a second processor at the remote location issues instructions over the network to control the first and second fluid pumps, the pump, the first source, and the controller.