Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K67/00—Rearing or breeding animals, not otherwise provided for; New or modified breeds of animals
  • A01K67/033—Rearing or breeding invertebrates; New breeds of invertebrates
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
  • B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
  • B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
  • B07B1/08—Screens rotating within their own plane

Definitions

• Insect sorting device for sorting a mixture comprising nymphs
• the present invention relates to the field of sorting insects, in particular in the context of insect farming on an industrial scale.
• insects targeted by the invention are crawling or essentially crawling insects, or flying insects at stages of their evolution at which they do not fly (larvae, nymphs).
• the insects targeted by the invention are thus for example coleoptera, diptera, lepidoptera, isoptera, orthoptera, hymenoptera, blattoptera, hemiptera, heteroptera, ephemeroptera and mecoptera, preferably coleoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera.
• the invention finds preferential application in the sorting of mealworms, also called Tenebrio molitor.
• insect is used to denote any stage of development from the egg or ootheca to the adult insect.
• chitin a known derivative of which is chitosan.
• cosmetic cosmetic composition
• medical and pharmaceutical pharmaceutical composition
• dietetics and food technique (filtering agent, texturizer, flocculant or adsorbent in particular for filtration and depollution of water), etc.
• Document FR3034622 presents a workshop suitable for large-scale insect breeding, that is to say on an industrial scale. Breeding uses breeding containers (typically tubs) which are stacked to form elementary breeding units. The elementary breeding units are stored in a first zone, and, when a breeding operation must be carried out, the containers are brought to a station suitable for carrying out the operation, grouped into elementary breeding units or unbundled individually.
• the breeding operations concern in a non-exhaustive way the feeding, the water supply, the calibration of insects, the addition of insects in breeding containers, and many and various sorting operations making it possible to separate or to classify, during rearing, insects according to their stage of development, or to separate living insects from dead insects and / or their rearing environment, etc.
• sorting steps are thus carried out during breeding. These sorting steps are complex to carry out on a large scale, because the sorting methods generally envisaged are manual methods which do not allow efficient and rapid sorting. Certain solutions have been considered in the state of the art, in order to automate certain sorts. These sorting operations are often based on the dimensions of the elements to be sorted, and for this use successive sieves or screens. For example, US8025027 discloses a complex sieve system with four separation levels for sorting insects.
• the solutions proposed are imperfect, in particular for sorting in which fragile insects are sorted. This is the case, for example, in particular for mealworm, when sorting involves a mixture, a mass of product, comprising nymphs.
• the nymphs of the mealworm are very fragile vis-à-vis mechanical shocks.
• Automated sorting operations as contemplated in the state of the art, cause injury and significant mortality of the nymphs.
• the invention thus aims to provide a method and a device, automated and optimized, for sorting insects, in particular allowing the separation of nymphs from a mixture comprising nymphs.
• the invention relates to a process for sorting insects comprising the successive steps of: - providing a mixture comprising nymphs, and
• said sieving step comprising sieving the mixture with a screen sieve made of plastic material.
• the sieving of the mixture with a screen screen made of plastic material can in particular be screened with a screen screen made of polyurethane.
• the Applicant has discovered that sieving with a screen sieve made of plastic material, which is not very common in industry and unknown in the state of the art in the field of insect breeding, makes it possible to greatly reduce the damage caused. by sieving fragile insects, in particular insect nymphs, and in particular mealworm nymphs.
• the sieving of the mixture with a screen sieve of plastic material can be carried out with a screen sieve inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. An inclined screen is less blunt to insects and allows efficient sieving.
• the sieving of the mixture with a screen screen made of plastic material can include the setting in motion of the screen screen made of plastic material in a circular or oval movement in its plane of extension, said movement being devoid of any component orthogonal to said plane of extension. of the sieve.
• Such a movement improves the quality of the sorting and limits the shocks undergone by the insects, in particular by the nymphs.
• the mixture may include larvae, and the sifting step may further allow the separation of larvae whose dimensions are greater than predefined dimensions.
• the sieving step may include sieving the remainder of the mixture after separation of the nymphs with at least a second sieve.
• the proposed sieving also allows the recovery of the larger larvae, which can advantageously be used in rearing to obtain adult insects which will be used for reproduction.
• the method may further include, after the sieving step, a step of densimetric separation of at least a portion of the remainder of the mixture after separation of the nymphs.
• Said at least part of said remainder of the mixture may include larvae, and the densimetric separation step may be adapted to separate the larvae from said at least part of said remainder of the mixture.
• the densimetric separation step may comprise passing at least a portion of said remainder of the mixture after the separation of the nymphs in at least one densimetric separator chosen from: a densimetric table, a dust collector, and a densimetric column.
• the invention thus allows, in addition to the separation of the nymphs, the harvesting of the larvae for the production of a larval product (eg for animal feed, cosmetics, etc.).
• a larval product eg for animal feed, cosmetics, etc.
• the dust collector is particularly advantageous in that it offers sufficient efficiency, a small footprint, and allows the sorting of a large quantity of mixture in a short time.
• the invention also relates to an insect sorting device, comprising - a feeder allowing the supply of a mixture containing nymphs,
• the insect sorting device being configured so that only at least part of the mixture passing through the sieving screen passes into the density separator.
• the sieve screen can be made of polyurethane.
• the sieve screen can be tilted relative to a horizontal plane.
• the sieve may include at least one second sieve screen.
• the density separator can include at least one device chosen from: a density table, a dust collector, and a density column.
• FIG. 1 represents a flowchart of a method according to one embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 shows a flowchart of another method according to one embodiment of the invention
• Figure 3 shows, schematically, a sorting device according to one embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 4 schematically represents a first aspect of the sorting device of FIG. 3
• FIG. 5 schematically represents a second aspect of the sorting device of FIG. 3.
• Figure 1 shows a flowchart of a method according to one embodiment of the invention. This process makes it possible to separate the nymphs and, where appropriate, the larvae of a mixture comprising insects at these stages of development from the other elements contained in the mixture, such as rearing medium, droppings, dead insects, etc. .
• the term “larva” refers to a living larva.
• a step of supplying a mixture S1 such a mixture is supplied, for example by recovery and emptying of breeding tanks.
• This mixture is, in the example shown and comprising a screening step S2, passed through a screen having large openings, typically of 1 cm or more, for example in the form of square meshes having openings of 1 cm. next to.
• agglomerates correspond to solid breeding substrate (material in which the insects are raised and which can if necessary contain their food) which has joined together to form compact masses, the dimensions of which are generally between 1 cm and 10 cm. cm.
• the mixture, freed from agglomerates, is then sieved in a sieving step S3.
• the sieving step S3 thus firstly comprises sieving through a sieve comprising a screen made of plastic material, for example and advantageously made of polyurethane (PU).
• PU polyurethane
• screen is meant the filtering part of the sieve, that is, the network of open meshes formed in the frame of the sieve.
• plastic sieve screen makes it possible to avoid or limit injury to the insects contained in the mixture during sieving.
• insect nymphs including mealworm nymphs
• a plastic screen especially polyurethane, has been shown to be less blunt to insects, especially nymphs.
• the Applicant has also observed that the use of a sieve whose movements are essentially carried out in the plane of the screen of the sieve, without or essentially without component orthogonal to the plane of the screen of the sieve, also allows, in addition the use of a plastic screen, to limit or even eliminate the damage caused to the nymphs and their mortality during sorting. It has also been observed that a circular or oval movement of the sieve in its extension plane appreciably improves sorting.
• the sieving with a screen sieve of plastic material S4 thus makes it possible to separate the nymphs, and optionally the largest larvae, from the rest of the mixture.
• Mealworm nymphs have an elongated shape, ranging in length from 14mm to 20mm and transverse dimensions within a circle of 5mm to 6mm.
• the largest larvae can for example be defined as being larvae weighing more than 125 mg, which corresponds to larvae measuring more than 25 mm in length and having transverse dimensions within a circle of the order of 3 mm to 4 mm.
• Screening with a second S5 sieve allows smaller larvae to be separated from part of the rest of the mixture.
• the importance of using a sieve with a screen made of plastic material is less important for this sieving, the larvae, which correspond to the stage of development at which the insects are the most fragile, having been separated during the previous sieving , the use of a plastic screen is nevertheless preferable for this second sieving (sieving with a second S5 sieve).
• the nymphs initially present in the mixture are separated therefrom and are not subjected to density sorting which would be liable to damage them.
• the densimetric separation allows the elimination of residues in the mixture containing (living) larvae which results from the sieving step S3.
• the densimetric separation S6 thus makes it possible to separate this part of the mixture into two fractions, depending on their density.
• the living larvae, more dense, are thus separated from the rest of the mixture, which is made up of less dense elements, such as dead larvae, where appropriate insect droppings (called “frass”), and the substrate.
• breeding which is for example essentially wheat bran.
• the large larvae resulting from the sieving can also be subjected to a densimetric separation in order to remove any residues, including dead insects (or parts of dead insects) which could have passed with them during sieving (for example elements of rearing substrate to which the larvae would have clung during sieving).
• the process in Figure 1 corresponds to a sorting process making it possible to separate the nymphs, large larvae, and smaller larvae from their rearing environment (substrate, droppings, dead insects).
• nymphs and larvae which are closer in their development cycle to the adult stage than smaller larvae
• Smaller larvae, and where appropriate a part of large larvae, can for example be sent for slaughter for the production of high added value products (for animal feed, chemical industry, cosmetics, etc. etc.).
• the invention may, in some embodiments, be employed for other sorting to be performed during insect breeding. Another example is thus represented in FIG. 2.
• such a sorting method comprises the steps presented above of providing a mixture S1, the mixture containing nymphs, and optionally of screening S2.
• the sieving step S3 comprises only sieving with a screen sieve made of plastic material S4, advantageously made of polyurethane, making it possible to separate the nymphs from the rest of the mixture.
• the large larvae recovered during the sieving are separated from the nymphs and returned with the rest of the mixture for further breeding.
• FIG 3 shows an insect sorting device according to one embodiment of the invention, which is suitable for carrying out the sorting method of Figure 1.
• a hopper constituting a feeder 1, makes it possible to receive and deliver the mixture containing insects, in particular nymphs.
• the mixture is passed through a sieve 2, which makes it possible to separate the agglomerates from the rest of the mixture.
• the remaining mixture, leaving the screen 2 is deposited on a first conveyor 3.
• the first conveyor 3 (for example a belt conveyor) makes it possible to convey and distribute the mixture in one or more sieves 4, 5.
• the sieve 4 makes it possible to separate the mixture which is introduced into it into four fractions, as will be detailed below with reference to FIG. 4.
• the nymphs are placed on a second conveyor 6, for example to be placed in breeding tanks where they will continue their metamorphosis.
• the large larvae are placed on a third conveyor 7. They are intended, for example, to be reared to the adult stage, for the reproduction of insects in breeding.
• the fraction at the outlet of the sieve comprising the large-sized larvae also comprises residues, which are separated from the large-sized larvae by an optional densimetric separator 8.
• the large larvae are freed of residues, in particular dead larvae, and placed on a fourth conveyor 9. Some of these larvae can therefore be sent for slaughter for the production of a product.
• the fraction of the mixture comprising the larvae of smaller dimensions with residues is deposited on a fifth conveyor 10, which transports it to a densimetric separator 11.
• the densimetric separator makes it possible to separate the larvae from the residues, in particular dead insects.
• the density separator can be made according to various technologies allowing a sorting based on the density of the elements constituting the mixture which is sorted there. Thus, the larvae, which are denser than the residues, are separated from said residues.
• the densimetric separator can in particular be chosen from a densimetric table, a dust collector, and a densimetric column, for example with a cyclone.
• a dust collector which constitutes a particularly advantageous density separator in the context of the present invention, is illustrated schematically and explained below with reference to FIG. 5.
• the larvae freed from residues are placed on a sixth conveyor 12, to be sent to slaughter for the production of a product based on insect larvae.
• the rest of the mixture which is formed from very small elements from the sieve (s) 4, from the residues from the densimetric separator 11, where appropriate from the optional densimetric separator 8, and where appropriate from the agglomerates from screen, is collected for processing.
• the devices following the sieves can be duplicated (several density separators, etc.) or pooled (a single density separator to treat the fractions coming from several sieves) according to their capacity.
• FIG. 4 schematically shows a sifter 4 which can be advantageously used in the invention.
• the sieve 4 shown here is a sieve with two bridges, that is to say it comprises two sieving levels, namely a first bridge 41 and a second bridge 42.
• the sieve formed by each bridge is inclined visually. with respect to a horizontal plane H, typically corresponding to the ground (for example the slab) on which the sifter is installed.
• the first bridge 41 is formed by a succession of grids or screens forming a first sieve.
• These screens are made of a plastic material, in this case polyurethane.
• the particularity of the first bridge is to present screens having meshes of different dimensions, namely one or more first screens 411 having first opening meshes, and one or more second screens 412 having second opening meshes.
• the sieve presented is in particular suitable for rearing mealworms.
• the first screen (s) 411 can have square meshes, the opening of which is of the order of 3.2 mm on a side. These meshes allow the passage of the substrate for rearing insects (for example, wheat bran), droppings, and larvae less than 25 mm in length which have transverse dimensions forming part of a circle of less than about 3 mm.
• the second screen or screens 412 in this example have square meshes, the opening of which is of the order of 5 mm per side. These meshes allow the passage of large larvae, but not that of nymphs, which are 14 mm to 20 mm long and transverse dimensions in a circle of the order of 5 mm to 6 mm.
• Larvae of large dimensions (“large larvae”) are recovered on a plane 43 interposed between the first bridge 41 and the second bridge 42, under the second screen or screens 412.
• the second bridge comprises, in the example shown, third screens 421 whose meshes are identical, namely square meshes whose opening is of the order of 1.5 mm on a side. These meshes allow the passage of certain residues of small dimensions, but not that of larvae, and generally not that of excreta.
• the sieve 4 with two decks shown in FIG. 4 thus allows the recovery of four distinct fractions of the initial mixture.
• the dimensions mentioned above by way of example are to be adapted according to the sorting carried out, the desired result, and the species of insect sorted.
• the sifter 4 may be similar, but have one or more second screens 412 of the first bridge 41 having square meshes having openings of the order of 15 mm per side.
• FIG. 5 shows an example of a density separator 11 which can be used in the invention.
• the type of device shown in Figure 5 is generally referred to as the "dust collector”.
• a fraction F of the initial mixture coming from the sifter 4, which contains larvae and residues including in particular dead insects and, where appropriate, insect excrement is introduced into the dust collector.
• Fraction F is distributed over an inclined plane 111 on which it descends in a thin layer.
• a fan 112 produces a flow of air introduced into the body 113 of the dust collector. The air flow meets the layer formed by the F fraction, and entrains the less dense elements present in the F fraction, while the denser elements fall by gravity.
• the densest elements, at namely the (living) larvae L, thus exit through a first outlet 114 of the dust collector.
• the interior volume of the dust collector may include a certain number of reliefs making it possible to ensure effective separation.
• a central relief 115 is interposed between the first outlet 114 of the dust collector and a second outlet 116.
• the invention thus developed makes it possible, through a selection and appropriate adaptation of sorting machines, to sort insects, in particular fragile insects, in an efficient and automated manner.
• the invention is particularly well suited to sorting a mixture comprising insect nymphs, for example mealworm nymphs, which are particularly sensitive to impact. It thus allows the recovery of the nymphs without damaging them, by the use of a screen sieve made of plastic material, preferably inclined.
• density sorting is also performed, without the nymphs being subjected to this density sorting. The order in which the different stages of sorting are carried out is thus fundamental.
• the invention thus provides a method and a sorting device allowing the optimization of sorting operations on an industrial scale.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
• Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

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• 2020
  • 2020-06-18 FR FR2006379A patent/FR3111520B1/fr active Active
• 2021
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