FR2561869A1 - Module for worm breeding and for composting by means of earthworms and method employing such modules - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a module for worm breeding and for composting by means of earthworms. It also relates to the methods employing such modules. The modules 1 are trays having slanting sides (angle alpha ) to allow them to be stacked inside each other when empty and rested on top of each other when full in such a way that the base 5 of the upper module lies on the contents of the lower module. These modules 1 are provided with means 10 for allowing palletisation and catch means 11. The whole may be covered with a lid 4. They may thus be used in line and in a superimposed position so that it is possible, according to wishes, to divide in two the number of worms in a horizontal plane, that is to say laterally, or in a vertical plane when the modules are superimposed. The invention applies to worm breeding and to composting by means of earthworms, practised outdoors or indoors and including a continuous process.

Description

MODULE FOR THE BREEDING OF WORMS AND
LOMBRICOMPOSTAGE AND METHOD
IN IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH MODULES
The invention relates to a module for raising worms and vermicomposting. It also relates to the methods implementing such modules
Vermiculture is a technique currently under development and industrialization. It has indeed extremely advantageous characteristics in particular for the transformation of organic matter by worms which mineralize the organic matter and develop the microbial life of the substrate.

It should also be remembered that worms are very rich in protein (65%) and as such can be incorporated in particular in animal feed. They are also used for fishing, fish farming, etc.
Various methods are currently known. They can be classified into two broad categories. According to the first technique, the litter is placed on the ground, constituting a swath about 1 meter wide and 2 meters long. Feeding is assured every fortnight or so, and every three months half of this litter is removed to create one or more others. This operation is called: duplication Such a method leads to handling problems and a relatively large number of worms operating surface.

 On the other hand, the splitting operation is easily controllable, because the farmer can at any time monitor the development of his breeding. On the other hand, there is no question of proceeding under these conditions to an indoor breeding nor, subject to extremely expensive and sophisticated means, of practicing a vermicompost harvest continuously throughout the year.

 To overcome these drawbacks another technique is used.

It is notably described by American patent 3,654,903 filed on October 30, 1979, in the name of Morris M. Montgomerry. It is a breeding carried out in superimposed tanks whose bottoms, with the exception of the first located at the bottom of the stack are perforated to allow the free movement of worms. These containers have shoulders which allow them to be stacked on top of each other, the bottom of the upper container resting on the shoulder of the lower container.

 Food is first introduced into each tray and then added to the top tray. When the penultimate bin (the one following the unperforated base bin) is completely transformed into vermicompost it is removed and a new bin is added to the stack.

 Admittedly, such a structure makes it possible to considerably limit the surface area required and also allows this breeding to be carried out indoors, but it has many disadvantages. Among these, we can notably cite the delicate determination of the filling level of the tanks: in fact, if this is not correctly respected, there is a risk of creating a vacuum between the tanks which prevents the progression of the worms. Likewise, we poorly control the feed in each bin as well as its degree of transformation into compost.

 Finally, the technique of duplication is practically impossible to practice.

 The present invention aims to overcome all these drawbacks and relates to a method which combines the advantages of the traditional technique on the ground and the technique using tanks.

It consists in fact in using modules such as the worm breeding step called splitting operation can be done online, outside or under cover and / or by stacking the modules also outside or under cover. . All the stages of breeding and vermicomposting carried out under these conditions then lend themselves to advanced industrialization in a minimum of space.

 The invention relates more precisely to a module intended for the breeding of worms and for vermicomposting of the type which is in the form of a bowl with a bottom perforated by orifices; characterized in that the edges of the module have a draft whose angle (0 <) allows the stacking of the modules when they are empty and their partial stacking when they are full so that the bottom of the upper module rests on the external surface of the content of the lower module, these modules further comprising, on the one hand, means capable of ensuring their palletization to allow an operation of splitting worms in a horizontal plane from one module to another module placed laterally next to it and on the other hand, means for hooking to a lifting device allowing a worm splitting operation in a vertical plane, by superposition of the modules on each other, these two horizontal and vertical splitting operations can be combined with each other.

The invention will be better understood using the explanations which follow and the attached figures.
Figs. I, 2, 3, schematically illustrate an embodiment of a module according to the invention, seen from the front, in profile and in plan seen from below.

 FIG. 4 a schematically represents two modules according to the invention provided with an incorporated sprinkler system, FIG. 4b illustrating precisely a detail of this system.

 Figures 5, 6, 7 schematically illustrate the implementation of a first breeding process according to the invention, online and outdoors.

 FIGS. 8 and 9 schematically represent an example of implementation of an on-line but sheltered breeding process.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 schematically illustrate a continuous breeding process.

 Figure 13 shows an alternative embodiment of this continuous breeding process carried out under shelter.

 For the sake of clarity, the same elements are given the same references in all the figures.

 As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, which schematically illustrate an embodiment of a module I according to the invention intended for vermiculture and vermicompost formation, such a module 1 is made of a material resistant to humidity and corrosion that organic matter in decomposition can cause. This is for example laminated resin, stainless steel or aluminum. The module 1 is in the form of a bowl, the section of which is rectangular with a length of the order of 2 meters and a width of the order of 1 meter (these dimensions being given by way of non-limiting example) .

 The edges 2 of this module i have a draft (angle S) such that the modules can be nested one inside the other completely or almost when they are empty. When they are full, their structure allows their interlocking one on the other so that the bottom of the upper module rests on the loading of the lower module.

 According to another important characteristic, it has a groove 3 which allows the establishment of a plain cover 4 having substantially the same shape as the module 1 but which is placed on the latter in the inverted position. The bottom 5 of the module 1 is perforated. Indeed, it is pierced with a plurality of holes 6 as shown more clearly in Figure 3 which is a plan view of said bottom 5. These holes 6 have a dual function they ensure the flow of water on the one hand and especially on the other hand, the migration of worms from one module to another when these modules are superimposed. This cover 4 serves to protect the livestock against predators in particular, and to help maintain inside it the optimal climatic conditions, in particular as regards the moisture content and the degree of heat.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, such a module 1 may also include means intended to allow their easy handling. I1 is a hollow profile 10, intended to cooperate with the forks of a palletizer (not shown) and / or anchoring means 11 into which the hooks of any lifting device are introduced, as will be explained below. below.

 Optionally a window 200 is inserted in one of the walls of the module to allow monitoring of the composting process. This can also be ensured by coring.

Finally, a heating element 201, for example a heating resistor, can be integrated into the module 1.

 According to another important characteristic of the invention, a spraying boom 15 can cooperate with this type of module so that when these modules such as 1a, 1b are arranged side by side as shown in FIG. 4a, the spraying boom 15 integrated into the module, as shown in the detail shown in FIG. 4b, or continues from the water supply 16 to the end of the line of modules (not shown in this figure, but whose description follows).

Such a module structure in accordance with the invention has many advantages, among which we can notably mention first of all those which are inherent in tank breeding, namely
- A reduction in handling problems;
- Effective protection against predators
- An appreciable gain in space for sheltered farms
- Simplification of watering problems
- The possibility of more easily using certain types of feed (sewage treatment plant mud, fluid organic materials).

- The possibility of moving the farms
- The implementation of any rational and modern handling system
- Elimination in large part of the leakage problems inherent in high density populations.

However, in addition, such modules also have the essential characteristic of allowing the implementation of new methods of cultivating worms in accordance with the invention, methods which are described below and which lead in particular to the following advantages which are added to the advantages previously stated. We can cite
- A simplification of the worm harvest and above all the possibility of carrying out the splitting operations
- Continuous vermicompost harvesting throughout the year
- A selective and easy harvest of worms.

 These breeding methods according to the invention can be grouped into three main categories, namely: Outdoor breeding, indoor breeding and continuous feeding breeding.

 As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, a method in accordance with the invention of outdoor breeding using modules in particular of the type which has been described previously consists in constituting a plurality of lines A, B, C , ... N, each consisting of a plurality of modules, a, b, c, ... n. Each of these lines can comprise two rows 50 and 60 of modules and each line is separated from its neighbor by an aisle 61 where the breeders and their handling equipment circulate such as the tractor and its trailer 62 shown on line 5 and in particular intended to distribute power 500.

 The main steps of this process are summarized below 1) A population of worms is introduced into one of the vermicomposting modules 1 according to the invention and the modules are placed next to each other to form the lines described by means of FIG. 5, 2) The feeding is carried out by lateral spreading or by spreading carried out by means of a straddling machine of known type; 3) The modules being placed one beside the other, their sprinkler systems 15, as described above by means of FIG. 4, are connected to each other and to the collective network at the start of row 4) For split or recover the worms, we approach as shown in Figure 6, an empty module (1 V) next to the module (1 p) to empty. Then with a hook 110 or any other known means we recover the top of the feed 111 which contains the population of worms and the assembly is transferred to the empty module (1 v) as shown by arrow F.

5) To harvest the vermicompost, simply tilt the module (1 p) free of its worms and thus recover the compost.

6) The worm population being collected in step 4, the substrate and its population are sorted using a worm sorter, for example, a modified seed sorter of known type, so as to obtain the worms adults on one side, the substrate and the rest of the population on the other.

7) Depending on the type of feeding and the breeding conditions, it may prove useful to aerate the substrate in the vermicomposting modules.

 This can be done, as shown in Figure 7, by means of a harrow 115 which penetrates into the module 1 through the orifices 6 of the bottom 5 thereof. A lifting device 75 cooperates with the anchoring points 11.

 As already mentioned above, protection is provided by a cover 4.

 A second process, known as indoor breeding, can be implemented in accordance with the invention. This process is illustrated in particular by means of FIGS. 8 and 9. It presents itself for most of its stages in the same way as the process described above, with the difference that the lines are arranged on shelves 120 and that the whole assembly is located under cover as illustrated schematically by means of the roof 121 shown in FIG. 8 and put in place thanks in particular to a palletizer 122.

 FIG. 9 illustrates this arrangement of the modules arranged on shelves 120, seen from the side. There are the spray bars 15, the supply can be done by means of supply chains 501.

 A third method is now described: it is the so-called module and continuous power method.

 It is illustrated by means of Figures 10, 11 and 12 and comprises the main steps described below.

 1) The population of worms is introduced into a first module la and it is filled with food.

2) Then when the module supply is consumed, a second module 1b is placed which has previously been filled with supply on the first 1a. The bottom of the upper module I b rests as has already been said above by its own weight directly on the upper surface of the loading of the lower module 1 a.

 The population of worms will therefore transit from this first lower module I a to this second upper module I b through the orifices 6 in the bottom 5 of the latter. The power supply must be set up so that when it is consumed, the vermicompost occupies the entire volume of the module.

 We thus progress, module by module. As an example, only three modules are shown in FIG. 10, namely the modules I a, I b, ... 1 n.

 3) For the duplication, the operation consists in controlling the time during which the upper module 1 b is left on the lower module 1 a. We collect all or part of the worm population.

This allows from an initial module to create one or more other modules.

 For example, as shown in FIG. 11, on the module 1 a, when the power it originally contains is consumed, there is an upper module 1 b (shown in dotted lines because this position is transient). It is populated with worms migrating from 1 a to I b.

At a given moment, when we judge that the quantity of worms is sufficient, we remove this recently populated module 1b and it in turn becomes the basic module (lower) 1 bl which a foid provided with power and after that 'if consumed will be the supplier for a new upper module 1 b2 (dotted). But from the first lower module î a when the upper module 1 b has been removed and before all the worms have passed, one can place on this lower module 1 a a second upper module 1 c which again constitutes a breeding line. The process can be repeated as many times as you want.

4) The watering is transferred to the row of upper modules, as the doubling progresses, which avoids leaching of the soluble elements which are retained in the lower modules.

5) The lower modules being empty of worms, it is enough to transfer to the side, the upper modules to be able to recover the lower modules and thereby the vermicompost they contain, (Figure 12), phase a, b, c.

 As shown in FIG. 13, this process can be applied to a breeding carried out inside, under shelter 121. A traveling crane 130 then allows rational and rapid handling and maximum use of the surface on the ground.

 As before, protection is possibly ensured by the installation of covers on the upper modules.

 All of these processes implemented in accordance with the invention through the use of suitable modules find their application in all farms, whether small or at the industrial stage.

 They are particularly advantageous for sheltered farms, because they allow maximum use of the space thanks to stacking. A particularly advantageous application is at the level of the treatment of household waste, thanks to the use of lines and rows which lend themselves more particularly to a food which can easily be rationalized and mechanized.

Claims (9)

1) Module (1) intended for the breeding of worms and vermicomposting of the type which is in the form of a bottom pan (5) perforated by orifices (6); characterized in that the edges (2) of the module (1) have a draft whose angle (c \ ') allows the stacking of the modules when they are empty and their partial stacking when they are full so that the bottom (5) of the upper module (I b) rests on the external surface of the content of the lower module (I a) these modules further comprising on the one hand, means (10) capable of ensuring their palletization to allow a operation of splitting worms in a horizontal plane from one module (1 p) to another module (1 v) placed laterally next to it and on the other hand hooking means (11) to a lifting device ( 75) allowing a worm splitting operation in a vertical plane, by superposition of the modules on each other, these two horizontal and vertical splitting operations can be combined together. 2) Module (1) according to claim 1; characterized in that these palletizing means (10) consist of profiles made in the bottom (5) of the module (1) in which the forks of a palletizer can bear.  3) Module (1) according to claim 1; characterized in that these attachment means are anchoring points intended to receive the hooks (83) of the lifting system (75). 4) Module (1) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that it further comprises an integrated sprinkler system (15). 5) Module (1) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that it comprises a window (200) allowing to see inside the module the evolution of the breeding process. 6) Module (1) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that a heating element (20 I) is integrated into said module (I). 7) Module (1) according to one of the preceding claims; characterized in that it comprises a cover (4) which rests on a groove (3) of the module (1).  s) Method for raising worms and vermicomposting using a plurality of modules (I) according to one of the preceding claims. 9) Method according to claim 8; characterized in that it consists in arranging the modules (1) in line A, B, C, ... N of rows (50, 60) separated by aisles (61) of a plurality of modules (a, b , c, ... n), placed one after the other, the splitting operation being carried out laterally in a horizontal plane.  10) Method according to claim 9; characterized in that these lines are arranged on shelves (120).  he! The method of claim 8; characterized in that at least one second module (I b) said upper module is placed on the content of a first module said lower module (1 a) so that a migration of the worms from this first module to the second takes place creates, the splitting is therefore done in a vertical plane. 12) Method according to claim II; characterized in that this duplication is split at a given time by transfer of the upper module (1 b) next to the lower module and replaced on the first lower module (1 a) of a second upper module (1 c).