SELF-FILLING SOIL PROCESSING CHAMBER WITH DYNAMIC EXTRACTANT VOLUME

• US 20190120737A1
• Filed: 12/07/2018
• Published: 04/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Winfield Solutions LLC (Land O'Lakes Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Winfield Solutions LLC (Land O'Lakes Incorporated)
• Inventors: White, Justin S., Prouty, Stephen D., Preiner, Michael J., Koshnick, Nicholas C.
• Application Number:
  US16/213,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20190120737A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 1/04 Sampling of soil E02D1/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/38 Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/06 Investigating concentration of particle suspensions by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/10 Measuring moisture content, e.g. by measuring change in length of hygroscopic filament; Hygrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/383 collecting and diluting in a flow of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/4061 Solvent extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/25 Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/24 Earth materials G01N33/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/245 for agricultural purposes

Abstract

A soil analysis device is configured to create a soil sample solution. The device includes a reservoir configured to store an extractant, a mixing chamber coupled to the reservoir and configured to receive extractant from the reservoir and to receive a raw soil sample, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine an amount of extractant needed to produce, from the raw soil sample, a soil sample solution with a particular soil-to-extractant ratio and configured to cause the determined amount of extractant to be transferred from the reservoir to the mixing chamber.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A soil analysis device comprising:

a mixing chamber including an inlet configured to receive a cleaning fluid and a waste outlet, the mixing chamber configured to receive an extractant and raw soil samples, wherein the extractant and the raw soil samples form a soil sample solution;

a mixing assembly coupled to the mixing chamber and configured to mix contents of the mixing chamber;

at least one measurement device coupled to and/or disposed in the mixing chamber, the at least one measurement device configured to analyze the soil sample solution; and

a control system configured to cause the mixing assembly to move an amount of the cleaning fluid within the mixing chamber to clean leftover particulates of the soil sample from the mixing chamber responsive to analyzing the soil sample solution and removing at least some of the soil sample solution from the reservoir via the waste outlet.

21. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the at least one measurement device comprises at least one of a conductivity probe, a glass pH electrode, or ion selective electrodes.

22. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the at least one measurement device comprises one or more optical detectors.

23. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the at least one measurement device analyzes the soil sample solution to determine at least one of a moisture content of the soil sample solution, a viscosity of the soil sample solution, a temperature of the soil sample solution, or an amount of one or more elements comprising the soil sample solution

24. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system is configured to cause the mixing chamber to receive an amount of the extractant from one or more reservoirs coupled to the mixing chamber.

25. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system is configured to cause the mixing chamber to receive the raw soil samples.

26. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system is configured to cause the mixing assembly to mix the extractant and the raw soils samples to form the soil sample solution.

27. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system is configured to cause the at least one measurement device to analyze the soil sample solution.

28. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system is configured to open the waste outlet to evacuate at least a substantial portion of the soil sample solution from the mixing chamber.

29. The soil analysis device of claim 28, wherein the control system is configured to close the waste outlet after at least a substantial portion of the soil sample solution is evacuated from the mixing chamber.

30. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system is configured to cause the mixing chamber to receive an amount of the cleaning fluid from one or more reservoirs coupled to the mixing chamber.

31. The soil analysis device of claim 20, wherein the control system loads a new soil sample into the mixing chamber in response to determining that the mixing chamber has been cleaned.

32. The soil analysis device of claim 20, further comprising one or more reservoirs configured to store at least one of the extractant or the cleaning fluid, the mixing chamber coupled to the one or more reservoirs.

33. The soil analysis device of claim 32, further comprising an air source configured to move at least one of the extractant or the cleaning from the one or more reservoirs to the mixing chamber.

34. The soil analysis device of claim 33, wherein the control system is further configured to, in response to determine that one or more measurements have been completed, cause the air source to dry the mixing chamber.

35. The soil analysis device of claim 32, further comprising a flow meter configured to measure an amount of at least one of the extractant or the cleaning fluid from the one or more reservoirs into the mixing chamber.

36. The soil analysis device of claim 32, further comprising one or more valves configured to control the flow of at least one of the extractant or the cleaning fluid from the one or more reservoirs to the mixing chamber.

37. The soil analysis device of claim 20, further comprising a spray nozzle that dispenses the cleaning fluid from the reservoir to clean one or more sidewalls of the mixing chamber, the spray nozzle communicably coupled to the control system.

38. A soil analysis device comprising:

one or more reservoirs configured to store at least one of an extractant or a cleaning fluid;

a mixing chamber including an inlet coupled to the one or more reservoirs and a waste outlet, the mixing chamber configured to receive the extractant and raw soil samples, the mixing chamber configured to take one or more measurement from a soil solution sample that includes the extractant and the raw soil samples;

a control system configured to cause the mixing assembly to move an amount of the cleaning fluid within the mixing chamber to clean leftover particulates of the soil sample from the mixing chamber responsive to analyzing the soil sample solution and removing at least some of the soil sample solution from the reservoir via the waste outlet.

39. A soil analysis device comprising:

one or more reservoirs configured to store at least one of an extractant or a cleaning fluid;

a mixing chamber including an inlet coupled to the one or more reservoirs and a waste outlet, the mixing chamber configured to receive the extractant and raw soil samples, the mixing chamber configured to take one or more measurement from a soil solution sample that includes the extractant and the raw soil samples;

at least one flow meter configured to measure an amount of at least one of the extractant or the cleaning fluid transferred from the one or more reservoirs into the mixing chamber; and

a control system configured to cause the mixing assembly to move an amount of a cleaning fluid within the mixing chamber to clean leftover particulates of the soil sample from the mixing chamber responsive to analyzing the soil sample solution and removing at least some of the soil sample solution from the reservoir via the waste outlet.