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US 10,264,769 B2Granted
Insect production systems and methods
OwnerDaniel Michael Leoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Variable-scale, modular, easily manufacturable, energy efficient, reliable, and computer operated Insect Production Superstructure Systems (IPSS) may be used to produce insects for human and animal consumption, and for the extraction and use of lipids for applications involving medicine, nanotechnology, consumer products, and chemical production with minimal water, feedstock, and environmental impact. An IPSS may comprise modules including feedstock mixing, enhanced feedstock splitting, insect feeding, insect breeding, insect collection, insect grinding, pathogen removal, multifunctional flour mixing, and lipid extraction. An IPSS may be configured to be constructed out of a plurality of containerized modules.
Claims52
An Insect Production Superstructure System (IPSS), the IPSS comprises:
- (a) an insect feeding chamber having an interior and having insects present therein;
- (b) a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature within the interior of the insect feeding chamber;
- (c) an air supply fan equipped with an air supply fan motor, the air supply fan provides an air supply to an air heater;
- (d) the air heater is configured to accept the air supply from the air supply fan and produce a heated air supply to heat the interior of the insect feeding chamber, wherein the air supply is heated by the air heater which is operatively connected to an energy source selected from the group consisting of electricity, natural gas, combustion, solar, and steam;
- (e) a filter configured to accept a particulate and gas mixture from the interior of the insect feeding chamber, the filter separates particulates from the particulate and gas mixture and outputs a particulate-depleted gas stream, the particulate-depleted gas stream has a reduced amount of particulates relative to the particulate and gas mixture;
- and
- (f) an evacuation fan configured to evacuate at least a portion of the particulate-depleted gas stream from the filter, the evacuation fan is equipped with a motor.
4 more elements
An Insect Production Superstructure System (IPSS), the IPSS comprises:
- (a) an insect feeding chamber having an interior and having insects present therein;
- (b) a network of cells positioned within the interior of the insect feeding chamber for insects to live in, the network of cells have a first set of openings positioned at a first end and a second set of openings positioned at a second end, insects reside in passageways between the first set of openings at the first end and the second set of openings at the second end;
- (c) a computer;
- (d) a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature within the interior of the insect feeding chamber and send a signal to the computer;
- (e) an air supply fan equipped with an air supply fan motor, the air supply fan provides an air supply to an air heater;
- (f) the air heater is configured to accept the air supply from the air supply fan and produce a heated air supply to heat the interior of the insect feeding chamber;
- (g) a filter configured to accept a particulate and gas mixture from the interior of the insect feeding chamber, the filter separates particulates from the particulate and gas mixture and outputs a particulate-depleted gas stream, the particulate-depleted gas stream has a reduced amount of particulates relative to the particulate and gas mixture;
- and
- (h) an evacuation fan configured to evacuate at least a portion of the particulate-depleted gas stream from the filter, the evacuation fan is equipped with a motor;
- wherein:
- the computer automatically adjusts the temperature within the interior of the insect feeding chamber to a temperature ranging from between 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit by adjusting the temperature of the air heater and/or the air supply fan motor in response to the input signal from the temperature sensor;
- the cells have a cell length and a cell width, the cell width ranges from between 1 inch to 5 inches, the cell length ranges from between 0.5 feet to 4 feet;
- the network of cells has a network length and a network width, the network width ranges from between 1 foot to 20 feet, the network length ranges from between 1 foot to 40 feet.
10 more elements
An Insect Production Superstructure System (IPSS), the IPSS comprise:
- (a) an insect feeding chamber having an interior and having insects present therein;
- (b) a computer;
- (c) a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature within the interior of the insect feeding chamber and send a signal to the computer;
- (d) an air supply fan equipped with an air supply fan motor, the air supply fan motor is equipped with a controller, the controller is configured to input and/or output a signal to the computer, the air supply fan provides an air supply to an air heater;
- (e) the air heater is configured to accept the air supply from the air supply fan and produce a heated air supply to heat the interior of the insect feeding chamber;
- (f) a filter configured to accept a particulate and gas mixture from the interior of the insect feeding chamber, the filter separates particulates from the particulate and gas mixture and outputs a particulate-depleted gas stream, the particulate-depleted gas stream has a reduced amount of particulates relative to the particulate and gas mixture;
- and
- (g) an evacuation fan configured to evacuate at least a portion of the particulate-depleted gas stream from the filter, the evacuation fan is equipped with a motor;
- wherein:
- the computer automatically adjusts the temperature within the interior of the insect feeding chamber to a temperature ranging from between 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit by adjusting the temperature of the air heater and/or the air supply fan motor and/or the controller in response to the input signal from the temperature sensor.
7 more elements
An Insect Production Superstructure System (IPSS), the IPSS comprises:
- (a) an insect feeding chamber having an interior and having insects present therein;
- (b) a water treatment unit configured to accept a source of water and produce treated water therefrom, the water treatment unit includes one or more water treatment units selected from the group consisting of an adsorbent, an ion-exchange resin, a catalyst, and activated carbon;
- (c) a distributor positioned within the interior of the insect feeding chamber, the distributor is configured to accept at least a portion of the treated water discharged from the water treatment unit and make the water available to the insects.
A method to extract liquid lipids from insects, the method includes:
- (a) providing:
- (I) a source of insects;
- and
- (II) a lipid extraction unit including:
- (i) a feed bin configured to accept the source of insects, the feed bin transfers the insects to a screw press;
- (ii) the screw press includes a shaft and flights, a motor is configured to rotate the screw press, and the screw press is configured to extract liquid lipids from the insects by applying pressure on the insects to squeeze the liquid lipids from the insects through a pressing cage;
- and
- (iii) the pressing cage is configured to permit the liquid lipids to flow through the pressing cage to be discharged from the lipid extraction unit;
- and
- (iv) a protein output configured to discharge lipid-depleted insects from the lipid extraction unit, the lipid-depleted insects have a reduced amount of lipids relative to the source of insects;
- (b) after step (a), introducing the insects to the feed bin of the lipid extraction unit;
- (c) after step (b), transferring the insects from the feed bin to the screw press;
- (d) after step (c), rotating the screw press with the motor to cause the screw press to pressurize the insects;
- (e) after step (d), squeezing the liquid lipids through the pressing cage;
- and
- (f) after step (e), discharging the lipid-depleted insects from the lipid extraction unit, the lipid-depleted insects have a reduced amount of lipids relative to the insects.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.