Methods and apparatus for mixing dairy animal treatment chemicals
AssigneeGEA Farm Technologies GmbH
InventorsRandall Richards, Eric Mathias
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for mixing dairy animal teat dip from water and additives. The method includes a mixing manifold into which the water and additives are fed and mixed in a controlled manner. Mixed teat dip is automatically quality tested and monitored to provide data for controlling quantities of water and additives being fed to the manifold.
Claims13
A method for mixing a dairy animal teat dip from water and at least one additive in a mixing manifold, the method comprising the steps of:
- regulating water flow from a local water source into the mixing manifold;
- pumping a first additive into the mixing manifold;
- metering the first additive to determine a quantity of the first dip additive pumped into the mixing manifold;
- pumping a second additive into the mixing manifold;
- metering the second additive to determine a quantity of the second additive being pumped into the mixing manifold;
- quality testing a substantially mixed teat dip flowing from the mixing manifold;
- and
- collecting data corresponding to the quality testing of the mixed teat dip flowing from the mixing manifold, and storing the data in a controller.
A method of mixing dairy animal teat dip in a mixing manifold, the method comprising the steps of:
- connecting the mixing manifold to a source of water that is near a point of use for teat dip;
- obtaining a teat dip additive to be mixed with water;
- at least partially filling a teat dip additive tank with a teat dip additive;
- activating a water inlet valve with a controller to feed water to the mixing manifold;
- metering the water with a water meter to determine a quantity of water being fed to the mixing manifold;
- generating a water quantity signal corresponding to the quantity of water flowing to the mixing manifold;
- transmitting the water quantity signal to the controller;
- determining from the water quantity signal a corresponding quantity of additive to be mixed with water in the mixing manifold;
- activating with the controller an additive pump to pump additive from the additive tank to the mixing manifold;
- metering with an additive meter a quantity of additive being pumped to the mixing manifold;
- generating an additive quantity data signal;
- transmitting the additive quantity data signal to the controller for comparison to a predetermined additive quantity specification;
- adjusting the additive pump to pump additive in a quantity that results in the additive quantity data signal substantially matching the additive quantity specification;
- monitoring a mixed teat dip flowing from the mixing manifold and generating a corresponding teat dip quality signal;
- transmitting the teat dip quality signal to the controller for comparison to a teat dip quality specification;
- and
- adjusting the water valve or the additive pump if the teat dip quality signal does not meet the teat dip quality specification.
A method for mixing a dairy animal teat dip from water and at least two additives in a mixing manifold, the method comprising the steps of:
- regulating water flow from a local water source into the mixing manifold;
- pumping a first additive into the mixing manifold;
- metering the first additive to determine a quantity of the first dip additive pumped into the mixing manifold;
- pumping a second additive into the mixing manifold;
- and
- metering the second additive to determine a quantity of the second additive being pumped into the mixing manifold;
- wherein at least one of the additives contains a labile ingredient.
A method of producing labile teat dips on a dairy facility, comprising the steps of:
- pumping water into a mixing manifold in a dairy farm facility;
- pumping a concentrated halide solution into the manifold;
- measuring the concentrated halide solution to determine a quantity of halide concentrate being pumped into the manifold;
- pumping one or more additives to the manifold;
- measuring each of the one or more additives to determine a quantity of each additive being pumped into the manifold;
- quality testing a substantially mixed teat dip flowing from the mixing manifold;
- and
- collecting data corresponding to the quality testing of the mixed teat dip flowing from the mixing manifold, and storing the data in a controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.