Infrastructure was provided as part of the Insect Pilot Plant project not only for the insect rearing itself, but also for the pre-treatment of the substrates.
Substrate pretreatment: In this room equipment was provided for weighing, cutting, mixing and mixing of insect feed substrates on a pilot scale. In addition, a sink, cooling room and freezer space was also provided. The spaces are designed in such a way that they are easily accessible with large containers and pallet transporter. The following devices are present in the substrate pre-treatment room:
Rearing: In the frame of the Insect Pilot Plant project, 3 climate chambers were built. At least 14 Danish carts can be placed in 2 large climate chambers. This way a total of 360 rearing containers can be placed in the climate chambers at the same time. Danish carts as well as various rearing containers were provided for these climate chambers. One climate chamber was specifically designed for the breeding of flying insects. Natural sunlight is present in this room. Cages are provided to which artificial lighting was also added. This climate chamber also houses the breeding system for the breeding of specific insects (including grasshoppers), that release high levels of allergens during the breeding process. This breeding system was constructed from separate units that are directly connected to a separate ventilation system. Temperature, humidity and CO2 are continuously monitored in the climate chambers. Additional temperature and humidity loggers enable us to monitor these parameters locally and closely. The following infrastructure is available for the rearing:
Harvest: A separate area was also provided for the harvest of the insects. Because a lot of dust is often released during the harvest, 2 ventilation points were installed here. A vibrating sieve with different sieves with different mesh sizes offers the possibility to separate the insects from their frass and feed residues in a short time. Industrial cleaning machine: A lot of material has to be cleaned during substrate pre-treatment, cultivation and harvest. An industrial-scale cleaning machine was provided for this in the Insect Pilot Plant. Through this ‘washing street’, not only the breeding boxes, but also small material can be cleaned. |