Racinator: for extracting roots and seeds from soil samples

Abstract

Racinator is a new equipment to extract roots and seeds contained in a core sample, allowing to filter elements up to 200µm. Its functionning is based on successive phases : soaking, paddling and screening. The core sample that was previously disolved by soaking in salted water is inserted in the machine. A separator jar then received automatically sequences with a mix of soil, roots and seeds by a pneumatic valve piloted by a program logic controller. When injecting water and compressed air in the jar a paddling effect is created, roots and seeds are separated from soil and come back up to the surface of water. They are afterwards received in one or several screenings of different meshings. The reduction of the screening meshing allows isolate elements from smaller parts.