{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","id":"TR-MEC-001","slug":"rotating-drum","canonical_url":"https://flavorotor.com/research/rotating-drum","machine_readable_url":"https://flavorotor.com/research/data/chapters/rotating-drum.json","markdown_url":"https://flavorotor.com/research/markdown/rotating-drum","title":"Rotating cultivation drum","description":"Mechanical function, plant-module geometry, sequential immersion and the measurements required before biological comparison.","chapter":"Experimental platform","version":"1.1","updated":"2026-07-26","table_of_contents":[{"id":"plain","label":"Explanation"},{"id":"functions","label":"Functions to validate"},{"id":"immersion","label":"Immersion timing"},{"id":"comparison","label":"Biological comparison requirement"},{"id":"provenance","label":"FlavoRotor design provenance"}],"html":"<section aria-label=\"Article summary\" class=\"fr-article-summary\"><div><span>In brief</span><p>Mechanical function, plant-module geometry, sequential immersion and the measurements required before biological comparison.</p></div></section><h2 id=\"plain\">Explanation</h2>\n<p>Plants are arranged around a cylindrical drum. As the drum turns, each root module passes through the nutrient reservoir and then drains in air. A central light source is intended to keep the plant positions at similar radial distance from the source.</p>\n<h2 id=\"functions\">Functions to validate</h2>\n<div class=\"table-wrap\"><table><thead><tr><th>Function</th><th>Engineering metric</th><th>Biological risk if uncontrolled</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Rotation</td><td>mean RPM, within-cycle variation, direction</td><td>unequal immersion and mechanical stimulus</td></tr><tr><td>Immersion</td><td>time in solution, depth, interval</td><td>unequal water and nutrient exposure</td></tr><tr><td>Drainage</td><td>retained volume and drain time</td><td>root-zone oxygen differences</td></tr><tr><td>Position balance</td><td>radial mass distribution</td><td>vibration and speed modulation</td></tr><tr><td>Plant retention</td><td>module force and displacement</td><td>plant damage or loss</td></tr><tr><td>Cleanability</td><td>accessible wetted surfaces</td><td>biofilm and cross-cycle contamination</td></tr></tbody></table></div>\n<h2 id=\"immersion\">Immersion timing</h2>\n<div class=\"equation\"><div class=\"equation-label\">M-1</div><div class=\"equation-text\">T<sub>rev</sub> = 60 / n</div><div class=\"equation-desc\">Rotation period in seconds for drum speed n in revolutions per minute.</div></div>\n<div class=\"equation\"><div class=\"equation-label\">M-2</div><div class=\"equation-text\">t<sub>imm</sub> = (θ<sub>bath</sub> / 2π) · T<sub>rev</sub></div><div class=\"equation-desc\">Immersion time for a measured bath-contact angular span θbath in radians.</div></div>\n<p>The immersion time must be calculated from the measured contact angle and verified with video or position sensing. It must not be inferred from RPM alone.</p>\n<h2 id=\"comparison\">Biological comparison requirement</h2>\n<p>A rotation trial needs a static or movement-matched control with equivalent mean DLI, root-zone exposure and air flow. Otherwise light, watering and mechanical effects remain confounded.</p>\n<h2 id=\"provenance\">FlavoRotor design provenance</h2><p>The system-specific configuration on this page is traced to the supplied FlavoRotor engineering records. <button aria-label=\"Open source record I01\" class=\"research-source-trigger\" data-research-source=\"I01\" type=\"button\">[I01]</button> <button aria-label=\"Open source record I02\" class=\"research-source-trigger\" data-research-source=\"I02\" type=\"button\">[I02]</button></p>","text":"In brief Mechanical function, plant-module geometry, sequential immersion and the measurements required before biological comparison. Explanation Plants are arranged around a cylindrical drum. As the drum turns, each root module passes through the nutrient reservoir and then drains in air. A central light source is intended to keep the plant positions at similar radial distance from the source. Functions to validate Function Engineering metric Biological risk if uncontrolled Rotation mean RPM, within-cycle variation, direction unequal immersion and mechanical stimulus Immersion time in solution, depth, interval unequal water and nutrient exposure Drainage retained volume and drain time root-zone oxygen differences Position balance radial mass distribution vibration and speed modulation Plant retention module force and displacement plant damage or loss Cleanability accessible wetted surfaces biofilm and cross-cycle contamination Immersion timing M-1 T rev = 60 / n Rotation period in seconds for drum speed n in revolutions per minute. M-2 t imm = (θ bath / 2π) · T rev Immersion time for a measured bath-contact angular span θbath in radians. The immersion time must be calculated from the measured contact angle and verified with video or position sensing. It must not be inferred from RPM alone. Biological comparison requirement A rotation trial needs a static or movement-matched control with equivalent mean DLI, root-zone exposure and air flow. Otherwise light, watering and mechanical effects remain confounded. FlavoRotor design provenance The system-specific configuration on this page is traced to the supplied FlavoRotor engineering records. [I01] [I02]","source_ids":["I01","I02"],"visuals":[],"sources":[{"id":"I01","authors":"FlavoRotor project team","year":2026,"title":"FlavoRotor prototype implementation record","publication":"Internal engineering report","doi":null,"url":"/research/platform","source_type":"internal primary record","relevance":"Documents the built rotating prototype, sensing electronics, dashboard and current validation limitations.","verification":"Derived from the original FlavoRotor project document","verified_on":"2026-07-26","verification_status":"INTERNAL PRIMARY RECORD","verified_against":"Original internal project file and extracted media"},{"id":"I02","authors":"FlavoRotor project team","year":2026,"title":"FlavoRotor v2.0 system architecture","publication":"Internal engineering design report","doi":null,"url":"/research/platform","source_type":"internal primary record","relevance":"Documents the proposed magnetic drive, axial lighting, four-channel peristaltic dosing and imaging architecture.","verification":"Derived from the original FlavoRotor v2.0 engineering document","verified_on":"2026-07-26","verification_status":"INTERNAL PRIMARY RECORD","verified_against":"Original internal project file and extracted media"}]}