# Rotating cultivation drum

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Mechanical function, plant-module geometry, sequential immersion and the measurements required before biological comparison.

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 r e v = 60 n T_{\mathrm{rev}}=\frac{60}{n} T rev ​ = n 60 ​ Rotation period in seconds for drum speed n in revolutions per minute.

**Explanation**One minute contains 60 seconds, so dividing 60 by the rotation speed gives the time needed for one complete turn.

 M-2 t i m m = θ b a t h 2 π   T r e v t_{\mathrm{imm}}=\frac{\theta_{\mathrm{bath}}}{2\pi}\,T_{\mathrm{rev}} t imm ​ = 2 π θ bath ​ ​ T rev ​ Immersion time for a measured bath-contact angular span θbath in radians.

**Explanation**The fraction of the circle occupied by the nutrient bath is multiplied by the duration of one turn to estimate how long roots remain immersed.

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]

## References

- [I01] FlavoRotor project team (2026). FlavoRotor prototype implementation record. *Internal engineering report*.
- [I02] FlavoRotor project team (2026). FlavoRotor v2.0 system architecture. *Internal engineering design report*.