Lagoon Sludge Sampler

PDK has significantly increased its field capability with the development of a lagoon sampler. The sampler is based on the Sidewinder designed by Doug Hamilton, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, Oklahoma State University. The PDK sampler was modified and built by the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The sampler consists of an 8-m long, multi-sectioned, aluminum pipe handle, a specialized PVC plastic sampling head, and a float. The sampling head has a spring loaded gate to allow collection of samples from discrete depths. The float and handle combination allows the user to take samples from discrete depths in an earthen storage from the convenience of the shore. The sampler has been field-tested, and further modified by PDK and PAMI so that it can be used for sampling from the shore of the lagoon at very shallow angles. Sample volumes slightly greater than 1 liter have been obtained in settled manure storages over a range of zero to >20 % solids.