FI77836B - Apparatus for composting organic waste material - Google Patents

Abstract

According to this invention, a composting device (1) consists of an internal return transport (2) and feed transport (4). The transports can also be attached to each other by end-to-end bearings (10). The return transport (2) is partially closed off from above (14) and from below (18) when returned mass properties can be influenced. The intake or discharge points of the transports (2, 4) can be adjusted using adjusters (6, 16).According to this invention, a device is attached by adjustable lift buckets (9) or transport blades (7) or it is split by baffles (13) into two or more parts. The blades (7) and baffles (13) can form an assembly.<IMAGE>

Description

1 77836

1 ORGANIC WASTE COMPOSTING EQUIPMENT

ANORDNING FOR COMPOSITION OF ORGANIZING AVFALL

The invention relates to a device for treating organic pulp.

The invention relates to the improvement of the operation of a drum composter and to the practical solution of the compostability of all kinds of waste, in particular heavy soil mass contaminated with organic matter.

Composting (aerobic digestion) is a biological method for treating organic waste.

15 In the composting process, the material to be decomposed is transformed by micro-organisms, mainly bacteria and fungi, into inorganic humic substances, carbon dioxide and water, as well as into organic humic substances suitable as fertilizers or soil improvers.

20

Composting can be done, for example, in compost bins, openings or drum composers. Batch-25 compost, typically made in a compost bin, has been used for small-scale composting of household and garden waste and manure. In large composting plants, drum composting is usually one step. In a drum composter, the rotational movement of the drum mixes, grinds and aerates the material to be composted and at the same time transports it forward in the drum.

30

Composting can be made more efficient by improving the structure of the composter. In a drum composter, the waste mass usually lingers for a relatively short time (a few days), in which case it is important to add a sufficient number of disintegrating microbes to the waste 35 at the outset. Among ordinary household waste, there are usually enough 2 77836 1 microbes to initiate composting, but the composting of hazardous waste such as oil requires the addition of microbes.

5 In current composers, the only way to get the seed mass into the waste is to move the mass leaving the drum back to the beginning of the drum. The transfer is made outside the drum by conveyors or by hand. Various guides mounted on the drum shaft or walls have also been used to restore the mass towards the initial end.

When composting organic substances that are difficult (slowly) to decompose, functional microbes are species that have adapted to the decomposition of these substances. They often have a low growth rate, which is often lower than the length of time the waste mass remains in the composter. If the microbes are not returned to the beginning of the composting process, they are gradually removed with the composted pulp and the decomposition activity ceases.

20

The composting team can also be made more efficient by improving aeration, better mixing and grinding of the pulp, and by providing the right moisture, nutrient balance, acidity, amount of organic mixture, and taking into account any microbial substances such as heavy metals in the waste.

Current drum composts are generally single-compartment, with the mass flowing evenly in one of the 30 composting chambers. By dividing the composting step into several compartments, a more even residence time of the pulp in composting can be achieved.

The residence time of the pulp, the need for return, etc. depend on the properties of the 35 compostable pulp. Therefore, those currently in use are built for the decomposition of a specific waste

II

3 77836 l devices are not directly suitable for composting other types of pulp. When the factors affecting the movement of the pulp can be controlled, the device is better suited for composting all types of waste.

The object of the present invention is to improve the usability and decomposition capacity of a drum composter for all types of waste, in particular heavy hazardous waste.

10 The reactor may be a horizontal cylindrical vessel with an axis extending longitudinally in the middle or above the center through a cylinder. The compostable mass is fed into the cylinder from one end, e.g. by means of a screw conveyor. The composted mass 15 exits the opposite end.

In contrast to previous types of composter, the invention makes it possible to control the following functions by means of components integral to the device: 20 (a) Microbial return. The return ratio (return mass: feed mass) can be freely selected. The supply and reset can either be controlled by different motors or their operation can be differentiated by a timer.

25 The addition of the microbial strain to the feed mass (recovery) can be done via a partially closed conveyor. Transportation can also be handled in other ways.

(b) Mass removal to recovery ratio. The conveyor, which removes the pulp, also acts to restore the pulp. By changing the direction of movement of the conveyor, the deletion and the return can be exchanged. The amount of mass to be removed or returned depends on the position of the lifting buckets on the rear wall of the drum, which can be adjusted.

35 (c) The rate of mass transfer inside the drum. The inner wall of the composter 4 77836 has guides that move the mass during the rotational movement. By changing the position of these guides and adjusting the rotation time, the mass transfer and the delay of the composter are affected.

5 (d) Enhancement of seeding of compostable pulp and smoothing of delay. The drum itself is divided by a flange into two or more parts. At the beginning of the composter there is a seeding section where the return mass and the feed mass 1Q mix with each other. The flange or part thereof can also act as an adjustable guide.

All factors affecting the transport of the pulp can be controlled from outside the composter.

15

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1-4, these figures having a uniform numbering 1-18.

Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the composter in a schematic-20 representation.

Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the end of the composter and shows the operation of the discharge buckets.

25 Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of the composter wall and shows the operation of the conveyors and partitions.

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a composter with a 30 mass return conveyor.

The composter (1) can be, for example, a drum rotating on longitudinal shafts (2, 4) or rollers (17). Conveyors (2, 4) pass through the composter and can be fixedly connected to each other or can be end-mounted (10), whereby the conveyors on each side of the bearings can move independently of each other and in different directions. The mass fed to the hopper (11) falls to the beginning (15) of the composter (1). From the end, the conveyor (2) is semi-closed by a canopy (14). The conveyor itself can be located in an open trough (18). The trough 5 ends at approximately the same point where the feed mass also falls (15). The pulp intake point (16) can be adjusted from the outside.

In the composter (1), the pulp is lifted by means of externally adjustable lifting buckets (9), the lifting angle of which can be used to influence the amount of pulp to be returned. The size of the buckets can be e.g. 50 cm x 50 cm. There can be, for example, three lifting buckets. By adjusting the buckets (9) and adjusting the intake point (16), the amount and property of the mass 15 to be returned can be influenced.

The feed conveyor (4) can be used, for example, by the motor (3) and the discharge conveyor / return conveyor (2) by the motor (5). There can be a funnel (11) for feeding the pulp and the drop-off point (15) can be adjusted by means of a regulator (6). The pulp can be removed from the composter (1) through the opening in (12).

Figure 3 shows the operation of the transducers (7). They can move the mass either forward or backward or not move it. The adjustment of the conveyors, which can be handled, for example, by means of a lockable handle (8), contributes to the residence time of the pulp. With the help of partitions (13), the composting process can be phased in and 30 events can be made more efficient. The transmitters (7) or parts thereof may form a whole. The conveyor (7) can even be the size of a partition (13).

Figure 4 shows one preferred embodiment of the conveyor (2). It has a screw conveyor (2) in a tray (18) made of low-friction material. The cover (14) of the conveyor (2) is a brush structure.

Claims (7)

Apparatus for treating organic pulp, characterized in that it has an internal pulp return (2) completely inside the composter (1), which is at least partially closed (14, 18) and which returns the pulp to the initial end (15) of the device. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the mass is transferred to the conveyor (2) by means of externally adjustable lifting buckets (9). Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the displacement of the mass is controlled by externally adjustable vanes (7). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the composter (1) is divided into two or more compartments from the inside by means of partitions (13) and in which the composting process is at least partially at a different stage. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vanes (7) or parts thereof form an integral partition with the partitions (13). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mass intake point (16) or the discharge point (15) of the conveyor (2) can be adjusted. 6 77836 Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the return conveyor (2) is connected to the feed conveyor (4) by an end bearing (10).