AU2266800A - Harvester apparatus and distillation apparatus for vegetation - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO:

LODGED:

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED:

ACCEPTED:

PUBLISHED:

RELATED ART: 10 *o o *0 NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: HARNIX PTY LTD THOMAS ROBERT HARGREAVES LORD COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 4 Douro Place West Perth, Western Australia, 6005

AUSTRALIA.

"HARVESTER APPARATUS AND DISTILLATION APPARATUS FOR VEGETATION" INVENTION TITLE: DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application Number PP9526 filed on March 31, 1999.

The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

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2 The present invention relates to a harvester apparatus and distillation apparatus for vegetation.

It has long been known that eucalyptus oil-based products have been used as efficacious home remedies to alleviate respiratory symptoms and to relieve muscular pain.

Eucalyptus oil has been used as a component in household cleaning and laundering agents, and it has also been used as a flotation agent in the mining industry.

The botanical source of eucalyptus oil has been predominantly from a variety of eucalyptus species, commonly known as "mallees", which have multiple stems, woody lignotubers and the ability to regrow after repeated harvesting. Eucalyptus oil is at its r -highest natural concentration in the leaves and soft foliage, known as the biomass, but not in the woody stems of the mallee. Eucalyptus oil content in the biomass ranges from 1- 2% w/w.

Conventionally, the eucalyptus oil is extracted from the biomass by a process of steam distillation in autoclave chambers, followed by condensation and filtration.

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Current harvesting practices of oil-bearing mallees involve the adaptation and application of crop cutting technology developed for unrelated harvest types, for example sugar cane.

Conventional crop cutting technology is not designed to afford effective separation of the high oil content biomass from the low oil content woody stems of the mallee.

Consequently, approximately 75% of biomass material placed into autoclave chambers for steam distillation of the desired oil is not oil-bearing, resulting in an unnecessarily high energy expenditure during the steam distillation process and a low oil yield per unit mass of treated biomass.

'T (Ii 3 Furthermore, in the conventional harvest and extraction process, time and energy is expended in transporting and loading the harvested biomass from the field to a separate steam distillation still which is generally located in the vicinity of a reliable water and energy source, for example a homestead.

The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a harvester apparatus for separating foliage from woody plant material comprising a cutting means for removing vegetation from its roots, means for defoliating the cut vegetation, means for transporting the resulting foliage to a hopper, and means for discharging the separated woody plant material.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a distillation apparatus for high oil content vegetation comprising an autoclave and a mesh bin arranged to be placed within the autoclave, the mesh bin being arranged to receive oo0* high oil content vegetation.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for distillation for high oil content vegetation comprising: a) loading high oil content vegetation into an autoclave; b) immersing the high oil content vegetation in cold water; c) heating the cold water and said vegetation with super-heated steam; and d) distillation of oil from said vegetation.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:r 4 Figure 1 is a side plan view of a harvester in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of a front end of the harvester as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side plan view of a mobile trailer in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 4 is a side plan view of a distillation unit in accordance with the present invention.

In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings there is shown a harvester 10 for harvesting high oil content bearing vegetation, said harvester 10 including a mobile frame portion 100, a cutting means 20 for removing vegetation from its roots, a first conveying means 31 in communication with a second conveying means 32 for transferring cut vegetation .from a front end 11 of the harvester 10 to a rear end 12 of the harvester 10, a means for defoliating the cut vegetation, a hopper 60 for storage of the resulting foliage, a means for transporting the foliage to the hopper 60, and an auger loader 70 for transference of the coo* foliage from the hopper 60 to a storage bin or an autoclave for further processing.

The mobile frame portion 100 of the harvester 10 includes a body portion 110 provided see. 00.o with a pair of rear end wheels 200 for steering the harvester 10 and a pair of front end wheels 300. The rear end and front end wheels 200, 300 are driven by hydraulic motors (not shown) located on the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100. It will be appreciated that the mobile frame portion 100 could also be provided with a 4-wheel drive system for improved handling and maneuverability in off-road conditions.

A front end portion 120 of the body portion 110 is pivotably connected to a first end 115 of a downwardly inclined member 130. A second end 113 of the downwardly inclined member 130 is pivotably connected to a rear portion of a substantially horizontal base plate 140. The base plate 140 is provided with two elongate side members 150 extending upwardly from respective opposite edges of the base plate 140. The two elongate side members 150 are spaced progressively further apart from a rear end 151 of the side members 150 to a front end 152 of the side members 150 as shown in Figure 2.

The body portion 110 is provided with a substantially vertical upwardly extending s support member 160 adjacent to the front end portion 120 of the body portion 110. The support member 160 is provided with a hydraulically operated winch 170 to which a first end of a winch rope 14 is endwise connected. A second end of the winch rope is endwise connected to one of the side members 150. In this way, the base plate 140 may be pivoted about the first or the second end 115, 113 of the downwardly inclined member 130 of the oooo mobile frame portion 100 in response to retraction of the winch rope 14 by the winch 170, thereby providing means for adjusting the space between the base plate 140 of the harvester 10 and the ground vegetation and/or ground level.

The mobile frame portion 100 is also provided with an inverted U-shaped bar 400 including a substantially horizontal transversely aligned upper member 410 endwise interconnected at each respective end to an upper end of a substantially vertical downwardly depending side member 420. A lower end of the downwardly depending side member 420 is pivotally endwise connected to a horizontal member 430 which is in turn pivotally endwise connected to and forwardly projecting from an axle of the respective front end wheel 300.

The cutting means 20 of the harvester 10 includes a substantially horizontal circular rotary saw 22 disposed underneath the base plate 140 of the mobile frame portion 100.

The rotary saw 22 is hydraulically driven. The distance of the rotary saw 22 from underlying terrain is adjusted by pivoting the base plate 140 of the mobile frame portion 6 100 about the second or first end 113, 115 of the downwardly inclined member 130 in response to retraction of a winch rope 14 as previously described.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the first conveying means 31 includes an opposing pair of belt and pulley systems comprising a plurality of interconnecting belts 700 and pulleys 702 longitudinally extending from the base plate 140 to the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100, wherein the most rearwardly disposed pulley 705 is disposed rearwardly of the support member 160 of the body portion 110 of the frame portion 100.

The pulleys 702 are spaced apart from the side members 150 of the base plate 140 such that the belts 700 and pulleys 702 form an open Y-shaped configuration. In other words, O'l.t the belts and pulleys 700, 702 adjacent the front end 11 of the harvester 10 are spaced 0. apart from one another at the greater distance than the belts and pulleys 700, 702 disposed adjacent to or disposed rearwardly of the support member 160. Each respective *aa.

belt 700 turns in a direction in which an object entering the Y-shaped configuration of the a.00 first conveying means 31 is conveyed from the front end 11 of the harvester 10 to the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100 disposed rearwardly of the support .o0o member 160. Preferably, means are provided for an operator to control and vary the speed at which the first conveying means 31 operates.

The first conveying means 31 is also provided with first and second rotating pairs of opposing rotary spiders 710, 720 comprising a substantially vertical rotatable shaft 711 upwardly extending from the base plate 140, with a plurality of tines 712 radially extending from an upper portion of the vertical shaft 711. Preferably, the rotary spiders 710, 720 are aligned with respective interconnected belts and pulleys 700, 702.

7 The second conveying means 32 shown in Figure 1 includes a conveyor belt 34 which encompasses upper and lower surfaces of the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100. The conveyor belt 34 is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending chain fingers 35. The conveyor belt 34 is arranged to turn in a direction which will carry an object from the front end portion 120 to the rear of the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100 of the harvester 10. Preferably, each chain finger 35 has at least a 2 minute cycle. It is envisaged that means will be provided for an operator to control and vary the speed at which the second conveying means 32 operates. In this way, an operator can control the flow of material biomass towards the means for defoliating the cut vegetation, or alternatively the operator can control the flow of woody plant material expelled from the harvester The means for transporting foliage to the hopper includes an elongate chamber 42 with 9.9.

front and rear openings 41, 43 longitudinally aligned with and integral with the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100. The front opening 41 is arranged to receive cut vegetation carried into the chamber 42 by the continuous motion of the second 99..

conveying means 32. to undergo defoliation. The rear opening 43 is arranged to overlap the rear end 12 of the harvester 10 and act as a conduit for defoliated vegetation expelled from the harvester 10 by the continuous motion of the second conveying means 32.

It is within the scope of the present invention for the rear opening 43 of the chamber 42 to be integral with a conventional chipper (not shown) such that the defoliated woody material remaining after the foliage has been separated from the vegetation may be processed and expelled therefrom as in the normal manner.

I U 8 In a further embodiment of the present invention, the elongate chamber 42 can be readily detached from the body portion 110 of the mobile frame portion 100 and replaced with a "chipper" module. In this way, the harvester 10 is readily arranged to adapt to harvesting different types of vegetation.

An aperture 44 in an upper wall 45 of the chamber 42 is integral with a first end 51 of an upwardly extending conduit 50. A second end 52 of the conduit 50 is integral with an aperture 62 in a side wall 63 of a hopper 60. In this way, the chamber 42 and the hopper S. 60 are interconnected by the conduit The conduit 50 is provided with a fan 55 disposed intermediate the first and second ends 51, 52 of the conduit 50. The fan 55 is driven by a hydraulic motor 57. The fan 55 is go Sarranged to generate a current of air to draw foliage from the chamber 42 through the conduit 50 to the hopper The hopper 60 is adjacent the rear end 12 of the harvester 10. The hopper 60 is arranged to receive foliage separated from the vegetation entering the chamber 42. A lower portion o*o* 65 of the hopper 60 is integral with an auger loader 70 which is arranged to dispense *o separated foliage to other storage bins or an autoclave.

In the embodiment where a "chipper" module has been installed on the mobile frame portion 100 of the harvester, the conduit 50 is also provided with a diversion chute to separate wood chippings having different weights and thus different velocities.

Within the chamber 42 there is provided a means for defoliating the cut vegetation comprising a plurality of transversely disposed roller drums 80. Each roller drum 80 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal rows of transversely aligned steel rope brushes 82 outwardly extending from an outer surface 81 of the roller drum 9 Preferably, the steel rope brushes 82 are fabricated from short lengths of 6 or 8 strand steel rope which are either clamped or white-metalled into the outer surface 81 of the roller drum 80. The short lengths of steel rope are then frayed into individual strands to act as steel rope brushes 82. The roller drums 80 are arranged to rotate about a central longitudinal axis 81 of the roller drum 80 in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction.

Adjacent roller drums 80 are arranged to rotate in opposing directions. Preferably the speed of rotation of the roller drums 80 can be varied from about 500-1,500 rpm.

It is also within the scope of the invention for the conduit 50 to be provided with an inspection chute to enable an operator to monitor the size, quality and quantity of the 1D fseparated foliage entering the hopper 60. Armed with such information, the operator may adjust the feed rate of cut vegetation to the chamber 42 by varying the speeds of the first and second conveyor belt systems 31, 32. The operator may also adjust the feed rate of foliage to the hopper 60, and the size, quality and quantity of the foliage transported to the hopper 60 by varying the rotational speed of the roller drums *ooo In Figure 3 there is shown a trailer 900 arranged to transport a plurality of mesh bins 910 for use with an autoclave or distillation unit. Preferably the mesh bins 910 are substantially cylindrical, having a diameter not exceeding a diameter of the autoclave or distillation unit, and having a height not exceeding the height of the autoclave or distillation unit.

The trailer 900 is provided with a tow hitch 920 and a plurality of wheels 930 enabling the trailer 900 to be towed behind the harvester In Figure 4 there is shown an oil distillation unit 500 including a plurality of autoclaves 510, a steam generator 520, a water pump 530 and a condenser 540. Except for features w disclosed herein, the oil distillation unit 500 operates using conventional distillation technology.

The oil distillation unit 500 of the present invention is arranged to be mobile and operative in the field. Operation of the oil distillation unit 500 is powered from a diesel hydraulic power pack 570. The oil distillation unit 500 is supported and transported by a trailer 550. The support trailer 550 includes a lower intermediate portion 555 and two elongate side members 558 extending upwardly from respective ends of the lower intermediate portion 555. Upper ends of the respective side members 558 are endwise connected to substantially horizontal upper portions 552. Preferably, upper portions 552 are provided with a means for moving the mobile trailer 550, such as a set of wheels, and S.i a tow hitch for connecting the mobile trailer 550 behind a harvester 10 or other vehicle.

The lower intermediate portion 555 is provided with a plurality of jacks 551 disposed on an underside of the lower intermediate portion 555 to provide further stability to the mobile trailer 550 when the oil distillation unit 500 is stationary in the field.

ooeo The autoclaves 510 are disposed on an upper surface of lower intermediate portion 555.

oooo The steam generator 520, the water pump 530, and the condenser are disposed on an upper surface of the upper portion 552 of the mobile trailer 550.

The steam generator 520 is interconnected to a lower portion of the autoclave 510 with piping 522. Preferably, the steam generator works at a pressure of 50 psi or 500 kPa.

Preferably, the steam generator 520 is powered from a combustion engine driven by combustion of filtered and scrubbed waste sump oil from an oil tank 590. The steam generator is arranged to provide super heated water to the autoclave 510 under pressure to assist steam distillation of oils from vegetation, preferably eucalyptus oil from foliage 11 harvested with the harvester 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The steam generator 520 is charged with water expelled into the steam generator 520 by a high pressure piston pump powered by hydraulics.

The water pump 520 is interconnected to the autoclave 510 with piping 524 such that the autoclave 510 may be partially charged with fresh cold water at the commencement of the distillation process.

The condenser 540 is interconnected to the autoclave 510 with piping 526, from which condensed distillate is delivered to the condenser 540 upon completion of the distillation we process.

0000 it) The autoclave 510 is arranged to receive the mesh bin 910 shown in Figure 3 filled with separated foliage from the harvester 10. The mesh bin 910 is lowered into or removed 'from an open autoclave 510 by a crane 580. The crane 580 is disposed intermediate adjacent autoclaves 510. Upon completion of the distillation process, the spent separated foliage remaining in the autoclave 510 may be conveniently removed from the autoclave owes 0.00 510 by removal of the mesh bin 910. A prompt replacement of a second mesh bin 910 filled with fresh separated foliage may be made and the distillation process may be repeated.

The autoclave 510 is provided with pressure valves 512 and pressure gauges 514 in order to monitor the distillation process. Preferably, the autoclave 510 operates at a pressure ranging from 15-25 psi. Typically, for example, the period of distillation may range between 1-21/2 hours for a 12-14 ton load of separated foliage.

In use, the front end 11 of the harvester 10 is driven toward a "mallee" plantation until the circular rotary saw 22 of the cutting means 20 engages with a trunk or stems of the 12 "mallee" tree, thereby detaching only an upper portion of the "mallee" tree. The lower portion remains rooted in the ground from which new growth can be generated and later harvested.

The first and second pairs of rotary spiders 710, 720 located on the base plate 140 of the mobile frame portion 100 of the harvester 10 are arranged, in use, to "bunch up" or compress twigs and branches outwardly extending from the cut trunk or stems thereby assisting passage of the upper portion of the "mallee" along the first conveying means 31 of the harvester The belts and pulleys 700, 702 of the first conveying means 31 are arranged to pinch the trunk or stems of the upper portion of the "mallee" such that it is carried in an upright manner until the upper portion of the "mallee" engages with the inverted U-shaped bar 400, whereupon the upper portion of the "mallee" is tipped onto its side such that the trunk or stems proceeds foremost from the second end 113 to the first end 115 of the downwardly inclined member 130 of the mobile frame portion 100 and engage with the chain fingers 35 of the second conveying means 32 disposed around the body portion 110 0 of the mobile frame portion 100 of the harvester The front opening 41 of the chamber 42 is arranged to receive the upper portion of the "mallee", whereby the second conveying means 32 carries said portion to engage with the steel rope brushes 82 of the rotating roller drums 80. The rotating steel rope brushes 82 are arranged to defoliate said upper portion by abrasive action on the twigs and branches thereof. An air current generated by the fan 55 located within the conduit draws foliage removed from the twigs and branches through the aperture 44 in the upper surface of the chamber 42, the conduit 50, and into the hopper 60. In this way, the 13 chamber 42 is continuously evacuated of loose foliage to prevent the build up of biomass in the chamber 42, and to prevent disruptions to the second conveying means 32 arising from chain fingers 35 becoming clogged with surplus biomass.

The remaining defoliated twigs, branches, trunks and stems are then conveyed to the rear opening 43 of the chamber where they are expelled from the harvester 10. In this way, high oil content foliage is effectively separated from the twigs, branches, trunks and stems of the upper portion of the "mallee", and the hopper 60 is filled with biomass **material which has a high oil content and which is not contaminated with low oil bearing wooden material.

••go S.l To effect efficient harvesting of a large crop of vegetation an operator may tow a trailer 900 carrying a plurality of mesh bins 910 behind the harvester. When the hopper 60 is full of biomass material, the operator operates the auger loader 70 to feed biomass material from the hopper 60 into the mesh bins 910. The mesh bins 910 may then be lowered by the crane 580 into an autoclave 510 which has been partially charged with cold water from the water pump 530. Lowering the mesh bin 910 into the autoclave 510 has the effect of raising the liquid level in the autoclave 510 and completely immersing the separated foliage contained within the mesh bin 910 in the water. The autoclave 510 is sealed with a lid and then the autoclave 510 is charged with super heated steam from the steam generator 520 which quickly raises the temperature of the autoclave contents.

The distillation process continues over a period of one to two and a half hours, and during that time, the distillate is collected in the condenser where it is later cooled, separated, scrubbed and filtered to give the desired oil product.

14 The spent foliage remaining in the mesh bin 910 is then easily removed from the autoclave by raising the mesh bin 910 with the crane 580. A second mesh bin 910 filled with recently harvested biomass material is then loaded into the autoclave 510 and the distillation process is repeated as previously described.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

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Claims (21)

1. A harvester apparatus for separating foliage from woody plant material comprising a cutting means for removing vegetation from its roots, means for defoliating the cut vegetation, means for transporting the resulting foliage to a hopper, and means for discharging the defoliated woody plant material.

2. A harvester apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for defoliating the cut vegetation comprises a plurality of rotatable cylindrical members, each rotatable cylindrical member having a plurality of brushes extending outwardly from an outer longitudinal surface of the rotatable cylindrical member, each rotatable cylindrical member being arranged in use to rotate about its central longitudinal axis so as to defoliate vegetation brought into close proximity with the brushes of the rotatable cylindrical member.

3. A harvester apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each rotatable cylindrical member rotates in an opposing direction to an adjacent rotatable cylindrical member.

4. A harvester apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the brushes are formed from steel rope.

A harvester apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the means for transporting the resulting foliage to a hopper comprises a chamber for housing the 16 means for defoliating the cut vegetation, a conduit interconnecting the chamber and the hopper, and a fan disposed within the conduit, the fan being arranged in use to generate a current of air to draw foliage resulting from defoliation of the cut vegetation in the chamber through the conduit to the hopper.

6. A harvester apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a first conveying means in communication with the cutting means and the means for defoliating the cut vegetation, wherein the first conveying means is arranged in use to convey cut **o vegetation from the cutting means to the means for defoliating the cut vegetation.

7. A harvester apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first conveying means is provided with a means for compressing the cut vegetation so as to facilitate efficient conveyance of the cut vegetation to the means for defoliating the cut vegetation.

8. A harvester apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means for compressing the cut vegetation comprises a plurality of rotatable shafts, each rotatable shaft having a plurality of tines radially extending from the rotatable shaft.

9. A harvester apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rotatable shafts are configured in an open Y-shaped configuration longitudinally aligned with the first conveying means.

A harvester apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the first conveying means is provided with a means for realigning the cut vegetation from a substantially upstanding configuration to a substantially horizontal configuration to facilitate engagement of the cut vegetation with the means for defoliating the cut vegetation.

11. A harvester apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the means for realigning the o cut vegetation comprises an inverted U-shaped bar disposed between the cutting means and the means for defoliating the cut vegetation, wherein the U-shaped bar is arranged in '1use to engage and momentarily halt the relative motion of an upper portion of the cut S" vegetation while allowing a lower portion to continue its relative motion on the first *conveying means, such that the upper portion is caused to fall in a substantially horizontal alignment with the lower portion of the cut vegetation.

12. A harvester apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the means for discharging the separated woody plant material comprises a second conveying means in communication with the means for defoliating the cut vegetation, wherein the second conveying means is arranged in use to convey the separated woody plant material to a location remote from the means for defoliating the cut vegetation.

13. A harvester apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cutting means is pivotably connected to a front portion of the harvester apparatus. 0 I 18

14. A harvester apparatus according to claim 13, wherein th6 cutting means may be pivotably adjusted so as to vary the distance between the cutting means and terrain underlying the cutting means.

15. A harvester apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the cutting means is a substantially horizontal circular rotary saw.

16. A distillation apparatus for high oil content vegetation comprising an autoclave and a mesh bin arranged to be placed within the autoclave, the mesh bin being arranged .q*1 to receive high oil content vegetation.

17. A distillation apparatus according to claim 16, the distillation apparatus further comprising a steam generator interconnected to a lower portion of the autoclave, wherein the steam generator is arranged in use to charge the autoclave with super heated water under pressure to increase the efficiency of steam distillation of oil from high oil content vegetation.

18. A distillation apparatus according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the autoclave is provided with a water inlet means for receiving cold water.

19. A process for distillation for high oil content vegetation comprising: a) loading high oil content vegetation into an autoclave; b) immersing the high oil content vegetation in cold water; 1 9, 19 c) heating the cold water and said vegetation with super-heated steam; and d) distilling of oil from the vegetation.

A harvester apparatus for separating foliage from woody plant material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

21. A distillation apparatus for high oil content vegetation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. DATED THIS 2 9 TH DAY OF MARCH 2000. HARNIX PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys LORD COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. *e.