CA1120617A - Helical composter - Google Patents
Helical composterInfo
- Publication number
- CA1120617A CA1120617A CA000324291A CA324291A CA1120617A CA 1120617 A CA1120617 A CA 1120617A CA 000324291 A CA000324291 A CA 000324291A CA 324291 A CA324291 A CA 324291A CA 1120617 A CA1120617 A CA 1120617A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- container
- waste
- inlet
- proximate
- disposal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/10—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in agriculture
- Y02A40/20—Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
Landscapes
- Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention provides a composter for the disposal of human and organic kitchen wastes through an aerobic process of decomposition wherein waste matter is moved down a helical or spiral path within a container.
The present invention provides a composter for the disposal of human and organic kitchen wastes through an aerobic process of decomposition wherein waste matter is moved down a helical or spiral path within a container.
Description
llZ~17 The present invention relates to an apparatus and more particularly, relates to a device suitable for the dis-posal of human and organic kitchen waste. Many systems are known in the prior art, which systems are suitable for the dis-posal of human and/or organic wastes. Such systems range from individual ones such as septic tanks, seepage pits, and the like, to various chemical and organic treatments of waste water carried out by municipalities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact integrated waste disposal unit which eliminates re-quirements for motors, chemicals or mechanical devices to carry out the decomposition process. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a waste disposal unit which may be buried in earth or submerged in water, the unit being encased in a watertight and airtight shell eliminating the danger of leaking pipes and tanks contaminating a surrounding area.
The present invention provides a waste disposal unit which employs an aerobic process of decomposition utilizing a contir,uous process achieved by moving waste matter down a heli-cal or spiral path so that by the time the waste matter reachesthe end of the path, all harmful bacteria and pathogens have been destroyed leaving an inert residue suitable for use as fertilizer. The aexobic decomposition of human and organic wastes is achieved by introducing a continuous flow of fresh oxygen-laden air into the mass of waste in order to accelerate decomposition.
In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waste disposal unit comprising a q~
l~Z~617 container shell, at least one inlet situated at the top of said shell, a ramp having a substantially helical configuration extending from said inlet to a bottom of said shell, said shell including means permitting a continuous flow of fresh oxygen-laden air to enter therein, and means permitting the discharge of gaseous material therefrom.
In greater detail, the present invention provides a waste disposal unit suitable for use in dwellings, and which is adapted to provide a compact integrated human and organic kit-chen waste disposal unit. The shell of the unit is construc-ted so as to be substantially watertight and may be made of any suitable material including, for example, plastics, cementious materials, suitably treated metallic materials, etc. The con-tainer includes at least one inlet for the introduction of waste to the container - two or more may conveniently be pro-vided.
According to the present invention, there is provided a waste disposal path or ramp which is in a helical or spiral configuration. This configuration permits the use of a com-pact disposal unit in most circumstances. The waste disposalpath extends from a point proximate the top inlet in a spiral configuration to the bottom of the container. In this respect, several forms of spiral may be employed in the sense that a con-stant gradient is not required. Thus, the spiral ramp may com-prise a plurality of "steps" or the~ike. Preferably, the ramp is constructed with retaining wallsand/or is formed in a trough configuration to retain the wastes on the path.
Having thus generally described the invention, ~_ - 2 ~lZ()617 reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustra-ting an embodiment thereof, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a top sectional view of an embodiment of a waste disposal unit taken along the lines A-A of Figure 3;
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along line B-B of Figure 3;
FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view along line C-C of Figure l; and - FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view along line D-D of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings in greater detail, there is provided a container having an outer shell generally designated by reference numeral 22, and which container is of substan-tially watertight construction. The main body of the con-tainer is conveniently in the form of a cylinder although other configurations may equally well be employed. First and second inlets 1 and 2 are provided in the top of the container for the introduction of waste matter as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
As previously mentioned, a helical pathway is pro-vided within the interior of the container and in the illustra-ted embodiment, the helical pathway comprises a plurality of "steps" generally designated by reference numeral 28. Each of the steps or shelves 28 has a downward inclination leading to a following shelf or step. In this respect, the shelves may be formed with warped upper surfaces in order to maintain a de-sired inclination. The inclination may vary according to the particular installation and use thereof although generally, a ~Z0617 downward inclination in the range of between 10 and 60 may be used, while a slope between 20 and 40 has been found to be suitable.
As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the helical pathway ex-tends substantially to the bottom of the container wherein there is provided a conically configurated hopper 6. Located interiorly of the contalner is an inner tube 11 extending through shell 22 at the top portion thereof and including a discharge pipe 10. Tube 11 communicates with a bottom recep-tacle 8 and there is provided an opening 7 in tube 11 providingcommunication with hopper 6.
Fecal matter and urine are deposited through access tube 1 which is equipped with a cover or lid while organic kitchen wastes are deposited through tube 2 also equipped with a suitable cover or lid. soth human and kitchen wastes are deposited on the helical pathway at points 3 and 4 respec-tively. Before commencing this process, however, the helical path must be seeded with suitable bacteria necessary to carry out the aerobic decomposition process. After sufficient mass or volume of waste matter has been deposited at points 3 and 4, a gradual movement down the helical path will commence, caused by gravity and encouraged by the slope of the helix. As the initial mass moves down the helical path it is replaced at po~nts 3 and 4 by new wastes thus creating a continuous move-ment down the helical path. By the time the wastes reach the bottom of the helical path at point 5, the decomposition pro-cess will be complete and the now dry residue will fall into hopper 6, pass through opening 7 and be deposited in receptacle llZ0617 8. The residue may be removed through an opening 18 from receptacle 8 by any suitable means such as a bucket and hoist, an auger or by vacuum and then disposed of.
Fresh air necessary to the decomposition process is taken in through inlet 9, descends down pipe 10 into tube 11 and escapes through vent holes 12. Alternatively, or as a supplementary source, fresh air may be introduced through verti-cal tubes located around the outer shell 22, terminating at the helical path where the fresh air may be introduced into the wastes via tubes or shelves. Fresh air is then introduced into the waste mass through tubes open at the bottom or by creating inclined shelves or steps 13 in the helical path so that as the waste mass drops from one shelf to the next it will come into contact with the fresh air. As previously mentioned, in order to compensate for the differences of inclination of the shelves caused by the different slopes of the inner and outer radii the shelves as measured from the centre point, the shelves may be made with warped upper surfaces in order to maintain an aver-age preferred inclination of between 25 and 35. Alterna-tively, if a continuous helical path without shelves is used,small baffles radiating from the center point may be introduced at intervals at the inner portion of the helical path closest to the center point in order to slow the rate of downward move-ment of the wastes. The baffles may be hollow, open at the bottom and used to introduce fresh air from tube 11 into the waste mass.
Stale air which has passed through the waste is trapped above the helical path and is exhausted through plenum 14 into exhaust pipe 1~ and thence at an appropriate height into the atmosphere. AlternatiVely, separate air supply and exhaust pipes can be located as separate contiguous pipes rather than concentrically arranged as shown in the drawings. Since heat is generated during the decomposition process, liquids in the wastes are vaporized and pass out of the exhaust system along with the stale air.
In order to separate fresh and stale air volumes, baffles are placed at the top and bottom of the helical path at positions 16 and 17.
The unit consists of an outer shell 22 with a remov-able top 20, an inner tube 11, a helical path, exhaust and supply air vents and ancillary units such as waste tubes with covers, dried waste extraction mechanisms, baffles and so forth.
These may be assembled in sub-groups before installation or may be installed piece by piece. Thus, maintenance and repair operations may be easily carried out after removing top cover 2Q. A floor 21 may be added to facilitate approach to the various access points of the unit.
The unit may be constructed of any material or mater-ials which are sufficiently strong and rigid to retain the form of the design under full load conditions, which do not readily transmit mois`ture and which resist the corrosive effects of the decomposition process. These may include but are not limited to plastics, ferrocement, reinforced concrete and cement-asbestos.
If desired, an additional baffle l9, open at the bottom to allow residue to pass through, may be located at the OGi7 point generally designated by reference numeral 5 extending from the inner tube 11 to the outer wall 22 and of a height sufficient to contain the waste residue in order to contain larger volumes of waste for processing before passing into hopper 6.
Naturally, the dimensions for the unit will depend on the use to which the unit is put including loading factors, etc. It is believed that such parameters can readily be deter-mined.
It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact integrated waste disposal unit which eliminates re-quirements for motors, chemicals or mechanical devices to carry out the decomposition process. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a waste disposal unit which may be buried in earth or submerged in water, the unit being encased in a watertight and airtight shell eliminating the danger of leaking pipes and tanks contaminating a surrounding area.
The present invention provides a waste disposal unit which employs an aerobic process of decomposition utilizing a contir,uous process achieved by moving waste matter down a heli-cal or spiral path so that by the time the waste matter reachesthe end of the path, all harmful bacteria and pathogens have been destroyed leaving an inert residue suitable for use as fertilizer. The aexobic decomposition of human and organic wastes is achieved by introducing a continuous flow of fresh oxygen-laden air into the mass of waste in order to accelerate decomposition.
In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a waste disposal unit comprising a q~
l~Z~617 container shell, at least one inlet situated at the top of said shell, a ramp having a substantially helical configuration extending from said inlet to a bottom of said shell, said shell including means permitting a continuous flow of fresh oxygen-laden air to enter therein, and means permitting the discharge of gaseous material therefrom.
In greater detail, the present invention provides a waste disposal unit suitable for use in dwellings, and which is adapted to provide a compact integrated human and organic kit-chen waste disposal unit. The shell of the unit is construc-ted so as to be substantially watertight and may be made of any suitable material including, for example, plastics, cementious materials, suitably treated metallic materials, etc. The con-tainer includes at least one inlet for the introduction of waste to the container - two or more may conveniently be pro-vided.
According to the present invention, there is provided a waste disposal path or ramp which is in a helical or spiral configuration. This configuration permits the use of a com-pact disposal unit in most circumstances. The waste disposalpath extends from a point proximate the top inlet in a spiral configuration to the bottom of the container. In this respect, several forms of spiral may be employed in the sense that a con-stant gradient is not required. Thus, the spiral ramp may com-prise a plurality of "steps" or the~ike. Preferably, the ramp is constructed with retaining wallsand/or is formed in a trough configuration to retain the wastes on the path.
Having thus generally described the invention, ~_ - 2 ~lZ()617 reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustra-ting an embodiment thereof, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a top sectional view of an embodiment of a waste disposal unit taken along the lines A-A of Figure 3;
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along line B-B of Figure 3;
FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view along line C-C of Figure l; and - FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view along line D-D of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings in greater detail, there is provided a container having an outer shell generally designated by reference numeral 22, and which container is of substan-tially watertight construction. The main body of the con-tainer is conveniently in the form of a cylinder although other configurations may equally well be employed. First and second inlets 1 and 2 are provided in the top of the container for the introduction of waste matter as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
As previously mentioned, a helical pathway is pro-vided within the interior of the container and in the illustra-ted embodiment, the helical pathway comprises a plurality of "steps" generally designated by reference numeral 28. Each of the steps or shelves 28 has a downward inclination leading to a following shelf or step. In this respect, the shelves may be formed with warped upper surfaces in order to maintain a de-sired inclination. The inclination may vary according to the particular installation and use thereof although generally, a ~Z0617 downward inclination in the range of between 10 and 60 may be used, while a slope between 20 and 40 has been found to be suitable.
As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the helical pathway ex-tends substantially to the bottom of the container wherein there is provided a conically configurated hopper 6. Located interiorly of the contalner is an inner tube 11 extending through shell 22 at the top portion thereof and including a discharge pipe 10. Tube 11 communicates with a bottom recep-tacle 8 and there is provided an opening 7 in tube 11 providingcommunication with hopper 6.
Fecal matter and urine are deposited through access tube 1 which is equipped with a cover or lid while organic kitchen wastes are deposited through tube 2 also equipped with a suitable cover or lid. soth human and kitchen wastes are deposited on the helical pathway at points 3 and 4 respec-tively. Before commencing this process, however, the helical path must be seeded with suitable bacteria necessary to carry out the aerobic decomposition process. After sufficient mass or volume of waste matter has been deposited at points 3 and 4, a gradual movement down the helical path will commence, caused by gravity and encouraged by the slope of the helix. As the initial mass moves down the helical path it is replaced at po~nts 3 and 4 by new wastes thus creating a continuous move-ment down the helical path. By the time the wastes reach the bottom of the helical path at point 5, the decomposition pro-cess will be complete and the now dry residue will fall into hopper 6, pass through opening 7 and be deposited in receptacle llZ0617 8. The residue may be removed through an opening 18 from receptacle 8 by any suitable means such as a bucket and hoist, an auger or by vacuum and then disposed of.
Fresh air necessary to the decomposition process is taken in through inlet 9, descends down pipe 10 into tube 11 and escapes through vent holes 12. Alternatively, or as a supplementary source, fresh air may be introduced through verti-cal tubes located around the outer shell 22, terminating at the helical path where the fresh air may be introduced into the wastes via tubes or shelves. Fresh air is then introduced into the waste mass through tubes open at the bottom or by creating inclined shelves or steps 13 in the helical path so that as the waste mass drops from one shelf to the next it will come into contact with the fresh air. As previously mentioned, in order to compensate for the differences of inclination of the shelves caused by the different slopes of the inner and outer radii the shelves as measured from the centre point, the shelves may be made with warped upper surfaces in order to maintain an aver-age preferred inclination of between 25 and 35. Alterna-tively, if a continuous helical path without shelves is used,small baffles radiating from the center point may be introduced at intervals at the inner portion of the helical path closest to the center point in order to slow the rate of downward move-ment of the wastes. The baffles may be hollow, open at the bottom and used to introduce fresh air from tube 11 into the waste mass.
Stale air which has passed through the waste is trapped above the helical path and is exhausted through plenum 14 into exhaust pipe 1~ and thence at an appropriate height into the atmosphere. AlternatiVely, separate air supply and exhaust pipes can be located as separate contiguous pipes rather than concentrically arranged as shown in the drawings. Since heat is generated during the decomposition process, liquids in the wastes are vaporized and pass out of the exhaust system along with the stale air.
In order to separate fresh and stale air volumes, baffles are placed at the top and bottom of the helical path at positions 16 and 17.
The unit consists of an outer shell 22 with a remov-able top 20, an inner tube 11, a helical path, exhaust and supply air vents and ancillary units such as waste tubes with covers, dried waste extraction mechanisms, baffles and so forth.
These may be assembled in sub-groups before installation or may be installed piece by piece. Thus, maintenance and repair operations may be easily carried out after removing top cover 2Q. A floor 21 may be added to facilitate approach to the various access points of the unit.
The unit may be constructed of any material or mater-ials which are sufficiently strong and rigid to retain the form of the design under full load conditions, which do not readily transmit mois`ture and which resist the corrosive effects of the decomposition process. These may include but are not limited to plastics, ferrocement, reinforced concrete and cement-asbestos.
If desired, an additional baffle l9, open at the bottom to allow residue to pass through, may be located at the OGi7 point generally designated by reference numeral 5 extending from the inner tube 11 to the outer wall 22 and of a height sufficient to contain the waste residue in order to contain larger volumes of waste for processing before passing into hopper 6.
Naturally, the dimensions for the unit will depend on the use to which the unit is put including loading factors, etc. It is believed that such parameters can readily be deter-mined.
It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Claims (6)
1. A waste disposal unit comprising a container which is fixedly located so that it is non-rotatable, at least one waste inlet situated proximate the top of said container, a ramp forming a waste disposal located to receive waste material from said inlet extending from proximate said inlet to a bottom of said container, substantially the entire service of said ramp forming the waste disposal path being inclined downwardly from proximate said inlet to said bottom of said container and having a substantially helical configuration from proximate said inlet to said bottom of said container, said container means including means for permitting a con-tinuous flow of fresh oxygen-laden air to enter therein, said incline being sufficient to permit the waste material to move substantially only by the force of gravity and yet to enable sufficient surface area to be available to the oxygen-laden air so that the waste material can be composted when reaching the bottom of the container, and means permitting the discharge of gaseous material from the container.
2. A disposal unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said waste disposal path comprises a continuous ramp extending from proximate said waste inlet to the bottom of said container.
3. A disposal unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said waste disposal path comprises a plurality of inclined shelves extending in a generally helical configuration.
4. A disposal unit as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said ramp is inclined at an angle of from about 20° to about 40°.
5. A disposal unit as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, including a plura-lity of baffles radiating outwardly from a generally vertically disposed inner tube about which said ramp extends.
6. A disposal unit as defined in claim 1 including a pair of spaced apart inlets proximate the top of said container with each receiving dif-ferent types of waste material and depositing the waste material from each of said inlets at different positions on said disposal path.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000324291A CA1120617A (en) | 1979-03-27 | 1979-03-27 | Helical composter |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000324291A CA1120617A (en) | 1979-03-27 | 1979-03-27 | Helical composter |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1120617A true CA1120617A (en) | 1982-03-23 |
Family
ID=4113845
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000324291A Expired CA1120617A (en) | 1979-03-27 | 1979-03-27 | Helical composter |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1120617A (en) |
-
1979
- 1979-03-27 CA CA000324291A patent/CA1120617A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |