EP3960298A1

EP3960298A1 - Machine for triturating and separating biodegradable material from non-biodegradable material and installation comprising said machine

Info

Publication number: EP3960298A1
Application number: EP21193307.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roberto Tiranti; Matteo Staffolani
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-08-27
Filing date: 2021-08-26
Publication date: 2022-03-02

Abstract

Triturating and separating machine (100) comprising: a bearing structure (3), a drum (2) mounted on said bearing structure provided with holes, an inlet (2a) and an outlet (2b) and a central rotor (1) disposed inside the drum (2) and revolvingly mounted on said bearing structure, in such a way to process a mass of material (M) that is introduced through the inlet in such a way to eject biodegradable material (M1) in the form of liquid puree from the holes and non-biodegradable material (M2) from the outlet (2b) of the drum; the central rotor (1) comprises a shaft and a plurality of sets of blades that project from the shaft; the peculiarity of the machine consists in the fact that the central rotor comprises two full spiral wings disposed near a lower end of the central rotor , in opposite positions, under the sets of blades.

Description

The present patent application for industrial invention relates to a machine for triturating and separating biodegradable material from non-biodegradable material, the latter mainly consisting of plastic and metal packaging materials. A further object of the present invention is an installation comprising said machine.
In particular, the present invention relates to a bio-triturating machine suitable for processing biodegradable or organic material and for separating non-organic or non-biodegradable material from biodegradable material.
The machine is fed with a mass of material composed of expired food products, damaged agricultural products, such as seeds of any kind, fruit and vegetables in general.
It should be noted that the term "biodegradable material" will henceforth refer to organic waste, both in solid and liquid form.
As it is well known, nowadays the disposal of waste is a very important issue with severe consequences related to environmental pollution.
Separate waste collection has contributed to deal with the problems related to environmental pollution and is becoming more and more popular in industrialized countries.
Separate waste collection can be mainly summarized in two categories:

the separate collection that is carried out directly by final users who separate glass, paper, metals and organic food waste according to precise instructions, and
the separate collection that is carried out by the food industry and is related to the waste from production processes or to raw materials that have gone bad or have been discarded due to the lack of compliance with specific requirements.

Whereas the waste is packaged in the two aforementioned cases, the so-called organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) contains foreign bodies (metals, plastic or the like) that must be carefully removed.
In addition to separating and triturating, the machine of the present invention is capable of processing the ground organic part in the form of puree that will be used to feed the digesters for the production of biogas.
Triturating and separating machines are available on the market, which allow for separating the biodegradable or organic material from scrap and non-biodegradable material. Said machines derive from the machines used in the agricultural sector for grinding vegetable waste and for spreading said vegetable waste on the fields.
A separating machine of the prior art comprises:

a vertically oriented drum provided with an inlet that is disposed near a lower end and is suitable for introducing a mass comprising the biodegradable material and the non-biodegradable material in the drum, an outlet that is disposed near an upper end and is suitable for ejecting the non-biodegradable material, and holes suitable for ejecting the biodegradable or organic material;
a central rotor disposed inside the drum in coaxial position between said inlet and said outlet. Blades are mounted on the central rotor, forming a screw profile for processing the incoming mass in such a way as to eject the organic or biodegradable material from the holes provided on the drum, which scrapes the blades, whereas the non-biodegradable material is pushed upwards towards the outlet disposed at the top of the drum;
a motor for driving said centrifugation/separation screw around the longitudinal axis.

When the machine is in operation, the mass of material is poured into the drum through the inlet. In addition, water is poured into the drum with the addition of bacteria that will be used to trigger the digestion process and to improve the workability of the biodegradable material, which is made more liquid in such a way to be laterally ejected through the holes in the drum.
The biodegradable material is discharged by means of centrifugation, that is to say because of the rotation of the central rotor.
Rotation takes place at a high speed of about 800/1,200 revolutions per minute. The biodegradable material poured into the drum and properly diluted is triturated by the blades. After being triturated, due to the centrifugal force and to its small size, the biodegradable material is interposed between the heads of the blades and the drum, where it is crushed and is then discharged outside through the holes of the drum. Therefore, the drum acts as a fixed counter-blade and as a mesh with the purpose of imposing the size of the processed product. The biodegradable material is then crushed and discharged from the drum, passing through the holes in the form of a liquid puree, and then precipitates by gravity in a collection tank disposed under the machine.
On the other hand, since it cannot be crushed, the non-biodegradable or scrap material reaches the upper end of the drum and is ejected through the outlet.
The fine puree with the organic or biodegradable material deprived of the inorganic or non-biodegradable material must be as fine as possible because the puree must undergo subsequent treatments that involve the anaerobic digestion using mesophilic or thermophilic bacteria according to the type of installation.
The aforementioned bacteria feed on the puree, transforming it into bio-methane. Therefore, the finer the puree is and the more it is purified from inorganic substances, the more efficient, stable and manageable the digestion process of the bacteria will be.
Although similar machines are used by many companies in the waste sector for triturating or separating the biodegradable material from the non-biodegradable material, they are certainly not free from problems and drawbacks.
Firstly, as the machines of the prior art are mainly derived from those of the agricultural sector, they are not suitable for certain types of products with a particular density and they are not suitable for processing products with a certain level of acidity and corrosion; moreover, they are not suitable for high industrial production cycles.
Furthermore, the ground material obtained with the machines of the prior art is coarse and does not allow to obtain a very fine puree.
Moreover, the central rotor is extremely susceptible to wear and tear and therefore it is often necessary to carry out maintenance operations, to repair or even replace the central rotor.
Additionally, the energy consumption of such a machine is considerable because the central rotor must be rotated at a high speed in order to lift the material.
US8722125B2 discloses an apparatus for demucilating, cleaning and washing depulped coffee. The machine comprises:

a set of structures mounted one on top of the other;
a rotor that is coaxially housed inside the structures and comprises one shaft and one screw. The rotor is suitable for rotating at very low speeds in such a way that the screw can erode, decorticate and clean the coffee beans, using the friction that is exerted against the holes while the blades move the coffee beans in order to uniformly clean the product.

Therefore, the rotor of such a machine is not capable of energetically throwing the material upwards and of impressing a centrifugal force to the material.
CN110094949A discloses a material drying device comprising a rotor disposed inside a non-perforated cylindrical body. The cylindrical body comprises an internal wall and an external wall in coaxial position that define an empty space wherein a high-temperature fluid is introduced. The rotor comprises a rotating shaft, three lifting spiral blades mounted around a lower end of the rotating shaft that form a three-phase structure, blades and scraping knives disposed above the lifting spiral blades. An empty space is generated between the lifting spiral blades and the rotating shaft for the passage of material.
While rotating, the rotor keeps the material against the wall of the cylindrical body in high-turbulence condition, in such a way to generate a heat exchange between the material and the heated internal wall of the cylindrical body, thus drying the material. While drying, because of centrifugation and because of scraping, the material tends to be lifted inside the cylindrical body and is discharged from an outlet.
The three lifting spiral blades are not capable of energetically throwing the material upwards, and their function exclusively consists in lifting the material slightly with respect to an inlet used to introduce the material. If heavy material, such as plastic or metal material, enters the cylindrical body together with the material to be processed, the heavy material will not be lifted, and will pass through the empty space from the top towards the bottom, being depositing under the blades. In this way, clogging may be caused, with downtime for maintenance and cleaning operations.
The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by devising a machine capable of producing a fine puree deprived of impurities of non-organic nature, which is fully automated, safe and efficient.
A further scope of the present invention is to devise a machine that is capable of increasing the hourly volumes of processed material compared to the volumes obtained with a machine of the prior art, and is also capable of sorting the material in a single step, adding the puree with bacteria.
Another purpose of the present invention is to devise a machine with lower energy consumption than the machine of the prior art.
These purposes are achieved according to the invention with the characteristics of the appended independent claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments appear from the dependent claims.
The machine according to the invention is defined by claim 1.
For the sake of clarity, the description of the machine according to the invention continues with reference to the appended drawings, which have a merely illustrative, not limiting value, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the machine of the invention;
Figs. 2 and 2A are two axonometric views of the machine of the invention seen from two different angles; in said figures the drum and the central rotor are omitted;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the drum of the machine of the invention;
Fig. 3A is a side view of the drum of the invention that shows the central rotor disposed inside the drum;
Fig. 3B is a longitudinal section of the drum without the central rotor;
Fig. 3C is a detailed view of the holes of the drum of Fig. 3;
Fig. 4 is a side view of the central rotor of the machine according to the invention;
Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the central rotor along the plane A-A of Fig. 4;
Fig. 4B is a detailed view that shows the wings of the central rotor according to a first embodiment;
Fig. 4C is a detailed view that shows the wings of the central rotor according to a second embodiment;
Fig. 5 is a side view of the central rotor that shows the revolving support means sectioned along a plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the central rotor;
Fig. 5A is an enlarged view of the detail enclosed in the circle I1 of Fig. 5;
Fig. 5B is an enlarged view of the detail enclosed in the circle I2 of Fig. 5;
Fig. 6 is an exploded axonometric view of the plates disposed above the upper head of the support;
Fig. 6A is an axonometric view of the plates disposed above the upper head of the support in assembled condition;
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of an installation comprising the machine of the invention;
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the tank of the loading station of the installation of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic detailed view of the feeding screw and of an initial section of a pipe that provides communication between the tank and the drum of the machine.

With reference to Figs. 1 to 6, a machine according to the invention is disclosed, which is generally indicated with reference numeral (100).
The machine (100) is an integral part of an installation (N), which is shown schematically in Fig. 7 and will be illustrated after describing the machine (100).
The machine (100), which has been designed to triturate and separate biodegradable or organic material (M1) from non-biodegradable material (M2), is fed with a mass of material (M) that comprises said biodegradable material (M1) and said non-biodegradable material (M2).
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine (100) comprises:

a bearing structure (3);
a drum (2) mounted on said bearing structure; said drum (2) comprising a cylindrical lateral wall (20), holes (2c) obtained on the cylindrical lateral wall (20), an inlet (2a) obtained on the cylindrical lateral wall (20) at a lower end (21) of the drum, and an outlet (2b) obtained on the cylindrical lateral wall (20) at an upper end (22) of the drum;
a central rotor (1) disposed inside the drum (2) and revolvingly mounted in said bearing structure; said central rotor (1) being suitably configured in such a way to process a mass of material (M) that is introduced through the inlet of the drum and to eject biodegradable material (M1) in the form of liquid puree from the holes (2c) of the drum, and non-biodegradable material (M2) from the outlet (2b) of the drum;
revolving support means (S) suitable for revolvingly support the central rotor (1) on said bearing structure; and
a motor (V1) that drives the central rotor (1).

The drum (2) is oriented vertically and the central rotor (1) is arranged inside the drum (2) with its longitudinal axis (Y) disposed coaxially to a central axis of the drum (2).
With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 2A, the bearing structure (3) is shaped like a cage and comprises:

a lower base (31) with openings (AP) suitable for being crossed by the biodegradable material that is ejected from the drum (2); said lower base (31) comprises a welded flange (Q);
an upper head (32);
four inclined uprights (33) that converge towards the upper head (32) and connect said upper head (32) to said lower base (31); and
a central seat (30) defined by said upper head (32), by said lower base (31) and by said uprights (33), which houses the drum (2) and the central rotor (1).

As shown in Fig. 2, the lower base (31), the upper head (32) and the inclined uprights (33) define a truncated-conical or truncated-pyramidal structure.
Such a configuration of the bearing structure (3) provides the machine (100) with stability and structural rigidity together with a strong contrasting action against the torque and the vibrations that are generated when the machine (100) is in use.
Although it is not shown in the appended figures, panels are placed around the inclined uprights (33) to act as protective guards.
The space that is generated between the drum and the protection panels is necessary for the outflow of the puree that is ejected from the drum (2) because during the machine downtimes the puree may stick to the cylindrical lateral wall of the drum, with the risk of clogging. Said space is also necessary for an operator to access the inspection doors (IS) of the drum (2).
With reference to Figs. 3, 3A and 3B, the cylindrical lateral wall (20) of the drum (2) consists of a reinforced mesh.
The drum (2) can be disassembled by means of flanges (25a, 25b) located at the ends (21, 22) of the drum (2).
With reference to Fig. 3C, advantageously, the holes (2c) of the drum (2) have a hexagonal shape and the distance (d) between two parallel sides of each hole (2c) with hexagonal cross-section is comprised between 20 mm and 25 mm, preferably 22 mm.
The shape of the holes (2c) ensures a higher efficiency and a longer life of the drum (2), even when using inexpensive materials for the realization of the drum (2).
Moreover, the provision of holes (2c) with hexagonal shape allows for:

having a better cutting angle with respect to circular or quadrangular holes, with a better cut and an operating life that is three times longer than the one obtained with circular holes;
having a more uniform wear;
not creating cavitation phenomena on the mesh that reduce the duration of the cut because the mesh acts as a counter-blade;
having a larger cutting surface with the same diameter of the holes.

Advantageously, the hexagonal holes (2c) have two opposite vertices that are aligned along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the central rotor (1); moreover, the distance (w) between the sides of two adjacent hexagons is comprised between 12 mm and 18 mm.
When compared with conventional drums with 45° circular holes, the drum (2) with hexagonal holes (2c) allows for increasing the empty/full ratio of the drum (2) compared with the prior art.
In particular, the drum (2) has an empty/full ratio comprised between 60% and 40%, and between 70% and 30%, preferably 64% empty and 36% full.
Such a higher value of the empty/full ratio of the drum makes it possible to:

improve the drainage and the production of the puree made of biodegradable material;
increase the mechanical impact resistance;
reduce the abrasion phenomena at the end of the holes (2c), ensuring a homogeneous consumption of the drum (2);
reduce the vibrations that are typical in the machines of the prior art.

Going back to Figs. 3 and 3B, advantageously, the machine (100) comprises one or more ducts (2d) that end inside the drum (2) for the introduction of liquid (L), such as water or organic slurry, with the purpose of diluting the biodegradable material (M1) of the mass of material (M) disposed inside the drum (2).
With reference to Fig. 3A, as mentioned above, the central rotor (1) is disposed inside the drum (2) and is suitably configured for processing the mass of material (M) that is introduced in the drum (2) in such a way to eject the biodegradable material (M1) from the holes (2c) and the non-biodegradable material (M2) from the outlet (2b), thus separating the biodegradable material (M1) from the non-biodegradable material (M2).
In particular, the central rotor (1) is suitably configured in such a way as to move the mass of material (M) towards the top in the drum (2) and at the same time impart a centrifugal force to the mass of material (M) such that the biodegradable material (M1) is crushed against the internal surface of the cylindrical lateral wall (20) of the drum (2) and is ejected from the holes (2c), whereas the non-biodegradable material (M2) continues to rise inside the drum (2) until it is ejected through the outlet (2b).
With reference to Fig. 4, the central rotor (1) has an upper end (12) and a lower end (11).
The central rotor (1) comprises a shaft (10) composed of a cylindrical pipe having an inner diameter comprised between 250 mm and 320 mm, preferably 273 mm, and a thickness comprised between 16 mm and 30 mm, preferably 20 mm. The central rotor (1) further comprises an upper flange (f2) and a lower flange (f1) welded to the shaft (10) on the upper end (12) and on the lower end (11) of the central rotor (1), respectively.
The central rotor (1) comprises a plurality of sets of blades (14) that project from the shaft and scrape the mesh of the drum (10).
Furthermore, said central rotor (1) comprises two wings (13) with full spiral shape disposed near the lower end (11) of the central rotor (1) below the sets of blades (14).
The two wings (13) are arranged in opposite positions.
Each wing (13) has a flat spiral shape, that is to say a thread portion shape that protrudes from the shaft (10), without leaving any empty space between the shaft (10) and the wing (13).
Each wing (13) is developed along an arc of 180° in clockwise direction.
Each wing has an axial development (H) comprised between 200 mm and 400 mm, preferably 275 mm.
Fig. 4B illustrates an embodiment wherein each wing (13) is substantially shaped like a crescent of moon. In such a case, each wing (13) has a lower edge (13a) and an upper edge (13b) with pointed shape in contact with the shaft (10). The lower edge (13a) of one of the two wings (13) is disposed in a diametrically opposite position with respect to the lower edge (13a) of the other wing (13). The upper edge (13b) of one of the two wings (13) is disposed in a diametrically opposite position with respect to the upper edge (13b) of the other wing (13).
Fig. 4C illustrates an embodiment wherein each wing (13) is substantially shaped like a sector of circle. In such a case, each wing (13) has a lower edge (131a) and an upper edge (131b) with rectilinear shape that project radially from the shaft (10). Also in this case, the lower edge of one of the two wings (13) is disposed in a diametrically opposite position with respect to the lower edge of the other wing and the upper edge of one of the two wings is disposed in a diametrically opposite position with respect to the upper edge of the other wing.
It should be noted that the term "axial development" (H) indicates the difference in height between the upper edge and the lower edge of the wing (13).
The thickness of each wing (13) is lower than or equal to 30 mm.
The two wings (13) are used to energetically throw upwards the mass of material (M) that is introduced through the inlet (2a), in such a way that, instead of being processed downwards, the mass of material (M) is processed homogeneously along the entire drum (2), thus reducing the consumption of the lower parts of the central rotor (1) and of the drum (2).
Because of the rotation of the central rotor (1), the sets of blades disposed above the two full spiral wings (13) move the mass of material (M) upwards, imparting a centrifugal force on the mass of material (M) so that, while rising, the biodegradable material (M1) is crushed on the internal surface of the cylindrical lateral wall (20) and is ejected from the holes (2c). In addition, the sets of blades have the function of triturating the material.
According to the embodiment of the invention, said central rotor (1) comprises eight sets of blades (14) arranged in series above the two full spiral wings (13).
Each set of blades comprises a pair of blades (14) that project in opposite directions from the shaft (10). Each set of blades is staggered by 90° with respect to the set of blades in upper and/or lower adjacent position.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a distance comprised between 120 mm and 180 mm, preferably 150 mm, is provided between two adjacent groups disposed in series.
With reference to Fig. 4A, each blade (14) comprises a first side (14a) that is substantially radial to the shaft (10), a second side (14b) that is substantially tangent to the shaft (10) and a top side (14c) that joins the two sides (14a and 14b).
The top side (14c) is curved in such a way to follow the curvature of the cylindrical drum (2). In view of the above, after being triturated, the organic material is refined between the top side of the blade and the holes provided on the drum.
Preferably, the first side (14a) is disposed at a higher height than the second side (14b).
Going back to Fig. 4, by drawing a straight line (k) that passes through the first side (14a) and the second side (14b) of the blade (14), said straight line (k) is inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal (O-O) to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the central rotor (1) by an angle (α) comprised between 9° and 15°, preferably 12°.
Going from the bottom towards the top, the blades (14) of the first four sets of blades, that is to say the first eight blades (14), are made of sheet metal with a thickness comprised between 30 mm and 60 mm, preferably 40 mm, and are coated with a layer of hard material with a thickness comprised between 10 mm and 15 mm.
On the other hand, the blades (14) of the second four sets of upper blades are made of sheet metal with a thickness comprised between 20 mm and 40 mm, preferably 30 mm. The outer edge, the inner edge and the upper face of the blades of the second sets of upper blades are coated with a layer of hard material with a thickness approximately comprised between 5 mm and 10 mm.
The different thickness makes it possible to reduce the wear of the lower blades and the weight of the rotor because of the lower dimensions of the upper blades, thus reducing energy consumption.
The pitch of the wings (13) is larger than the pitch of the blades (14).
Considering that the two wings (13) have a larger pitch than the blades, they impart a higher speed to the material, which is pushed upwards with a greater force compared to the blades (14). Then, the material meets the blades (14) and is slowed down due to the lower inclination and the shorter pitch of the blades, cutting the organic part, which is more fragile, whereas the wings (13) below continue to push the material upwards, feeding the cycle along the entire length of the rotor.
Furthermore, the fact that the wings (13) are full, and not empty (that is to say, no empty space is provided between the wing (13) and the shaft (10)), prevents any descending flows of the material from going below the two wings (13), with the risk of clogging, and ensures a constant upward thrust that feeds the trituration cycle and the separation cycle, the latter requiring in any case a greater force for the ejection because of the higher weight of the inorganic materials.
With reference to Fig. 5, the revolving support means (S) comprise:

upper revolving support means (7), which revolvingly and superiorly support said central rotor (1);
lower revolving support means (8), which revolvingly and inferiorly support said central rotor (1).

With reference to Fig. 5A, the upper revolving support means (7) comprise:

an upper shaft (71) comprising an upper section (71a) connected to the motor (V1) by means of a coupling (G), and a lower section (71b) keyed to the central rotor (1);
bearings (72) disposed outside a central section (71c) of the upper shaft (71), between the upper section (71a) and the lower section (71b).

Preferably, said lower section (71b) of the upper shaft (71) is inserted in a seat (D) disposed on the upper end (12) of the central rotor (1), and is keyed to the central rotor (1) by means of a self-centering fixing device (73) interposed between the lower section (7b) of the upper shaft (71) and the central rotor (1).
The bearings (72) are mounted on a special support (74) that is integral with the bearing structure (3).
With reference to Fig. 5B, the lower revolving support means (8) comprise:

a flanged body (80) comprising an annular portion (80b) fixed to the lower end (11) of the central rotor (1) by means of fixing screws (vf) and a hollow cylindrical portion (80a) coaxial to the longitudinal axis (Y);
a lower fixed pin (81) comprising a lower section (81b) that is integrally connected with the lower base (31), and an upper section (81a) that is inserted in the hollow cylindrical portion (80a) of the flanged body (80); and
bearings (82) disposed outside the upper section (81a) of the lower fixed pin (81) that allow for the rotation of the flanged body (80) (which is integral with the central rotor (1)) relative to the lower fixed pin (81).

The lower fixed pin (81) is splined, by means of a self-centering fixed device (83), to a flanged cup (84) fixed to the lower base (31) of the bearing structure (3).
In particular, the flanged cup (84) is fixed to the flange (Q) of the lower base (31) by means of fixing screws.
With reference to Fig. 6, each inclined upright (33) comprises a substantially vertical top section (33a) that projects above the upper head (32).
Above the upper head (32), the bearing structure (3) comprises:

a cover (37, 38) with a central hole (370, 380) crossed by the upper shaft (71), and four H-shaped lateral openings (H) crossed by the upper sections (33a) of the inclined uprights (33); said lateral openings (H) act as centering guides during the assembly operations;
a raised plate (39) that is disposed at a higher height than the cover (37, 38) and whereon the motor (V1) is mounted; the raised plate (39) comprises a central hole (390) coaxial to the central hole (370, 380) of the cover (37, 38).

The raised plate (39) rests on support surfaces (33b) of the upper sections (33a) and is fixed to said support surfaces (33b) by means of screws. Grooves (39a) inserted into wings (33c) of the upper sections (33a) are provided for the centering of the raised plate (39). Said wings (33c) inserted in the grooves (39a) facilitate the centering of the motor (V1) with respect to the longitudinal axis (Y) and the insertion of any centering pins on the raised plate (39) that project from the support surface (33b).
In the embodiment shown in the appended figures, the cover (37, 38) is composed of two plates, namely a lower plate (38) with a substantially square shape that comprises said lateral openings (H), and an upper plate (39) with a substantially disc-like shape. The two plates are connected by means of screws that are inserted in holes (q1, q2) of the two plates (37, 38) in aligned position.
In particular, with reference to Figs. 6 and 6A, the connection between the two plates (37, 38) and the connection of the plates (37, 38) with the head (32) and with the drum (2) is made as follows:

the lower plate (37) is fixed to the upper head (32) by means of screws inserted in holes (n1) of the lower plate (37) and in holes (n2) obtained on the upper head (32) outside the upper sections (33a) of the inclined uprights (33); in particular, four holes (n2) are obtained outside the upper section (33a) of each inclined upright (33) for the insertion of an equal number of screws;
the drum (2) is connected to the lower plate by means of screws inserted in holes (b1) obtained around the hole (37) of the lower plate (37) and in holes obtained in the upper flange (25b) of the drum (2);
the upper plate (38) is connected to the lower plate (37) by means of screws inserted in holes (q2) obtained on the upper plate (38) and in holes (q1) obtained in the lower plate (37) and arranged internally with respect to the upper sections (33a) of the inclined uprights (33);
the support (74) of the bearings (72) is screwed onto the upper plate (38) by means of threads obtained externally to the support (74) and on the central hole (380) of the plate (38).

Because of the configuration of the plates (37, 38, 39), the extraction of the central rotor (1), which is the most frequent maintenance operation, will not require to disassemble the entire machine (100), it being simply necessary to proceed as follows:

to unscrew the screws of the raised plate (39) without removing the motor (V1) and the coupling (G); in fact, the coupling (G) will remain connected to the motor (V1) because feet (not shown in the figures) are provided under the raised plate (39) in such a way that the coupling (G) will not touch the ground when the raised plate (39) is removed and placed on the ground;
to unscrew the screws that connect the upper plate (38) to the lower plate (37) without removing the support (74) for the bearings (72);
to extract the central rotor (1) by means of an eyebolt that is fastened to the upper shaft (71); during the extraction of the central rotor (1), the central rotor (1) will be extracted together with the flanged body (80) and the bearings (82) of the lower revolving support means (8).

In order to disassemble the drum (2), the same operations will be carried out with the addition of the following steps:

to unscrew the screws of the lower plate (37) that connect the lower plate (37) to the upper head (32) and to lower the lower plate (37) to the ground;
to free the inlet (2a) and the outlet (2b) from the pipes (41, 6) inserted in the inlet and outlet (2a, 2b).

Such a configuration of the plates of the cover and of the raised plate allows for rapidly and easily accessing the upper revolving support means (7), the drum (2) and the central rotor (1), thus minimizing the downtime for maintenance operations or breakdowns.
It should be noted that the cover (37, 38) is composed of two plates fixed together in order to stiffen the cover, while making the individual components lighter. Furthermore, in the event of replacement due to wear, it will only be necessary to replace the upper plate (38).
With reference to Fig. 7, a further object of the present invention is an installation (N) comprising:

a triturating and separating machine (100) like the one previously described;
a loading tank (40) for loading the mass of material (M) that comprises the biodegradable material (M1) and the non-biodegradable material (M2);
a pipe (41) in communication with said loading tank (40) and with the inlet (2a) of the drum (2) of the machine (100);
a feed screw (42) inserted in the loading tank (40) and in the pipe (41), suitable for pushing the mass (M) from said loading tank (40) into the drum (2) of the machine (100);
a motor (V4) connected to the feed screw (42) for rotating said feed screw (42) around its axis;
a collection tank (5) placed under the machine (100) for collecting the biodegradable material (M1) that is ejected from the holes (2c) and falls by gravity in the collection tank (5);
an outlet pipe (6), in communication with the outlet (2b) of the drum (2) wherein the non-biodegradable material (M2) or the waste material is poured;
a discharge opening (61) obtained on the outlet pipe (6);
a transport screw (60), disposed inside the outlet pipe (6) and suitable for transporting the non-biodegradable material (M2) towards the discharge opening (61);
a motor (V6) connected to said transport screw (60) for rotating said transport screw (60) about its axis, and
an additional collection tank (7) disposed under the discharge opening (61) wherein the non-biodegradable materials (M2) fall.

Preferably, the collection tank (5) disposed under the machine (100) also comprises centrifugal pumps and/or hydraulic pumps and pistons (P) which take the liquid puree of biodegradable material (M2) deposited in the collection tank (5) and convey it towards other tanks for subsequent anaerobic digestion treatments.
With reference to Fig. 8, the loading tank (40) has a substantially V-shaped cross-section and has two lateral sides (40a) and a bottom (40b) that joins the two lateral sides (40a) and has a radius of curvature comprised between 200 mm and 240 mm, preferably 220 mm.
Preferably, said two lateral sides (40a) are inclined with respect to a horizontal plane by an angle (µ) comprised between 50° and 60°, preferably 54°.
Such a configuration of the loading tank (40) has been implemented by the applicant after ascertaining that a similar inclination of the two lateral sides (40a) improves the descending travel of the mass of material (M) towards the feed screw (42), thus avoiding jamming.
The two lateral sides (40a) are internally coated with polyethylene sheets, whereas the bottom (40b) is coated with anti-wear sheet. Such a coating ensures a longer service life of the loading tank (4).
With reference to Fig. 9, said pipe (41) comprises an inlet section provided with sharp plates (410), whereas sharp teeth (420a) are arranged on the outer edge of the blade (420) with helical configuration of the feed screw (42).
The cooperation of the sharp teeth (420a) with the sharp plates (410) makes it possible to refine and reduce the dimensions of the pieces of the mass of material (M) before they are poured into the drum (2).
With reference to Fig. 7, this description continues illustrating the operation of an installation (N) comprising the machine (100) according to the invention.
Firstly, the mass of material (M) is poured inside the loading tank (40), wherein the feed screw (42) operates, pushing said mass of material (M) inside the pipe and towards the inlet (2a) of the drum (2).
During the transportation of the mass of material (M), the sharp teeth (420a) and the sharp plates (410) triturate and refine the pieces of the mass of material (M) that have a larger diameter than the pipe (41).
Therefore, the mass of material (M) pushed by the feed screw (42) is poured into the drum (2) through the inlet (2a).
Inside the drum (2) the central rotor (1) is rotated by the motor (V1) at an angular speed comprised between 700 rpm and 800 rpm.
After being introduced in the drum (2), the mass of material (M) is immediately thrown upwards by the action of the two wings (13).
Then, the biodegradable or organic material (M1) is ejected from the drum (2) by means of centrifugation.
More precisely, the mass of biodegradable or organic material (M1) is agitated in a rotary direction after the first trituration step and, due to the centrifugal effect, is crushed on the internal surface of the drum (2), passes through the holes (2c) of the drum (2) and falls in the collection tank (5) below. During the rotation of the central rotor (1) the biodegradable material is triturated for two reasons:

because of the impact of the biodegradable material on the first side (14b) of the blades (14); and
because the biodegradable material is crushed between the top side (14c) of the blade (14) and the internal surface of the drum (2).

In the meantime, being unable to be crushed on the internal surface of the drum (2), the non-biodegradable material (M2) continues its upward travel, supported by the action of the blades (14) until it reaches the outlet (2b) where it is thrown into the outlet pipe (6) by the centrifugal force.
At this point the transport screw (60), which is driven by the motor (V6), pushes the non-biodegradable material (M2) towards the discharge opening (61), falling in the additional collection tank (7) by gravity.
The applicant has ascertained that the particular configuration of the central rotor (1) is more efficient than a central rotor of the prior art; in fact, it allows for achieving an hourly production higher than 30-35 m³/h with the same energy consumption. Moreover, it is extremely more reliable and considerably reduces maintenance operations compared to a machine of the prior art.
Moreover, as mentioned above, the central rotor (1) is rotated at a lower speed than the centrifugal screw/separation screw of the prior art, and therefore the machine (100) has a lower energy consumption than the machine of the prior art, while still having a higher yield and efficiency.
Furthermore, comparing the machine (100) of the present invention with the machine of US8722125B2 and with the apparatus of CN110094949A , it is evident that, because of the provision of the two wings (13) of full spiral shape, the machine (100) of the invention is the only one able to push the material in such a way that also the heavier materials, such as inorganic materials, can rise.
In fact, due to the configuration of the single spiral or to the configuration of the three lifting spiral blades, the machine of US8722125B2 and the apparatus of CN110094949A are not able to push and lift the heavy materials, which will consequently fall towards the bottom, causing the clogging or the malfunctioning of the machine or of the apparatus.
Numerous variations and modifications may be made to the present embodiment of the invention, within the reach of a person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

Triturating and separating machine (100) comprising:
- a bearing structure (3),

- a drum (2) mounted on said bearing structure (3); said drum (2) comprising a cylindrical lateral wall (20), holes (2c) obtained on the cylindrical lateral wall (20), an inlet (2a) obtained on the cylindrical lateral wall (20) at a lower end (21) of the drum (2), and an outlet (2b) obtained on the cylindrical lateral wall (20) at an upper end (22) of the drum (2);

- a central rotor (1) disposed inside the drum (2) and revolvingly mounted on said bearing structure; said central rotor (1) being configured in such a way to process a mass of material (M) that is introduced through the inlet of the drum and to eject biodegradable material (M1) in the form of liquid puree from the holes (2c) of the drum (2) and non-biodegradable material (M2) from the outlet (2b) of the drum (2);

- revolving support means (S) suitable for revolvingly support the central rotor (1) on said bearing structure;

- a motor (V1) that drives the central rotor (1),

wherein said central rotor (1) comprises a shaft (10) and a plurality of sets of blades (14) that project from the shaft (10);

characterized in that

the central rotor (1) comprises two full spiral wings (13) disposed near a lower end (11) of the central rotor (1), in opposite positions, under the sets of blades; each wing (13) projecting from the shaft (10) without creating any empty spaces between the shaft (10) and the wing (13).
The machine (100) of claim 1, wherein each wing (13) develops with a thread portion for an arc of 180° in clockwise direction and an axial development (H) comprised between 200 mm and 400 mm.
The machine (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein each wing (13) is shaped like a crescent of moon or like a sector of a circle.
The machine (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each set of blades comprises a pair of blades (14) that project in opposite directions from the shaft (10).
The machine (100) of claim 4, wherein each set of blades is staggered by 90° relative to the set of blades (14) in upper and/or lower adjacent position.
The machine (100) of claim 4 or 5, wherein each blade (14) comprises a first side (14a) that is substantially radial to the shaft (10), and a second side (14b) that is substantially tangent to the shaft (10).
The machine (100) of claim 6, wherein said first side (14a) is disposed at a higher height than the second side (14b).
The machine (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each blade is inclined with respect to a plane (O-O) orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the central rotor (1) by an angle (α) comprised between 9° and 15°, preferably 12°.
The machine (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said holes (2c) of the drum (2) have a hexagonal section.
The machine (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said bearing structure (3) has a cage-configuration and comprises:
- a lower base (31) with openings suitable for being crossed by the biodegradable material (M1) that is ejected from the holes (2c) of the drum (2);

- an upper head (32);

- inclined uprights (33) that converge towards the upper head (32), connecting said upper head (32) to the lower base (31);

- a central seat (30) defined by said upper head (32), said lower base (31) and said uprights (33); said central seat (30) housing said drum (2) and said central rotor (1).
The machine (100) of claim 10, wherein each inclined upright (33) comprises a substantially vertical upper portion (33a) that protrudes from the upper head (32);
said bearing structure (3) comprising:
- a cover (37, 38) fixed to the upper head (32) and provided with a central hole (370, 380) crossed by an upper shaft (71) connected to the central rotor (1); said cover (37, 38) comprising lateral openings (H) crossed by the upper portions (33a) of the inclined uprights (33);

- a raised plate (39) that is disposed in raised position with respect to the cover (37, 38) and whereon the motor (V1) is mounted; said raised plate (39) is provided with grooves (39a) wherein wings (33c) of the upper portions (33a) of the uprights (33) are inserted, centering the motor (V1) relative to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the central rotor (1);
The machine of claim 11, wherein said cover (37, 38) comprises a lower plate (37) provided with said openings (H) and an upper plate (38) with a substantially disc-like shape; said plates (38, 39) being connected by means of screws (q1, q2) inserted in holes of the two plates (38, 39) in aligned position.
Installation (N) comprising:
- a triturating and separating machine (100) according to any one of the preceding claims;

- a loading tank (40) wherein the mass of material (M) comprising the biodegradable material (M1) and the non-biodegradable material (M2) is loaded;

- a pipe (41) in communication with said loading tank (40) and with the inlet (2a) of the drum (2) of the machine (100);

- a feeding screw (42) inserted at least partially in said loading tank (40) and in said pipe (41), and suitable for pushing the mass of material (M) from said loading tank (40) inside the drum (2);

- a motor (V4) connected to said feeding screw (42) for rotating said feeding screw (42) around its axis.
The installation (N) of claim 13, wherein said pipe (41) comprises an inlet section wherein sharp plates (410) are provided; said feeding screw (42) comprises a blade (420) with helical development having an external edge that comprises sharp teeth (420a); said sharp teeth (420a) and said sharp plates (410) cooperate to reduce the dimensions of pieces of the mass of material (M).
The installation (N) of claim 13 or 14, comprising:
- an outlet pipe (6), in communication with the outlet (2b) of the drum (2) wherein said non-biodegradable material (M2) is poured;

- a discharge opening (61) obtained in said outlet pipe (6);

- a transport screw (60) disposed inside the outlet pipe (6), suitable for transporting the non-biodegradable material (M2) towards the discharge opening (61);

- a motor (V6) connected to said transport screw (60) for rotating said transport screw (60) around its axis.