ITTO20090117A1 - INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR THE TREATMENT OF OLIVES PROCESSING RESIDUES AND FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC AND THERMAL ENERGY, OF BIOGAS, OF PHENOLIC AND POLYPHENOLIC COMPOUNDS WITH HIGH DEGREE OF PURITY, IRRIGUE WATER, HAZELNUT AND ORGAN FERTILIZER - Google Patents

Description

Integrated system for the treatment of olive processing residues and for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds with a high degree of purity, irrigation water, pits and organic fertilizer and biological fungicide.

The present invention relates to an integrated system for the treatment of olive processing residues for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds with a high degree of purity, irrigation water, pits and organic fertilizer and biological fungicide.

The increase in industrial and civil activities causes an increase in anthropogenic pressure on the territory, this has a negative impact on the environment and on the productive activities that depend on it. In particular, agriculture suffers a double damage caused both by the depletion of the soil by organic matter and by nutrients removed with the production, and by the introduction, sometimes uncontrolled, of polluting agents of industrial or civil origin. It is therefore necessary to dispose of waste or scraps of industrial processes at low costs and suitable for restoring the humus of agricultural land. To this end, the object of the present invention achieves the purposes previously illustrated with an integrated system for the treatment of olive processing residues and for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds with a high degree of purity, of irrigation water, and finally, of organic amendments and biological fungicides.

Various systems are known to the state of the art both for the treatment of olive processing residues and for their enhancement. However, they mainly concern machines for specific applications that are difficult to integrate. In particular, the international PCT patent No. WO2005123603, while claiming a process of both the disposal of vegetation water and its enhancement for the extraction of polyphenolytic molecules, is ineffective for the recovery of polyphenolic molecules with a high degree of purity such as , for example, hydroxytyrosol. The technical problem solved by the present invention is that of the complete treatment of all olive processing residues and their valorisation for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds with a high degree of purity, water. irrigation, and finally of organic fertilizer and biological fungicide, according to claims 1 and 4.

More particularly, the present invention allows both the complete treatment of all olive processing residues with a single system, and the enhancement of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds with a high degree of purity. In addition to functional advantages, there are further economic advantages given by the exploitation of residues in other forms of energy or other compounds for pharmaceutical or agricultural use.

These and other advantages will appear in the course of the detailed description of the invention which will make specific reference to table 1/1 in which an absolutely non-limiting example of preferential embodiment of the present invention is represented. In particular:

â € ¢ Fig. 1 shows the diagram of the integrated system of the four plants with the input and output flows.

â € ¢ Fig. 2 represents the flow chart of the olive processing residues treatment process.

With reference to Fig. 1, with 5 the integrated system according to the present invention is generically indicated.

Said integrated system 5 for the treatment of olive processing residues (virgin pomace, vegetation water) and for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, irrigation water, pits, organic fertilizer and biological fungicide includes at least one first type 1 plant for the production of pits and husk and fed by wet virgin pomace, at least one second type 2 plant for the production of phenols, polyphenols and irrigation water and fed by vegetation water, moreover , at least one third type 3 plant for the production of biogas and electrical and thermal energy and finally, at least one fourth type 4 plant for the production of organic and fungicide fertilizer, as shown in Fig. 1.

Said second type 2 plant carries out a microfiltration of the olive vegetation waters. Vegetation waters are wastewater with slightly acid pH, high electrical conductivity, easily fermentable due to the presence of sugars and proteins whose polluting load is due to the high content of organic substances (sugars, pectins, fats, nitrogenous substances, sugar alcohols, polyacids).

Said microfiltration of vegetation waters is obtained with a membrane with a degree of separation between 0.01 and 0.1 microns to remove organic substances with high molecular weight, bacteria, particles capable of recovering polyphenolic molecules with a high degree of purity as hydroxytyrosol, without any contamination by organic solvents or other chemicals.

In addition, said third type 3 plant for the production of biogas and electrical and thermal energy is powered respectively by hull, obtained from the first type 1 plant, and by irrigation water, obtained from the second type 2 plant , and carries out a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with temperatures between 20-45 ° C.

Anaerobic digestion is a biochemical conversion process that takes place in the absence of oxygen and consists in the demolition, by fermentable micro-organisms, of complex organic substances (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates) contained in vegetables such as hulls and by-products of animal origin, it produces biogas usually consisting of approximately 50-70% of methane and the remainder of carbon dioxide, a small amount of hydrogen, and traces of hydrogen sulphide and other components.

The biogas produced is appropriately stored and can be used as a fuel to produce energy.

The transformation of biogas into energy can take place by:

â € ¢ direct combustion in the boiler, with the production of thermal energy only;

â € ¢ combustion in engines operating generators for the production of electricity;

â € ¢ Combustion in cogenerators for the combined production of electrical and thermal energy;

â € ¢ use for automotive use as 95% methane.

In particular, the third type plant 3 includes at least one internal combustion cogeneration plant for the combined production of electrical and thermal energy. The thermal energy obtained is suitable for heating the digestion process and possibly, when in excess, for district heating of the area adjacent to the plant.

This fourth type 4 plant is powered by liquid biomass with 50% humidity, obtained from the third type 3 plant and is suitable for the production of organic and fungicidal fertilizer.

The procedure for the treatment of olive processing residues such as virgin pomace and vegetation water, described in Fig. 2, is characterized by the fact that:

to. Wet virgin pomace deriving from the processing of olives follows at least one centrifugation process to obtain olive pits and skin.

b. the hazelnut obtained in point a) is washed, dried and packaged ready for sale.

c. Vegetable water deriving from the processing of olives follows a microfiltration process with a membrane with a degree of separation between 0.01 and 0.1 microns to remove organic substances with high molecular weight, bacteria, particles to obtain phenols, polyphenols and irrigation water.

d. the husk obtained at point a) and the irrigation water obtained at point c) follows a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with temperatures between 20 and 45 ° C to obtain both biogas consisting of approximately 50-70% methane, from carbon dioxide, a small quantity of hydrogen and other components suitably accumulated in silos and liquid biomass at 50% humidity.

And. the biogas obtained at point d) is transformed, by means of an internal combustion cogeneration plant, into electrical and thermal energy to be used to heat both the digestion process at point d) and, in case of excess , use it in another way such as, for example, district heating.

f. the liquid biomass at 50% humidity obtained in point d) follows a production process of organic fertilizers comprising the following phases: sample examination of the liquid biomass deposited in silos, in order to verify that the biomass is free of products toxic or noxious, whether they have a ratio of carbon to nitrogen close to 25/30 and finally that the humidity is kept around 50-65%; follows the shredding, mixing and a thermophilic oxidation process in an average temperature range between 50 ° -52 ° C and with high peak temperatures even higher than 70 ° C, able to reduce the compound to a degree of humidity of 30%; furthermore, a centrifugation process continues to separate the water of the compound from the exhausted pomace; and finally an aerobic digestion process of the spent pomace to produce organic fertilizer and biological fungicide.

A non-limiting example of such an integrated system comprises a third type plant 3 characterized by a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with temperatures between 37-41 ° C.

Another example of realization, the third type 3 system is fed by an equal quantity of husk and irrigation water.

The advantages of the integrated system in question are evident: extraction of phenols and polyphenols with a high degree of purity; economic exploitation of wastewater for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds with a high degree of purity, irrigation water, organic amendments and biological fungicides and finally, reduction of the impact on the environment.

1) Integrated system for the treatment of olive processing residues and for the production of electrical and thermal energy, biogas, phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, irrigation water, pits, organic fertilizer and biological fungicides including at least one plant first type (1) for the production of pits and hulls and fed by wet virgin pomace, at least one second type plant (2) for the production of phenols, polyphenols and irrigation water and fed by vegetation water, at least a third plant type (3) for the production of biogas and electrical and thermal energy and at least one fourth type plant (4) for the production of organic and fungicidal fertilizer characterized in that:

â € ¢ said second type plant (2) carries out a microfiltration of the olive vegetation waters with a membrane with a degree of separation between 0.01 and 0.1 micron.

â € ¢ called the third type plant (3) for the production of biogas and electrical and thermal energy, it is powered respectively by a buccetta, obtained from the first type plant (1), and by irrigation water, obtained from the second type plant (2).

â € ¢ said third type plant (3) for the production of biogas, electrical and thermal energy carries out a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with temperatures between 20-45 ° C for the production of biogas and biodigestate.

â € ¢ said fourth type plant (4) is powered by liquid biomass at 50% humidity obtained from the third type plant (3).

Integrated system according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that said third type plant (3) for the production of biogas, electrical and thermal energy carries out a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with optimum temperatures between 37-41 ° C.

) Integrated system according to one of the preceding claims characterized by the fact that said third type plant (3) for the production of biogas, electricity and thermal energy is powered by an equal quantity of hull and irrigation water. ) Process for the treatment of olive processing residues characterized by the following operations:

to. Wet virgin pomace deriving from the processing of olives follows at least one centrifugation process to obtain olive pits and skin.

b. the hazelnut obtained in point a) is washed, dried and packaged for sale.

c. Vegetable water deriving from the processing of olives follows a microfiltration process with a membrane with a degree of separation between 0.01 and 0.1 microns to remove organic substances with high molecular weight, bacteria, particles to obtain phenols, polyphenols and irrigation water.

d. the husk obtained at point a) and the irrigation water obtained at point c) follows a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with temperatures between 20 -45 ° C to obtain both biogas consisting of approximately 50-70% methane and for the remainder from carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other components is liquid biomass at 50% humidity.

And. the biogas obtained at point d) is transformed, by means of an internal combustion cogeneration plant, into electrical and thermal energy to be used to heat both the digestion process at point d) and, in case of excess , use it in another way such as, for example, district heating.

f. the liquid biomass at 50% humidity obtained in point d) follows a production process of organic fertilizers comprising the following phases: sample examination of the liquid biomass deposited in silos, in order to verify that the biomass is free of products

Claims (4)

AMENDED CLAIMS 1) Integrated system for the treatment of olive processing residues and for the production of electrical <-> and thermal energy, biogas, cleaving and polyphenolic compounds, irrigation water, pits, organic fertilizer and biological fungicide including at least a first type plant (1) for the production of pits and husk and fed by wet virgin pomace, at least a second type plant (2) for the production of phenols, polyphenols and irrigation water and fed by vegetation water, at least one third type plant (3) for the production of biogas and electrical and thermal energy and at least one fourth type plant (4) for the production of organic fertilizer and fungicide where said third type plant (3), powered respectively by hull, obtained from the first type plant (1), and from irrigation water, obtained from the second type plant (2), carries out a mesophilic an aerobic digestion process with temperatures including and between 20-45 ° C for the production of biogas and biodigested, and characterized by the fact that: * said second type plant (2) carries out an ultrafiltration of the vegetation waters of the olives with a membrane with a degree of separation between 0.01 and 0.1 micron. â € ¢ said fourth type plant (4) is powered by liquid biomass at 50% humidity obtained from the third type plant (3). 2) Integrated system according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that said third type plant (3) for the production of biogas, electrical and thermal energy carries out a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with optimal temperatures between 37-41 ° C. 3) Integrated system according to one of the preceding claims characterized by the fact that said third type plant (3) for the production of biogas, electrical and thermal energy is powered by an equal quantity of hull and irrigation water. 4) Process for the treatment of olive processing residues characterized by the following operations: to. Wet virgin pomace deriving from the processing of olives follows at least one centrifugation process to obtain olive pits and skin. b. the hazelnut obtained in point a) is washed, dried and packaged for sale. c. Vegetable water deriving from the processing of olives follows an ultrafiltration process with a membrane with a degree of separation between 0.01 and 0.1 microns to remove organic substances with high molecular weight, bacteria, particles to obtain phenols, polyphenols and irrigation water. d. the husk obtained at point a) and the irrigation water obtained at point c) follows a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process with temperatures between 20-45 ° C to obtain both biogas consisting of approximately 50-70% methane and for the remainder from carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other components is liquid biomass at 50% humidity. And. the biogas obtained at point d) is transformed, by means of an internal combustion cogeneration plant, into electrical and thermal energy to be used to heat both the digestion process at point d) and, in case of excess, use it in another way such as, for example, district heating. f. the liquid biomass at 50% humidity obtained in point d) follows a production process of organic fertilizers comprising the following phases: sample examination of the liquid biomass deposited in silos, in order to verify that the biomass is free of products toxic or noxious, whether they have a ratio of carbon to nitrogen close to 25/30 and finally that the humidity is kept around 50-65%; follows the shredding, mixing and a thermophilic oxidation process in an average temperature range between 50 ° -52 ° C and with high peak temperatures even higher than 70 ° C, able to reduce the compound to a degree of humidity of 30%; furthermore, a centrifugation process continues to separate the water of the compound from the exhausted pomace; and finally an aerobic digestion process of the spent pomace to produce organic fertilizer and biological fungicides.