JP2005120112A - Manufacturing method of solid fuel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a solid fuel at a low cost by solidifying a powdery waste toner into a lump without causing environmental pollution. <P>SOLUTION: Hot water is poured into a container 36 where the powdery waste toner 34 is accommodated, and is brought into contact with the waste toner 34 in the container 36 to cause binder resins contained in the waste toner 34 to heat-melt. The molten binder resins are subsequently cooled and caused to solidify thereby causing the waste toner 34 to solidify into a lump to give the aimed solid fuel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a solid fuel, and more particularly to an advantageous method for producing a solid fuel obtained by solidifying powdery dry toner for electrophotography to be agglomerated into a lump.

  As is well known, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a dry copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a composite machine thereof, an electrophotographic dry toner is applied to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photoreceptor. Although it is used as a developer that adheres and forms a visible image, this electrophotographic dry toner is composed of powder having a particle size of about several μm to several tens of μm. Therefore, when handling the toner, the toner soars as dust, diffuses, and contaminates the surrounding environment. For this reason, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, waste toner generated at the time of cleaning a photoconductor after image formation and waste toner generated at a toner manufacturing factory have been mainly disposed of in landfills. It was hardly used effectively.

  Under such circumstances, there has been proposed a technique for producing a solid fuel by using a powdery electrophotographic dry toner to be disposed of as waste (see, for example, Patent Document 1). That is, this is to supply powdery waste toner to an extruder, plasticize and knead it, and then extrude it through the opening at the front end of the extruder to form an extrusion-molded body having a predetermined shape. This is a technique for obtaining a pellet-shaped solid fuel by cutting an extrusion-molded body with a cutter, and intends to effectively use waste toner that has been disposed of up to that time as a solid fuel.

However, in the conventional solid fuel manufacturing technology for the effective use of such powdery waste toner, an extruder, a cutting machine, and the like are required. Therefore, installation of such expensive machines and devices is required. The problem was that the production cost of solid fuel, in other words, the cost for effective use of waste toner, would rise due to the cost, and when the waste toner was supplied to the extruder, There were also problems such as soaring and diffusing as dust and worsening the working environment.
Japanese Patent No. 3205042

  Here, the present invention has been made in the background as described above, and the problem to be solved is to solidify powder-form dry toner for electrophotography to be disposed of as a solid. An object of the present invention is to provide a method capable of advantageously producing a solid fuel that has been converted into a solid fuel at as low a cost as possible and without deteriorating the working environment due to the diffusion of dust composed of such toner.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the first aspect of the present invention is to use powdered electrophotographic dry toner to be disposed of as waste and solidify it into a lump. Thus, when producing a solid fuel, hot water is injected into the container in a state where the toner is stored in a predetermined container, and the hot water is brought into contact with the toner in the container. A solid resin, wherein the binder resin contained in the toner is heated and melted, and then the molten binder resin is cooled and solidified to solidify the toner. In the manufacturing method.

  Further, in a second advantageous aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the hot water was injected into the container, the hot water was discharged from the container. It will be discharged.

  Furthermore, in a third preferred embodiment of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, the electrophotographic dry toner is contained in the container in a state of being mixed with a combustible solid other than the toner. Is done.

  Furthermore, in a desirable fourth aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, when the binder resin contained in the electrophotographic dry toner is heated and melted, the toner particles become dense. In addition, the toner is pressurized.

  In another advantageous fifth aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, an operation for applying pressure to the dry toner for electrophotography when the binder resin is heated and melted is the storage in which the toner is stored. This is performed by applying vibration in the vertical direction to the body and compacting the toner by its own weight.

  Furthermore, in another preferable sixth aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, the hot water is supplied, and a plurality of ejection holes for ejecting the supplied hot water to the outside are provided in the pipe wall. The hot water jet pipe is inserted into the electrophotographic dry toner contained in the container, and then the hot water is supplied into the hot water jet pipe, and each jet hole of the hot water jet pipe The hot water is injected into the container by ejecting the hot water into the toner.

  Furthermore, in still another desirable seventh aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, a cloth or synthetic resin bag is used as the container, while the hot water jet pipe is used at the tip. A pipe that breaks through the bag body and is allowed to enter the bag body, the dry toner for electrophotography is accommodated in the bag body, and the hot water jet pipe is disposed to extend upward. Under such a condition, the bag containing the toner is brought into contact with the tip of the hot water jet pipe so that the weight of the bag is loaded, so that the hot water jet pipe is The hot water jet pipe is inserted into the toner in the bag body by breaking through the lower part of the bag body at the tip thereof so as to be inserted into the bag body. Eruption Through the respective injection holes of the type, configured to eject the hot water to the interior of the toner.

  According to the first aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, for example, dry powder for electrophotography that is disposed of as waste using an extruder or a cutting machine, that is, disposal Unlike conventional methods in which solid fuel is produced from toner, hot water is simply injected into the container in which waste toner is stored without using expensive machines or devices. Since the waste toner is solidified by heating the waste toner and then cooled, the target solid fuel can be obtained. The cost for installing expensive machines and devices such as machines can be advantageously reduced.

  Further, according to the method of the present invention, the powdery waste toner is not taken out from the container in the course until it is solidified, and is in contact with the waste toner in the container. Because hot water is injected into the container, it effectively suppresses the waste toner from flying up as dust and diffusing when producing solid fuel from powdered waste toner. Or can be avoided.

  Therefore, according to the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention as described above, a solid fuel obtained by solidifying a powdery dry toner for electrophotography (waste toner) disposed as a waste into a lump is made as much as possible. Therefore, it can be manufactured very advantageously at a low cost and without causing deterioration of the working environment due to the diffusion of dust composed of such toner. As a result, the effective use of waste toner can be realized economically without causing environmental pollution. Further, according to the method of the present invention, the volume of the waste toner is reduced by solidification, and therefore, when the waste toner is reused as a solid fuel, it is effective to improve the handling property of the waste toner. Can be envisioned.

  In addition, when the toner contained in the container is heated from the outside by an appropriate heating device or the like, for example, an air layer existing between the toner particles serves as a heat insulating layer to inhibit heating of the whole toner. However, in the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, the hot water is surely permeated into the toner in the container along such an air layer. Heat can be reliably and rapidly heated from the inside thereof, thereby obtaining the advantage that the production efficiency of the intended solid fuel can be advantageously achieved. Moreover, according to the method of the present invention,

  Further, according to the second aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, the binder resin contained in the toner in the container heated and melted by contact with the hot water is supplied from the container in the hot water. By discharging, it can be cooled and solidified more quickly, and the intended solid fuel can be produced more efficiently.

  Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, as the combustible solid material mixed with the toner, for example, a material that is more combustible than the toner or a material to be disposed of as waste By appropriately selecting the above, it is possible to more effectively improve the combustibility of the target solid fuel and further effectively use the waste.

  Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, air and hot water existing between the toner particles are expelled to the outside reliably and rapidly, and solidification of the toner is advantageous. Therefore, the intended solid fuel can be produced even more efficiently.

  Further, according to the fifth aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, the operation of pressurizing the toner at the time of heating and melting the binder resin can be carried out more easily and reliably, and the efficiency of producing the solid fuel Can be realized more easily.

  Furthermore, according to the sixth aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, for example, compared with the case where hot water is injected so as to flow from the opening to the outside of the container into the container, The hot water can penetrate into the toner more quickly and easily, and the number of hot water jet pipes inserted into the toner and the jet holes provided in the wall of each hot water jet pipe By devising the formation position and the like, it becomes possible to allow hot water to penetrate more uniformly and more rapidly into the toner inside the container. Therefore, in such a method of the present invention, the solid fuel can be manufactured more efficiently.

  Furthermore, according to the seventh aspect of the method for producing a solid fuel according to the present invention, for example, simply performing an operation of placing the bag body constituting the container on the tip of the hot water jet pipe, The hot water jet pipe can break through the bag body and be inserted into the toner inside the bag body, so the workability when inserting the hot water jet pipe into the toner and thus the workability in the production of solid fuel is effective. Can be simplified.

  Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention more specifically, the configuration of a solid fuel production method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  First, FIG. 1 schematically shows an apparatus for producing solid fuel that is suitably used in carrying out the method for producing solid fuel according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a one-side bottomed cylindrical bucket that opens upward with a predetermined volume, and a plurality of pipe insertion holes 12 and one drainage hole 14 are provided at the bottom of the bottom. It is provided and configured to pass through.

  Of the two types of holes 12 and 14 provided at the bottom of the bucket 10, the plurality of pipe insertion holes 12 extend through the bottom of the bucket 10 in the vertical direction and are spaced apart from each other at an appropriate interval. The hot water jet pipes 16 each having a length longer by a predetermined dimension than the height of the bucket 10 are placed in each of the pipe insertion holes 12 one by one. It is inserted. As a result, a plurality of hot water ejection pipes 16 are extended vertically upward in the bucket 10 with a height substantially the same as the height of the cylindrical wall of the bucket 10, and the lower end portion of the bucket 10 is In a state where it protrudes downward from the bottom, it is arranged so as to be distributed vertically and horizontally at an appropriate distance from each other.

  Further, in each of the hot water jet pipes 16, the upper end portion is a pointed portion 18 having a conical shape that is closed to the outside. Further, a plurality of ejection holes 20 having a relatively small diameter and penetrating the tube wall in the thickness direction are respectively appropriate in the circumferential direction and the vertical direction on the tube wall of each such hot water ejection pipe 16. It is formed at intervals.

  In addition, a hot water supply pipe 22 is disposed below the bottom of the bucket 10 in which a plurality of such hot water ejection pipes 16 are disposed. The hot water supply line 22 is extended laterally with a predetermined length from below the bottom of the bucket 10, and a known pump 24 is provided in the middle thereof. Further, in the hot water supply conduit 22, the one end portion located below the bottom portion of the bucket 10 is branched into a plurality of branches, and each of the branch conduits extends along the lower surface of the bottom portion of the bucket 10. The connecting pipe portion 26 extends. Each of such connecting pipe line portions 26 is connected to the lower end portion of each hot water jet pipe 16 projected downward from the bottom portion of the bucket 10.

  Further, a hot water supply tank 28 is installed on the end side of the hot water supply pipe 22 opposite to the connection pipe section 26 side. Although not shown in the figure, the hot water supply tank 28 has a storage tank that stores a predetermined amount of water, and a heater that boiles the water stored in the storage tank or heats the water to a temperature close thereto. And a known heating device such as a burner or steam heating. And the end part opposite to the connection pipe line part 26 side of the hot water supply pipe line 22 is connected to such a hot water supply tank 28.

  On the other hand, a drain line 30 is inserted and fixed at one end of one drain hole 14 provided separately from the plurality of pipe insertion holes 12 with respect to the bottom of the bucket 10. The drain pipe 30 extends toward the hot water supply tank 28, and is connected to the hot water supply tank 28 at the end opposite to the insertion side to the drain hole 14. Further, a valve 32 for arbitrarily opening and closing the drain pipe 30 is provided at an intermediate portion of the drain pipe 30.

  Thus, in the solid fuel production apparatus having such a structure, hot water heated by a heating device (not shown) of the hot water supply tank 28 and stored in a storage tank (not shown) is supplied with hot water. By the operation of the pump 24 on the pipe line 22, it is pumped into the hot water supply pipe line 22, supplied from each connection pipe line part 26 to each hot water jet pipe 16 connected to them, and further It is ejected to the outside from each ejection hole 20 of each hot water ejection pipe 16 (see FIG. 2). Further, water (hot water) ejected from each ejection hole 20 of the hot water ejection pipe 16 and stored in the bucket 10 is opened from the drain hole 14 to the drain pipe by the opening operation of the valve 32 on the drain pipe 30. It is configured to be discharged into the storage tank 30 and returned to the storage tank (not shown) of the hot water supply tank 28 through the drain pipe 30.

  Thus, using such a solid fuel production apparatus, when producing a target solid fuel from powdered electrophotographic dry toner to be disposed of as waste, the operation is, for example, The procedure is as follows.

  That is, first, as shown in FIG. 2, a flexible container 36 as a container, in which an appropriate amount of powdery electrophotographic dry toner 34 to be disposed of as waste is stored, is a crane, a forklift, or the like. In the state suspended from the hook 38 that is attached and moved up and down, the bucket 10 is moved to the upper side of the bucket 10, and the flexible container 36 in which the toner 34 is accommodated is lowered by the lowering of the hook 38. And placed on the bottom of the bucket 10.

  At this time, in the bucket 10, a plurality of hot water ejection pipes 16 arranged to extend vertically upward are inserted into the toner 34 accommodated in the flexible container 36.

  That is, in this process, when the flexible container 36 in which the toner 34 is accommodated is lowered in the bucket 10, the flexible container 36 is sharpened at the bottom of the hot water jet pipe 16 at the upper end. The flexible container 36 is brought into contact with the portion 18 so as to be loaded with its own weight, whereby the bottom of the flexible container 36 is pierced by the sharpened portion 18 of each hot water jet pipe 16. Then, as the flexible container 36 is further lowered, each hot water jet pipe 16 gradually enters the flexible container 36, and when the flexible container 36 is placed on the bottom of the bucket 10, The entire portion of each hot water jet pipe 16 extending upward in the bucket 10 is very easily inserted into the toner 34 accommodated in the flexible container 36 without any troublesome work. It will be.

  In addition, although the material is not specifically limited as the flexible container 36 used at this process, Here, the bottom part is pierced comparatively easily in the sharpened part 18 of the hot water ejection pipe 16. A material made of a material such as a cloth or a synthetic resin, specifically, a polypropylene cloth or a resin-coated woven cloth is preferably used. Moreover, such a flexible container 36 may be equipped with an inner bag made of a resin material such as polyethylene, for example.

  Also, the type of toner 34 accommodated in such a flexible container 36 is not limited in any way, and if it is an electrophotographic dry toner to be disposed of as waste, its color and magnetic powder content may be included. The presence or absence is not specified.

  Furthermore, the flexible container 36 does not necessarily have to contain only the toner 34 alone, and a state in which another combustible solid is added to and mixed with the toner 34. And may be housed in the flexible container 36. Any combustible solid material mixed with the toner 34 can be used as long as it is solidified together with the toner 34 when the toner 34 is solidified as will be described later. In order to make solidification easier, a powder is desirable. Examples of such combustible powder solids include powders that are more combustible than the toner 34, and combustible powder waste such as silicon carbide powder that is generated as waste during the manufacture of IC substrates. Is exemplified. By using such a combustible solid material, it is possible to effectively improve the combustibility of the finally obtained solid fuel and effectively use the waste.

  As described above, after the flexible container 36 in which the toner 34 is accommodated is placed on the bottom of the bucket 10, the valve 32 on the drain pipe 30 is closed, and the heat is The pump 24 on the water supply line 22 is activated. As a result, the hot water in the hot water supply tank 28 is supplied into each hot water jet pipe 16 inserted into the toner 34 accommodated in the flexible container 36, and is further indicated by an arrow in FIG. As described above, the hot water supplied into the hot water jet pipes 16 is jetted into the toner 34 through the jet holes 20 of the hot water jet pipes 16 and injected into the flexible container 36. .

  At this time, the hot water injected into the flexible container 36 is surely permeated into the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 along the air layer existing between the particles of the toner 34. In addition, here, the hot water jet pipes 16 are arranged in the bucket 10 so as to be vertically and horizontally distributed at an appropriate distance from each other, and with respect to the wall of each of the hot water jet pipes 16. Thus, since the plurality of ejection holes 20 are formed at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction and the vertical direction of the tube wall, the penetration of hot water into the toner 34 is more uniform. And speeding up. Thus, in this step, the hot water that has permeated the inside of the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 is surely brought into contact with all of the toner 34.

  In addition, a part of the hot water injected into the flexible container 36 in this step leaks from a hole formed by the bottom portion of the flexible container 36 being pierced by the sharpened portion 18 of each hot water jet pipe 16. However, the hot water jet pipe 16 is left inserted in such a hole, and the flexible container 36 is placed on the bottom of the bucket 10, thereby forming the bottom of the flexible container 36. Since the hole is closed at the upper surface of the bottom of the bucket 10, the amount of hot water leaking from the flexible container 36 through the insertion hole of each hot water jet pipe 16 is sufficiently low. Most of the hot water is retained in the flexible container 36.

  Further, the amount of hot water injected into the flexible container 36 in this step is such that the hot water in the flexible container 36 is sufficiently brought into contact with the entire toner 34 in the flexible container 36. In general, the amount is equal to or less than that of the toner 34 in the flexible container 36, although it is appropriately determined according to the amount 34. Further, the temperature of the hot water is not particularly limited, but as will be described later, the internal temperature of the toner 34 as a whole by the contact with the toner 34 of the hot water is changed to the melting point of the binder resin contained in the toner 34. It is necessary that the temperature can be heated to a higher temperature than that. From that point, it is preferably about 85 to 100 ° C.

  Next, when the injection of hot water into the flexible container 36 is completed, the flexible container 36 is left for a preset time. After the set time elapses, the hook 38 is raised, and the entire flexible container 36 is moved into the bucket 10. It is lifted up to the height position where it leaves. Then, in the lifted state, the flexible container 36 is caused to vibrate up and down a plurality of times by the continuous vertical movement of the hook 38 and then allowed to cool at room temperature.

  In such a process, while the hot water is being poured into the flexible container 36, the toner is infiltrated into the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 and brought into contact with the toner 34. All of the toner 34 is heated to a temperature higher than the melting point of the binder resin contained in the toner 34 by the hot water, and the binder resin is heated and melted. For this reason, the standing time in the state where hot water is injected into the flexible container 36 is appropriately determined in the time required for the binder resin in all the toners 34 to be sufficiently heated and melted. .

  Then, after such a standing state, the flexible container 36 is lifted to a height position where it is detached from the bucket 10 in the heated and melted state of the binder resin in the toner 34, so Each hot water jet pipe 16 is pulled out. Further, hot water that is injected into the flexible container 36 and heats and melts the binder resin contained in the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 is formed in each hot water jet pipe formed at the bottom of the flexible container 36. It is discharged from 16 extraction holes (insertion holes).

  Further, during discharge of hot water from the inside of the flexible container 36, the flexible container 36 is vibrated up and down a plurality of times, whereby the toner 34 is pressurized by its own weight, and the particles of the toner 34 are separated from each other. The air and hot water still existing between the particles of the toner 34 are reliably and quickly expelled to the outside. The number of times of the vertical vibration of the flexible container 36 for pressurizing the toner 34 is not limited at all, but generally it may be about 2 or 3 times.

  Then, after hot water or air inside the toner 34 is expelled to the outside, it is allowed to cool, whereby the binder resin contained in the toner 34 is cooled from the molten state and solidified. Thus, all of the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 is solidified into a lump with a form such as coke with air bubbles formed on the surface, and thus the target solid fuel is obtained. And this solid fuel will be grind | pulverized as needed and will be used.

  In this step, the hot water discharged from the flexible container 36 is stored in the bucket 10 located below the flexible container 36 in a state where the temperature is lowered. During the discharge of the hot water or after the hot water is completely discharged from the flexible container 36, the valve 32 of the drain pipe 30 is opened so that the low-temperature hot water in the bucket 10 is Is returned to the hot water supply tank 28 through the drainage pipe 30 from the drainage hole 14 provided at the bottom of the water. The returned low-temperature hot water is heated again in the hot water supply tank 28 and reused in the next solid fuel production process.

  Thus, in this embodiment, the bucket 10 in which the flexible container 36 in which the powdered toner 34 to be disposed of as waste is stored is stored, and the plurality of heats disposed in the bucket 10. It has a simple structure that includes only the water ejection pipe 16, the hot water supply pipe 22 that supplies hot water to the plurality of hot water ejection pipes 16, and the hot water supply tank 28. The flexible container 36 in which the toner 34 is accommodated is stored in the bucket 10 of the apparatus so that each hot water jet pipe 16 is inserted into the toner 34 in the flexible container 36. In such a state, the hot water is ejected from the respective ejection holes 20 of the respective hot water ejection pipes 16 so as to inject the hot water into the flexible container 36. It can be allowed to solidify toner 34 in the flexible container 36.

  Therefore, according to such a solid fuel manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, in order to solidify the powdered toner 34, waste is not used without using an expensive machine or device such as an extruder. The solid fuel can be easily produced at the lowest possible cost from the powdery toner 34 to be disposed of, so that the effective use of the toner 34 as waste can be easily performed with excellent economic efficiency. It can be realized.

  Further, in such a method of the present embodiment, the powdered toner 34 is solidified in the flexible container 36 by injecting hot water into the flexible container 36. For example, in order to solidify the toner 34, there is no need to perform any operation for transferring the toner 34 from the flexible container 36 to a container or the like, and hot water is injected into the inside of the toner 34. Since each of the ejection holes 20 of the pipe 16 is directly ejected into the toner 34, it is advantageous that the toner 34 rises as dust and diffuses during the solidification operation of the powdery toner 34. Can be avoided.

  As a result, in this embodiment, the production of solid fuel that effectively uses the toner 34 that is disposed of as waste without further deteriorating the working environment due to the diffusion of the powdery toner 34 is further achieved. It can be advantageously realized.

  Furthermore, according to the method of the present embodiment, hot water is ejected into the toner 34 in the flexible container 36, so that the hot water is surely permeated into the toner 34, and the toner 34 is heated from the inside. Therefore, for example, the toner 34 can be reliably and rapidly heated as compared with the case where the toner 34 is heated from the outside by using an appropriate heating device, so that the solid fuel is made more efficient. Can be manufactured.

  Furthermore, according to the method of the present embodiment, since the powdery toner 34 is solidified, its volume is advantageously reduced, so that the handling property when the toner 34 is reused is effectively enhanced. There is also an advantage of gaining.

  By the way, in the said embodiment, although the solid fuel manufacturing apparatus by which the some hot-water ejection pipe 16 is arrange | positioned in the bucket 10 was used, without using such an apparatus at all, for example, hot water From the inlet of the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 to be poured into the flexible container 36 by a hose or the like, or separately from the bucket 10, the hot water jet pipe 16 that is configured to be freely carried is provided. Then, hot water is ejected from the ejection hole 20 of the hot water ejection pipe 16 while being inserted into the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 through the inlet of the flexible container 36 and other parts. There is no problem even if it is injected into. In such a case, the target solid fuel can be manufactured at a lower cost as long as a special apparatus is not used.

  Further, when the operation of piercing the flexible container 36 and inserting the hot water jet pipe 16 into the toner 34 in the flexible container 36 is not performed, a container other than the flexible container 36 is used as a container for accommodating the toner 34. Things can of course be used.

  Furthermore, when the binder resin in the toner 34 heated and melted by contact with hot water is cooled and solidified, for example, water or the like is injected into or accommodated in a container such as the flexible container 36. Forcible cooling operation may be performed by pouring over the outer surface of the body. Thereby, the intended solid fuel can be produced more rapidly.

  In addition, the present invention can be implemented in various forms, and any of various embodiments relating to various changes, modifications, and improvements of the present invention adopted based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. It should be understood that the present invention belongs to the category of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the following, some examples of the present invention will be shown and the characteristics of the present invention will be further clarified, but the present invention is not limited by the description of such examples. Needless to say.

<Example 1>
First, a flexible container containing 500 kg of black waste toner generated in a dry copying machine, which is a powdery dry toner for electrophotography to be disposed of as waste, was prepared. As this flexible container, one having a double structure consisting of an inner bag made of polyethylene and an outer bag made of vinyl chloride is used. Further, as a black waste toner accommodated in such a flexible container, the melting point is 50. A toner containing a binder resin at a temperature of 0 ° C. was used.

  Then, the prepared flexible container containing toner is lifted by a crane and moved onto a bucket of a solid fuel production apparatus having a structure as shown in FIG. 1, and then the flexible container is lowered to move the inside of the bucket. The bottom of the flexible container is pierced by the sharpened portions of the plurality of hot water jet pipes disposed in the container, and the hot water jet pipes 16 are inserted into the toner inside the flexible container. It was mounted on the bottom of the bucket.

  Thereafter, hot water having a temperature of 85 ° C. is supplied into each hot water jet pipe, and the hot water is jetted from a plurality of jet holes provided in the wall of each hot water jet pipe, Then, 300 L (liter) of hot water having a temperature of 85 ° C. was injected, and held for 15 minutes. When the internal temperature of the toner in the flexible container at this time was measured, the temperature was 55 ° C., which is higher than the melting point of the binder resin contained in the toner.

  After 15 minutes from the injection of hot water into the flexible container, the flexible container is lifted with a crane, each hot water jet pipe is pulled out from the inside of the toner, and each hot water jet pipe formed at the bottom of the flexible container The hot water in the flexible container is discharged from the pull-out hole, and the toner is allowed to cool at room temperature by shaking the flexible container twice up and down and then leaving it in that state. did.

  As a result, 500 kg of solid fuel in the form of coke with bubbles formed on the surface was obtained in the same amount as the powdery toner initially contained in the flexible container.

<Example 2>
First, using the black waste toner and flexible container of the same kind as the black waste toner and flexible container prepared in Example 1, a flexible container containing 600 kg of the black waste toner was prepared.

  Then, 300 L of hot water having a temperature of 90 ° C. was poured into the toner from the inlet of the prepared flexible container containing toner, and then left for 20 minutes. When the internal temperature of the toner in the flexible container at this time was measured, the temperature was 55 ° C., which is higher than the melting point of the binder resin contained in the toner.

  Next, the flexible container is lifted to an appropriate height with a crane, shaken up and down three times, then a plurality of small holes are made in the lower part and bottom of the flexible container body, and hot water in the flexible container is The toner in the flexible container was allowed to cool at room temperature by discharging from the plurality of holes and then leaving it in that state.

  As a result, 600 kg of solid fuel in the form of coke with bubbles formed on the surface was obtained in the same amount as the powdery toner initially contained in the flexible container.

<Example 3>
First, a predetermined amount of yellow waste toner generated in a dry color copying machine, which is a powdery electrophotographic dry toner to be disposed of as waste, and the same flexible container as that prepared in Example 1 A flexible container containing 650 kg of the yellow waste toner was prepared.

  Then, 400 L of hot water at a temperature of 95 ° C. was poured into the toner from the charging port of the prepared flexible container containing the toner, and then left for 25 minutes. When the internal temperature of the toner in the flexible container at this time was measured, the temperature was 60 ° C., which is higher than the melting point of the binder resin contained in the toner.

  Next, as in Example 2, the flexible container was lifted to an appropriate height with a crane, shaken up and down three times, and then a plurality of small holes were made in the lower part and bottom of the flexible container to make it flexible. The hot water in the container was discharged from the plurality of holes, and then left in that state, whereby the toner in the flexible container was allowed to cool at room temperature.

  As a result, 650 kg of solid fuel in the form of coke with bubbles formed on the surface was obtained in the same amount as the powdered toner initially contained in the flexible container.

<Comparative Example 1>
For comparison, the same 600 kg black waste toner containing flexible container as that prepared in Example 2 was prepared, and hot water at 60 ° C. was added to the flexible container in the same manner as in Example 2. , Poured. When the internal temperature of the toner in the flexible container at this time was measured, the temperature was 43 ° C., which was lower than the melting point of the binder resin contained in the toner.

  Next, as in Example 2, the flexible container was lifted to an appropriate height with a crane, shaken up and down three times, and then a plurality of small holes were made in the lower part and bottom of the flexible container to make it flexible. The hot water in the container was discharged from the plurality of holes, and then left in that state, whereby the toner in the flexible container was allowed to cool at room temperature.

  As a result, although about 300 kg of toner lump that can be easily broken by gripping force is formed in the flexible container, no bulk solid fuel as obtained in Examples 1 to 3 can be obtained. It was.

  Based on the results of Examples 1 to 3 and the results of Comparative Example 1, a series of operations according to the method of the present invention is performed using powdery dry toner for electrophotography to be disposed of as waste. Thus, it can be clearly understood that the target lump solid fuel can be produced for the first time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view including a partially cutaway view schematically showing a solid fuel production apparatus suitably used when producing a solid fuel according to the method of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows one process at the time of manufacturing solid fuel by the method of this invention using the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, Comprising: Hot water is inject | poured in the flexible container in which the toner was accommodated inside. It shows the state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Bucket 16 Hot water ejection pipe 18 Sharp point 20 Ejection hole 22 Hot water supply pipe 28 Hot water supply tank 30 Drainage pipe 34 Toner 36 Flexible container

Claims (7)

When producing solid fuel by using dry powder for electrophotography that is disposed of as waste and solidifying it in a lump.
A binder contained in the toner by injecting hot water into the container and bringing the hot water into contact with the toner in the container in a state where the toner is contained in a predetermined container. A method for producing a solid fuel, wherein the toner is solidified by heating and melting the resin and then cooling and solidifying the molten binder resin.   The method for producing a solid fuel according to claim 1, wherein the hot water is discharged from the containing body after a predetermined time has elapsed since the hot water was injected into the containing body.   3. The method for producing a solid fuel according to claim 1, wherein the electrophotographic dry toner is contained in the container in a state of being mixed with a combustible solid material different from the toner.   4. The toner according to claim 1, wherein when the binder resin contained in the electrophotographic dry toner is heated and melted, the toner is pressurized so that the particles of the toner become dense. The manufacturing method of the solid fuel as described in 1 ..   The pressing operation on the electrophotographic dry toner during the heat melting of the binder resin is performed by applying vibrations in the vertical direction to the container in which the toner is stored and compacting the toner by its own weight. The method for producing a solid fuel according to claim 4.   The hot water is supplied to the electrophotographic dry toner contained in the container, and a hot water jet pipe provided with a plurality of jet holes in the pipe wall for jetting the supplied hot water to the outside. After being inserted into the container, the hot water is supplied into the hot water jet pipe, and the hot water is jetted into the toner through the jet holes of the hot water jet pipe. The method for producing a solid fuel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein hot water is injected. While using a bag made of cloth or synthetic resin as the container, using a pipe that breaks through the bag body at the tip and can enter the bag body as the hot water ejection pipe, In the state in which the dry toner for electrophotography is accommodated and the hot water jet pipe is disposed so as to extend upward, the bag body containing the toner is disposed at the tip of the hot water jet pipe. On the other hand, by contacting the bag body so as to be loaded with its own weight, the hot water jet pipe breaks through the lower portion of the bag body at the tip thereof so as to enter the bag body. By doing so, the hot water jet pipe is inserted into the toner inside the bag body, and then the hot water is jetted into the toner through the jet holes of the hot water jet pipe. Claim Method for producing a solid fuel according to 6.

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