JP7386699B2 - Fermentation suitable material selection method and fermentation suitable material selection system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fermentation material selection method and a fermentation material selection system for selecting fermentation materials from a processed material.

As described in Patent Document 1, in order to realize a resource recycling society, organic solid waste such as food waste and paper waste is converted into biogas (approximately 60%), which can be used as an energy source by anaerobic microorganisms. Practical implementation of methane fermentation processing, which converts methane into methane gas, approximately 40% carbon dioxide gas, and a small amount of hydrogen sulfide, is underway.

Organic solid waste such as food waste and paper waste that is suitable for fermentation, from general waste disposed of by ordinary households and business waste disposed of by food and beverage businesses (hereinafter referred to as "waste"). Various crushing and sorting devices are used to sort and supply methane fermentation equipment.

Patent Document 2 discloses, as a garbage sorter, a cylindrical crushing chamber in which an object to be crushed is thrown in as the crushing impeller rotates and is crushed while being sent out in the axial direction of the crushing impeller; A sieve surface that defines the lower inner circumferential surface of the crushing chamber for shaking off the crushed materials crushed in the crushing chamber, and an end in the sending direction of the crushed materials of the crushing chamber that are not sieved from the sieve surface. A crushing/separating machine has been disclosed which is provided with a residue discharge port formed in the upper inner circumferential surface portion of the end of the crushing chamber in order to discharge the residue that has reached the crushing chamber to the outside.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-86157 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-101202

When a uniaxial crusher is used as a crushing and sorting device, hard resins that are unsuitable for fermentation are crushed at the same time, and when the crushed materials are sorted by air, the crushed hard resin pieces are placed on the side of heavy kitchen waste. On the other hand, paper waste, which is suitable for fermentation, is mixed in with lightweight items such as vinyl chloride resin pieces for packaging, which are unsuitable for fermentation, and cannot be separated properly.

In addition, in the crushing and sorting machine as disclosed in Patent Document 2, the paper waste cannot be crushed well with the crushing impeller, and the paper waste is not sieved from the sieve surface as fermentation-suitable materials and mixes into the fermentation-unsuitable materials. Therefore, it is still not possible to perform a good sorting.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional technology, an object of the present invention is to provide a fermentation material selection method and a fermentation material selection system that can effectively select fermentation materials such as lightweight paper waste from waste material to be treated. At the point.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first characteristic configuration of the fermentation material selection method according to the present invention is to select a fermentation material that is suitable for fermentation, including paper, from waste material to be processed and to provide it to the methane fermentation process. A material sorting method includes a first crushing and sorting step of crushing a material to be processed and sorting suitable fermentation materials from the crushed material, and a residue from which fermentation materials have been selected in the first crushing and sorting step. The method includes a humidifying step of humidifying paper contained in the residue by humidification, and a sorting step of sorting out fermented materials including paper from the residue moistened in the humidifying step.

In the first crushing and sorting step, the waste is crushed, and fermentable materials are sorted from the crushed materials to be subjected to the methane fermentation process . For example, paper, which is relatively light compared to kitchen waste, which is suitable for fermentation, is not crushed sufficiently, so it is not selected as suitable for fermentation in the crushing and sorting process, and is included in the residue, which is unsuitable for fermentation. However, the paper contained in the residue humidified in the humidification process absorbs moisture and increases in weight, so that it can be appropriately sorted as fermentation materials, improving the recovery rate of fermentation materials. In the humidification process, the degree of moisture absorption of paper can be adjusted to a level that allows for proper sorting, so it is possible to keep the moisture content of the fermentable materials selected in the sorting process low, and excess moisture can be removed in the subsequent methane fermentation process. Fermentation can be carried out efficiently without causing an increase in liquid volume.

The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the above-mentioned first characteristic configuration, the sorting process is a second crushing and sorting process that is performed together with crushing.

The paper contained in the residue that is humidified in the humidification process absorbs moisture and increases in weight, making it more susceptible to the impact force from the blade. Collection rate improves. In the humidification process, the moisture absorption level of the paper can be adjusted to a level that allows it to be easily crushed, making it possible to keep the moisture content of the fermentable materials selected in the sorting process low, and avoid excessive liquid in the subsequent methane fermentation process. Fermentation can be carried out efficiently without increasing the amount.

The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the second characteristic configuration described above, the second crushing and sorting process circulates and conveys the residue moistened in the humidification process to the first crushing and sorting process, and The point is that it is carried out in the sorting process.

Since the residue discharged in the first crushing and sorting process can be crushed and sorted by circulating and conveying it to the first crushing and sorting process again, the equipment cost for executing each crushing and sorting process can be reduced. Furthermore, if the number of times of circulation transportation is increased, the accuracy of sorting suitable fermentation materials will increase accordingly, and by adjusting the number of times, the target recovery rate can be obtained.

The first characteristic configuration of the fermentation material selection system according to the present invention is a fermentation material selection system that sorts fermentation materials including paper from waste, which is a material to be processed, and provides the fermentation material selection system for a methane fermentation process . a first crushing and sorting device comprising a crushing section for crushing the processed material and a sorting section for sorting fermentation materials from the crushed materials; and after the fermentation materials have been sorted by the first crushing and sorting device. a humidifying device that humidifies paper contained in the residue by humidifying the residue, and a sorting device that includes a sorting section that sorts fermentable materials including paper from the residue humidified by the humidifying device. .

In addition to the above-mentioned first characteristic configuration, the second characteristic configuration is that the sorting device includes a crushing section that crushes the residue humidified by the humidifying device, and the residue crushed by the crushing section is transferred to the sorting section. The present invention is comprised of a second crushing and sorting device that performs sorting.

The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the second characteristic configuration described above, the first crushing and sorting device and the second crushing and sorting device are integrally arranged in series with the humidifying device in between.

The sorting device can be made more compact.

The fourth characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the second or third characteristic configuration described above, the first crushing and sorting device and the second crushing and sorting device are also used, and the residue humidified by the humidifying device is transferred to the first crushing and sorting device. The main feature is that it is equipped with a conveyance mechanism for circulating conveyance to the crushing and sorting device.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fermentation material selection method and a fermentation material selection system that can satisfactorily separate fermentation materials such as lightweight paper waste from waste material to be treated. Now you can.

(a) is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a crushing and sorting device suitable for the fermentation suitable material sorting method according to the present invention, and (b) is a side view of a crushing impeller. An explanatory diagram of the method for selecting suitable fermentation materials according to the present invention Explanatory diagram showing another aspect of the method for selecting suitable fermentation materials according to the present invention Explanatory diagram showing another aspect of the method for selecting suitable fermentation materials according to the present invention Explanatory diagram showing another aspect of the method for selecting suitable fermentation materials according to the present invention

Hereinafter, the method and system for selecting suitable fermented substances according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.
[Description of crushing and sorting equipment]
FIG. 1(a) shows a crushing and sorting device 1 used in the fermentation suitable material sorting method. The crushing and sorting device 1 includes a cylindrical drum 2 arranged on a stand so that the axis P is in a horizontal position, and a rotating drum housed inside the drum 2 and arranged along the axis P of the drum 2. A crushing impeller 4 in which a plurality of crushing blades 5 are attached in a comb shape to a shaft 3, an input hopper 6 opened upward on one end of the drum 2, and a discharge port opened on the other end of the drum 2. It has 7. A motor for rotationally driving the crushing impeller 4 is arranged on the side of the drum 2.

A pair of screw conveyors 8 are provided parallel to each other along the bottom of the input hopper 6. For example, when the waste transported by a belt-type conveyor mechanism is dropped and supplied from above to the input hopper 6, it is supplied to the crushing and sorting space in the drum 2 by the screw conveyor 8. A motor for rotationally driving the screw conveyor 8 is arranged on the side wall of the input hopper 6.

On the outer periphery of the drum 2, in a region below the axis P, a sieve mechanism 2A is constructed of punched metal and has a plurality of openings each having a diameter of, for example, about 30, 50, or 75 mm.

As shown in FIG. 1(b), the crushing impeller 4 has crushing blades 5 attached to the rotating shaft 3 via attachments 3A and 3B so that the crushing blades 5 are positioned in a cross shape when viewed in the axial direction. It is swingably attached via a swing shaft 5A. This is to avoid damage due to swinging of the crushing blade 5 when a hard member such as metal is mixed in the workpiece. Note that the swinging of the crushing blade 5 is not essential.

The waste supplied to the crushing and sorting space includes organic waste such as kitchen waste and paper that are suitable for fermentation, as well as glass, resin, ceramic pieces, and metal pieces that are unsuitable for fermentation. and other miscellaneous wastes.

In the process in which such waste collides with the plurality of crushing blades 5 and is sheared or crushed by impact and is conveyed along the axis to the discharge port 7 side, fermented materials are passed through the openings of the sieve mechanism 2A. It falls, is collected by a conveyor mechanism installed below the sieve mechanism 2A, and is supplied to the methane fermentation device.

On the other hand, unsuitable materials for fermentation, such as sheet-shaped resins and metals, which have been torn into bags, are not easily broken even when they collide with the crushing blade 5, and are transported to the downstream side, and are discharged to the downstream side of the rotary shaft 3. It is scraped up with a blade 9 and discharged from the discharge port 7.

Paper, which is suitable for fermentation, is very light like sheet-shaped resin and absorbs the impact force from the blade, so it is not easily broken even if it collides with the crushing blade 5, and is discharged from the discharge port along with unfermented materials. There is a tendency for a high proportion to be emitted from 7.

Even if sorting using a wind sorting mechanism is adopted instead of sorting using the sieve mechanism 2A, paper, like sheet-shaped resin, is lighter than fermentable materials such as kitchen waste, so it will not be placed on the side of unfermentable materials. They are more likely to be selected.

Therefore, it has been extremely difficult to sort and recover paper mixed in waste as a fermentable material. The fermentation material selection method and fermentation material selection system of the present invention make it possible to efficiently select and recover such papers as fermentation materials.

[Explanation of the method for selecting suitable fermentation materials]
As shown in Figure 2, the fermentation material sorting method is a method for appropriately sorting fermentation materials including paper from the waste material to be processed. A first crushing process in which the processed materials are put into a machine 10 to break the bags, the broken bags are put into the crushing and sorting machine 1, where they are shear crushed or impact crushed, and fermentation suitable materials are sorted out from the crushed processed materials. A sorting step, a humidification step of humidifying the residue from which fermentation materials were sorted in the first crushing and sorting step, and shear crushing or impact crushing of the humidified residue in the humidification step, and sorting out fermentation materials from the crushed residue. A second crushing and sorting step.

In the first crushing and sorting step, the waste is shear crushed or impact crushed, and fermentable materials are sorted from the crushed materials. Paper, which is relatively light compared to kitchen waste, is not crushed sufficiently and is therefore not sorted out as fermentation-suitable materials in the first crushing and sorting step, but is included in the residue side, which is fermentation-unsuitable materials.

However, the paper contained in the residue humidified in the humidification process absorbs moisture, increases in weight, and becomes susceptible to impact forces, so it is easily crushed in the second crushing and sorting process, making it suitable as a suitable material for fermentation. It will be sorted and processed.

In the humidification process, the degree of moisture absorption of the paper can be adjusted to a level that allows it to be easily crushed, so the moisture content of the fermentable materials selected in the second crushing and sorting process can be kept low, and the moisture content of the paper can be kept low during the subsequent methane fermentation process. Fermentation can be carried out efficiently without increasing the amount of liquid.

It is preferable to include an inspection step for inspecting whether or not the residue discharged in the first crushing and sorting step contains fermentation substances, and if the residue contains a small amount of fermentation substances, , and transported as is to the unsuitable material processing equipment. The inspection process can be visually determined by an operator directly or based on images captured by an imaging device. Alternatively, the degree of inclusion of suitable fermentation substances may be automatically determined by image processing the photographed images. In particular, it is preferable to automatically determine how much paper is included as a material suitable for fermentation.

The humidification process is a process of spraying water onto the residue through a spray nozzle, and the amount of spraying is adjusted based on the mixing state of the fermentation substances contained in the residue after the fermentation substances have been sorted out in the first crushing and sorting process. It is preferable to include a spray amount adjustment process. The amount of spray from the spray nozzle is appropriately adjusted in the humidification process based on the paper content.

For example, a machine learning device that separates an image containing miscellaneous residue into regions based on color and shape, and determines the amount of paper based on the shape and color of each separated region. If it is determined that the paper content is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the process moves to a humidification process, and if it is determined that the paper content is less than a predetermined threshold, the paper is transported to an unsuitable material processing device. preferable.

A spray amount adjustment mechanism can be constructed using such a machine learning device. For example, the spray amount adjustment mechanism includes an input section that inputs a photographed image of the residue, a calculation section that calculates a water spray amount based on the photographed image input to the input section, and a water spray amount that is calculated by the calculation section. The machine learning device can be configured with a machine learning device including an output unit that outputs.

Specifically, the machine learning device can be configured with a neural network, etc., and the pre-processing section separates the image containing the miscellaneous residue into regions based on color and shape, and then separates the paper into paper based on the shape and color of each region. It can be configured with a neural network that determines and outputs the amount of water contained, as well as determines and outputs the amount of spray.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the method for selecting fermentation materials. The second crushing and sorting process is configured to circulate and transport the residue humidified in the humidification process to the first crushing and sorting process, and to be executed in the first crushing and sorting process. That is, this is an embodiment in which the waste is circulated and supplied to the first crushing and sorting process. In this embodiment, the crushing and sorting process is not carried out continuously, but rather a certain amount of waste is batch processed in the first crushing and sorting process, after which the residue is circulated again to the first crushing and sorting process to be batch processed. be done. It is sufficient to circulate once, but it is also possible to circulate multiple times based on the results of the inspection process.

Since the second crushing process can be performed by circulating and conveying the residue discharged in the first crushing and sorting process to the first crushing and sorting process, the equipment cost for executing each crushing and sorting process can be reduced. Furthermore, as the number of times of circulating transportation increases, the accuracy of sorting suitable fermentation materials increases accordingly.

FIG. 4 shows a crushing and sorting device suitable for carrying out the fermentation suitable material sorting method shown in FIG. 2. The cylindrical drum of the above-mentioned crushing and sorting device 1 is extended in the axial direction, and a first crushing and sorting area is provided on the upstream side near the input hopper where the first crushing and sorting process is performed, and a first crushing and sorting area is provided in the discharge section. A second crushing and sorting area is provided in which a second crushing and sorting step is carried out near the downstream side. A spray mechanism is provided between the first crushing and sorting area and the second crushing and sorting area.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the method for selecting fermentation materials.
The fermentation suitable material selection method includes a humidification step of humidifying the processed material, and a crushing and sorting step of crushing the processed material moistened in the humidification step and sorting the fermentation suitable material from the crushed processing material. The humidifying step is a step of spraying water onto the object to be treated, and includes a spray amount adjustment process of adjusting the amount of spray based on the mixing state of the fermentation material contained in the object. It is preferable to circulate and supply the residue after the fermentation materials have been sorted out in the crushing and sorting step to the humidification step, which improves the recovery rate of the fermentation materials.

By humidifying the material to be processed before the crushing and sorting process, paper can be appropriately sorted into fermentable materials at the stage of the crushing and sorting process. The state of contamination of suitable fermentation materials can be measured at the beginning of the material to be processed or in the residue after sorting, and the amount of humidification can be adjusted based on the results.

In the above-described example, the first and second crushing and sorting processes use the crushing and sorting device 1 that adopts the sieve sorting method, but the fermentation performed in the first crushing and sorting process and/or the second crushing and sorting process For the selection process of suitable materials, either a sieve selection method or an air selection method may be adopted.

Even if the paper is not sufficiently crushed in the first crushing and sorting process and is not sorted into fermentable materials by the sieve sorting method or the wind sorting method, the weight will increase through the humidification process, and the weight will be different in the sorting process. Using the wind sorting method, heavy materials such as papers that have been humidified using the air filter are classified as fermentable materials, and resin pieces are sorted out as lightweight materials unsuitable for fermentation. Moreover, since crushing is not performed in the sorting process, a crushing mechanism is not required, and the device configuration is simplified. As a method for sorting heavy items such as humidified paper using differences in weight, in addition to wind sorting, weight sorting that uses differences in weight such as sorting by vibration may be adopted.

[Explanation of fermentation suitable material selection system]
As explained in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fermentation material sorting system that sorts fermentation materials including paper from waste, which is the material to be processed, consists of a crushing section that crushes the material to be processed, and a crushing section for crushing the material to be processed, and a a first crushing and sorting device comprising a sorting section for sorting fermentation materials from the fermentation materials; a humidifying device for humidifying the residue after the fermentation materials have been sorted by the first crushing and sorting device; and a second crushing and sorting device that includes a crushing section that crushes the fermentation material, and a sorting section that sorts fermentation materials from the crushed residue.

As explained in FIG. 3, it is preferable that the first crushing and sorting device and the second crushing and sorting device are used together, and that a conveyance mechanism is provided that circulates and conveys the residue humidified by the humidifier to the first crushing and sorting device. When food waste is included in the material to be treated, the water content of the food waste contributes to the weight of the residue, so even if the amount of spraying is suppressed, the recovery rate of fermentable materials is improved.

As explained in FIG. 4, it is preferable that the first crushing and sorting device and the second crushing and sorting device are integrally arranged in series with the humidifying device in between.

The humidifying device includes a spray nozzle that sprays water onto the residue, and a spray amount adjustment mechanism that adjusts the spray amount based on the mixing state of fermentation materials contained in the residue from which fermentation materials have been sorted by the first crushing and sorting device. It is preferable that the configuration includes the following.

The spray amount adjustment mechanism includes an input section that inputs a photographed image of the residue, a calculation section that calculates a water spray amount based on the photographed image input to the input section, and a calculation section that calculates the water spray amount calculated by the calculation section. It is preferable that the machine learning device is configured with a machine learning device including an output unit that outputs an output.

In the embodiment described above, an example has been described in which the residue is crushed and sorted in the second crushing and sorting process, but the crushing process is not essential, and only the sorting process may be performed. In other words, the method for sorting suitable fermentation materials according to the present invention is a method for sorting suitable fermentation materials including paper from waste material to be processed, in which the material to be processed is crushed and suitable fermentation materials are extracted from the crushed material to be processed. A crushing and sorting process for sorting, a humidifying process for humidifying the residue from which suitable fermentation substances have been selected in the crushing and sorting process, and a sorting process for crushing the residue humidified in the humidification process and sorting out suitable fermentation substances from the crushed residue. The sorting process may or may not include a crushing process. Further, in the fermentation suitable material sorting system according to the present invention, it is also possible to use a sorting device that does not include a crushing section but only a sorting section in place of the second crushing and sorting device.

The embodiment described above is one aspect of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited by the description, and the specific configuration of each part can be changed and designed as appropriate within the range where the effects of the present invention are achieved. Needless to say.

1: Crushing and sorting device 2: Drum 2A: Sieve mechanism 3: Rotating shaft 4: Crushing impeller 5: Crushing blade 6: Input hopper 7: Discharge port 8: Screw conveyor P: Axial core

Claims (7)

A fermentation suitable material selection method for selecting fermentation suitable materials including paper from waste material to be processed and subjecting the same to a methane fermentation process, the method comprising:
A first crushing and sorting step of crushing the material to be processed and sorting suitable fermentation materials from the crushed material;
a humidification step of humidifying the residue from which suitable fermentation materials were sorted in the first crushing and sorting step to humidify the paper contained in the residue;
a sorting step of sorting fermentable materials including paper from the residue moistened in the humidifying step;
A method for selecting suitable fermentation materials including 2. The method for sorting suitable fermented materials according to claim 1, wherein the sorting step is a second crushing and sorting step performed together with crushing. 3. The method for sorting suitable fermented materials according to claim 2, wherein the second crushing and sorting step is carried out by circulating and transporting the residue moistened in the humidifying step to the first crushing and sorting step. A fermentation suitable material selection system for sorting fermentation suitable materials including paper from waste material to be processed and subjecting it to a methane fermentation process ,
A first crushing and sorting device comprising a crushing section that crushes the material to be processed, and a sorting section that selects fermentation materials from the crushed material;
a humidifying device that humidifies the residue after the fermentation materials have been sorted by the first crushing and sorting device to humidify the paper contained in the residue;
a sorting device that includes a sorting unit that sorts fermentable materials including paper from the residue humidified by the humidifying device;
Fermentation suitable material selection system including. 5. The fermentation according to claim 4 , wherein the sorting device includes a crushing section that crushes the residue humidified by the humidifying device, and a second crushing and sorting device that sorts the residue crushed by the crushing section in the sorting section. Appropriate selection system. 6. The fermentation material sorting system according to claim 5 , wherein the first crushing and sorting device and the second crushing and sorting device are integrally arranged in series with the humidifying device in between. 7. The fermentation suitable for fermentation according to claim 5 or 6 , wherein the first crushing and sorting device and the second crushing and sorting device are used together, and includes a conveyance mechanism that circulates and conveys the residue humidified by the humidifying device to the first crushing and sorting device. Item sorting system.

Images