JPH1028955A - Level detection device of organic matter treating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a surface level of microorganism carrier housed in a treating tank inside over nearly the whole area of the treating tank inside without error and with high accuracy. SOLUTION: A detection lever 51 is suspended by supporting an base end with a support bracket 50 in an inner face of an upper lid 3 with bearings, in the inside of the treating tank 1 for housing the microorganism carrier, and a float 52 is attached on the tip of the detection lever 51 faced to the surface of the carrier. When the surface level of the carrier ascends, the detection lever 51 pressed via the float 52 rocks and the rocking is detected with a detection means arranged in the support bracket 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a level detector provided in an organic substance processing apparatus for decomposing organic substances such as kitchen waste by the action of microorganisms, so as to know the level of the microorganism carriers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for treating organic matter such as kitchen garbage (garbage) generated in kitchens of ordinary households and restaurants, there is a method utilizing decomposition by microorganisms. The organic matter treatment apparatus according to this method is configured such that an input port is opened at an upper part of a processing tank for storing a carrier of microorganisms (wood chips, sawdust, activated carbon, etc.), and a stirring means is disposed inside. , The organic matter put into the treatment tank through the carrier is left mixed with the carrier by the operation of the stirring means, and is decomposed by the activity of microorganisms living in the carrier.

[0003] The decomposition of organic matter in a treatment tank is performed in exactly the same manner as the decomposition of organic matter that is routinely carried out in the natural world. The organic matter put into the treatment tank leaves a small amount of composted residue. Is decomposed into water containing carbon dioxide as a main component and water. In order to effectively perform this decomposition, it is necessary to supply an appropriate amount of air (oxygen) into a carrier containing an appropriate amount of moisture and kept at an appropriate temperature, and to maintain the inside of the carrier in an environment suitable for the activity of microorganisms. is important. Therefore, conventionally, a ventilation means for ventilating the inside of the processing tank and a heating means for heating the inside of the processing tank are provided, and by the operation of the blowing means, outside air is supplied into the processing tank and generated by decomposition processing. The excess water thus generated is discharged to the outside of the processing tank to maintain an appropriate amount of air and water, while controlling the operation of maintaining the inside of the processing tank at an appropriate temperature by the heating operation of the heating means.

On the other hand, with the progress of the above-mentioned decomposition treatment, hardly decomposable substances (plastic bags, disposable chopsticks, shells, etc.) to be charged together with the residue after decomposition treatment and organic matter accumulate in the carrier inside the treatment tank. Thus, there is a problem that the habitat of microorganisms gradually deteriorates, and the treatment capacity is reduced. Therefore, conventionally, when the surface level of the carrier in the processing tank exceeds a predetermined upper limit level, for example, the bottom of the processing tank is opened, the deteriorated carrier is taken out, and the processing capacity is reduced by replacing the carrier with a new carrier. To prevent it.

[0005] Confirmation of the surface level of the carrier is generally performed by:
Generally, when an organic substance to be treated is introduced into the treatment tank, the treatment is performed visually by a user. However, in this case, the excess of the upper limit level is often overlooked, and the operation is continued without noticing the decrease in the processing capacity due to the deterioration of the internal environment, and the deterioration of the input organic material proceeds due to the further deterioration of the internal environment. However, there is a problem that an unpleasant odor is generated and a great deal of labor is required for post-treatment of putrefactions.

In order to solve such a problem, the present applicant has already proposed an organic substance processing apparatus provided with a level detector for detecting the surface level of a carrier in a processing tank, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 7-277818.
No. has proposed. In this device, the detection result of the level detector is displayed to notify a user of an excessive rise in the surface level of the carrier, and the replacement of the deteriorated carrier is surely performed. The control contents of the means are changed based on the detection result of the level detector so as to prevent deterioration of the habitat of microorganisms in the carrier.

[0007]

FIG. 10 shows the structure of the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application No.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a level detector shown in No. 277818. The level detector 9 is pivotally supported in the middle of a supporting hole 1b formed through a part of the peripheral wall 1a of the processing tank, and is attached to the inside and outside of the processing tank with appropriately long protrusions. A detection rod 90, a support spring 91 that supports the protruding end of the detection rod 90 to the outside of the processing tank from above and maintains a substantially horizontal state, and is disposed below the support end of the detection rod 90 by the support spring 91. A micro switch 92 is provided.

The mounting position of the detection rod 90 is set in accordance with the surface level of the carrier A housed inside the processing tank 1. Thus, the surface level of the carrier A inside the processing tank is
When the detection rod 90 rises with the progress of the disassembly process and reaches the level shown by the broken line beyond the appropriate level shown by the solid line in the figure, the detection rod 90 is pushed up by the protruding end to the inside of the processing tank, and the support spring 91 is moved. Swings against the urging of the microswitch 92, and the outwardly protruding end that descends with this contacts the microswitch 92, and the microswitch 92 is turned on, and the on / off state of the microswitch 92 is monitored. Thereby, the surface level of the carrier A can be known.

However, the carrier A accommodated in the treatment tank is a granular material such as wood chips, sawdust, activated carbon, and the like. , A support hole for the detection rod 90 formed in the peripheral wall 1a of the processing tank.
1b, the swing of the detection rod 90 may be hindered, and level detection may not be performed. Further, the carrier A clogged in the support hole 1b contains water generated by the above-described decomposition treatment, and the water leaks out to the outside through the support hole 1b and comes into contact with the micro switch 92, so that the micro switch 92 is removed. switch
There is a possibility that the malfunction of 92 may be caused and an erroneous detection result may be obtained.

The surface level of the carrier A which can be detected by the level detector 9 is a level locally obtained at a position close to the peripheral wall 1a of the processing tank. Since the surface level does not indicate a proper surface level, the display based on the detection result does not correctly indicate the replacement time of the carrier A, and there is a problem that the replacement is erroneously performed. There is a possibility that the internal environment of the processing tank is rather deteriorated by the operation control.

In order to solve this problem, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which a detection rod 90 having a large projecting length to the inside of the processing tank is used to detect the surface level of the carrier A at a position away from the peripheral wall 1a. However, in this case, the detection rod 90 that protrudes greatly above the carrier A impedes the introduction of the organic substance to be treated into the treatment tank, and a part of the input substance is caught by the detection rod 90 and decomposed. A new problem arises in that it rots without odor and produces an unpleasant odor.

Further, the surface level of the carrier A inside the processing tank can be detected by using a level detector utilizing light, ultrasonic waves or the like without requiring direct contact with the surface. However, the inside of the processing tank during operation is filled with water generated due to decomposition of organic matter as steam, and is in a poor environment in which small pieces of organic matter and carrier A are scattered. It is difficult to detect a level with high accuracy by using a level detector.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the surface level of the carrier is improved by devising the arrangement of the detection rods that directly contact the surface of the carrier inside the processing tank, the supporting mode, and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a level detector which is capable of detecting with high accuracy over almost the entire area inside the processing tank without error.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a level detector of an organic substance treating apparatus, wherein an organic substance is introduced into a treatment tank for accommodating a microorganism carrier through an inlet opening at an upper portion thereof. A level detector for detecting the surface level of the carrier that rises with the progress, in order to know the progress of the decomposition process, is provided in an organic matter treatment device that performs a decomposition process by the activity of the microorganism, The base end is pivotally supported at the upper inside of the processing tank, and a detection rod arranged so that a tip hanging down faces the surface of the carrier, and the tip is pushed up by contact with the surface of the carrier. Detecting means for detecting the swing of the detecting rod that occurs.

In the present invention, the detection rod which comes into contact with the surface of the carrier inside the processing tank is mounted on the inside upper part of the processing tank so as to pivotally support the base end and hang down toward the lower surface of the carrier. With the progress of the process, the bulk of the carrier increases, and when the surface level rises, the tip of the detection rod contacts the surface of the carrier and is pushed up, and the detection rod swings around its base end as a pivot, This fluctuation is detected by the detecting means to know the surface level of the carrier. The detection rod is located on the upper inside of the processing tank,
That is, there is no possibility of direct contact with the carrier, and it is pivotally supported at the position, so that it is possible to avoid the occurrence of malfunction due to the attachment of the carrier.

In addition, a base end of the detection rod is pivotally supported on an inner surface of an upper lid that opens and closes the inlet by swinging about one edge as a pivot. It is characterized in that a float is attached, and a plurality of the detection rods and the detection means are provided.

When the base end of the detection rod is pivotally supported on the inner surface of the upper lid that opens and closes the insertion opening, the detection rod is pulled up together with the upper lid when the organic substance is charged when the upper lid is opened, and is blocked by the detection rod. Organic matter can be introduced without using the same.

When a large-volume, lightweight float is attached to the tip of the detection rod, the float comes into contact with the surface of the carrier, and the detection rod swings smoothly due to the pushing up of the tip. Accurate level detection becomes possible. Furthermore, water generated due to the decomposition treatment due to malfunction of the operation control stays inside the treatment tank, and a water surface may be generated beyond the surface of the carrier.However, when a float is attached to the tip of the detection rod, As a result of the detection rod swinging depending on the water surface, an abnormal rise in the water surface can be detected, which is also useful for avoiding abnormal driving.

Further, by providing a plurality of detecting rods and a plurality of detecting means for detecting the swing of the detecting rods, it is possible to detect the level of the carrier in almost the entire area inside the processing tank, and it is possible to cope with a local rise in the surface level of the carrier. By referring to the detection results at a plurality of locations, the surface level of the carrier can be known with higher accuracy. Also in this case, there is no possibility that the introduction of the organic matter is obstructed by pivotally supporting the base end of each detection rod to the inner surface of the upper lid.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an organic substance processing apparatus provided with a level detector according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a treatment tank for decomposing organic substances. As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment tank 1 is an open container having a semicircular lower half and having an opening over substantially the entire upper part, and an inside of an outer box 2 having a rectangular box shape. It is supported by. As shown in FIG. 2, an input chute 20 hanging from the top plate of the outer box 2 is inserted into an upper opening of the processing tank 1, and an input port 10 for organic matter is formed. And an upper cover 3 attached to the upper surface of the outer box 2 so as to be freely opened and closed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper part of the inside of the processing tank 1 has a downward opening at the rear side of the charging port, and has a downward opening.
A suction port (not shown) is formed with an opening at a position separated on one side in the width direction of the discharge port 14, and these are formed by a circulating air path having a blower fan 15. Are in communication. The discharge side of the blower fan 15 is
And an exhaust air passage 17 along the rear surface of the processing tank 1. The exhaust air passage 17 communicates with the outside of the outer box 2.

When the blower fan 15 is driven,
The air staying in the upper space of the processing tank 1 is sucked, and a part of the air flows back into the processing tank 1 through the discharge port 14, and the remaining part is
While being discharged to the outside air through the exhaust air passage 17, an amount of outside air corresponding to the discharge amount is supplied into the processing tank 1 to perform ventilation.

The blower fan 15 is constantly driven during operation by a blower motor using a DC motor, and performs the blower operation for ventilation. The blower motor is driven by power supply from a DC converter that converts a commercial power supply into DC, and is also driven by power supply from a storage battery (not shown). During normal operation, the storage battery
It is charged by the power supply from the C converter, and is provided to drive the blower motor by discharging at the time of power failure. As a result, the blower fan 15 is driven even during the power failure, and the above-described ventilation is continuously performed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the internal environment of the processing tank 1 due to the power failure.

Panel heaters H, H serving as heating means are attached to the outer surface of the bottom of the processing tank 1 having a semicircular shape on both sides of the center of the processing tank 1. The inside of 1 is heated from below. The internal temperature of the processing tank 1 is detected by the temperature detector 7 (see FIG. 6), for example, as the surface temperature of the panel heaters H, H. The control is performed to maintain the internal temperature of the processing tank 1 at a predetermined temperature by conducting control (on / off control) based on the detection result.

At the lower portion inside the processing tank 1, a stirring rod 41 is provided at predetermined intervals in the axial direction on a stirring shaft 40 laid between both side walls.
The stirrer 4 is provided by projecting 41... Radially. As shown in FIG. 1, a stirring motor M is attached to one upper side of the processing tank 1, and an output terminal of the stirring motor M is
The stirring member 4 is connected to the protruding end of the stirring shaft 40 on the same side via a speed reduction mechanism 42, and the stirring body 4 is driven by the rotational force of the stirring motor M transmitted to the stirring shaft 40 via the speed reduction mechanism 42. ,
It is driven to rotate in both forward and reverse directions.

Inside the treatment tank 1, a carrier A for microorganisms made of sawdust, wood chips and the like is stored. Carrier A
Is the depth (standard level) at which the tips of the stirring rods 41, 41,... Protruding from the stirring shaft 40 project in the upper half part of the rotation range as shown by solid lines in FIGS. Is stored with
As shown in FIG. 2, the semicircular shape at the bottom of the processing tank 1 is set along the lower half of the rotation locus of the stirring rods 41, 41. By the rotation, the processing tank 1 is stirred over the entire area in the width direction and the depth direction.

By this stirring operation, the organic matter introduced into the treatment tank 1 through the inlet 10 is taken into the carrier A, and is decomposed by the activity of microorganisms living in the carrier A. With the progress of the decomposition treatment, the residue after the decomposition treatment and the hardly decomposable substances (plastic bags, disposable chopsticks, shells, etc.) to be charged together with the organic matter accumulate in the carrier A, and the apparent appearance of the carrier A The bulk increases, and the surface level of the carrier A in the treatment tank 1 increases. If the increase is excessive, the habitat of microorganisms in the carrier A deteriorates, and the treatment capacity is reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the deteriorated carrier A.

At the bottom of the processing tank 1, an opening for taking out the carrier A is opened by a sliding shutter 11 so as to be openable and closable. A collection container detachably mounted between a pair of support legs 2a, 2a for supporting the outer box 2 below the outlet.
The carrier A degraded inside the processing tank 1 is pulled out of the shutter 11 at the lower part of the processing tank 1 forward (to the left in FIG. 2), and the outlet is opened. By dropping and pulling the collection container 12 forward, it is taken out and collected.

The replacement of the carrier A as described above is carried out once every three to six months in a state of use in a general household, but this replacement is carried out without delay to prevent a decline in the processing capacity. In order to do so, it is necessary to know the progress of the decomposition treatment inside the treatment tank 1, and this is achieved by detecting an increase in the surface level of the carrier A due to an apparent increase in bulk.

The surface level of the carrier A is detected by a level detector 5 according to the present invention configured as shown in FIGS. The level detector 5 includes a support bracket 50 fixedly provided on the upper surface inside the processing tank 1, more specifically, on the inner surface of the upper lid 3 that covers the input port 10 opened in the upper part of the processing tank 1. A detection rod 51 pivotally supported at its base end so as to be swingable about a substantially horizontal axis and having a downwardly extending distal end facing the surface of the carrier A accommodated in the processing tank 1; It is provided with a cylindrical float 52 attached to the distal end and having a hollow inside, and means for detecting the swing of the detection rod 51, which is disposed inside the support bracket 50. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the support bracket 50 for mounting the detection rod 51 is located at a position substantially at the center of the insertion port 10 when the upper cover 3 is closed, as shown in FIG.
At appropriate intervals in the width direction, a plurality (4 in the figure)
Are arranged side by side, and detection rods 51, 51,.

The length of the detection rod 51 is set so that the float 52 attached to the tip of the detection rod 51 is appropriately positioned within a range where the float 52 does not contact the surface of the carrier A at the standard level. At this time, due to its own weight and the weight of the float 52, the detection rod 51 is kept substantially vertically suspended from the support bracket 50. On the other hand, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 2, when the surface level of the carrier A inside the processing tank 1 rises above the standard level, the carrier A
The float 52 at the tip of the detection rod 51 is pushed up by contact with the surface of the detection rod 51. As a result, the detection rod 51 swings about the pivot portion of the support bracket 50 as shown in FIG. By detecting the swing, the surface level of the carrier A can be detected.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the pivotal position of the detection rod 51, and shows an example of the swing detection means of the detection rod 51 arranged in the support bracket 50. As shown in this figure,
On the pivot shaft 5a of the detection rod 51 penetrating the support bracket 50,
A pressing projection 5b is projected outward in the radial direction, and the inside of the support bracket 50 has a micro-shape facing the arc-shaped rotation trajectory of the tip of the pressing projection 5b that swings with the swing of the detection rod 51. A switch 5c is fixedly mounted, and the micro switch 5c and the pressing protrusion 5b constitute a swing detecting means.

The mounting position of the microswitch 5c is such that when the detection rod 51 swings a predetermined angle from the vertically lowered state to the state shown by the broken line in FIG. The turning on and off of the microswitch 5c makes it possible to detect the swing of the detection rod 51. As described above, the detection rod 51 swings with an increase in the surface level of the carrier A inside the processing tank 1, so that the on / off state of the microswitch 5c is monitored to be shown by a solid line in FIG. The carrier A between the standard level and the upper limit level also indicated by the broken line
The rise of the surface level can be known.

FIG. 4 shows an organic material to be treated in a treatment tank 1.
To cover the upper inlet of the processing tank 1
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a state in which is opened. The top lid 3
The input port 10 is opened and closed from the front side by swinging about one edge along the rear edge of the top plate of the outer box 2 as a pivot. When the upper cover 3 is opened as shown in FIG. 4, the detection rod supported on the inner surface of the upper cover 3 via the support bracket 50 is provided.
51 is pulled upward together with the float 52 attached to the tip while maintaining a vertically downward hanging state, and becomes a state as shown in FIG.
It opens largely without being hindered by the detection rod 51.

The means for detecting the swing of the detection rod 51 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, and other configurations can be adopted. FIG.
Is an enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of the pivotal position of the detection rod 51, and shows another embodiment of the swing detection means.

The swing detecting means is provided with a pressing projection 5b protruding from the pivot 5a of the detecting rod 51, and a detecting element 5d (piezoelectric element, Conductive rubber electrodes).
If the sensing element 5d is a piezoelectric element, the terminal voltage of the sensing element changes, and if the sensing element 5d is a conductive rubber electrode, electrical conduction between itself and the electrode attached to the pressing protrusion 5b. As a result, the contact with the pressing protrusion 5b, that is, the detection rod 51
Can be detected respectively.

Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the swing of the detection rod 51 is detected by an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an electric field sensor, or the like.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system for operating the organic substance processing apparatus provided with the level detector 5 as described above. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes an operation control unit using a microprocessor. On the input side of the operation control unit 6, the level detector 5 configured as described above and the processing tank 1 are provided.
Are connected to a temperature detector 7 for detecting the internal temperature of the detector 5 and output signals of the detectors 5 and 7 are provided.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the output of the level detector 5 is an on / off signal of the micro switch 5b. By taking this output, the operation control unit 6 causes the surface of the carrier A inside the processing tank 1 to be operated. It can be recognized whether or not the level exceeds the upper limit level. As the temperature detector 7, a known temperature sensor using a thermistor, a bimetal, or the like is used.
By taking in the output of the temperature detector 7, the internal temperature of the processing tank 1 can be sequentially recognized.

Further, an operation section 8a for driving operation is connected to the input side of the operation control section 6, and the operation content of the operation section 8a is given. The operation unit 8a is disposed at an appropriate position on the top plate of the outer box 2 together with a display unit 8b for displaying operation details.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the operation unit 8a and the display unit 8b. The operation unit 8a is operated when the push button switch 81 for switching the operation state and the carrier A are replaced. A push button switch 82 is arranged, and the display unit 8b includes three operations that are lit when the operation state switched by operating the push button switch 81 is a strong mode, a standard mode, and a weak mode, which will be described later. Display LEDs 83, 84 and 85 and a replacement instruction LED 86 which is lit when the carrier A needs to be replaced are provided.

On the other hand, the display section 8b is connected to the output side of the operation control section 6, and the display on the display section 8b is performed in accordance with an operation command from the operation control section 6. The output side of the operation control unit 6 is connected to a stirring motor M serving as a drive source of the stirring body 4 and a blower fan 15 for ventilating the inside of the processing tank 1 via separate drive circuits (not shown). Further, panel heaters H, H for heating the inside of the processing tank 1 are connected via an energizing circuit (not shown) to stir the carrier A by rotation of the stirrer 4 and to supply air to the blower fan 15.
The ventilation of the inside of the processing tank 1 by the operation described above, and the heating of the inside of the processing tank 1 by energizing the panel heaters H, H are performed according to operation commands given separately from the operation control unit 6.

The organic material processing apparatus provided with such a control system has an input port 10 opened at the top of the outer box 2 with the top cover 3 opened.
After the organic matter to be treated is put into the treatment tank 1 via the operation unit 8a, specifically, a desired operation mode is designated by operating the operation unit 8a, specifically, the push button switch 81 for switching the operation state, Closed and used. When the upper lid 3 is opened, the detection rod 51 of the level detector 5 attached to the inner surface of the upper lid 3 is in the state shown in FIG. 4, and the charging port 10 is opened over the entire surface. Is the detection rod 51
Without being hindered by the presence of the level detector 5 having

The operation control unit 6 recognizes the operation mode specified by the input from the operation unit 8a, first issues an operation command to the display unit 8b, turns on the operation display LED 84 or 85, and
Display the specified operation mode (standard mode or weak mode). Next, the operation control unit 6 separately issues operation commands to the stirring motor M, the blower fan 15 and the panel heaters H, H connected to the output side in order to perform the operation in the operation mode designated by the operation of the operation unit 8a. Emits. In response to the operation command, the stirring motor M is driven for a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) immediately after the operation of the operation unit 8a, and thereafter, is driven for a short time (for example, 2 minutes) every predetermined period (for example, 1 hour). Is repeated, and the blower fan 15 is driven continuously or intermittently so as to ventilate the processing tank 1 by a predetermined amount.

To the panel heaters H, H, an operation command for controlling the power supply to the processing bath 1 is issued in order to maintain the internal temperature of the processing bath 1 at a predetermined target temperature. That is, the operation control unit 6 sequentially takes in the output of the temperature detector 7 connected to the input side, and energizes the panel heaters H, H when the temperature detected by the temperature detector 7 is lower than the target temperature. Then, an operation of maintaining the internal temperature of the processing tank 1 at the target temperature is performed by the on / off control for cutting off the energization when the temperature exceeds the target temperature.

As a result of the above operation, the organic substance charged into the processing tank 1 is turned into the carrier A stored in the processing tank 1 by the rotation of the stirring body 4 caused by the driving of the stirring motor M immediately after the charging. During this time, it is pressed against the bottom surface of the processing tank 1 to be crushed and broken into small pieces that are dispersed and taken into the carrier A and decomposed by the activity of microorganisms living in the carrier A. You.

The stirring of the carrier A by the rotation of the stirrer 4 is appropriately performed thereafter at predetermined intervals, and air is taken into the carrier A by this stirring. During this time, the inside of the processing tank 1 is maintained at a predetermined temperature by controlling the energization of the panel heaters H, H, and a predetermined amount of ventilation is performed by the operation of the blower fan 15. The organic matter is decomposed into a gas mainly composed of carbon dioxide and water, leaving a small amount of composted residue, by the activity of microorganisms activated by a proper amount of oxygen and a proper temperature. The generated gas generated as such, and the generated water is vaporized and discharged into the upper space of the processing tank 1, a part of which is returned to the processing tank 1, and the remaining part is passed through the exhaust air passage 17 to the outside air. Is discharged.

The target temperature used in the operation control unit 6 differs between the standard mode and the low mode specified by operating the operation unit 8a, and the target temperature in the standard mode is set higher than the target temperature in the low mode. Have been. Thus, by the above-described operation of the operation control unit 6, when the standard mode is designated, the internal temperature of the processing tank 1 is maintained at a higher target temperature (for example, 40 to 50 ° C.), and the weak mode is designated. In this case, the temperature is maintained at a lower target temperature (for example, 30 to 40 ° C.). The designation of the standard mode or the weak mode is performed according to the amount of the organic matter to be charged into the processing tank 1 before the operation of the operation unit 8a.
This is performed at the discretion of the user.

During the operation as described above, the load on the panel heaters H, H for heating the inside of the processing tank 1 is large. In particular, in the cold season when the outside air temperature is low, the load on the panel heaters H, H is increased. There is a problem that the cost is increased. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of an organic material processing apparatus for reducing operating costs.

In the drawing, R is an electric refrigerator widely used in the home. In this use example, R is located between the back surface of the electric refrigerator R and the outer wall W of the house facing the back surface.
A heat radiating chamber 32 surrounding the heat radiating plate 30 exposed on the rear surface and forming a heat radiating chamber 32 communicating with the room through a communication hole 31 is formed.
Is formed in the inside and outside, and the organic material treatment apparatus configured as described above is installed outside the outside wall W outside the room.
And the through hole 33 is connected to the suction side of the blower fan 15.

In this use mode, the warm air heated by the heat radiating from the heat radiating plate 30 is introduced into the processing tank 1 inside the heat radiating chamber 32, which is compared with the case where the outside air is directly introduced. In addition, the load on the panel heaters H, H is greatly reduced, and the operating cost can be reduced.

With the progress of the decomposition treatment as described above, the surface level of the carrier A in the treatment tank 1 increases, and the habitat of the microorganisms in the carrier A deteriorates, resulting in a decrease in the treatment capacity. The operation control unit 6 recognizes an increase in the level of the carrier A based on the above-described input from the level detector 5, compensates for a decrease in the processing capacity, and notifies the user of the replacement of the carrier A by heating control as described below. An operation, a blowing control operation, and a display operation are performed. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing this operation.

The operation control unit 6 takes in the output of the level detector 5 after the stirring operation of the stirrer 4 at the time of charging the organic matter, that is, after the surface level of the carrier A is flattened by stirring. Step 1), it is determined whether or not the surface level of the carrier A exceeds the upper limit level (Step 2). If the surface level does not exceed the upper limit level, the process returns to Step 1 and the next take-in timing, that is, the next time Wait until the organic matter is charged. In this case, the operation unit
The normal operation as described above is performed according to the operation content of 8a.

On the other hand, when the surface level of the carrier A exceeds the upper limit level, the operation control unit 6 outputs the output signal regardless of the operation mode (standard mode or weak mode) specified by operating the operation unit 8a. The operation command to the side panel heaters H, H and the blower fan 15 is changed to perform the strong mode operation (step 3), and an operation command is issued to the display unit 8b to turn on the operation display LED 83 (step 4). ), The user is notified that the vehicle is in the strong mode operation.

In the strong mode operation, the internal temperature of the processing tank 1 heated by the panel heaters H and the ventilation rate inside the processing tank 1 generated by the operation of the blower fan 15 are increased as compared with the standard mode operation. The operation control unit 6 determines that the target temperature (for example, 70 to 70 ° C.) is higher than the target temperature (40 to 50 ° C.) during the standard mode operation.
80 ° C.), a heating control operation for performing on / off control of the panel heaters H, H based on the target temperature is performed, and the blower fan 15 is driven with a higher load than in the standard mode operation to perform processing. A ventilation control operation for increasing the ventilation volume in the tank 1 is performed.

During the execution of the strong mode operation as described above, the operation control unit 6 takes in the output of the level detector 5 at an appropriate cycle and checks whether or not the state of exceeding the upper limit level is continued (step S1). 5) If it is determined that the excess state of the upper limit level has been resolved, the strong mode operation is canceled (step 6), and the process returns to step 1 to continue the operation according to the previously specified operation state and to start a new organic substance. And waits until the input is performed, and repeats the above-described operation.

On the other hand, if the state of exceeding the upper limit level has not been resolved, it is checked whether or not a predetermined time (for example, one day) has elapsed (step 7). If the state of exceeding the upper limit level has not been resolved, the operation in the strong mode is continued for a predetermined period of time (for example, two days) thereafter (step 8), and then the replacement instruction LED 86 of the display 8b is turned on (step 9). ), And a series of operations ends.

When the surface level of the carrier A inside the processing tank 1 is high and exceeds the upper limit level by the operation of the operation control unit 6 as described above, the inside of the processing tank 1 is normally operated (standard mode or weak mode). Operation), while keeping the temperature higher than during
The ventilation volume in the inside of the treatment tank 1 is increased as compared with that during the normal operation, the activity of microorganisms is further increased, and the input organic matter mixed in the carrier A, and the residue and the hardly decomposable material deposited in the carrier A In order to promptly decompose and reduce the amount of the carrier A, first, a strong mode operation for one day is executed.

If the excess state of the upper limit level is not resolved in spite of this operation, it is determined that the carrier A needs to be replaced in order to maintain the processing capacity. The strong mode operation (for three days) is continued, and the replacement instruction LED 86 is turned on. During this time, carrier A
Is dried together with unprocessed organic matters, residues and hardly decomposable substances contained therein, so that it can be easily taken out. When the replacement instruction LED 86 is turned on, the user operates the shutter at the bottom of the processing tank 1. By opening the opening 11, the deteriorated carrier A can be collected in the collection container 12.

During this operation, it is necessary that no new organic matter is introduced, and this is achieved by using the lighting of the operation display LED 83 during the strong mode operation as an indication of the prohibition of the introduction. Further, it is also possible to provide a lock means on the upper lid 3 which is opened when the organic matter is introduced, operate the lock means together with the shift to the strong mode operation, and prohibit the upper lid 3 from being opened.

In order to perform the above operation, the processing tank 1
It is important that the surface level of the carrier A inside is reliably detected. In the level detector 5 according to the present invention, as described above, the level is detected through the swing of the detection rod 51 whose base end is pivotally supported on the inner surface of the upper lid 3 that opens and closes the insertion port 10. Since the pivotal position of the rod 51 is at a position away from the surface of the carrier A, there is no possibility that the rocking is hindered by the clogging of the small pieces of the carrier A, and stable detection is possible.

A large-volume float is provided at the tip of the detection rod 51.
As a result of the float 52 being in contact with the surface of the carrier A, the detection rod 51 swings reliably, and more accurate level detection is possible. In the inside of the treatment tank 1, the water generated due to the decomposition treatment stays due to the malfunction of the operation control described above, and the water surface may be generated beyond the surface of the carrier A. Water surface detection is also possible, which helps to avoid abnormal operating conditions.

The detection rod 51 attached to the inner surface of the upper lid 3 is pulled upward together with the upper lid 3 that is opened when the organic substance to be treated is put into the processing tank 1. There is no possibility that the input is hindered by the presence of the level detector 5.

Further, the carrier A inside the processing tank 1 contains water generated as the decomposition process proceeds, and the carrier A
As a result, the carrier A containing water is solidified in a dumpling shape, and the surface of the carrier A is often in a state where local irregularities are generated. The level detector 5 according to the present invention includes:
A plurality of organic substances can be provided without disturbing the introduction thereof, and it is possible to cope with the surface of the carrier A in an uneven state by determining the arrival of the upper limit level according to some of these detections. .

[0067]

As described above in detail, in the level detector of the organic matter processing apparatus according to the present invention, the detection rod contacting the carrier surface inside the processing tank pivotally supports the base at the upper inside inside of the processing tank. It is attached so as to hang down toward the lower carrier surface, and the bulk of the carrier increases with the progress of the decomposition process, and when the surface level rises, the tip of the detection rod comes into contact with the surface of the carrier. Is pushed up to detect the rocking of the detection rod generated with its base end as a pivot to know the surface level of the carrier, and the detection rod is located inside the upper part of the processing tank,
That is, since there is no danger of direct contact with the carrier and the pivotal support is provided at the position, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of malfunction due to the attachment of the carrier.

Further, since the base end of the detection rod is pivotally supported on the inner surface of the upper lid for opening and closing the insertion port, when the upper lid is opened and the organic substance is charged, the detection rod is pulled up together with the upper lid, and the detection rod is closed. There is no danger that its presence will hinder the introduction of organic matter. In addition, since a float having a large volume and a light weight is attached to the tip of the detection rod and the float is configured to be in contact with the surface of the carrier, the detection rod swings due to the pushing up of the tip by the carrier, which is more reliable. In addition to being able to accurately detect the level, it is also possible to detect a rise in the water level in the treatment tank, which helps to avoid abnormal operation. Further, since a plurality of detecting rods and detecting means for detecting the swing of the detecting rods are provided, it is possible to detect the level of the carrier which is generated unevenly in the processing tank, so that the surface level of the carrier can be known with higher accuracy. The present invention has excellent effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of an organic substance processing apparatus provided with a level detector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of an organic substance processing apparatus provided with a level detector according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an example of a detecting rod swing detecting means.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing an open state of an upper cover.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of a detection rod swing detection unit.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a control system of the organic matter processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a configuration example of an operation unit and a display unit.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of an organic matter processing apparatus for reducing operating costs.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing control contents according to the detection result of the level detector.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional level detector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processing tank 3 Top lid 4 Stirrer 5 Level detector 5b Pressing protrusion 5c Micro switch 15 Ventilation fan 50 Support bracket 51 Detection rod 52 Float A carrier H Panel heater M Stirring motor

Claims (4)

[Claims] Claims 1. An organic substance is introduced into a treatment tank containing a carrier for microorganisms through an inlet opening at an upper portion thereof.
A level detector that is provided in an organic substance processing apparatus that decomposes the organic substance by the activity of the microorganism and detects a surface level of the carrier that rises with the progress in order to know the progress of the decomposition processing. The tip is pushed up by the contact between the detection rod, whose base end is pivotally supported on the inner upper part of the processing tank and the tip hanging downward is made to face the surface of the carrier, and the surface of the carrier. A level detector for the organic matter processing apparatus, comprising: a detection unit configured to detect a swing of the detection rod caused by the rotation. 2. The level detector according to claim 1, wherein a base end of the detection rod is pivotally supported on an inner surface of an upper lid that opens and closes the input port by swinging about one edge as a pivot. . 3. The level detector according to claim 1, wherein a float is attached to a tip of the detection rod. 4. The level detector of an organic matter processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said detection rods and said detection means.