Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65F—GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE
  • B65F5/00—Gathering or removal of refuse otherwise than by receptacles or vehicles
  • B65F5/005—Gathering or removal of refuse otherwise than by receptacles or vehicles by pneumatic means, e.g. by suction

Definitions

• the present invention relates to air refuse collection and more particularly to a method for controlled disposal of refuse from refuse chutes through waste pipes to at least one collection station and a system for collecting such refuse.
• Waste products such as for example, inorganic refuse (paper, plastics, metals, rubber, leather, textiles), and organic refuse (food scraps, wood, and household refuse containing organic matter) and the like by means of air waste disposal systems is a well known prior art technique in which refuse are conveniently driven through a pipe system into a collection station.
• Air waste disposal systems are usually used in inner city, private communities, building areas, hospitals, hotels, industrial facilities, airports, etc. and places in general where refuse are produced in large amounts, this being a rapid, clean and efficient technique for centrally disposing of waste products.
• a network of fixed refuse chutes where refuse is to be selectively placed is distributed on a determined area.
• Each of the refuse chutes is connected to waste pipes leading to a common air transport pipe system through corresponding discharge valves. Waste products are driven by the air transport pipe system by an air stream (typically at vacuum conditions) drawing them to at least one collection station for treating, recycling or disposal.
• the refuse chutes are emptied when a volume of refuse considered to be sufficient to be discharged into the collection station is detected. This is carried out by level sensors associated to the refuse chutes which output a level-indication signal to control means for opening the corresponding discharge valve.
• level controlled emptying has been developed in recent years in which level sensors associated to refuse chutes are provided for detecting the level of refuse.
• a level indication signal is sent to a control system such that higher priority is given to refuse chutes with higher level for them to be emptied.
• WO0105683 discloses a system for refuse collection by grouping of the refuse chutes such that a control system operates discharge valves associated with refuse chutes on a group basis. One group is selected at a time by the control system for opening a series of discharge valves within the selected group. The group of refuse chutes having the highest priority value among the groups with valid emptying conditions is selected for emptying and collection of refuse.
• WO2004094270 discloses a refuse collection system with a multi-branch transport pipe system in which a number of refuse chutes connected thereto are provided such that refused is emptied by branches. For each number of possible next-hop candidates, future refuse chute load levels are predicted in a plurality of branches. A system consequence value is determined based on these predicted load levels and a hop to a next branch is selected among those candidates that have the most favorable system consequence values. Load levels may be weighed by priority coefficients for taking the relative importance of emptying different refuse chutes into account.
• the present invention provides a method for controlled disposal of refuse from a number of refuse chutes through an air system, such as for example, a system working at vacuum conditions for controlled disposal of refuse.
• Refuse chutes as used herein, means a container for receiving refuse therein. This container is usually arranged fixed outdoors (in the street) or indoors (hotel halls, etc) providing easy access so that the refuse may be selectively disposed therein.
• Refuse chutes are connected to waste pipes leading to at least one transport pipe that is usually built underground. At least one portion of the waste pipes is also built underground. However surface installations may be alternatively built, such as for example with some portions underground and some portions on the ground.
• the refuse from the refuse chutes is driven by the transport pipes to at least one collection station where refuse is processed.
• Variable speed fan assemblies are provided for generating an air stream such that refuse is suitably driven from the refuse chutes to the respective collection stations. Air leaving the installation is then conditioned, i.e. washed, deodorized, etc, through bio-filter means, before being discharged out to the atmosphere. Bio-filter means are not described herein as they are not part of the present invention.
• the method of the present invention is directed to the controlled disposal of the refuse from refuse chutes containing the same type of refuse selectively disposed therein by the user.
• Refuse chutes are connected to waste pipes leading to transport pipes.
• the transport pipes are arranged in branches and at least one refuse chute is connected to each branch through the corresponding waste pipe. Refuse is thus driven to at least one collection station.
• the method of the invention consists in emptying a first refuse chute and establishing the refuse chute being emptied as a reference refuse chute. Then, a new refuse chute to be analyzed is selected and a control system determines whether at least a first condition is met. This first condition, which will be described in detail hereinbelow, depends on the reference refuse chute and the refuse chute to be analyzed.
• control means causes the selected refuse chute to be emptied and said selected refuse chute is now considered as a new reference refuse chute. Then, a new refuse chute to be analyzed is selected.
• the step of emptying the analyzed refuse chute comprises acting on a corresponding discharge valve associated with said refuse chute.
• Acting on a discharge valve involves opening the discharge valve during a first period of time and closing the discharge valve during a second period of time. Said first and second periods of time may be the same and at least one of said first and second periods of time may be of about 3 seconds.
• the above mentioned first condition in the method of the invention is met if the current filling level of the refuse chute being analyzed is equal to or greater than a theoretical parameter that is directly proportional to the maximum capacity of the refuse chute being analyzed and that of the reference refuse chute and inversely proportional to a distance associated with the refuse chute being analyzed, the reference refuse chute and the collection station.
• the theoretical parameter may also depend on an additional parameter, for example a parameter corresponding to the time slot during which the waste collection is being carried out.
• the distance to be taken into account will be the distance associated with a refuse chute being analyzed, a reference refuse chute in said branch and the distance of said refuse chutes to the collection station.
• the distance will be the distance associated with a refuse chute being emptied (reference refuse chute) and a point of intersection in the branch of the refuse chute being analyzed taking into account the distance of said refuse chutes the to the collection station.
• D N R that represents a distance associated with these refuse chutes Rd, RC 2 and the collection station 200.
• the step of emptying a refuse chute is only carried out if a second condition is met. Said second condition is preferably met if the filling level in said refuse chute is equal to or greater than a preset minimum filling level.
• "Filling level” as used herein corresponds to the volume occupied by the refuse associated with a refuse chute.
• the preset minimum filling level ranges from about 0.20 to about 0.50, and more preferably the preset minimum filling level is 0.25.
• the above mentioned step of selecting a new refuse chute to be analyzed can be performed according to a preset order of refuse chutes.
• the refuse chutes of the network are intended to contain the same type of refuse.
• a fully loaded refuse chute is first emptied and during emptying operation a second refuse chute of the network is sequentially analyzed.
• the above mentioned theoretical parameter associated with both refuse chutes is then determined and compared with the actual filling level of said second refuse chute. If the actual filling level corresponding to the second refuse chute is equal to or greater than the determined theoretical parameter, this second refuse chute will be considered to be emptied (distance values become less relevant for example in nighttime, when electricity tariff is lower).
• a new theoretical parameter associated with the last emptied refuse chute and a third refuse chute is determined and subsequently compared with the actual filling level of said third refuse chute such that if its actual filling level is equal to or greater than said new theoretical parameter this third refuse chute will be considered to be emptied, and so on.
• a next theoretical parameter associated with the last emptied refuse chute i.e., the first emptied refuse chute in this example
• the third refuse chute is then determined and subsequently compared with the actual filling level of said third refuse chute such that if its actual filling level is equal to or greater than said theoretical parameter it will be considered to be emptied.
• the step of emptying the refuse chute is only carried out when a minimum filling level is reached in the corresponding refuse chute.
• Said minimum value of filling level of said refuse chute may be, for example, 0.25. This means that usually only those refuse chutes having a minimum filling level of 25% would be considered for being emptied. In other words, for a refuse chute to be considered for being emptied, two conditions have to be met: the refuse chute has to be at least 25% full and its actual filling level has to be equal to or greater than said theoretical parameter.
• the invention further relates to a system for controlled disposal of refuse from refuse chutes, which comprises waste pipes connecting each of the refuse chutes to at least one transport pipe leading to at least one collection station.
• a system for controlled disposal of refuse from refuse chutes which comprises waste pipes connecting each of the refuse chutes to at least one transport pipe leading to at least one collection station.
• the system includes means for emptying refuse chutes and control means.
• control means may in turn comprise means for establishing a refuse chute being emptied as a reference refuse chute, means for selecting new refuse chutes to be analyzed, means for determining whether a condition is met for either emptying said refuse chute or determining another new refuse chute to be analyzed.
• the system further includes means for determining the filling level corresponding to one refuse chute.
• Said means for determining the filling level comprise level sensors.
• control means provided in the system of the invention operates through an associated application software that compares the transport energy associated to refuse chutes with the filling level associated therewith so a single refuse chute is then emptied.
• Said control means are capable of monitoring the filling level of all the refuse chutes in the system so that filling level is known at every time. Therefore, fully (or almost fully) loaded refuse chutes which can not be emptied because other refuse chutes are being emptied in that moment, are reduced or even eliminated. Consequently the time elapsed since a full filing level (i.e. 100%) is detected in one refuse chute until it can be emptied is advantageously reduced.
• the efficiency of the system is improved and energy saving is therefore greater.
• the yield of the system is thus highly improved since a 24h-enhanced service is available for user by the system of the present invention.
• Fig.1 is a view in which the main parts of one embodiment of a system according to the invention is shown;
• Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical plan view of a network of branches of refuse chutes according to the invention.
• Fig. 3a is a diagrammatical plan view of a portion of the network of refuse chutes in fig. 2 showing how the distance associated with refuse chutes in the same branch is defined.
• Fig. 3b is a diagrammatical plan view of a portion of the network of refuse chutes in fig. 2 showing how the distance associated with refuse chutes in different branches is defined.
• Figure 1 shows a system according to one possible embodiment of the invention.
• the system allows a method to be carried out for controlled disposal of refuse from refuse chutes RC.
• Refuse chutes RC generally comprise receptacles or housings which are arranged fixed on a determined area, such as, for example, private communities, public buildings and other building areas, hospitals, hotels, industrial facilities, airports, etc. and places in general where refuse (mainly solid products) are produced in large amounts.
• a determined area such as, for example, private communities, public buildings and other building areas, hospitals, hotels, industrial facilities, airports, etc. and places in general where refuse (mainly solid products) are produced in large amounts.
• refuse chutes RC are arranged in the street, inside a building and a garage.
• the system comprises a network of n refuse chutes RC where refuse is to be placed (with n being the total number of refuse chutes RC to be considered in the network).
• a general refuse chute will be denoted as “RC” throughout the description, whereas a particular refuse chute will be denoted as “RC x ", for example RCi, RC 2 , RC 3 , RC n "RC R " denotes a reference refuse chute, that is, the one that is being emptied at a given time.
• Each refuse chute RC of the network of n refuse chutes RC 2 , RC 3 , RC 4 ,... RC R , RC X ... RC n is connected by means of waste pipes 100 leading to one common transport pipe 110 in a transport pipe system.
• the transport pipes 110 comprise several branches b, b1 , b2 and the refuse chutes are connected to each branch b, b1 , b2 such that refuse is driven through said transport pipe 110 in branches b to at least one collection station 200 where refuse is treated, compacted, etc. for further transporting for recycling or disposal.
• Waste pipes 100 are connected to the transport pipe system through corresponding discharge valves 120 which configuration will not be disclosed herein as not being part of the present invention.
• Variable speed fan assemblies 130 are further provided in the system for controlled disposal of refuse.
• Fan assemblies 130 serve the purpose of generating an air depression for conveniently drawing the refuse.
• Refuse is usually packaged in plastic bags which are piled up on the corresponding discharge valve 120 of each refuse chute RC x . Refuse is thus driven from the refuse chutes RC to a catch means 150, e.g. a cyclone, in the respective collection station 200 for separating refuse from air. Air leaving the installation is then conditioned, i.e. washed, deodorized, etc, through bio-filter means 140, before being discharged out to the atmosphere.
• a catch means 150 e.g. a cyclone
• the system further includes remote control means -not shown- which are operated through a suitable software application.
• the control means are adapted for receiving incoming signals from filling level means (which determine the filling level corresponding to one refuse chute, such as for example level sensors 160 associated with the refuse chutes RC) and outputting signals to the corresponding discharge valves 120 in the refuse chutes RC when a volume of refuse considered to be sufficient has been detected.
• Said control means comprise means for establishing a refuse chute being emptied as a reference refuse chute RC R , means for selecting new refuse chutes RC x to be analyzed, means for determining whether a condition is met for either emptying said refuse chute RC x or determining another new refuse chute RC x to be analyzed.
• Said means for determining the filling level comprise level sensors.
• the system operates according the method described below. It is to be noted that all the refuse chutes involved in the method described herein are intended to contain the same type of refuse.
• the method consists in the following steps:
• the step of emptying the analyzed refuse chute RC x involves acting on a corresponding discharge valve 120 associated with the refuse chute RC that is considered to be emptied.
• This emptying operation comprises opening the discharge valve 120 during a first period of time TA and closing the discharge valve 120 during a second period of time TB.
• the first and second periods of time TA, TB are the same, and at least one of them is about 3 seconds.
• the above mentioned distance d xR , D NR associated with refuse chute RC x and reference refuse chute RC R is calculated depending on the branches b, b1 , b2 where the refuse chute being analyzed RC x and the reference refuse chute RC R are located. For example, if refuse chutes RC x , RC R are in the same branch b, the distance d xR will be the distance between the refuse chute being analyzed RC x and the reference refuse chute RC R along said branch b.
• said distance D NR is the distance between the reference refuse chute RC R and a point of intersection N in the branch b1 of the refuse chute RC x being analyzed.
• a second condition is taken into account such that the step of emptying a refuse chute RC x is only carried out if said first and second conditions are met.
• the second condition is met if the filling level p x in said refuse chute RC x is equal to or greater than a preset minimum filling level p m .
• This preset minimum filling level p m will range from about 0.20 to about 0.50, with 0.25 being preferred.
• V xR could also depend on additional parameters such as the time slot t x during which the waste collection is being carried out.
• a first refuse chute RCi is emptied based on a first parameter P 1 .
• Parameter Pi corresponds in this example to filling level (that is, the refuse volume present in a refuse chute RC x ).
• said first refuse chute RCi is emptied based on said first parameter P 1 , it may of course be first discharged or emptied according to another different condition (e g. by simple decision of the operator, depending on time slot and the like).
• sensors 160 associated with the refuse chutes RC x allow the filling level of said refuse chutes RC x in the system to be monitored at every time.
• a following refuse chute RC 2 of the network is sequentially analyzed according to a preset order and a theoretical parameter V 12 associated therewith is then determined.
• This theoretical parameter V 12 is directly proportional to the maximum capacity A, B of the refuse chutes RC 1 , RC 2 being analyzed and inversely proportional to a distance d xR , D NR that represents a distance associated with these refuse chutes RC 1 , RC 2 and the collection station 200.
• the value of the obtained theoretical parameter V 12 is then compared by the control means with the actual filling level p 2 of said refuse chute RC 2 such that if said actual filling level p 2 corresponding to said refuse chute RC 2 is equal to or greater than said theoretical parameter V 12 , the refuse chute RC 2 will be considered by the control means as the one to be emptied.
• a next theoretical parameter V 23 associated with the last emptied refuse chute RC 2 is calculated and a next refuse chute RC 3 is then selected and subsequently compared with the actual filling level p 3 of said next refuse chute RC 3 such that if its actual filling level p 3 is equal to or greater than said theoretical parameter V 23 said refuse chute RC 3 will be considered to be emptied.
• a next theoretical parameter V 13 associated with the last emptied refuse chute RC 1 (in this case, the first emptied refuse chute) is calculated and the next refuse chute RC 3 is then selected and subsequently compared with the actual filling level p 3 of said next refuse chute RC 3 such that if its actual filling level p 3 is equal to or greater than said theoretical parameter V 13 it will be considered to be emptied, and so on.
• power can be obtained from other different ways depending on the inlet air point in the system.
• di2 distance between the refuse chute being analyzed RC x and the reference refuse chute RC R along the same branch b.
• V 12 is assumed to be a minimum value, for example 0.25.
• V x R (V 12 in this example) would of course include a series of correcting factors which may depend e.g. on the time slot during which the analysis is being carried out (either taking into account when the electricity costs are lower or when a maximum demand period occurs), the number of emptyings of the refuse chute to be compared, safety factors, the total volume of the system, etc.
• V x is obtained as follows.
• power can be obtained from other different ways depending on the inlet air point in the system.
• D 1 distance from one refuse chute RC 1 to a collection station 200
• D 2 total distance from another refuse chute RC 2 to the collection station
• D n distance from node or the point of intersection N of both branches b1 , b2 to the collection station
• the control means will only act on the discharge valve 120 corresponding to that refuse chute RC x that meets these two conditions: p x > p m
• p m being a preset minimum filling level of a refuse chute RC x .
• a refuse chute RC x that is at least 25% full would be individually emptied by the system if it is determined that its current filling level p x is equal to o greater than the value taken by its associated theoretical parameter V xR .
• the discharge valve 120 of said refuse chute RC x meeting the above established conditions is thus selected to be operated by the control means such that a single refuse chute RC x is emptied during a period of time.
• the selected discharge valve 120 is then opened during a first period of time TA and closed during a second period of time TB.
• the first and second periods of time TA, TB may be the same and at least one of them equal to 3 seconds.

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• Refuse Collection And Transfer (AREA)
• Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)

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Citations (4)

• 2007
  • 2007-08-09 PT PT07114088T patent/PT2022731E/pt unknown
  • 2007-08-09 DE DE602007004598T patent/DE602007004598D1/de active Active
  • 2007-08-09 EP EP07114088A patent/EP2022731B1/en active Active
  • 2007-08-09 AT AT07114088T patent/ATE456526T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-08-09 ES ES07114088T patent/ES2340209T3/es active Active
• 2008
  • 2008-08-07 AR ARP080103465A patent/AR067883A1/es unknown
  • 2008-08-07 CN CN2008801026340A patent/CN101778783B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-08-07 CL CL2008002327A patent/CL2008002327A1/es unknown
  • 2008-08-07 WO PCT/EP2008/060370 patent/WO2009019297A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-08-07 MY MYPI20100529 patent/MY150950A/en unknown

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