WO2016005638A1

WO2016005638A1 - System for optimising treatment media in post-harvest processes

Info

Publication number: WO2016005638A1
Application number: PCT/ES2015/070528
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manuel GARCÍA PORTILLO
Original assignee: Tecnidex, Técnicas De Desinfección, S.A.U.
Priority date: 2014-07-07
Filing date: 2015-07-07
Publication date: 2016-01-14
Also published as: ES2558752B1; ES2558752A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a facility in which agricultural products are washed using clean media (water and phytosanitary substances) which come out through a shower device (1). The facility includes a first continuous filtering means with a hydrocyclone (3) after washing the agricultural products, which operates in parallel during the actual process of washing the agricultural products; in which dirty media collected in a collection tray (2) are driven through a first circuit which leads into the shower device (1), passing first through the hydrocyclone (3) which cleans the dirty media. The facility also includes a second discontinuous filtering means which recovers clean water from the dirty media in order to be able to re-use same for washing agricultural products.

Description

OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF PROCESSING TREATMENT BALANCES

POSTCOSECHA

DESCRIPTION

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as expressed in the statement of this specification, refers to a system for optimizing treatment broths in post-harvest processes, which highlights the use and reuse of water used in the treatment in which carries out the washing of some agricultural products, such as fruits and vegetables, for example, among others.

The novelty of the invention focuses on the use of means for filtering broths used for washing agricultural products, so that it is not necessary to discard so much water to the drainage network, even avoiding spillage.

In line with what has been said in the previous paragraph, the invention comprises a first continuous filtration means that operates in parallel to the process of washing agricultural products, and a second filtration means for the recovery of liquid that normally acts in time. dead, although there is also the possibility that both filtering means, first and second, work simultaneously if necessary, thus achieving in this case a saving of time and therefore greater performance.

Therefore, an object of the invention are means for being able to carry out a continuous purification of the broths during the process of washing agricultural products and also means of the invention are means for recovering liquid from the broths used in washing, highlighting that the liquid recovery process can be carried out simultaneously to the washing process, and also independently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, different systems for the treatment of products are known agricultural as described in the Technological Report with reference P5854, which cites, among others, three documents with publication number: CN 20072092082Y (D01), US 5783096 (D02) and DE 4428878 (D03).

Document D01 refers to a wheat washing system 1 whose output is driven 2 to perform a centrifugal separation in a hydrocyclone 3 to separate in a stream the densest fraction in which the grain is collected. The current output with the shell is conducted to a filter 4 and the current with the grain is conducted to a sedimentation tank 5, both in order to recover the water and recycle it to the washing stage 1 by pumping means 6 , 7.

Document D02 refers to an installation for recovering sugar beet particles that could be in the beet wash water. The washing water that may contain sand together with the beet particles to be recovered is driven 2 towards two hydrocyclones 5 in parallel, separating a denser stream with the sand 6 and another lighter stream with the beet particles 7. The heavier fraction is passed again by another hydrocyclone 1 1 that makes a new separation recovering another small fraction of beet separated from the current that contains the sand.

Document D03 refers to a vegetable washing device in which water is recovered through a channel 4 since the vegetables are transported by an endless belt 2 that acts as a filter.

It is also known the invention patent with application number in Spain P 200930841 referred to a recovery system of harvested products treatment broths, where the broths come from an installation 2 in which the treatment of harvested products takes place, of so that the broth is pumped into a filter-press 8 in which the filtering and corresponding dehydration of the broth takes place from where the broth is sent to a clarification tank 17 to which disinfectant is injected from a dosing container 18 for the elimination of spores, said broth being clarified and disinfected by recirculating again to installation 2, after injection of phytosanitary products by means of a dosing device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The optimization system of the treatment broths in post-harvest processes that constitutes the object of the invention is applicable to an installation in which the treatment of agricultural products takes place by means of a shower device that projects clean broths in the form of rain. agricultural products, so that said clean broths integrate water among their elements in combination with phytosanitary substances; where after applying the clean broths on agricultural products, dirty broths are generated that fall by gravity into a receiving raft; counting the system with a dosing device for phytosanitary substances and a filtering medium that cleans the dirty broths to recover clean water.

The system of the invention further comprises a first means of continuous filtration with hydrocyclone after the washing of agricultural products, which operates in parallel during the process of washing agricultural products; where the dirty broths collected in the receiving tray are driven through a first circuit that flows into the shower device, previously passing through the hydrocyclone that cleans the dirty broths and which is interspersed in that first circuit.

It also comprises a second discontinuous filtering means that integrates a band filter between its elements; recovering this second means of filtering clean water from the dirty broths; where the dirty broths collected in the receiving tray are driven through a second circuit that flows into the receiving raft itself; incorporating that second circuit at least the band filter.

This second filtering medium can also be realized by other conventional filtering elements that already exist, or are developed in the future, and that are proven to be as effective or more than the band filter.

The second circuit integrates a dirty water tank, a clean water tank, a previous filter, a second drive pump and the band filter; where the dirty broths coming from the receiving tray are collected inside the dirty water tank and then pass to the previous filter, after which the second drive pump that pumps the flow of the liquid fluid to the band filter is located, to reach finally, the clean water tank, whose contents are drained to the receiving pool by previously opening a drain solenoid valve interspersed in a section Second circuit terminal.

At the outlet of the dirty water tank there is a lower opening and closing solenoid valve, whose opening releases the output of said dirty water tank to carry out the cleaning of the dirty broths through the previous filter and band filter in order to recover clean water inside the clean water tank.

The dosing device provides the phytosanitary substance to the liquid fluid contained within the reservoir of clean water and also inside the receiving raft by means of a first pipe and a second pipe, respectively.

The first circuit and the second circuit share a common section of pipe in which a first drive pump is interspersed, so that in a confluence zone, that common section of pipe branches into two branches: a first branch that is a continuation of an entrance duct to the hydrocyclone, and a second branch that is part of the second circuit. In the first branch a first solenoid valve is inserted, and in the second branch a second solenoid valve is inserted, the two being able to adopt a closed position and an open position.

In a first option, only the process of washing agricultural products is operated, in this case the first solenoid valve is open and the second solenoid valve is closed.

In a second option, only the clean water recovery and cleaning process is operated, in this case the first solenoid valve is closed and the second solenoid valve is open.

In a third option both processes are activated simultaneously in which both solenoid valves: first and second are open.

It is therefore a question of carrying out a cleaning and sanitizing of the broths of the installation (drencher) in order to extend its life and reduce the spills to be purified and managed.

The cleaning of the broths is carried out by continuously recirculating the broths of the receiving raft through the hydrocyclone that will retain a large part of the solids in suspension and sedimentable matter. Purges are automatically carried out of the sludges retained in the hydrocyclone to deposit them in their storage tank. The supernatant of these sludges is managed or recovered to the receiving raft.

The sanitation of the broths is carried out automatically and proportionally to the volume of water (with phytosanitary substance) that is replenished after the bathing of each pallet of agricultural products. This disinfection consists of the referred chemical treatment based on the phytosanitary substance (biocide) that is harmless after the reaction, but of high efficacy to eliminate the microbial load and reduce the contamination of the broths.

Next, in order to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report and forming an integral part thereof, a single figure is attached in which the object of the invention has been shown as an illustration and not a limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1.- Shows a schematic view of the optimization system of the treatment broths in post-harvest processes, object of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Considering the numbering adopted in the figures, the optimization system of the treatment broths in post-harvest processes is applicable to an installation (drain) in which the treatment of agricultural products takes place by means of a shower device (1) that projects in rain forms clean broths on agricultural products, so that these broths integrate water and phytosanitary substances.

After applying the clean broths on the agricultural products, dirty broths are generated that fall by gravity into a receiver raft (2), so that the dirt from the agricultural products passes the broths.

Starting from this premise, the invention comprises a first means of continuous filtration with hydrocyclone (3) after the washing of agricultural products, which operates in parallel during the process of washing agricultural products; and a second discontinuous filtering medium that integrates between its elements a band filter (4), where this second filtering medium has the mission of recovering clean water from dirty broths while acting normally in downtime when the first medium filtering is deactivated and the washing process interrupted; although there is also the possibility that both filtering means, first and second, work simultaneously if necessary, thus achieving in this case a saving of time and therefore greater performance.

The invention is complemented by a dosing device (5) of a phytosanitary substance on the broths and / or clean water; and with means to recycle the wash water to incorporate it again successively into the receiving raft (2).

During the washing of agricultural products, the broth contained within the receiving raft (2) is driven by a first pump (6) to the hydrocyclone (3) intercalated in a first circuit that flows into the shower device (1) that it projects the broths in the form of rain on the agricultural products, so that the hydrocyclone (3) is intercalated in that first circuit, the hydrocyclone (3) having an inlet duct (7), an upper outlet duct (8) that it connects with the shower device (1), and a lower outlet duct (9) through which sludges from the broths that are collected in a previous tray (10) flow.

In order to carry out the recovery of the clean water, the broth contained within the receiving raft (2) is driven to a second circuit in which the cleaning of the broth is carried out and which flows into the receiving raft itself (2), of so that this second circuit integrates a dirty water tank (1 1), a clean water tank (12), an additional filter (13), a second drive pump (14) and the band filter (4).

In line with what was said in the previous paragraph, the broth from the receiving tray (2) is collected inside the dirty water tank (11) and then passed to the additional filter (13), after which the second pump is located of discharge (14) that pumps the flow of the liquid fluid to the band filter (4), to finally reach the clean water tank (12), whose contents are drained to the receiving pool (2) by previously opening a drain solenoid valve (15) interspersed in a terminal section of the second circuit. At the outlet of the dirty water tank (11) there is a lower opening and closing solenoid valve (16), whose opening releases the exit of said water tank dirty (11) to carry out the cleaning of dirty water through the additional filter (13) and belt filter (4).

This band filter (4) incorporates a lower conduit (17) in which a third drive pump (18) is interleaved to collect in a rear tray (19) the sludge retained by said band filter (4). In turn, the additional filter (13) retains the larger particles.

The dosing device (5) provides the phytosanitary substance to the water contained within the clean water tank (12) and also inside the receiving raft (2) by means of a first pipe (20) and a second pipe (21), respectively.

In the embodiment shown in the only figure 1, the first circuit and the second circuit share a common section of pipe (22) in which the first drive pump (6) is intercalated, so that in a confluence zone , that common section of pipe (22) bifurcates into two branches: a first branch (23) that is a continuation of the inlet duct (7) to the hydrocyclone (3), and a second branch (24) that extends until it flows into the dirty water tank (11).

In the first branch (23) a first solenoid valve (25) is sandwiched, and in the second branch (24) a second solenoid valve (26) is sandwiched, the two being able to adopt a closed position and an open position, so that when it is in operation only the process of washing agricultural products, the first solenoid valve (25) is open and the second one (26) closed, while when the cleaning and water recovery process is only in operation when dirty broths circulate through the second circuit, the first solenoid valve (25) is closed and the second (26) open.

However, when both processes are active simultaneously, the two solenoid valves (25) and (26) are open.

Claims

1. - OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF THE TREATMENT BRANDS IN POST-HARVEST PROCESSES, which is applicable to an installation in which the treatment of agricultural products takes place by means of a shower device (1) that projects clean broths in the form of rain on agricultural products, so that said clean broths integrate water among their elements in combination with phytosanitary substances; where after applying clean broths on agricultural products, dirty broths are generated that fall by gravity into a receiving raft (2); counting the system with a dosing device for phytosanitary substances and with a filtering medium that cleans the dirty broths to recover clean water; characterized by:

- comprises a first means of continuous filtration with hydrocyclone (3) after the washing of agricultural products, which operates in parallel during the process of washing agricultural products; where the dirty broths collected in the receiving tray (2) are driven through a first circuit that flows into the shower device (1), previously passing through the hydrocyclone (3) that cleans the dirty broths and which is interleaved in that first circuit;

- a second discontinuous filtering means that integrates between its elements a band filter (4); recovering this second means of filtering clean water from the dirty broths; where the dirty broths collected in the receiving tray (2) are driven through a second circuit that flows into the receiving raft (2); incorporating that second circuit at least the band filter (4).

2. - OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF THE TREATMENT BRANDS IN POST-HARVEST PROCESSES, according to claim 1, characterized in that the second circuit integrates a dirty water tank (1 1), a clean water tank (12), a previous filter ( 13), a second drive pump (14) and the band filter (4); where the dirty broths coming from the receiving tray (2) are collected inside the dirty water tank (11) and then passed to the previous filter (13), after which the second discharge pump (14) that pumps the flow of the liquid fluid to the band filter (4), to finally reach the clean water tank (12), whose contents are drained to the receiving pool (2) by previously opening a solenoid valve of drain (15) inserted in a terminal section of the second circuit.

3. - OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF THE TREATMENT BALANCES IN POST-HARVEST PROCESSES, according to claim 2, characterized in that at the outlet of the dirty water tank (1 1) there is a lower opening and closing solenoid valve (16), whose opening releases the exit of said dirty water tank (11) to carry out the cleaning of the dirty broths through the previous filter (13) and band filter (4) in order to recover the clean water inside the clean water tank ( 12).

4. - OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF THE TREATMENT BALANCES IN POST-HARVEST PROCESSES, according to any one of the preceding claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the dosing device provides the phytosanitary substance to the liquid fluid contained within the clean water tank (12) and also inside the receiving raft (2) by a first pipe (20) and by a second pipe (21), respectively.

5. - OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF THE TREATMENT BRANDS IN POST-HARVEST PROCESSES, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first circuit and the second circuit share a common section of pipe (22) in which a first pump is inserted of discharge (6), so that in a confluence zone, that common section of pipe (22) branches into two branches: a first branch (23) that is a continuation of an inlet duct (7) to the hydrocyclone (3 ), and a second branch (24) that is part of the second circuit.

6. - OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF THE TREATMENT BALANCES IN POSTCOSECHA PROCESSES, according to claim 5, characterized in that:

- in the first branch (23) a first solenoid valve (25) is sandwiched, and in the second branch (24) a second solenoid valve (26) is sandwiched, the two being able to adopt a closed position and an open position; where, a first option consists in operating only the process of washing agricultural products, in this case the first solenoid valve (25) is open and the second solenoid valve (26) closed; a second option consists in operating only the clean water recovery and cleaning process, in this case the first solenoid valve (25) being closed and the second solenoid valve (26) open; A third option is to be active both processes simultaneously in which both solenoid valves: first (25) and second (26) are open.