WO2020240475A1

WO2020240475A1 - Electric composter for processing biowaste and / or bioplastics

Info

Publication number: WO2020240475A1
Application number: PCT/IB2020/055086
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roman FEKETE; Marián PECIAR; Peter PECIAR
Original assignee: Slovenská Technická Univerzita V Bratislave
Priority date: 2019-05-30
Filing date: 2020-05-28
Publication date: 2020-12-03

Abstract

EIectric composter for processing biowaste and/or bioplastics is formed by horizontal composting chamber (4) with central shaft (14) with vanes (5) of the mixer. In the lower part of the composting chamber (4) the electric heating system with heating bodies (6) is installed. The central shaft (14) of the mixer is attached to the power unit (2). The upper part of the composting chamber (4) has a cover (7) with the filling opening and odorless ventilation filter (12). The lower part of the composting chamber (4) has discharge opening (8) with a damper and portable discharge bin (1 1 ) for compost. A thermometer (13) is installed in the upper part of the composting chamber (4). The power unit (2) and the heating system with the heating bodies (6) is attached to the control unit (3). The power unit (2), the heating system with the heating bodies (6), and the control unit (3), are placed on the frame (1 ). The upper part of the composting unit (4) has a maintenance cover (9). The damper on the discharge opening (8) is connected with the opening lever (10).

Description

ELECTRIC COMPOSTER FOR PROCESSING BIOWASTE AND/OR BIOPLASTICS

Field of technology

The invention concerns a construction of electric composter for processing of biowaste and/or bioplastics. It falls within field of engineering.

Prior state of the art

Composting is a natural process which involves decomposition of organic components, usually waste, by means of microorganisms, water, oxygen acting upon the humus substances. One person produced hundreds of kilograms of waste annually, whereby more than third of such waste is biologically decomposable waste. Hitherto such waste istransferred to dumping ground or burnt. Composting is a possible solution how to decrease dumping or burning of the waste.

Aside from economic benefits (amount of waste decreases and therefore one pays less for its liquidation; moreover, one saves on industrial fertilizers), there are other benefits. For example, physicalfeatures of the soil are improved. Composting decreases the risk of drying and water permeability. Through composting we obtain quality fertilizer which retains water, aerates the soil and supplies it with nutrients. Commonly available composters are usually closed aerated boxes, where under the influence of humidity during relatively long timethe waste transforms into compost, whereby this waste is mainly a nature-produced green waste.

Publication EP 2805932 A1 discloses devices with vertically oriented cylindrical chamber, into which the entry material is transferred from below by means of screw conveyor. In the chamber there is a mixerwith vertically oriented axis of rotation, whereby there are nozzles in the body of the mixer for which send the flow into the processed matter. Such solution is relatively complicated and requires a lot of available space. Solution according to file W00002832 have composting cylindrical chamber with a system of vanes and vertical axis of rotation, whereby an air is pressed into the processed matter. The resulting compost is removed through the pipe. This solution is likewise relativelycomplicated, and it is designed for operations specializing in the waste processing.

Such solution of composting is desired, which could be realized directly at or in vicinity of production of biological waste, for example, in larger catering facilities and so on, whereby device for compostingshould be constructionally simple, without the need for expert operation.

In order to address this problem an electric composter for processing biowaste and/or bioplastics is suggested in this invention.

Essence of the invention

Abovementioned deficiencies are significantly remedied by the construction of the electric composter for processing of biowaste and/or bioplastics according to this invention. The essence of the invention lies in the fact that the electric composter for processing biowaste and/or bioplastics is formed by a horizontal composting chamber with a centralshaft and vanes of the mixer. In the lower part of the composting chamber there is an electric heating system with the heating bodies. The central shaft of the mixer is connected to the power unit. The upper part of the composting chamber has a lid with a filling opening and odorless ventilation filter. The lower part of the composting chamber hasdischarge opening with damper and outlet portable compost bin. The damper on the discharge opening is connected with an opening lever.

The shaft with the vanes of the mixer is rotationally placed in a horizontal plane in such a way that the vanes of the mixer during rotation adjacently follow, copy the cylindrical surface of the lower part of thecomposting chamber. The mixing homogenizes the processed matter, or it further disintegrates it and, simultaneously, it aerates the matter by mixing. The important feature of the mixer is the slope of the vanes, so that during the rotation the feed force (pushing power, sliding force) is produced within the axis of the shaft which carries the processed matter to the side. Thanks to this the mixer can be used not only for mixing, but also for pushing the processed matter in the desired direction. In order to change the direction, it suffices to change the direction of rotation. The slope of vanes can be up to 45°. In the discharge mode the vanes ofthe mixer rotate in such a way that they push the final compost towards the discharge opening. In the processing mode the vanes can rotate in the opposite direction, or alternately in the changing direction of rotation, where the processed matter is pushed to the filling opening or to the discharge opening and back. Thanks to such mixing the matter isbetter processed even at different levels of filling of the composting chamber, and the processed material is homogenized more effectively.

The use of the mixer for the transport function of the processed material in the horizontal direction simplifies the whole construction, too, thanks to which the device has smaller dimensions, fewer componentsand higher operational reliability at low demands on maintenance.

A thermometer is installed in the upper composting chamber. The power unit, the heating system with the heating bodies and the control unit, are placed on the frame.

Composting chamber is a key element of the device. It must allowthe intake of the material from the shredder (grinder) of the kitchen (bones) and household waste (bioplastic trays, plates, cutlery, cups, foils and so on), or of unprocessed material right into the composting chamber without the use of shredder if the material already is suitable for composting; it must then allow for composting itself through suitabletemperature regime (temporally defined heat profile of the batch [charge]), and for emptying of the composting chamber after the composting ends. A pipe (tubular) neck with the protective grid is connected to the composting chamber, as well as suction of the arising vapors into the anti-odor unit with, for example, carbon insert. A batchregime is presupposed, that is, one cycle of composting concerns one closed batch without additions, or with continuous addition during the technological process, respectively. Stainless steel is a constructional material, without heat or chemical surface treatment, with mechanical treatment (polishing or grinding) only in necessary places in order to ensure functionality of the device. The composting chamber with the mixer and the heating system is composed of following functional parts: lower part, front part and back part, shaft with the mixer and placement components, insulation, upper cover, filling and discharge opening, andheating system.

The composting chamber has filling and discharge opening placed on the opposite sides, whereby both filling and discharge is gravitational, without auxiliary elements.

The lower part of the composting chamber is designed in such away that the composting chamber in the vertical cross-section has shape of letter“U”, whereby the lower part of the composting chamber forms a cylindrical surface, preferably with a semi-circular cross-section. The edges of the vanes during rotation abut to the inner surface of the cylindrical surface either tightly or only with small gap. A shaft of themixer is placed in the axis of the cylindrical surface of the lower part of the composting chamber. Through this arrangement the sedimentation of the processed matter at the bottom or in the “blind” spots of the composting chamber is prevented. The side walls of the composting chamber are formed by planar sheets of metal. The compostingchamber’s construction is designed in such a way that the processed batch reaches to the level of the shaft of the mixer (to the seal in the fronts of the chamber) at maximum. The composting chamber is placed in the carrier frame. In case of dry batch, the volume can be larger.

In a preferable arrangement the vanes include a flange whose edgeis designed through its shape to the adjacent circulation alongside inner surface of the lower part of the composting chamber with the chosen gap, that is, without direct touch which would cause attrition (wear and tear) and increase energetic demands for the propulsion. Preferably, the edge of the flange is shaped as a spatial intersection between thecylindrical surface and the flange’s plane in a given slope of the vane.

The front and back side of the composting chamber, the shaft of the mixer with the placement, are solved in such a way that on the front and back side the composting chamber is closed with planar fronts which are welded to the part of the U-shaped chamber. In the semicircle’s axis (lower part of the presupposed circle) there is an axis of the rotating horizontal shaft on which the arms of the vanes are placed; these are supposed to mix the batch in the particular regime. Longitudinal flat flanges are placed on the vanes’ arms, which copy the semicircularbottom of the composting chamber by their edge and therefore ensure the transfer of the heat from the heating system through the wall of the composting chamber to the mixed batch. Three mixing flanges are used for mixing. The shaft is placed in two ball bearings which are placed in the bearing houses installed in the fronts of the composting chamber.The transition of the shaft through the front is equipped by contactless disc seals capable of being washed (if needed) by water outside the composting cycle. The placement of bearing houses is constructionally arranged in such a way that the material which can fall through the seal, eventually, does not enter the bearing (free space between the seal andbearing house).

insulation of the composting chamber is solved in such a way that in order to decrease the surface temperature and to prevent the burning of the personnel, all functional parts of the composting chamber are insulated from the outside by suitable insulation. The heating system isplaced below the insulation. Covering sheet from stainless steel is installed on the insulation is from the point of view of view wall.

The propulsion of the mixer is solved in such a way that the propulsion of the mixer with the gear is placed in the frame. The electromotor with the gear forms a whole with a suitable chosen gearration (slow gear with high gear ratio). Input power of the electromotor is sufficient in order to allow the motor to push the mixing vanes through the batch (at the beginning it is considered a plastic-like material with high resistance against mixing, including larger pieces) and which allows the movement even if the piece of material is stuck in the wedge gapbetween the chamber’s wall and the mixer during its approach from above towards the heated wall. In order to ensure various regimes of regulation of frequency of the rotation, the power supplying electric system is equipped by frequency converter. The upper cover of the composting chamber - i . e . , maintenance cover - is solved in such a way that it is a flat removable component which allows for closing and opening of the upper part of the chamber. It is rectangle-shaped and it has simple polymer insulation on itscircumference. The upper part of the cover will be insulated in order to decrease the surface temperature, and view sheet will be on the upper surface. There is a handle for removing the upper cover. The upper removable (or tiltable, respectively) cover is not placed alongside whole length of the composting chamber; one part is static and fixed, designedfor placement of the filling neck. The upper cover is equipped by electric security sensor, which does not allow the mixer to operate when the cover is open (which eliminates the possibility of harm to personnel when it reaches to the chamber).

The filling opening of the composting chamber, placed in the staticpart of the upper cover and formed by a short protruding pipe of the square cross-section, closed by the plug with the quick-release mechanism with security sensor blocking the movement of the movable parts after the opening of the plug, serves for the filling of the composter. Filling is manual by the vane. Its size is suitable for thesimple manipulation concerning size and weight (manual operation).

An opening in the lower part of the U-shaped part of the chamber serves for emptying. The opening is closable with the removable cover with the handling caps (clamps). The opening is situated into approx. ½ of the length of the composting chamber on the side opposite to thef i Ming opening. This achieves the necessary process length of the composting chamber between the filling and discharge opening.

In order to ensure good mixing of the processed material in place of the discharge opening it is suitable if the discharge opening in the closed state has a cylindrical surface towards the composting chamber’sinside, whereby this surface corresponds to the cylindrical surface of the lower part of the composting chamber. The dividing boundary surface of the closable element of the discharge opening in such case forms a continuation of the cylindrical shape of the lower part of the composting chamber. This can be ensured, for example, in such a way that the damper is not formed as a slide valve moving in a plane, but it is move by sliding on the outer cylindrical surface of the lower part of the composting chamber.

The subsequent emptying of the composting chamber is realized by 5opening of the lower opening firstly once the mixing shaft operates, then when the mixing shaft rest, by manual digging out with suitable vane during the open upper cover. The point is not to perfectly empty the whole chamber after composting; it is expected that part of the material remains in the chamber. The emptying is realized into the portable bin lOplaced under the discharge opening of the composting chamber; the bin’s volume does not match the volume of whole batch (the emptying takes place in 2 or 3 turns for the purposes of easier operation); the bin moves on wheels.

The heating system of the composting chamber is solved in such a 15way that for the purposes of temporally regulated heat regime of the heating of the composting chamber an electric system, charged and controlled by the regulation system, is installed in the lower part of the chamber. The heating will be realized by resistance electric strips with temperature measurement in such a way that the temperature of the wall 20of the composting chamber does not surpass maximal allowed temperature for the composting process. The device will also use waste heat, and it can have heat-exchange element, too, alongside heating system, for example in form of hot water exchanger which is attached to the source of the low temperature waste heat, and the electric heating 25subsequently ensures the heating to the desired temperature according to current regime.

During the time of composting the regulation system should allow for adjustment of the prescribed heat value in prescribed time sequences during the whole time of composting, or set temperatures set manually 30by buttons, respectively. If needed, an installation of the technically realizable cooling of the batch is possible; cooling of the composting will be spontaneous (for example, after the opening of the upper cover of the composting chamber) and it is possible to create an independent cooling circulation for intentional cooling of the batch. The electric and control system is solved in such a way that the composter has an electric system, equipped by possibility of simple regulation of necessary functions, installed. The power unit and heating system with heating bodies is connected to control unit. There is a 5setting of the maximal temperature and the regime corresponding to the rotation frequency as programmable preset regimes. There is regulation of the rotation frequency of the mixer. There is safety setting of the maximum composting time. There is electric equipment which must also allow for safe mixer’s engine shutdown during opening of the upper lOcover of the chamber; installation of safety STOP button for instant disconnection of the electric system of charge; installation of main power switch and signalization of on/off functions through signal controls on the panel. A simple industry regulator, preferably programmable and with a display, is used for realization of regulatory functions; the regulator 15allows for choice from four temperature regimes and mixer’s rotation frequencies on the composter’s panel. When temperature decreases by ca. 5 °C against the set temperature, the heating is automatically turned on. Programmable control allows to preset regulators for individual regimes (by means of buttons) so that the setting of the temperature and 20rotation frequency of the mixer can be altered (only by expert personnel, outside common user operation).

The upper cover of the device is solved in such a way that outer cover from sheet metal is installed on the carrier frame of the device; the cover covers the construction of the composter (practical and aesthetic 25reasons). The cover is realized without back side (or back side is partially covered). Outside air accesses the device through back side.

The shredder of kitchen and household waste is solved in such a way that for the effective composting it is necessary to ensure the material of suitable dispersity, or the maximal dimensions of the pieces 30of compostable material is set, respectively (bones, remnants of food, pieces of bioplastic and consumables, and so on). This also ensures the elimination of possible clogging and mechanical damage of mixing vane system by, for example, pieces of bones, that is, clogging between the chamber and the mixer. A shredder integrated directly in the composter on the filling opening of the chamber can be used for this purpose.

Odorless ventilation filter is solved in such a way that in order to ensure the removal of the arising gases and vapors during compostingand their elimination before release into the work or communal environment, it is necessary firstly to use a deodorization unit. An installation of commercially available and simple odorless ventilation filter with the replaceable filling of active absorbing substance and its own sucking ventilator is considered. The output from the filter can leadd i rectly to the environment of the composter’s installation if the hygienic regulations of the environment allow it, or it can lead by the pipe outside the environment of the composter’s installation, respectively.

The removal of the gases from inside the composting chamber can in preferable arrangement be arranged in such a way that with openentry or outlet opening an underpressure (alternatively, vacuum) is produced in the composting chamber which prevents the release of the gases from inside to the surrounding environment. The sensors which control the position of the opening so that the harm to hands during the rotation of the vanes is prevented can likewise active the increasedoperation of the suction of the gases from inside the composting chamber. The placement of the gas removal within the composting chamber will be in its upper part, for example, in the vicinity of the cover, or outside the cover itself.

Portable bin for filling of material is solved in such a way that it isdesigned for collection of the milled material, or untreated material for filling into composter, respectively. It is a vessel designed for manual operation, produced out of stainless steel, allowing for simple mounting on the filling opening of the chamber. The filling from the bin into the chamber is manual.

The portable bin for the discharge of the material is solved in such a way that the bin for the composted material is a trolley which is moved below the composter, into which the material from the composter’s chamber subsequently falls and then it is moved outside the device. The bin is design for manual operation; on the lower part it has wheels for simple manipulation. It is produced from stainless steel.

The advantages of the electric composter for processing biowaste and/or bioplastics according to this invention are obvious from its 5outside effects. In general, it can be said that the originality of the proposed solution lies in the fact that it is suitable for the organizations which compost the biowaste, either in small household amount or on large, industrial scale. Catering organizations or restaurants are large group which could make use of the electric composter; a lot of food lOremnants accumulate there together with used bioplastic waste such as collection bags, one-off trays, cups, cutlery, whereby in these operations it is necessary to compost this waste in relatively short time. All functional parts are produced of stainless steel, allowing for cleaning and subsequent disinfection pursuant to hygiene laws without any 15problems. In general, the composter can be used to compost any biologically degradable material, for example, mown grass from gardens, leaves, small tree branches, vegetable and fruit waste, wood sawdust, bark or manure droppings.

20Description of drawings

Construction of the electric composter for processing biowaste and/or bioplastics according to this invention is further disclosed in drawings, where fig. 1 is a side view with partial cross-sections. The position of the vanes in first and second row is not depicted in mutual 25angular arrangement in order to increase clarity. Partial cross-section through the chamber in vane’s place in second row highlights the slope of vanes. Fig.2 is front depiction in the direction of mixer’s rotation.

Figures 3 and 4 depict the construction of the mixer’s vanes. Fig. 3 is groundplan view of the shaft with the vanes in three rows with fixedly 30set slope, where the arrows by one vane depict the angle of the vanes’ slope.

Figure 4 is side view where dashed line depicts inner surface of the composting chamber, too. Arrows in left part emphasize that the connection of the cylindrical profile of the composting chamber to the direct line is at the level of the placement of the shaft with vanes.

Examples of realization

It is understood that individual realizations according to this invention are for illustration purposes only and cannot be interpreted as limitations of technical solutions. A person skilled in the art will be able to find many equivalents to the specific realizations of invention by no more than routine experimentation. Even such equivalents will fall withthe scope of following patent claims.

A person skilled in the art will have no problem with optimal setting of the particular construction, and therefore these features were not addressed in detail. Example _

In this example of the particular realization of the subject matter of the invention we describe one constructional variant of the electric composter for the processing of biowaste and/or bioplastics, depicted on fig. 1 to 4. Electric composter for processing of biowaste and/orbioplastic is formed by horizontal composting chamber 4 with a central shaft 14_, with vanes 5 of the mixer. In the lower part of the composting chamber 4 an electric heating system with the heating bodies 6 is installed. The central shaft 1_4 of the mixer is connected to power unit 2. The upper part of the composting chamber 4 has a cover 7 with thef i Ming opening and odorless ventilation filter 1_2. The lower part of the composting chamber 4 has discharge opening 8 with the damper and the discharge portable bin 11_ for compost. A thermometer 13 is installed in the upper part of the composting chamber 4. The power unit 2 and heating system with heating bodies 6 are connected to the control unit 3together with other indispensable sensors, mainly with thermometer 1_3 and sensor of the position of the cover 7 and the discharge opening 8. The power unit 2, the heating system with the heating bodies 6 and control unit 3, are attached on the frame 1_. The upper part of the composting chamber 4 has maintenance cover 9. The damper on the discharge opening 8 is connected with the control lever 1_0. The cover 7 with the filling opening is designed for the attachment of shredder of biowaste and/or bioplastics.

The damper on the discharge opening has a form of cylindrical 5mover which copies the cylindrical shape of the lower part of the composting chamber 4.

Three driving attachments, to which radii with vanes 5 are screwed, are welded to the shaft 1_4. In this example there are three radii with vanes 5 attached on the shaft 14; they are attached in three rows with lOmutually even angular rotation. Each vane 5 involves two flanges; the flange on the circumference is curved in such a way that with the given slope of the vane it abuts to the inner cylindrical shape of the lower part of the composting chamber 4 with small gap. The change of rotation of the shaft 1_4 changes the direction in which the mixed material is carried 15in the horizontal direction: either towards the cover 7 or towards the discharge opening 8.

The slope of the vanes 5 is firmly set; alternatively, the desired change of the vanes’ 5 slope can be achieved by new set of vanes 5 which are screwed to the driving attachments in the shat 1_4. This allows 20the devices to adjusted to different prevailing character of the processed material, pursuant to particular point of application.

Industrial applicability

Industrial applicability of the construction of the electric composter 25for the processing of biowaste and/or bioplastics according to this invention is in restaurant and catering operations, mainly in school cafeterias, which are equipped by cookware from biodegradable plastics. The placement of the composter is possible inside the buildings. List of symbols:

1 - frame

2 - power unit

3 - control unit

54 - composting chamber

5 - vane

6 - heating body

7 - cover

8 - discharge opening 109 - maintenance cover

10 - lever

11 - portable bin

12 - ventilation filter

13 - thermometer 1514 - shaft

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. An electric composter for a processing of biowaste and/or bioplastics is characterized by the fact, that it includes a horizontal composting chamber (4) with a central shaft (14) with vanes (5) of a mixer; a heating system with heating bodies (6), preferably electric heating bodies (6), is installed in a lower part of the composting chamber (4); the central shaft (14) of the mixer is connected to a power unit (2); an upper part of the composting chamber (4) has a cover (7) with a filling opening and an odorless ventilation filter (12); the lower part of the composting chamber (4) has a discharge opening (8) with a damper and a portable discharge bin (11) for a compost; a thermometer (13) is installed in the upper part of the composting chamber (4).

2. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 1 is characterized by the fact, that the power unit (2) and the heating system with the heating bodies (6) is attached to a control unit (3).

3. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 1 or 2 is characterized by the fact, that the power unit (2), the heating system with the heating bodies (6), and the control unit (3) are attached on a frame (1).

4. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 1 is characterized by the fact, that the upper part of the composting chamber (4) has a maintenance cover (9).

5. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 1 is characterized by the fact, that the damper on the discharge opening (8) is connected with an opening lever (10). 6. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 1 is characterized by the fact, that the cover (7) with the filling opening is adjusted for a connection

5 of a shredder of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics.

7. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 6 is characterized by the fact, that the shaft (14) is oriented horizontally and at least part

10 of a bottom of the composting chamber (14) has a cylindrical shape which corresponds to a line of movement of edges of the vanes (5).

8. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 7 is characterized by the fact,

15 that a transversal cross-section of the composting chamber (4) has shape of letter “U”, where the cylindrical part of the bottom of the composting chamber (4) reaches to a level of a placement of the shaft (14); preferably an axis of the cylindrical surface of the bottom of the composting chamber (4) and an axis of the rotation of the shaft

20 (14) are identical.

9. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 8 is characterized by the fact, that the vanes (5) have an angle of slope 45° at maximum

25 in order to produce a pushing force in the direction of the rotation of the shaft (14).

10. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to the claim 9 is characterized by the fact,

30 that the vanes (5) involve a flange alongside their circumference, whereby an edge of the flange is adjusted by its shape for an adjacent circulation alongside the inner surface of the lower part of the composting chamber (4).

3511. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 10 is characterized by the fact, that the power unit (2) and the control unit (3) are adjusted for the rotation of the shaft (14) with the vanes (5) in both directions.

512. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 11 is characterized by the fact, that it has a forced ventilation for a removal of gases from the inside of the composting chamber (4); preferably it is designed for a production of an underpressure in the composting0 chamber (4) when the cover (7) and/or the discharge opening (8) is/are open.

13. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 12 is characterized5 by the fact, that the discharge opening (8) has cylindrical inner surface in a closed state, whereby this surface corresponds to the lower part of the composting chamber (4).

14. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the0 bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 13 is characterized by the fact, that the cover (7) and the discharge opening (8) are on mutually opposite sides of the composting chamber (4).

15. The electric composter for the processing of the biowaste and/or the5 bioplastics according to any of the claims 1 to 14 is characterized by the fact, that the vanes (5) on the shaft (14) are arranged at least in two independent rows alongside the composting chamber (4), where each row involves at least one radius with the vane (5), preferably the radii are, in individual rows, mutually evenly angularly0 rotated.