WO2008004063A2

WO2008004063A2 - Equipment for composting organic refuse

Info

Publication number: WO2008004063A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/001784
Authority: WO
Inventors: Loris Bressan
Original assignee: Ambientalia S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-06-30
Filing date: 2007-06-29
Publication date: 2008-01-10
Also published as: ITBO20060502A1; WO2008004063A3

Abstract

Equipment (10) for composting organic refuse. The equipment (10) comprises: - a loading truck (20); - a bell for filling (40) a bag. (SC) made of plastic material with the organic refuse,- - a motor-driven screw- conveyor device (CL) for the transfer of the organic refuse from loading truck (20) to filling bell (40); and - a device (60), • designed to couple a mouth (BC) of bag (SC) with filling bell (40). The equipment (10) is characterized in that it envisages a device for fast coupling/uncoupling between loading truck (20) and filling bell (40).

Description

EQUIPMENT FOR COMPOSTING ORGANIC REFUSE

^'TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to equipment for the stabilization and composting of organic refuse.

In the field of the treatment of organic refuse, self- propelled equipment is known, designed to fill purposely^' provided elongated bags made of plastic material with the organic refuse, and once said bags are filled, they are spread out on the ground. Within the elongated bags the organic refuse decomposes in such a way as to be converted into useful compost.

BACKGROUND ART

As is known, equipment of this type comprises a truck designed to support a hopper for loading organic refuse. Fixed with respect to the truck is a filling bell, on which the mouth of an elongated plastic bag can be fixed. Also provided is a device for pushing the refuse from the base of the hopper to the filling bell, and then to the elongated bag to carry out filling of the latter.

Furthermore, normally provided on the truck is a roll carrier, on which a roll of a perforated pipe is wound, which is unrolled with the elongated bag as the truck is displaced forwards and as the elongated plastic bag is filled with the organic refuse. In effect, air is sent through the perforated pipe, once filling of the elongated bag has taken place, in order to accelerate the aerobic reactions of decomposition of the organic refuse, reactions that lead to the formation of the compost.

Two pieces of equipment of this kind are described, for example, in the U.S. patents Nos . US-5 724 793 (Inman et al.) and US-5 345 744 (Cullen) .

Even though the equipment . described in the two documents previously cited works well as regards filling of the elongated bags with organic refuse, said equipment presents, however, some..non-negligible drawbacks.

Said drawbacks can be summed up in the following points :

- In the equipment described in the prior art, the filling bell is once again fixed to the self-propelled truck, so that each piece of equipment can fill just one elongated bag. If it were desired to abandon a first partially full bag (which is to receive a first type of organic refuse) temporarily in order to fill a second bag (for example, with a second type of organic refuse) , the entire self-propelled equipment must be disconnected from the first bag, the first bag must be closed, the equipment must be displaced in the proximity of the second bag, and the second bag must be fitted onto the equipment itself, where the operations of filling can finally start. These operations have a high cost in terms of working hours of the operators responsible for manoeuvring the equipment. Another possibility is constituted by having a number of self- propelled pieces of equipment equal to the number of bags to be filled with inorganic refuse of various origin.

- As they are conceived, current equipment can carry only one roll of perforated pipe, whilst in current solutions a plurality of perforated pipes are provided for blowing air into the refuse, to send the used air and possible gases away from the mass of the refuse to eliminate the percolated liquid, etc.

DISCLOSURE OF ΣNVENTIQN

Consequently, the aim of the present invention is to provide equipment ■ for composting organic refuse which will be free from the drawbacks described above and, at the same time, will be easy and inexpensive to produce.

Provided according to the ^' present invention is, then, equipment for composting organic refuse in accordance with the annexed claims .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the- annexed drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment thereof, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a three-dimensional front view of equipment for composting organic refuse forming the subject of the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional rear view of a loading truck and a filling bell that form part of the equipment of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a three-dimensional front view of just the loading truck illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 ;

- Figure 4 shows a two-dimensional front view of the filling bell illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 ;

- Figure 5 is a three-dimensional front view of a filling bell, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and of an auxiliary trolley which also belongs to the equipment of Figure 1;

- Figure 6 is a three-dimensional rear view of the filling bell and of the loading trolley represented in Figure 5;

- Figure 7 shows the filling bell and the trolley represented in Figures 5 and 6 in a first step of the operation of fitting of the mouth of a plastic bag on the outer surface of the filling bell;

- Figure 8 shows the filling bell and the trolley represented in Figures 5 and 6 in a second step of the operation of fitting of the mouth of a plastic bag on the- outer surface of the filling bell; and

- Figure 9 shows the filling bell and the trolley represented in Figures 5 and 6 in a third (and final) step of the operation of fitting of the mouth of a plastic bag on the outer surface of the filling bell.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION ^{' ' ' ' "}

In Figure 1, the reference number 10 designates, as a whole, equipment for composting organic refuse forming the subject of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in the figures of the attached drawings, the equipment 10 comprises, in general, a loading truck 20, a filling bell 40, and an auxiliary trolley 60.

In a known way, as illustrated in particular in Figures 2 and 3, the loading truck 20, in its turn, comprises a frame TL, which supports a horizontal platform PN for the loading of organic refuse, loaded using a mechanical shovel (not illustrated) provided with vertical side panels SP.

The loading truck 20 moreover comprises a first pair of front wheels Wl (Figure 3), mounted on a front axle AXl, and a second pair of rear wheels W2 (Figure 2), mounted in turn on a rear axle AX2.

Associated to the loading truck 20 are traditional motor-drive means (not illustrated) , designed to render the truck 20 itself self-propelled as a result of the commands imparted by an operator (not illustrated) .

As illustrated in particular in Figure 2, the platform PN envisages a hopper TR, through which the organic refuse is conveyed by gravity towards a motor-driven screw-conveyor device CL (Figures 1 and 3), designed to cause the organic refuse to advance from the unloader of the hopper TR towards the filling bell 40. From Figures 1 and 2 , it may be noted that on the frame TL there are mounted, by means of purposely provided supports, three roll carriers PRl, PR2 , PR3 for respective rolls RTl, RT2, RT3 of respective perforated pipes TBl, TB2, TB3 made of plastic for the purposes that will be explained in greater detail in what follows.

In particular, two roll carriers PRl, PR2 (Figure 1) are located at a first longitudinal side LTl of the loading truck 20, whilst just one roll carrier PR3 (Figure 2) is located at a second longitudinal side LT2 , once again of the loading truck 20.

With reference now to Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the filling bell 40 comprises a load-bearing structure 41, comprising, in turn, two metal elements 42, 43, both having the shape of a U turned upside down, brought up to one another and welded together so as to form a portal PT.

The load-bearing structure is supported by a base BS (Figures 7 , 8 and 9 ) .

In addition, defined on said portal PT are a top outer surface SS and two lateral outer surfaces SL (identical to one another) .

As we shall see, the top outer surface SS and the two lateral outer surfaces SL envisage means for fixing of a bag SC made of plastic. (Figures 7, 8 and 9) .

As illustrated in particular in Figures 1 and 6, the filling bell 40 moreover comprises a first steel plate 44 for partial rear closing, provided with a centred circular hole 45.

Furthermore, in Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6 it is highlighted how the first steel plate 44 does not cover the opening defined by the portal PT completely, but leaves a free space 46, passing through which, in the embodiment illustrated in the annexed figures, are three perforated pipes (see hereinafter) .

As illustrated in particular in Figures 1, 4 and 5, fixed (with known means) around the centred circular hole 45 is a second bent steel plate 47, which projects outwards and is fixed (with means that are known) to a front face FA of the portal PT.

In this way, defined within the portal PT is a sort of funnel 1MB for guiding the refuse pushed by the motor-driven screw- conveyor device CL, which is used for progressively filling a plastic bag SC (Figures 7, 8 and 9), which, in use, is unrolled as the loading truck 20 and the filling bell 40 are displaced forwards (see hereinafter) .

The bottom part of the first steel plate 44 moreover envisages two through holes 48, 49 (Figure 4) set on opposite sides with respect to the centred circular hole 45 and through which another two perforated pipes (see hereinafter) are run.

Furthermore, provided on the top part of the portal PT (underneath the top outer surface SS) are three identical through holes 50, 51, 52 having a first cross section (first type of holes) and four through holes 53, 54, 55 and 56 having a second cross section of a width (second type of holes) smaller than that of the first cross section (Figure 4) .

As illustrated in particular in Figure 4, through holes 54, 55 of the second type have been provided between two respective pairs of contiguous holes 50, 51 and 51, 52, whilst through holes 53, 56 of the second type are located on the outside, respectively, of through hole 50 (of the first type) and of through hole 52 (which is also of the first type) .

The top outer surface SS of the portal PT supports five roll carriers PR4, PR5, PR6, PR7 , PR8 for respective rolls RT4,

RT5, RT6, RT8 of respective perforated pipes TB4, TB5, TB6 , TB7 , TB8.

As illustrated in Figure 6, first steel plate 44 supports another four roll carriers PR9 , PRlO, PRIl, PR12 for respective rolls RT9, RTlO, RTlI, RT12, of respective perforated pipes TB9, TBlO, TBlI, TBl2. The four roll carriers PR9, PRlO, PRlI, PR12 are set in pairs on opposite sides with respect to the centred circular hole 45 provided on the first steel plate 44.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6:

- TBl is inserted in the free space 46;

- TB2 is inserted in through hole 48 made in first steel plate 44;

- TB3 is inserted in through hole 49, which is also made in first steel plate 44;

- TB4 is inserted in free space 46;

- TB5 is inserted in through hole 50 made in the top part of portal PT;

- TB6 is inserted in through hole 51 made in the top part of portal PT;

- TB7 is inserted in through hole 52 made in the top part of portal PT;

- TB8 is inserted in free space 46;

- TB9 is inserted in through hole 56 made in the top part of portal PT;

- TBlO is inserted in through hole 55 made in the top part of portal PT;

- TBlI is inserted in through hole 54 made in the top part of portal PT; and - TB12 is inserted in through hole 53' made in the top part of portal PT.

Through the perforated pipes TBl, TB4, TB8 fresh air is blown into the mass of organic refuse covered by a plastic bag SC (Figures 7, 8 and 9) . The fresh air favours the aerobic reactions in the mass of organic refuse to obtain the desired compost in reasonable lengths of time.

The perforated pipes TB5, TB6, TB7 serve, instead, to suck air and other gas out of the mass undergoing decomposition, whilst perforated pipes TB2 , TB3 are used for collecting (by means of suction) the percolated liquid that develops in the mass of the refuse during composting.

Finally, perforated pipes TB9 , TBlO, TBlI, TB12 (having a diameter smaller than that of the others) serve for reinjecting (via means not represented) a given amount of percolate into the mass undergoing decomposition so as to maintain a certain degree of moisture therein.

It should be noted, then, that on loading truck 20 and on filling bell 40 there can be loaded up to as many as twelve rolls RTl, RT2, RT3 , RT4, RT5, RT6, RT7 , RT8, RT9 , RTlO, RTlI, and RT12 of respective perforated pipes TBl, TB2 , TB3 , TB4, TB5, TBβ, TB7, TB8, TB9 , TBlO, TBlI, and TB12.

Furthermore, fixed to filling bell 40 is a support 57 made up of bar-like elements and provided with four feet 58, reclinable according to a respective arrow Fl, and provided with height-adjustment means (not illustrated) for the purposes that will be detailed in what follows.

Furthermore, filling bell 40. is connected to/disconnected from loading truck 20 by fast-attachment/detachment means (not illustrated) similar to the ones used for hitching/unhitching a lorry to/from its own trailer.

As we shall see more clearly in what follows, in the movement of advance indicated by an arrow F2 (Figure 1) of the loading truck 20 and of filling bell 40, bag SC is simultaneously filled with refuse, pushed by motor-driven screw-conveyor device CL through centred circular hole 45.

At the same time, also perforated pipes TBl, TB2 , TB3 , TB4, TB5, TB6, TB7, TB8 , TB9, TBlO, TBlI, and TB12 are progressively unrolled and are immersed in the mass of refuse contained within bag SC.

To return to auxiliary trolley 60, it may be noted that it comprises a load-bearing scaffolding structure 61 comprising bar-like elements and having four legs 62 , each provided with a respective wheel 63 to enable displacement thereof over the working terrain. Legs 62 are flared downwards to bestow a greater stability upon load-bearing structure 61.

Furthermore, advantageously, but not necessarily, auxiliary trolley 60 is provided with motor means (not illustrated) guided from the ground by the operator.

Load-bearing structure 61 is, in its turn, shaped in such a way as to define a top platform PS delimited by two pairs of bars LSI, LS2, which support a treadable griddled plate GR accessible from beneath by means of a ladder SCT (Figures 7, 8 and 9) . For reasons of safety of the operator top platform PS is delimited by a railing BL.

Auxiliary trolley 60 substantially serves two purposes: (A) - the first purpose is to support three roll carriers PRl3, PRl4, PRl5, which each support a possible respective roll RT13, RT14, RT15 of a possible respective perforated pipe TB13, TB14, TB15; in effect, roll carriers PRl3 , PR14, PR15 are actuated by a motor with variable-speed drive (not illustrated) provided with a clutch; if the clutch is set in the "idle" position, perforated pipes TB13, TB14 and TB15 can be unrolled and feed, respectively, roll carriers PR5, PR6, PR7 , mounted on filling bell 40. In another mode of operation, the motor with variable-speed drive causes roll carriers PR13 , PR14, PR15 to rotate in the direction indicated by an arrow F3 (Figure 5) to recover perforated pipes TB5, TB6, TB7 from a bag SC filled with compost, already formed;

(B) - the second purpose_. is, instead, to lift a top flap LB of a front mouth BC of the aforesaid bag SC (Figures 7, 8 and 9), which is rather heavy since it frequently reaches a length of 60-100 m, with a diameter of 3 m; to this end, a hoist PC is used, which comprises two vertical ropes FN, a device SD for supporting and gripping top flap LB, and means (not illustrated) for movement upwards in the direction indicated by an arrow F4 of supporting device SD. In this connection, it should be mentioned that, as illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and

9, the supporting device SD comprises two brackets SF welded to a cap DD, the profile of which substantially reproduces that of top outer surface SS of portal PT. Consequently, as illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9, once top flap LB of the mouth BC has been rested on cap DD, said top flap LB is pulled upwards by means of hoist PC (Figure 8) in the direction indicated by the arrow F4. At this point, it is possible to displace auxiliary trolley 60 in the direction indicated by an arrow F5 (Figure 9), and insert portal PT in mouth BC of bag SC. Now, it is possible to fix mouth BC to surfaces SS and SL of portal PT. Once bag SC is fixed to filling bell 40, auxiliary trolley 60 is moved away from the rest of equipment

10, and loading truck 20 and filling bell 60 attached thereto start to be made to advance in the direction indicated by arrow F2 (Figure 1) , to start filling of bag- SC with refuse loaded through hopper TR and pushed into bag SC by motor- driven screw-conveyor device CL. As has been said, at the same time, perforated pipes TBl, TB2 , TB3 , TB4, TB5, TB6, TB7 , TB8 , TB9, TBlO, TBIl, and TB12 are unrolled, which, during their advance in the direction indicated by the arrow F2 , are embedded in the mass of refuse contained within bag SC itself.

As regards support 57 of filling bell 40, it may be said that it serves to support said filling bell 40 in an adequate way when it is detached from the loading truck 20. Furthermore, the presence of means (not illustrated) for adjustment of the height of feet 58 enables filling bell 40 to be set level during the steps in which the latter stops and is detached from by loading truck 20. In addition, when filling bell 40 is attached to loading truck 20, feet 58 are raised in the direction indicated by arrow Fl, and fixed in a substantially horizontal position to prevent any interference with the ground during displacements in the direction indicated by arrow F2.

Operation of the equipment 10 for the composting of the refuse that forms the subject of the present invention can be readily inferred from what has been said previously.

One of the main advantages of the present equipment 10 is, as has been said, that of being able to have just one loading truck 20 ^■ (and possibly just one auxiliary trolley 60) for serving a plurality of filling bells 40, to which a respective bag SC has been fixed. In effect, it is frequently necessary to stop filling a first bag SCl with a first type of refuse (for example, on account of temporary lack of refuse of the first type) , to pass to the filling of a second bag SC2 with a second type of refuse. In this way, using equipment 10 forming the subject of the present invention, it is not necessary to possess a plurality of pieces of complete equipment 10, but it will be sufficient to have available just one loading truck 20 (and possibly just one auxiliary trolley 60) to serve a plurality of loading bells 40*, 40**, 40*** (not • illustrated in the annexed figures), etc. All this evidently reduces the cost of purchase and overall management of equipment 10 forming the subject of the present invention with respect to the known ones .

Claims

- 1Δ -CLAIMS

1. Equipment (10) for composting organic refuse; equipment (10) comprising:

- a loading truck (20) ;

- a filling bell (40) for filling a bag (SC) made of plastic material with the organic refuse,-

- means of transfer (CL) of the organic refuse from said loading truck (20) to said filling bell (40); and

- means (60) designed to couple a mouth (BC) of bag (SC) with said filling bell (40) ; said equipment (10) being characterized in that it envisages means of coupling/uncoupling between said loading truck (20) and said filling bell (40) .

2. Equipment (10), as per Claim 1, in which said coupling/uncoupling means are fast coupling/uncoupling means .

3. Equipment (10), as per any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling bell (40) supports a plurality of roll carriers (PR4, PR5 , PRβ , PR7 , PR8) of respective rolls (RT4, RT5, RT6, RT7, RT8) of perforated pipes (TB4, TB5, TB6, TB7, TB8) .

4. Equipment (10), as per any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling bell (40) envisages means for fixing the bag (SC) .

5. Equipment (10), as per any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling bell (40) defines a portal (PT) , within which guide funnel (1MB) is housed made of steel plate (47) .

6. Equipment (10), as per Claim 5, wherein there are provided:

- a perforated pipe (TBl) inserted in a free space (46) ,-

- a perforated pipe (TB2) inserted in a through hole (48), made in a first steel plate (44) ;

- a perforated pipe (TB3) inserted in a through hole (49), which is also made in first steel plate (44) ;

- perforated pipe (TB4) inserted in free space (46) ;

- perforated pipe (TB5) inserted in a through hole (50) , made in the top part of portal (PT) ;

- perforated pipe (TB6) inserted in a through hole (51) , made in the top part of portal (PT) ;

- perforated pipe (TB7) inserted in a through hole (52), made in the top part of portal (PT) ;

- perforated pipe (TB8) inserted in free space (46) ;

- a perforated pipe (TB9) inserted in &■ through hole (56), made in the top part of portal (PT) ;

- a perforated pipe (TBlO) inserted in a through hole (55) , made in the top part of portal (PT) ;

- a perforated pipe (TBlI) inserted in a through hole (54), made in the top part of portal (PT^") ; and

- a perforated pipe (TB12) inserted in a through hole (53), made in the top part of portal (PT) .

7. Equipment (10), as per Claim 6, wherein through perforated pipes (TBl, TB4, TB8) fresh air is blown into the organic refuse covered by a bag (SC) .

8. Equipment (10), as per Claim 6, wherein perforated pipes (TB5, TB6, TB7) suck air and other gas from the organic refuse.

9. Equipment (10) as per Claim 6, wherein perforated pipes (TB2, TB3) are used for collecting the percolated liquid that develops in the organic refuse.

10. Equipment (10), as per Claim 6, wherein perforated pipes (TB9, TBlO, TBIl, TB12) serve to re-inject a given amount of percolate into the organic refuse so as to maintain a certain degree of moisture therein.

11. Equipment (10), as per Claim 1, wherein said filling bell (40) envisages a supporting device (57) comprising bar-like elements and provided with reclinable feet (58) equipped with height-adjustment means.

12.^' Equipment (10), as per Claim 1, wherein said means (60) comprise an auxiliary trolley (60) possibly provided with motor means .

13.- Equipment (10), as per Claim 12,^' wherein said auxiliary trolley (60) is designed to support a plurality of roll carriers (PR13, PRl4, PR15), which each supports a possible respective roll (RT13, RTl4, RT15) of a possible respective perforated pipe (TB13, TBl4, TB15) .

14. Equipment (10), as per Claim 13, wherein roll carriers (PR13, PRl4, PR15) are actuated by a motor with variable-speed drive provided with clutch.

15. Equipment (10), as per Claim 11, wherein said auxiliary trolley (60) moreover comprises means for lifting a top flap (LB) of a front mouth (BC) of the bag (SC) by means of a device (SD) for supporting and gripping top flap (LB) .

16. Equipment (10), as per Claim 14, wherein said device (SD) for supporting and gripping top flap (LB) comprises two brackets (SF) fixed to a cap (DD) , the profile of which substantially reproduces that of a top outer surface (SS) of filling bell (40) .