WO2008066360A1

WO2008066360A1 - Processing system of food wastes

Info

Publication number: WO2008066360A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/006184
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won Il Jo; Kwang Jun Yun; Chun Woo Lee
Original assignee: Showblue Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-02
Filing date: 2007-12-03
Publication date: 2008-06-05

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for processing food wastes, which can easily and rapidly process food wastes into a recyclable substance. The system includes a feeder configured to discharge food wastes together with water through a pipeline, to reduce the content of salt in the food wastes, a dehydrating and crushing device provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to dehydrate the food wastes discharged from the pipeline while cutting, crushing or grinding the food wastes, a heating and drying device provided near an exit of the dehydrating and crushing device and used to dry the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device, a sensor provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to sense the food wastes to be introduced into the dehydrating and crushing device, and a controller connected with the sensor, dehydrating and crushing device and heating and drying device, and used to control the dehydrating and crushing device and heating and drying device upon receiving a signal outputted from the sensor.

Description

PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR FOOD WASTES

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a processing system for food wastes, and more particularly, to a system for processing food wastes, which can be installed in various domestic and public places to automatically and rapidly process food wastes, thereby enabling a convenient and easy food-waste processing operation. Background Art

[2] As known, when food wastes are buried in general landfills, animal or vegetable fatty organic substances are denaturized into fatty acids and also, organic nitrogen is denaturized into ammonium since the food wastes are perishable and contain a lot of salt and insoluble substances, etc. The denaturized substances act as poisonous substances on microorganisms upon processing of leachate from landfills, and make a water treatment of food wastes difficult.

[3] For this reason, although it has been proposed to separate and collect food wastes for making feed or compost with the food wastes or burning the food wastes, this results in a limit in the treatment of food wastes because of a high moisture content and perishable property of food wastes.

[4] To solve the above described problem, there have been conventionally developed a variety of waste processing systems for crushing and dehydrating food wastes, such as a fermentation extinguisher, screw-squeezing dehydrator, piston- squeezing dehydrator, centrifugal dehydrator using a rotatable dehydrating drum, a heating and drying device, an incinerator, etc. However, the above mentioned conventional waste processing systems could not easily and efficiently process food wastes generated from domestic and public places.

[5] To efficiently process food wastes generated from domestic and public places, exclusive food- waste processing systems have been developed and used.

[6] FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional food- waste processing system. As shown in FIG. 5, the food-waste processing system includes: a flushing feeder 101 to feed food wastes, together with water for reducing the content of salt in the food wastes, through a pipeline 101a; a food- waste receiving tank 102 connected with the flushing feeder 101 by means of the pipeline 101a to receive and store the food wastes discharged from the flushing feeder 101; a filtering cover 103 to cover an opened upper surface of the food- waste receiving tank 102 to prevent the food wastes from overflowing the food- waste receiving tank 102 while allowing only the overflow of water; an auxiliary tank 104 encasing the food- waste receiving tank 102 to collect and discharge the water having passed through the filtering cover 103; a filter 105 receiving a filtering member 105 connected to the exit side of the auxiliary tank 104 so as to filter fine food wastes contained in the water discharged from the auxiliary tank 104; a valve 106 to open or close a pipe connected to the bottom of the food-waste receiving tank 102; a food- waste dehydrating/crushing device 107 provided at the downstream of the valve 106 to dehydrate, crush, and compress the food wastes discharged through the valve 106, so as to discharge the food wastes having no moisture; a plurality of food-waste bins 108 to store the food wastes separated from the food- waste dehydrating and crushing device 107; and a cold-storage warehouse 109 receiving the plurality of food- waste bins 108 to keep the food wastes in a frozen state.

[7] In operation of the conventional food- waste processing system having the above described configuration, if a user flushes water in the feeder 101 after pouring food wastes into the feeder 101, the food wastes fall down together with the water.

[8] After passing through the pipeline 101a together with the water, the food wastes are introduced into the food- waste receiving tank 102. While staying in the food- waste receiving tank 102 together with the water for a predetermined time, the content of salt in the food wastes is reduced.

[9] In this case, since the food- waste receiving tank 102 must be used to receive the water as well as the food wastes having a smaller volume than that of the water, it can be expected that the water in the food- waste receiving tank 102 overflows into the auxiliary tank 104 by passing through the filtering cover 103, regardless of the capacity of the food- waste receiving tank 102.

[10] The water flown into the auxiliary tank 104 is subsequently discharged to the outside while being secondarily filtered by means of the filter 105.

[11] Meanwhile, to prevent the food wastes from rotting, it is necessary to process the food wastes received in the food-waste receiving tank 102 within twenty-four hours. For this, the food wastes received in the food-waste receiving tank 102 are sent into the food- waste dehydrating and crushing device 107, so as to be dehydrated, crushed, and compressed within twenty-four hours.

[12] The dehydrated food wastes having no moisture separated from the food- waste dehydrating and crushing device 107 are poured into a plurality of the small food- waste bins 108.

[13] Then, the food-waste bins 108 are stored in the cold-storage warehouse 109 having a larger inner volume than that of the food- waste bins 108.

[14] Once the food- waste bins 108 filled with the food wastes are stored in the cold- storage warehouse 109, the food wastes can be frozen so as not to be rotted. Thereby, the frozen food wastes can be recycled into a fertilizer, compost, or fuel in specific recycling plants. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[15] The above described conventional solution, however, has several problems as follows. Firstly, since the food wastes are stored in the food-waste receiving tank 102 although the storage time of food wastes is not so long, there are problems of the rotting of food wastes and the generation of bad smell from an installation site of the food-waste processing system. Secondly, the conventional food-waste processing system has a very troublesome operation since an operator should have to manually and sequentially operate the valve 106 and the food- waste dehydrating and crushing device 107 and also, have to carry the food- waste bins 108 into the cold-storage warehouse 109 after pouring the food wastes into the food- waste bins 108. Thirdly, the food- waste receiving tank 102 and the auxiliary tank 104 should be frequently washed, resulting in an inconvenience in the maintenance of the conventional food-waste processing system. Technical Solution

[16] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for processing food wastes, which can be installed in various domestic and public places to automatically dehydrate, crush, and dry food wastes, thereby enabling a convenient and easy food- waste processing operation.

[17] In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a system for processing food wastes comprising: a feeder configured to discharge food wastes, together with water, through a pipeline, to reduce the content of salt in the food wastes; a dehydrating and crushing device provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to dehydrate the food wastes discharged from the pipeline while cutting, crushing or grinding the food wastes; a heating and drying device provided at the exit side of the dehydrating and crushing device and used to dry the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device; a sensor provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to sense the food wastes to be introduced into the dehydrating and crushing device; and a controller connected with the sensor, the dehydrating and crushing device and the heating and drying device, and used to control the dehydrating and crushing device and the heating and drying device upon receiving a signal outputted from the sensor.

Advantageous Effects

[18] A system for processing food wastes according to the present invention is configured such that it automatically dehydrate, crush or grind, and dry food wastes generated from domestic and public places. With this configuration, the present invention has the effects of allowing an operator to easily and rapidly process food wastes in a very convenient and simplified manner without the risk of rotting of the food wastes. As a result, when the resulting high quality of processed food wastes are sent to recycling factories, the food wastes can be used, for example, to produce useful resources.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[19] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[20] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for processing food wastes according to the present invention;

[21] FIG. 2 is a configuration view schematically illustrating the system for processing food wastes according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[22] FIG. 3 is a configuration view illustrating a food- waste feeder included in the system for processing food wastes according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[23] FIG. 4 is a configuration view schematically illustrating a system for processing fo od wastes according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

[24] FIG. 5 is a configuration view illustrating a conventional system for processing food wastes. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[25] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[26] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for processing food wastes according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration view schematically illustrating the system for processing food wastes according to the present invention. The system for processing food wastes is designed to be installed in domestic and public places including apartments and restaurants. If food wastes are poured into a feeder 1, the food wastes are guided into a dehydrating and crushing device 3 through a pipeline 2 connected with the feeder 1. After being dehydrated and crushed or ground in the dehydrating and crushing device 3, the food wastes are dried in a heating and drying device 4. The operations of the dehydrating and crushing device 3 and the heating and drying device 4 are controlled by a controller 6 in response to a signal sent from a sensor 5 installed at the exit side of the pipeline 2.

[27] The feeder 1 is configured to drop the food wastes together with water into the pipeline 2, in order to reduce the content of salt contained in the food wastes.

[28] In an embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 2, the feeder 1 has a configuration similar to a flush toilet or regular toilet in the same manner as the prior art. The feeder 1 includes a body Ia, and a quantitative water feeding port Ib connected with the body Ia to provide the body Ia with a quantified amount of water. Thereby, the food wastes poured into the body Ia can be discharged into the pipeline 2 together with the water.

[29] In another embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, the feeder 1 may include a feeding container 11 and an opening/closing plate 12 to allow food wastes to be poured into the feeding container 11, a lead switch 13 to sense whether or not the opening/closing plate 12 is closed, nozzles 14 and a crusher 15 to assure the smooth movement of the food wastes poured into the feeding container 11, an electronic valve 16 to control the injection of the water through the nozzles 14, and a feeding controller 17 to control the operations of the crusher 15 and the electronic valve 16.

[30] More specifically, the feeder 1 includes the feeding container 11 configured such that food wastes fed through an upper surface thereof fall down to a lower exit thereof, the opening/closing plate 12 to open or close the upper surface of the feeding container 11, the lead switch 13 to sense whether or not the opening/closing plate 12 is closed, a plurality of the nozzles 14 installed along an upper inner periphery of the feeding container 11 to inject water, the crusher 15 having a motor 15a and a crushing blade 15b and installed at the exit side of the feeding container 11 to cut, crush or grind the food wastes fed into the feeding container 11, the crushed food wastes falling down from the crusher 15, the electronic valve 16 connected with the nozzles 14 to control the injection of the water upon receiving electric power, and the feeding controller 17 to control the motor 15a of the crusher 15 and the electronic valve 16 in response to a signal from the lead switch 13.

[31] It will be easily understood that a plurality of feeders 1 installed at different places, such as sinks of respective apartment houses or detached houses, kitchens of restaurants, etc., are connected with the system by use of the pipeline 2, such that food wastes discharged from the plurality of feeders 1 fall down into the dehydrating and crushing device 3 located at the exit side of the pipeline 2.

[32] The dehydrating and crushing device 3 is located at the exit side of the pipeline 2, and is used to cut, crush or grind the food wastes discharged from the pipeline 2 while dehydrating the food wastes.

[33] In the embodiment as schematically shown in FIG. 2, the dehydrating and crushing device 3 includes a motor 3a, a crusher member 3b, and a dehydrating screw 3c. If power of the motor 3 a is applied to the crusher member 3b and the dehydrating screw 3c, the crusher member 3b is rotated to crush the food wastes, and simultaneously, the dehydrating screw 3c is rotated to dehydrate and squeeze the crushed food wastes. [34] Of course, the dehydrating and crushing device 3, which is disposed below the exit side of the pipeline 2 and connected with the pipeline 2 to cut, crush or grind the food wastes discharged from the pipeline 2 while separating water from the food wastes, is well known, and various kinds of the dehydrating and crushing device 3 including a screw-squeezing dehydrator, piston- squeezing dehydrator, a centrifugal dehydrator using a rotatable dehydrating drum, etc., have been actively developed in the prior art.

[35] The heating and drying device 4 is used to heat and dry the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device 3. In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, the heating and drying device 4 includes a motor 4a, an agitating blade 4b to be rotated by the motor 4a so as to agitate the food waste, and a heater 4c to heat the food wastes.

[36] Although not shown in FIG. 2, it will be understood that the heating and drying device 4 can heat the food wastes by use of hot air. Also, when a blower is added to the heating and drying device 4, the internal pressure of the heating and drying device 4 is lowered, thereby enabling the rapid heating and drying of food wastes.

[37] Meanwhile, the sensor 5 is installed at the exit side of the pipeline 2, i.e. near the entrance of the dehydrating and crushing device 3, to sense the food wastes to be introduced into the dehydrating and crushing device 3.

[38] In one example, the sensor 5 may be any one of known sensors including, for example, an infrared sensor having an infrared receiver and an infrared transmitter, a proximity sensor to sense the access of an object, a magnet sensor having a magnet, and a magnetic force receiver.

[39] The controller 6 is connected with the sensor 5, the dehydrating and crushing device

3, and the heating and drying device 4, such that it can control the dehydrating and crushing device 3 and the heating and drying device 4 in response to a signal outputted from the sensor 5.

[40] More specifically, if food wastes are discharged from the exit of the pipeline 2, the sensor 5 outputs a signal informing the discharge of the food wastes. As the signal is inputted into the controller 6, the controller 6 applies electric power to the motor 3 a of the dehydrating and crushing device 3 and the motor 4a and the heater 4c of the heating and drying device 4. Mode for the Invention

[41] Now, the operation and effects of the system for processing food wastes according to the present invention will be described.

[42] First, as described above, the plurality of feeders 1 are connected with the system by use of the pipeline 2, such that food wastes discharged from the respective feeders 1 fall down along the pipeline 2.

[43] More specifically, if a user pours food wastes into the body Ia of the feeder 1 as shown in FIG. 2 and then, operates the quantitative water feeding port Ib, the food wastes can be washed away by the water having passed through the quantitative water feeding port Ib as the water falls down within the body Ia.

[44] Of course, in the present invention, to assure smooth feeding and falling of the food wastes, the feeder 1 as shown in FIG. 3 may be used. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, after the user opens the opening/closing plate 12, the food wastes are fed into the feeding container 11. Then, as soon as the user closes the opening/closing plate 12, the lead switch 13 is turned on to output a signal into the feeding controller 17. The feeding controller 17 applies electric power to the motor 15a of the crusher 15 in response to an On-signal of the lead switch 13, so as to operate the crusher 15. Thereby, the food wastes located above the crushing blade 15b of the crusher 15 can be cut, crushed or ground by the crushing blade 15b of the crusher 15, and then, fall down from the crusher 15.

[45] After operating the crusher 15 for a predetermined time, the controller 17 applies electric power to the electronic valve 16 while still operating the crusher 15, to allow water to pass through the electronic valve 16. In this case, the water having passed through the electronic valve 16 is injected by means of the plurality of nozzles 14 so as to wash the interior of the feeding container 11. With this washing operation, the residual food wastes not discharged from the feeding container 11 can fall down so as to be crushed by the crusher 15. Also, the crushing blade 15b of the crusher 15 can be washed by the water injected from the nozzles 14. After operating the crusher 15 and the electronic valve 16 for a predetermined time, the feeding controller 17 stops the operations of the crusher 15 and the electronic valve 16.

[46] The food wastes fed into the feeder 1 as described above fall down along the pipeline 2 and reach the dehydrating and crushing device 3.

[47] At this time, the sensor 5 senses the food wastes discharged from the exit of the pipeline 2, and sends a signal to the controller 6. In response to the signal, the controller 6 immediately operates the dehydrating and crushing device 3 for a predetermined time.

[48] Then, as the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device 3 are conveyed into the heating and drying device 4, the controller 6 also operates the heating and drying device 4.

[49] Of course, since it takes a great time to dry the food wastes by means of the heating and drying device 4, the controller 6 has to control the heating and drying device 4 in due consideration of the operating condition of the heating and drying device 4.

[50] FIG. 4 is a configuration view schematically illustrating a system for processing food wastes according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the system for processing food wastes is configured in such a manner that an extinguisher 24 is installed instead of the heating and drying device 4, to decompose the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device 3 by use of microorganisms while heating the food wastes.

[51] The extinguisher 24, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a motor 24a, an agitating blade

24b to be rotated by the motor 24a so as to agitate the food wastes, a heater 24c to heat the food wastes, a perforated plate 24e receiving a microorganism habitat 24d therein so as to prevent the leakage of the microorganism habitat 24d, a plurality of nozzles 24f to supply moisture into the microorganism habitat 24d, and an electronic valve 24g connected with the plurality of nozzles 24f. With this configuration, the food wastes are decomposed by microorganisms, thereby being changed into liquid-phase food wastes. The liquid-phase food wastes can be discharged from the perforated plate 24e to the outside.

[52] The microorganism habitat 24d provides a space required for the habitation of microorganisms, and is made of husks of grain, oak chips, synthetic resin chips, porous minerals, and mixtures thereof.

[53] Although not shown in the drawing, it will be understood that the extinguisher 24 may use hot air and further include a structure to discharge gas generated therein to the outside.

[54] In operation, the food wastes fed into the feeder 1 fall down along the pipeline 2 and reach the dehydrating and crushing device 3. Then, as the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device 3 are conveyed into the extinguisher 24, the controller 6 operates the extinguisher 24.

[55] Of course, since the extinguisher needs a great time to decompose the food wastes by use of microorganisms, the controller 6 has to control the operation of the extinguisher 24 in consideration of the operating time and condition of the extinguisher 24.

[56] Considering a procedure of processing the food wastes introduced into the extinguisher 24, after the food wastes are introduced into the microorganism habitat 24d containing the microorganisms, the motor 24a is operated such that the microorganism habitat 24d and the food wastes are agitated by the agitating blade 24b while being heated by the heater 24c. Thereby, the food wastes can be decomposed by the microorganisms.

[57] To discharge gas generated during the decomposition of the food wastes by the microorganisms as described above, the electronic valve 24g is operated such that the gas can be liquefied by water injected through the nozzles 24f. The operation of the electronic valve 24g also has the effect of removing heat generated during the decomposition of the food wastes.

[58] As the above described procedure is repeated, the food wastes can be completely decomposed into liquid-phase food wastes by the microorganisms. The liquid-phase food wastes fall down through the perforated plate 24e, thereby being discharged to the outside.

Industrial Applicability

[59] As apparent from the above description, a system for processing food wastes according to the present invention has the effect of enabling a convenient and rapid food- waste processing operation, and can be used efficiently in associated fields for recycling food wastes into a fertilizer, compost, fuel, etc.

[60] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

[1] A system for processing food wastes comprising: a feeder configured to discharge food wastes, together with water, through a pipeline, to reduce the content of salt in the food wastes; a dehydrating and crushing device provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to dehydrate the food wastes discharged from the pipeline while cutting, crushing or grinding the food wastes; a heating and drying device provided at the exit side of the dehydrating and crushing device and used to dry the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device; a sensor provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to sense the food wastes to be introduced into the dehydrating and crushing device; and a controller connected with the sensor, the dehydrating and crushing device and the heating and drying device, and used to control the dehydrating and crushing device and the heating and drying device upon receiving a signal outputted from the sensor.

[2] A system for processing food wastes comprising: a feeder configured to discharge food wastes, together with water, through a pipeline, to reduce the content of salt in the food wastes; a dehydrating and crushing device provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to dehydrate the food wastes discharged from the pipeline while cutting, crushing or grinding the food wastes; an extinguisher provided at the exit side of the dehydrating and crushing device and used to decompose the food wastes discharged from the dehydrating and crushing device by use of microorganisms; a sensor provided at the exit side of the pipeline and used to sense the food wastes to be introduced into the dehydrating and crushing device; and a controller connected with the sensor, the dehydrating and crushing device and the extinguisher, and used to control the dehydrating and crushing device and the extinguisher upon receiving a signal outputted from the sensor.

[3] The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the feeder comprises: a feeding container having an opened upper surface to receive the food wastes that will fall down to a lower exit of the feeding container; an opening/closing plate to open or close the upper surface of the feeding container; a lead switch installed at the upper surface of the feeding container, to sense whether or not the opening/closing plate is closed; a plurality of the nozzles installed along an upper inner periphery of the feeding container to inject water; a crusher having a motor and a crushing blade and installed at the exit side of the feeding container to cut, crush or grind the food wastes fed into the feeding container, the crushed food wastes falling down from the crusher; an electronic valve connected with the nozzles to control the flow of the water upon receiving electric power; and a feeding controller to control the motor of the crusher and the electronic valve upon receiving a signal from the lead switch.