A FLEXIBLE SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING, TREATMENT AND USE OF WASTE

Abstract

A variable system is provided for processing, treatment and use of wastes containing sorting, mechanical treatment, separation and processing of waste that further contains a waste container provided with at least one waste amount sensor and at least one waste motion sensor to which a waste crusher with a load sensor is connected via a batcher, wherein the waste amount sensor, the other waste motion sensor and the load sensor are interconnected with a control unit connected to conveyor drive controllers in the waste container, the batcher and the crusher; behind the crusher, a treatment plant for mechanical treatment, cleaning, drying, separation and agglomeration is located that is followed by a bio-gas station for processing and treatment of organic materials for energy recovery and subsequent use as compost, a sorter of formed granules to respective types of plastic for their recycling, and a thermochemical unit for production of energy fuel in the form of gas, oil and carbon followed by at least one liquefied gas tank provided with a mixing equipment are located.

Claims

1. A variable system for processing, treatment and use of wastes containing a waste container to which a waste crusher is connected via a batcher, behind which a waste treatment plant for mechanical treatment, cleaning, drying, separation and agglomeration that is followed by a bio-gas station for processing and treatment of organic materials for energy recovery and subsequent use as compost, a sorter of the formed granules to respective types of plastic for their recycling, and a thermochemical unit for production of energy fuel in the form of gas, oil and carbon followed by at least one liquefied gas tank provided with a mixing equipment are located wherein the waste container is provided with at least one waste amount sensor and at least one other waste motion sensor, and the waste crusher is provided with a load sensor, wherein the waste amount sensor, the other waste motion sensor and the load sensor are interconnected with a control unit connected to conveyor drive controllers in the waste container, the batcher and the crusher; behind the crusher, the thermochemical unit for production of energy fuel in the form of gas, oil, carbon is present behind which at least one liquefied gas tank provided with a mixing equipment is located, wherein the crusher is a slow-running crusher with a pressure sieve to reach uniform material granulometry for further sorting and processing, and the thermochemical unit is provided with input material batching without air access, at least three heat sources interconnected with the control unit and temperature sensors in a retort.

2. The variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste according to claim 1 wherein the thermochemical unit is provided with a device for dosing a granular material and/or an extruder for compressing an input plastic material up to its melting point to homogenize it.

3. The variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste according to any of claim 1 wherein it is provided with an equipment for processing of gases from the bio-gas station and from the thermochemical unit for electric energy production.

4. The variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste according to claim 1 wherein it is provided with a bio-filter with a filtration bed with height of 1.0 to 2.0 m comprising a mixture of shredded bark, peat and coconut fibres, wherein microbial life for removal of organoleptic organic substances in low concentrations from the extracted air flow is maintained on the surface of these particles; which is provided with a pH regulator, automatic counterflow spraying and a temperature regulator in the range from 10 to 40° C.

5. The variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste according to claim 1 wherein it is located on a ship and the waste container, the batcher, the waste crusher, the treatment plant, the bio-gas station, the thermochemical unit for energy fuel production and at least one liquefied gas tank are mutually interconnected by flexible joints.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] The variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste containing sorting, mechanical treatment, separation and processing of waste according to this invention will be described in more details based on particular embodiment examples using attached drawings where

[0022] FIG. 1 shows the waste sorting scheme.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows the waste crushing scheme.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the thermochemical unit scheme.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The exemplary variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste containing sorting, mechanical treatment, separation and processing of waste contains a waste container 1 provided with waste amount sensors 2 and other waste motion sensors 3. To the container 1, a waste crusher 5 is connected via a hatcher 4 with a load sensor 6. The waste amount sensors 2, the other waste motion sensors 3 and the load sensor 6 are interconnected with a control unit 7 connected to conveyor drive controllers in the waste container 1, the hatcher 4 and the crusher 5. The crusher 5 is represented by a slow-running crusher with a pressure sieve 10 to reach uniform material granulometry for other sorting and processing. Behind the crusher 5, a waste treatment plant for mechanical treatment, cleaning, drying, separation and agglomeration that is followed by a bio-gas station for processing and treatment of organic materials for energy recovery and subsequent use as compost, a sorter of the formed granules to respective types of plastic for their recycling, and a thermochemical unit 8 for production of energy fuel in the form of gas, oil and carbon followed by liquefied gas tanks 9 provided with a mixing equipment are located. The thermochemical unit 8 is provided with an input material batching 11 with absence of air, heat sources 12 interconnected with the control unit 7 and thermal sensors 13 in thermal unit 8 retort. The system is further provided with an equipment for processing of gases from the bio-gas station and from the thermochemical unit 8 for electric energy production.

[0026] The variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste is be provided with a bio-filter with a filtration bed with height of 1.0 to 2.0 m consisting of or comprising a mixture of shredded bark, peat and coconut fibres, wherein microbial life for removal of organoleptic organic substances in low concentrations from the extracted air flow is maintained on the surface of these particles; which is provided with a pH regulator, automatic counterflow spraying and a temperature regulator in the range from 10 to 40° C.

[0027] In another embodiment, the variable system for processing, treatment and use of waste is located on a ship, and the waste container 1, the batcher 4, the waste crusher 5, the treatment plant, the bio-gas station, the thermochemical unit 8 for energy fuel production and liquefied gas tanks 9 are mutually interconnected by flexible joints.

[0028] The waste will be brought in by collection vehicles to a structurally separated reception part of the building where it will be unloaded on a concrete floor provided with a penetration coating inclined to a drainless chamber for capturing of possible waste liquid components or leak of other liquids that could endanger the quality of the environment.

[0029] The reception part of the building will be operated by a wheel loader with a bucket that will spread the waste and separate ballast objects not suitable for processing using the mechanical biological treatment method from it. The ballast components will be stored in a close-put container and landfilled without modification.

[0030] The loader will load the waste to a hopper with a delivery conveyor that will transport the waste to the processing part of the building. The reception part will be drawn off via a bio-filter to prevent the spread of odour emissions to the surroundings.

[0031] The waste enters the primary crusher that will adjust the particle size, loosen the waste placed in bags or boxes. The crushed waste will be forwarded on the conveyor with a pourer to a magnetic separator where iron metals contained in the waste will be separated. After separating the metals, the pre-crushed waste will be forwarded to a manual separation of glass, rocks and especially plastic. The glass and the iron will be transported for recycling, the rocks will be transported to a landfill without any further use. Plastics will be used for energy processing in the thermochemical unit. The advantage of manual sorting is the option to simply expand the number of separated waste types. In case a processor of e.g. paper is found in the area, it is also possible to easily separate paper suitable for recycling from the waste.

[0032] The residual part with a large proportion of biological waste will be crushed to a fine fraction and used for active fermentation with subsequent composting.

[0033] The waste processing line will be equipped with extraction of individual workplaces where handling or pouring over of the processed waste will take place. The first extracted area will be the input crusher, then the pourer over the magnetic separator, the manual sorting line and the final crusher. The air-conditioning system will take the extracted air outside the hall where fabric dust collectors will be located. Behind these separators, a bio-filtration equipment to decrease the odour emissions will be located.

[0034] Composting Plant—Fermentation Building

[0035] The aim of the controlled aerobic fermentation process is to reach the decrease of the biological activity of the under-sieve fraction from mixed municipal waste sorting with high contents of biological degradable components below the respiratory activity of oxygen consumption 10 mg O2/g of dry matter. This activity is sufficiently low to prevent anaerobic processes in the waste body to form the methane gas which has approx. six times higher greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide—the natural product of biological degradation.

[0036] After this forced oxidation process, it will no longer be possible to acquire waste gas for use in the co-generation unit for production of electric energy and use of waste heat from gas burning.

[0037] One of the innovative options is a system of compost windrows located in an enclosed building with active digging-over using a digger enabling substrate spraying with an additional irrigation equipment. This process is slower but substantially less expensive.

[0038] With a correct digging and wetting mode, the proposed solution enables to reach the same effect as with using the fermentation boxes with the only difference that the process is approx. by 1 month slower. Therefore, a sufficient area is selected so that the substrate could be sufficiently delayed in the process.

[0039] The digging-over is assumed 3 to 5 times a week, according to the needs and the period of the year. The building area will be used for forming compost windrows. In the fermentation building, the intensive part of the fermentation will take place for the period of 6 weeks, and then the substrate will be transferred to the mature area.

[0040] The building will be provided with a concrete panelling to the height of 5 m to be able to spread the compost windrows on the whole building area and to minimize dustiness.

[0041] The area above the panelling will be provided with a light-transmitting material, e.g. a polycarbonate. It will therefore be an enclosed building that will be provided with an extraction system for air and water vapours, de-dusting and elimination of odour substances by sieving through a bio-filter.

[0042] Composting Plant—Mature Area

[0043] From the fermentation building, the material will be transferred to the area for compost maturing. It will be a prepared concrete area inclined to retention tanks where leakages of rain water through the composted material will be accumulated.

[0044] The area will be used for forming compost windrows. The period for compost material holding in this area will be 6 to 8 weeks. The compost windrows will be dug-over and wetted as appropriate, approx. once a week.

[0045] Bio-Filter

[0046] Waste air bio-filtration is a method based on the use of microorganisms for decomposition or bio-transformation of harmful substances. The polluted air goes through the bio-filter filled with a porous material that is covered by a bio-mass layer. When the gas passes through the bio-filter, pollutant is captured, i.e. absorbed to the bio-mass surface and the pollutant is then bio-degraded. Thus, the basic principle of bio-degradation is a combination of contaminant adsorption and bio-chemical decomposition using suitable bacterial cultures.

[0047] Inside the bio-filter, optimal conditions must be continuously kept, among others mainly humidity, pH, temperature and nutrient concentration. Before its operation, the bio-filter filling is inoculated with suitable microbial cultures and also needed inorganic nutrients are supplied.

[0048] Through the bio-filter, air from extracted areas and technologies will pass that could spread the odour load to the surroundings in case of free releasing into the air. The bio-filter capacity and its size result from the air amount coming out from the air-conditioning units.

[0049] The bio-filter is equipped with a filtration bed with the height of 1.5 m consisting of or comprising a mixture of shredded bark, peat and coconut fibres. Microbial life enabling removal of organoleptic organic substances in low concentrations from the extracted air flow is maintained on the surface of these particles.

[0050] The equipment has its own pH regulation, automatic counterflow spraying, temperature regulation. During operation, it is not necessary to interfere with the equipment. The only condition is the input air temperature range ranging from 10 to 40° C.

[0051] Sorting and Separation

[0052] The technology equipment combines proven optical and mechanical processes of separation using a method which guarantees high quality sorting to recyclable material fractions. The technology process ensures a high and especially uniform quality of output materials. Mixed plastics are separated from single plastics that thanks to that may be immediately used for production of granules and agglomerates applicable in the recycling industry.

[0053] Technology of Material Crushing and Preparation

[0054] The technology is designed and composed to be able to process the specified input material, i.e. waste, e.g. used tyres. The line will gradually crush the input raw material to finer fractions. Its individual parts will be connected with a conveyor. The technology will contain sorters and separators of magnetic metals. E.g. steel ropes together with other extracted steel from tyres will be transferred to further processing. The usual capacity of the whole technology is 2 to 3 tons of the output crushed material per hour.

[0055] Treatment Plant

[0056] A technology set designed and composed for mechanical treatment, magnetic and optical and colour separation, pulpers and agglomeration with subsequent preparation for further processing or selling of e.g. PET granules.

[0057] Bio-Gas Station

[0058] The base of the bio-gas station is formed by digestion gas-tight and water-tight chambers, of so-called garage type, when the operational volume of one chamber is approx. 800 m3 of material. Chamber emptying and filling is performed by a wheel-loader. Input raw material inoculation is performed partly by mixing the fresh bio-waste—approx. 60% of the batch with already fermented bio-mass—approx. 40% of the batch, and then by spraying the process water on the fermented mass in an enclosed chamber.

[0059] The bio-gas station will be designed and custom-made—based on the available amount and types of raw materials, possible location layout.

[0060] Thermochemical Unit

[0061] The ECPS system (Energy Conversion Processor System) has been designed to generate energy from all bio-degradable or synthetic wastes. These units will continuously work during production of high-quality gaseous and liquid fuels. The ECPS thermochemical systems use various waste sources that produce gaseous or liquid fuels from waste. The efficiency of ECPS systems is completely dependent on the purity and the energy contents of the waste. The whole thermochemical system is designed to meet all European standards for this equipment type. The production cycle is closed without fugitive emissions and waste-free.

[0062] The equipment is automatic with many safety systems that monitor the thermochemical process all the time to eliminate the human factor.

[0063] This kind of the thermochemical unit may be used for energy recycling of these waste types: [0064] tyres [0065] plastics [0066] municipal waste [0067] sludges from sewage treatment plants, sludges from paint shops, laundry and paper sludges [0068] farm and garden waste, e.g. manure, slurry, garden waste [0069] biomass and wood [0070] hospital waste

[0071] Gas Management and Energy Centre

[0072] Equipment for processing gas from composting, the thermochemical unit, and its use for energy production

[0073] The facility for processing and energy recovery of waste is composed of several components that are stated and described above and that are mutually interconnected. The estimated area size including all service roads, office building, parking areas and storage areas with the size for processing 10 t of waste per hour is approximately 400×200 in. With respect to concept variability, existing unused industry premises may also be used for plant construction and thus can be revitalized.

[0074] The variable system according to this invention can be used especially during processing, treatment and use of wastes, especially municipal ones.