DEVICE FOR COLLECTION, STORAGE AND TRANSPORT OF FERMENTABLE WASTE

Abstract

A removable device for collecting, storing and transporting fermentable waste, comprising: a device for supplying fermentable waste; a hopper; a grinder designed for grinding fermentable waste and forming ground material; a device for transferring the ground material; an airtight storage tank designed to store the ground material anaerobically under a controlled atmosphere; a device for emptying the tank, designed to empty the storage tank; the hopper being designed to convey the fermentable waste from the supply device to the grinder, the transfer device being designed to transfer the ground material from the grinder to the storage tank, the device further comprising a device for filtering effluents, connected to the storage tank, the device further comprising a pressure reducer disposed between the storage tank and the filtration device.

Claims

1. A removable device for collecting, storing and transporting fermentable waste comprising, in a direction of flow of the fermentable waste: a feed device for supplying fermentable waste; a hopper; a grinder arranged to grind the fermentable waste and form ground materials; a transfer device for transferring the ground materials; an airtight storage tank arranged to store the ground materials anaerobically under a controlled atmosphere; a tank emptying device arranged to empty the storage tank; an effluent filtering device connected to the storage tank; and a pressure reducer arranged between the storage tank and the filtering device; and wherein the hopper is arranged to convey the fermentable waste from the feed device to the grinder, and the transfer device is arranged to transfer the ground materials from the grinder to the storage tank.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an odor trap arranged between the grinder and the storage tank.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the odor trap comprises a knife gate valve.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the transfer device is under positive pressure in the direction of flow of the fermentable waste.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the transfer device comprises a worm or a peristaltic pump.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the storage tank comprises wave-breaking discs arranged vertically.

7. The device of claim 7, wherein the storage tank comprises at least one level sensor.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the storage tank further comprises a heater arranged to heat the ground materials.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a controller configured to control the heater.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the effluent filtering device comprises a solid filtering medium.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the effluent filtering device comprises at least one device selected among the group of devices consisting of an ionization device, a photocatalysis device, a UV treatment device, an ozonation device or a burning device.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the effluent filtering device comprises a washing column filtering device.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a device for storing effluent arranged between the storage tank and the effluent discharge device.

14. A transporter equipped with a device according to claim 1, the transporter configured to transport the device from a storage facility in which the device is stored to another storage facility.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the transfer device is under positive pressure in the direction of flow of the fermentable waste.

16. The device of claim 415, wherein the transfer device comprises a worm or a peristaltic pump.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage tank comprises wave-breaking discs arranged vertically.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage tank comprises at least one level sensor.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage tank further comprises a heater arranged to heat the ground materials.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a controller configured to control the heater.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Other advantages and particularities of the present disclosure will become apparent on reading the detailed description of implementations and embodiments, which are in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0049] FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a device for treating fermentable waste according to the present disclosure;

[0050] FIG. 2 schematically shows a detail of the device shown in FIG. 1;

[0051] FIG. 3 schematically shows another detail of the device shown in FIG. 1; and

[0052] FIG. 4 schematically shows yet another detail of the device shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Since the embodiments described hereinafter are not limiting in nature, it is possible, in particular, to consider variants of the present disclosure that comprise only a selection of the features that are described, provided that this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the present disclosure from the prior art. This selection comprises at least one preferably functional feature without structural details, or with only a portion of the structural details if this portion alone is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the present disclosure from the prior art.

[0054] In the figures, an element appearing in a plurality of figures retains the same reference.

[0055] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a device 100 for collecting, storing and transporting fermentable waste. The device 100 is designed to provide a methanization process for this fermentable waste.

[0056] The device 100 is removable and movable between a place for collecting waste and a place for unloading the collected waste.

[0057] To this end, the device 100 comprises, in a direction of flow M of the fermentable waste: [0058] a feed device 102 for supplying fermentable waste, [0059] a hopper 104, [0060] a grinder 106 designed to grind the fermentable waste and form ground materials, [0061] a transfer device 108 for transferring the ground materials, [0062] an airtight storage tank 110, arranged to store the ground materials anaerobically under a controlled atmosphere, and [0063] a tank emptying device 112 arranged to empty the storage tank 110.

[0064] The device 100 is further equipped with a gripping hook C.

[0065] The hopper is arranged to convey the fermentable waste from the feed device 102 to the grinder 106.

[0066] The transfer device 108 is arranged to transfer the ground materials from the grinder to the airtight storage tank 110.

[0067] The device 100 further comprises an effluent filtering device 114 for the effluent (E) that is fluidly connected to the storage tank 110. Gases can flow from the storage tank 110 to the outside of the device 100 through the effluent filtering device 114.

[0068] The feed device 102 is of the gravity type.

[0069] The feed device 102 may comprise a manual opening, preferably with a slide valve or a drum. The feed device may, alternatively or in addition, comprise a container lifter, preferably electrically or hydraulically actuated, arranged to empty a rolling bin.

[0070] In the illustrated embodiment, the storage tank is made of polymer, soft metal or stainless steel. The storage tank can be covered, at least partially, with a protective and/or reinforcing layer, for example, of the PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), stainless steel or epoxy sheet type.

[0071] According to one embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the transfer device 108 may comprise a gooseneck pipe or cylinder 116 connected above the storage tank 110.

[0072] Still with reference to FIG. 2, the storage tank 110 comprises wave-breaking discs 118, arranged vertically. These discs, which have the double advantage of optimizing the complete filling of the storage tank 110, limit the risks of overturning during transport. It is thus possible to avoid water hammers.

[0073] The storage tank 110 further comprises level sensors 120. They can be placed on either side of the wave breakers 118 and improve the reading of the actual filling level of the tank.

[0074] Curve N illustrates a possible spread of the ground materials in the storage tank 110.

[0075] With reference to FIG. 1, the hopper 104 may be provided with a nonstick coating, for example, of the PTFE or PP (polypropylene) type. In particular, polypropylene has a very low coefficient of friction and good resistance to acids and bases.

[0076] The device 100 can further comprise two odor traps (not shown).

[0077] The first odor trap is formed by a cover of the hopper 104 provided with a seal and is thus arranged upstream of the hopper, along the direction of flow of the fermentable materials. The cover has at least two functions, one of safety, the other of sealing the hopper. When closed, it allows the release of the grinder 106 in complete safety and retains the odors from the residues of waste that has not been sent to the storage tank 110.

[0078] The second odor trap is formed by a tight knife gate valve, arranged between the transfer device 108 and the storage tank 110. The knife gate valve makes it possible, on the one hand, to ensure that the ground materials cannot return to the grinder 106 and, on the other hand, to ensure tightness with regard to the air outside the device. This assembly is particularly advantageous when the transfer device has a gooseneck pipe.

[0079] According to one possibility, the transfer device 108 may comprise a vacuum pump.

[0080] Alternatively, the transfer device is under positive pressure along the direction of flow of the fermentable waste. The transfer device 108 can, for example, be a worm, also called Archimedes' screw, or a peristaltic pump.

[0081] The emptying device 112 operates by gravity or suction, for example, by means of an agricultural valve or a manhole.

[0082] According to one embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the storage tank 110 may further comprise heating means 122 arranged to heat the ground materials.

[0083] Thus, once the storage tank 110 is full, it can be heated to a minimum temperature of 70° C. for a minimum period of one hour in order to carry out the phase of hygienization of the fermentable waste anaerobically. This phase is mandatory for fermentable waste that may contain type C3 animal by-products (SPAN C3). Carrying out this operation in the tank then makes it possible to empty the tank at any biogas plant, regardless of its facilities. Indeed, since the cost of a hygienization facility in a biogas plant is high, few are equipped with one. Furthermore, a biogas plant that uses mainly agricultural products cannot make a hygienization facility profitable.

[0084] Control devices, such as computers, can be provided to control the heating means 122.

[0085] According to one embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the effluent filtering device 114 is arranged (fluidly connected) between the storage tank 110 and an effluent discharge device 124, for effluent generated by the ground materials and/or fermentable waste, of the device 100.

[0086] The effluent filtering device 114 is a solid filtering medium, preferably a carbon filter or a biofilter.

[0087] Alternatively, the effluent filtering device is of the ionization, photocatalysis, UV treatment, ozonation or burning type.

[0088] Alternatively, the effluent filtering device is of the washing column type.

[0089] The effluent filtering device comprises a pressure relief valve 128, arranged between the storage tank 110 and the effluent filtering device 114, preferably calibrated at 0.1 bar.

[0090] In the illustrated example, the storage tank 110 further comprises a safety valve 130 calibrated to 0.3 bar at the interface between the storage tank 110 and the outside of the device 100.

[0091] The pressure relief valve 128 and the safety valve 130 are arranged as far as possible from the agricultural valve or from the manhole.

[0092] For example, the agricultural valve or the manhole can be arranged on one side, called the front side, of the device 100, while the pressure relief valve 128 and the safety valve 130 are arranged on the other side, called the rear side, of the device 100.

[0093] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the device 100 may comprise a pressure reducer 126, arranged between the storage tank 110 and the effluent filtering device 114.

[0094] In this case, the pressure relief valve 128 can be arranged between the storage tank 110 and the effluent filtering device 114.

[0095] The pressure reducer 126 is chosen carefully and has a volume greater than or equal to the maximum quantity of waste ingestible by the machine in one cycle, for example, 240 L. Thus, it is ensured that the effluent filtering device 114 operates at zero pressure. The effluent filtering device 114 thus exhibits the best filtration rate.

[0096] The device 100 may further comprise an effluent storage device, fluidly arranged between the effluent filtering device 114 and the effluent discharge device 124.

[0097] As will be readily understood, the present disclosure is not limited to the examples that have just been described, and numerous modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In addition, the various features, forms, variants, and embodiments of the present disclosure can be grouped together in various combinations as long as they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.