Treatment method for recycling coffee grounds and product
By pre-drying, crushing and sieving, mixing and drying coffee grounds, high-quality coffee grounds raw materials are prepared, solving the problems of coffee grounds being prone to mold and odor, improving the stability and economic value of coffee grounds products, and promoting the development of a circular economy.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410957091.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-20
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, coffee grounds are prone to mold and odor if not properly treated, and the unfermented recycling process leads to unstable product quality, making it impossible to effectively recycle and increasing processing costs and environmental burden.
High-quality coffee grounds are prepared through steps such as pre-drying, crushing and sieving, mixing, shaping and drying. This includes sun-drying or heating, adjusting particle size, adding adhesive resin and flavorings to form products such as mosquito coils, incense, and deodorizing tablets. Temperature and humidity are controlled to ensure quality.
It improves the economic value and stability of coffee grounds products, enhances their smoothness and mold resistance, promotes the development of a circular economy, and reduces resource waste.
Smart Images
Figure CN121361216A_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of coffee grounds recycling processing, in particular to a processing method and product for recycling coffee grounds. BACKGROUND
[0002] With the rise of environmental awareness, circular economy is the direction of continuous efforts for countries around the world. Over-exploitation of environmental resources will eventually lead to resource depletion and global warming. Resource recycling is one of the ways to improve resource waste and environmental friendliness. Commonly used on the market are rice straw, corn stalks, wheat straw, sugarcane residue, bamboo sticks, coconut shells and other waste materials rich in natural plant fibers. After recycling and processing, daily life products such as tableware, straws, charcoal, fertilizers, fabrics or shoes can be made according to the fiber characteristics, achieving effective plastic reduction and promoting the development of circular economy.
[0003] Among them, coffee beans have the characteristic of porosity after carbonization. In addition to being used as fuel, charcoal can also be used in the fields of moisture absorption, deodorization, water purification, etc. due to its porous physical properties, making charcoal have more added value and increasing economic benefits. Charcoal needs to be processed into charcoal by independent kiln or dry distillation equipment. Human, material, time and environment must pay considerable cost, and cannot achieve the effect of circular economy.
[0004] Coffee has become a necessity in the lives of most people. Coffee fruits are processed into coffee beans through selection, roasting and brewing. The coffee residue left over from the brewing process can be stored for 10-14 days in a well-sealed condition. If the coffee residue is not properly recycled, it can only be treated as garbage, increasing the cost of treating the coffee residue and social resources. A new company in the UK, Bio-bean, says that burying one ton of coffee residue produces about 6.8 tons of greenhouse gases.
[0005] Efficient recovery of carbonized coffee grounds can save the carbonization process of kiln or dry distillation. However, the recovery of coffee grounds requires complicated pre-treatment. Currently, coffee grounds are dried and then made into products on the market without the key steps of fermentation, maturation and lactic acid removal. The finished product is prone to moisture, mold and odor, resulting in waste processing cost and failure to achieve the purpose of recycling. SUMMARY
[0006] To solve the above problems, the main purpose of the present application is to provide a processing method for recycling coffee grounds, which can effectively improve the quality of recycled coffee ground products and improve the economic value of coffee ground products.
[0007] Another object of the present application is to provide a product made by the processing method of recycling coffee grounds, so as to effectively reduce plastic and promote the development of circular economy, and improve the stability of batch production.
[0008] To achieve the above object, the present application provides a processing method of recycling coffee grounds, which collects recycled coffee grounds to make high-quality processing raw materials through the following steps, comprising:
[0009] The pre-drying step removes the water content of the coffee grounds by sun drying under the conditions of an ambient temperature of 30-35℃, an ambient relative humidity of 40-80%, a drying time of 2-3 days, and a drying time per day of 10-12 hours. The process needs to be stirred every 30-60 minutes to fully ferment the recycled coffee grounds.
[0010] The crushing and sieving step adjusts the particle size of the pre-dried coffee grounds to be consistent by crushing or grinding. The crushed coffee grounds are sieved to 100-1000 mesh particle size, and are divided into coarse and fine meshes.
[0011] The mixing step mixes the crushed and sieved coffee grounds with adhesive resin, spices, and water, and fully mixes them into a plastic raw material.
[0012] The forming step uses a forming method to form a rough embryo from the mixed raw material.
[0013] The drying step dries and cures the formed rough embryo by sun drying at 30-35℃ for 2 days, 8 hours per day.
[0014] The high-quality processing raw material refers to a processing raw material that does not add other substances or impurities except coffee grounds, adhesive resin, spices, and water, and has superior quality.
[0015] The crushing and sieving step of the present application can change the sieve number according to the surface smoothness requirement of the final product.
[0016] Preferably, the pre-drying step uses gas or electric heating as an additional energy source for drying. After drying with gas or electric heating and waste heat as an additional energy source, the coffee grounds are matured for 2-3 days under the condition of an ambient relative humidity of 20%.
[0017] The pre-drying step of the present application can be sun drying or other heating methods. The pre-drying step mainly ferments and rots the coffee grounds to remove the lactic acid taste.
[0018] Preferably, in the mixing step, the mass ratio of the ground and sieved coffee residue to the adhesive resin is 2-3:1, the mass ratio of the ground and sieved coffee residue to the spice is 1:0.1-3.9, and the mass ratio of the total powder of the ground and sieved coffee residue, the adhesive resin and the spice to water is 1:1.
[0019] Preferably, the spice in the mixing step is a natural plant spice.
[0020] The mixing step of the present application mixes the coffee residue, the adhesive resin and the spice according to the ratio of the three, and adjusts the water amount according to the difficulty of processing different products to reduce the rejection rate of the processing and molding.
[0021] Preferably, the molding step is injection molding, extrusion molding or compression molding or other suitable molding methods.
[0022] Preferably, the drying step is heated by a gas or electric heating external energy source, and the external energy heating condition is 40-60℃ for 4-8 hours.
[0023] The drying step of the present application can be performed by sunning or machine heating.
[0024] Preferably, the product packaging step is further included, and the product is packaged at an ambient temperature of 25℃ and an ambient relative humidity of less than 5%.
[0025] The present application provides a product made by the coffee residue recycling processing method, which can be a mosquito coil, a bye-bye incense, an insecticide, an incense, a deodorizing tablet, a fertilizer, a biofuel rod or coffee charcoal.
[0026] Preferably, the main spice of the mosquito coil or the insecticide is a mosquito-repelling spice.
[0027] Preferably, the main spice of the deodorizing tablet or the incense is a natural plant spice.
[0028] The present application has the following advantages:
[0029] The coffee residue recycling processing method provided by the present application can create high-quality coffee residue raw materials that are not prone to mold and have high economic benefits after the pre-drying, grinding and sieving, mixing, molding, drying and product packaging steps, and can be made into mosquito coils, incense, deodorizing tablets, or coffee charcoal products produced by dry distillation at different temperatures, thereby improving the defects of the products such as cracking, poor smoothness, easy mold, odor generation, etc. The purpose of effectively reducing plastic and promoting the development of circular economy is achieved, and the stability of batch production is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0030] Figure 1 The figure is a flowchart of the coffee residue recycling processing method of the present application.
[0031] Reference signs
[0032] S101: pre-drying step; S102: crushing and sieving step; S103: mixing step; S104: molding step; S105: drying step; S106: finished product packaging step. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] Coffee has been through the roasting process, the basic carbonization procedure, and has the same porous characteristics as charcoal made from carbonized wood. In addition to the same moisture absorption and deodorization effects as charcoal, coffee grounds also have the functions of repelling mosquitoes, ants, or serving as fertilizer and removing dirt, etc. After brewing, the coffee grounds contain a certain proportion of moisture, making them prone to mold and fermentation. If they are to be recycled and reused, they must undergo a pre-processing procedure. The present application collects coffee grounds waste, ferments and dries them, sieves them, and then recycles and processes the coffee grounds to make incense, mosquito repellent, prayer incense, deodorizing tablets, moisture-absorbing tablets, or fertilizer, etc.
[0034] Based on the concept of promoting a circular economy, the coffee grounds used in the present application are mainly recycled from beverage or food processing plants or stores, but are not limited thereto, and can be obtained from other sources.
[0035] The coffee grounds recycling and reusing processing method of the present application collects coffee grounds, which are then subjected to pre-drying, crushing, sieving, mixing, molding, drying, and finished product packaging steps. The recycled coffee grounds are effectively improved in quality and economic value by the processing method of the present application.
[0036] Referring to Figure 1 As shown, after collecting the coffee grounds, the following steps are performed by the coffee grounds recycling and reusing processing method of the present application, including pre-drying, crushing and sieving, mixing, molding, drying, and finished product packaging steps.
[0037] Step one, pre-drying step S101:
[0038] Because the moisture content is high after brewing, if the excess moisture is not removed by the pre-drying step, the finished product made from the recycled coffee grounds will have the disadvantages of mold growth, softening, or odor generation due to the high water content. Therefore, the recycled coffee grounds must first undergo the pre-drying step to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages;
[0039] The pre-drying step can be performed using a sunning method. The sunning method is performed at an ambient temperature of about 30-35°C, an ambient relative humidity of about 40-80%, for about 2-3 days, and for about 10-12 hours per day. The pre-drying step is mainly a process of fermentation and decomposition of coffee grounds to remove lactic acid. The fermentation and decomposition period is 2-3 days. The coffee grounds are stirred for about 30-60 minutes once a day during the fermentation and decomposition period. The coffee grounds generate a temperature change of about 30-40°C during the fermentation and decomposition. After the fermentation and decomposition period, i.e., on the fourth day of the pre-drying step, the fermentation and decomposition of the coffee grounds is completed. The coffee grounds after the fermentation and decomposition emit a faint coffee and soil smell, and have a soft and breathable texture. This helps to improve the taste and combustion stability of the finished product, and effectively improves the production stability.
[0040] The pre-drying step can also be performed using other heating methods such as gas or electric heating. The use of external energy (gas or electric heating) can speed up the drying process, but the coffee grounds do not undergo fermentation and decomposition. The use of external energy to dry the coffee grounds can also cause moisture regain and local mold growth. Therefore, the coffee grounds dried by external energy need to be aged for 2-3 days under an ambient relative humidity of 20%.
[0041] Step two, crushing and sieving step S102:
[0042] The particle size and density of the coffee grounds obtained directly affect the appearance of the finished product. For example, inconsistent particle size and poor adhesion can cause cracks on the surface of the finished product, or too coarse coffee grounds can affect the smoothness of the finished product and affect the appearance.
[0043] The coffee grounds after pre-drying have inconsistent particle sizes. The particle size of the coffee grounds after pre-drying can be adjusted using crushing or grinding methods to make the particle size consistent. The crushed coffee grounds are sieved to obtain coffee grounds with a particle size of 100-1000 mesh.
[0044] To produce high-quality mosquito coils, incense, deodorizing tablets, or coffee charcoal, etc. from coffee grounds, the coffee grounds recovered must be crushed to make the particle size consistent, and then sieved to obtain fine coffee grounds for use in appearance products such as deodorizing tablets or incense with a shape, which effectively improves the fineness of the product surface. Coarse coffee grounds can be used in non-appearance products such as mosquito coils or coffee charcoal. The fine mesh is about 400-1000 mesh, and the coarse mesh is about 100-300 mesh.
[0045] Step three, mixing step S103:
[0046] The mixing step is to mix the ground coffee residue and the adhesive resin in a mass ratio of 2-3:1, and a small amount of water is added during the mixing. The water is mixed with the total powder in a mass ratio of 1:1. Depending on the desired product, appropriate flavorings can be added during the mixing process. For example, mosquito repellent incense can add citronella, rosemary, and chrysanthemum. Deodorizing tablets or incense can add peppermint, sandalwood, and cypress. The flavorings and coffee residue are mixed in a mass ratio of 1:0.1-3.9. After mixing, the mixture has plasticity.
[0047] Step four, the forming step S104:
[0048] The forming step is to process the mixed material with plasticity into mosquito repellent incense, incense, deodorizing tablets, bid farewell to incense, biofuel rods, or coffee charcoal roughcast by injection, extrusion molding, die molding or other appropriate molding methods.
[0049] Step five, the drying step S105:
[0050] The roughcast after forming is dried and shaped by solar energy or gas or electric heating. The roughcast can be dried and cured by solar energy at a temperature of 30-35°C, exposed to sunlight for 2 days, 8 hours a day. The roughcast can be dried and cured by external energy drying at a temperature of 40-60°C for about 4-8 hours.
[0051] Step six, the finished product packaging step S106:
[0052] The finished product after drying and shaping is classified and packaged, then boxed and shipped. The goods can be stored for a long time at an ambient temperature of 25°C and an ambient relative humidity of less than 5%. The coffee residue powder needs to be vacuum packaged at an ambient relative humidity of 5%.
[0053] The recycling process is improved by strict temperature, humidity, and time control, which improves the efficiency of coffee residue recycling and makes the raw material meet the conditions of batch production.
[0054] As can be seen from the above, the recycled coffee residue can be processed by the method of the present application to produce high-quality coffee residue products. The product has improved cracking, poor smoothness, easy mold, odor, and other defects, and improves the stability of coffee residue product production and the purpose of recycling.
Claims
1. A coffee grounds recycling processing method for collecting recycled coffee grounds to produce high-quality processed raw materials via the following steps, characterized by, Comprising: a pre-drying step, drying the coffee residue at ambient temperature of 30-35°C and ambient relative humidity of 40-80% for 2-3 days, 10-12 hours per day, with the process requiring stirring every 30-60 minutes to allow sufficient fermentation, to ferment the recovered coffee residue; a crushing and sieving step, the coffee residue after the pre-drying step has inconsistent particle sizes, and the particle sizes are adjusted by crushing or grinding to make them consistent; the crushed coffee residue is sieved to separate coffee residue with particle sizes of 100-1000 mesh into coarse and fine mesh; a mixing step, the coffee residue after the crushing and sieving step is mixed with adhesive resin and spices, and water is added during the mixing process to form a plastic raw material after sufficient mixing; a molding step, the mixed raw material is molded into a rough blank; a drying step, the molded rough blank is dried and cured at 30-35°C for 2 days, 8 hours per day.
2. The coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to claim 1, wherein The pre-drying step uses gas or electric heating to dry, and after drying with gas or electric heating, waste heat, the relative humidity is 20% for 2-3 days.
3. The coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to claim 1, wherein In the mixing step, the mass ratio of the coffee residue after crushing and sieving to the adhesive resin is 2-3:1, and the mass ratio of the spices to the coffee residue after crushing and sieving is 1:0.1-3.9, and the total mass of the coffee residue after crushing and sieving, the adhesive resin and the spices mixed with water is 1:
1.
4. The coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The spices in the mixing step are natural plant spices.
5. The coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The molding step is injection, extrusion molding or die pressing.
6. The coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The drying step uses gas or electric heating, and the heating conditions are 40-60°C for 4-8 hours.
7. The coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein Further comprising a finished product packaging step, the finished product is packaged at an ambient temperature of 25°C and an ambient relative humidity of 5% or less.
8. A product made by the process of any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The product is mosquito incense, goodbye incense, insecticide, incense, deodorizing tablet, fertilizer, biofuel rod or coffee charcoal.
9. The product made by the coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to claim 8, characterized by, The main spices of mosquito incense or insecticide are mosquito repellent spices.
10. The product made by the coffee grounds recycling treatment method according to claim 8, characterized by, The main spices of deodorizing tablet or incense are natural plant spices.