Dry-state temporary storage device for brewing waste

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of brewing waste dry state temporary storage device, including the storage tank for preserving brewing waste, first piston and second piston are movably arranged in storage tank, two pistons are coaxially arranged, and the different regions of brewing waste in storage tank can be independently axially moved to be compacted respectively;Wherein, the diameter of first piston is less than second piston, first piston is located between second piston and the inner bottom of storage tank in axial direction, so that the central region of brewing waste is compacted when first piston moves along axial direction towards the bottom of storage tank;When second piston moves along axial direction towards the bottom of storage tank, the boundary region of brewing waste is compacted.The device of the utility model improves the overall compaction uniformity of waste in the whole storage tank by the compaction design of sub-region, sub-stage, overcomes the limitation that single compaction device is difficult to uniformly handle different position materials, improves the packing density and overall structural stability of waste.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of brewing waste preservation technology, and in particular to a dry temporary storage device for brewing waste. Background Technology

[0002] Brewing waste is a major solid byproduct of baijiu (Chinese liquor) brewing. In 2023, large-scale baijiu enterprises nationwide produced approximately 25 million tons of distiller's grains annually. While dry brewing waste (typically with a moisture content below 40%) has a low water content, it still contains organic matter such as starch (8%–12%), protein (10%–12%), and cellulose (30%–35%), and retains small amounts of yeast residue and microorganisms. This type of waste faces the following challenges during temporary storage:

[0003] Firstly, organic matter is easily oxidized when exposed to air, and the residual oxygen provides conditions for the reproduction of microorganisms, leading to mold growth in waste and loss of its value for use as feed or energy.

[0004] Secondly, traditional storage devices mostly use a single compaction method, which makes it difficult to completely remove air between waste particles, especially in the boundary area where gaps are easily formed, exacerbating oxidation and mold growth.

[0005] Third, existing devices lack efficient gas replacement structures and cannot reduce oxygen content by filling with chemically stable gases such as nitrogen, making it difficult to achieve long-term stable storage.

[0006] Existing storage devices mostly use a single piston or pressure plate for overall compaction, which cannot precisely address the different compaction requirements of the waste's center and boundary areas. For example, the long-term brewer's grains storage tank disclosed in CN214932647U does not involve a zoned compaction structure, resulting in air in the central area being difficult to expel due to boundary resistance, leading to poor overall compaction uniformity.

[0007] In summary, there is an urgent need for a dry temporary storage device that can compact brewing waste in different areas and efficiently maintain a low-oxygen environment.

[0008] Furthermore, on the one hand, there are differences in understanding among those skilled in the art; on the other hand, the applicant studied a large number of documents and patents when making this utility model, but due to space limitations, not all details and contents were listed in detail. However, this does not mean that this utility model does not have the features of these prior art. On the contrary, this utility model has all the features of the prior art, and the applicant reserves the right to add relevant prior art to the background art. Utility Model Content

[0009] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this application proposes a dry temporary storage device for brewing waste, particularly a dry temporary storage device for brewing waste that achieves drying and mold prevention by filling the container with nitrogen gas, aiming to solve one or more technical problems in the prior art.

[0010] This utility model relates to a dry temporary storage device for brewing waste, including a storage tank for storing brewing waste. A first piston and a second piston are movably disposed inside the storage tank. The two pistons are arranged coaxially and can move independently in the axial direction to compact different areas of the brewing waste in the storage tank. The diameter of the first piston is smaller than that of the second piston. The first piston is located in the axial direction between the second piston and the inner bottom of the storage tank, so that when the first piston moves axially towards the bottom of the storage tank, it compacts the central area of ​​the brewing waste; when the second piston moves axially towards the bottom of the storage tank, it compacts the boundary area of ​​the brewing waste.

[0011] This device significantly optimizes waste treatment through a zoned and staged compaction design. The smaller-diameter first piston is specifically designed for the central area, while the larger-diameter second piston effectively compacts the boundary areas near the tank wall. This zoned compaction method significantly improves the overall uniformity of waste compaction within the entire storage tank, overcoming the limitations of a single compaction device in uniformly processing materials in different locations. It effectively reduces the problems of loose centers, compacted edges, or compaction dead zones, thereby greatly improving the bulk density of waste and the overall structural stability.

[0012] Preferably, the device includes an inflation assembly, which includes an inlet pipe communicating with the storage tank and a distributed pipe network embedded in the side wall interlayer of the storage tank. The distributed pipe network is arranged near the bottom of the storage tank and communicates with the inlet pipe for filling the storage tank with nitrogen. The distributed pipe network embedded in the side wall interlayer of the storage tank makes full use of the tank structure to achieve a concealed layout, avoiding the risk of blockage caused by direct contact with waste. At the same time, the design near the bottom allows nitrogen to permeate evenly upward from the bottom of the material. Combined with the connectivity of the inlet pipe, this structure can establish a bottom-up gas replacement channel in the compacted dense waste, preferentially expelling residual oxygen deposited at the bottom, and more easily creating a low-oxygen environment.

[0013] Preferably, the distributed piping network includes multiple circumferential pipes spaced at intervals along the axial direction of the storage tank, with each circumferential pipe connected to the others via axial pipes. Each circumferential pipe extends into multiple radial pipes leading into the tank. This design allows nitrogen to be injected simultaneously from different heights and circumferential positions on the tank sidewall, achieving multi-layered and multi-angle three-dimensional coverage of the dense waste and eliminating dead zones for gas diffusion. The radial pipes directly penetrate the shallow surface layer of the material, precisely delivering nitrogen to the micro-voids within the compacted waste, effectively overcoming the deficiency of insufficient penetration of the upper material when using only bottom-level gas distribution.

[0014] Preferably, the screen size of the radial pipes at different axial heights is matched with their opening size, and the pipe diameter of the radial pipes increases with their height. The design of the radial pipe diameter increasing from bottom to top is adapted to the natural density gradient inside the compacted waste. That is, the bottom layer is compacted under high pressure to form a dense layer, and a smaller pipe diameter can be used to enhance the nitrogen injection pressure and ensure that the airflow breaks through the high resistance area; while the upper material is relatively loose, and a larger pipe diameter expands the airflow coverage area and avoids local overpressure.

[0015] Preferably, the first piston is fixed to the end of the first push rod, and the second piston is fixed to the end of the hollow second push rod. The first push rod is nested within the hollow cavity of the second push rod and is coaxial with it. The nesting of the first push rod within the hollow cavity of the second push rod forms a coaxial double-action mechanism, ensuring that the two compaction systems maintain precise alignment during axial movement. The hollow second push rod also provides rigid guidance for the first push rod, ensuring the linearity of the central compaction action and enhancing the compaction capacity of the core area of ​​the waste; while the outer wall of the second push rod directly transmits the uniform pressure required for boundary compaction.

[0016] Preferably, the second piston is equipped with a one-way air valve, allowing gas to be discharged unidirectionally from the inside of the storage tank to the outside. When the second piston compacts the boundary area, the air valve on its surface can immediately discharge the gas inside the compressed material, effectively reducing the internal air resistance during the compaction process. This allows the piston to achieve deeper compression with lower energy consumption, significantly improving the density of the boundary area and the uniformity of the overall structure.

[0017] Preferably, the storage tank has an openable and closable cover at the bottom for removing the compacted brewing waste. The advantage of this openable and closable cover is that it provides a reliable solution for the efficient unloading of high-density compacted materials. Its bottom design fully utilizes gravity, combined with the overall structural stability of the compacted waste, allowing the material to slide out smoothly in a complete block form, significantly reducing unloading energy consumption and avoiding secondary crushing.

[0018] Preferably, the diameter of the second piston is the same as the inner diameter of the storage tank, and it is used to fit against the tank wall and seal the opening at the top of the storage tank. The fact that the diameter of the second piston is exactly the same as the inner diameter of the storage tank allows it to move closely against the tank wall during compaction, completely eliminating the risk of material being squeezed into the gaps in the tank wall and ensuring the compaction integrity of the boundary area.

[0019] Preferably, the second push rod is sealed to the opening of the storage tank, forming a closed space. As the second push rod moves axially towards the bottom of the storage tank, gas inside the tank is discharged through a one-way valve. When the second push rod moves towards the bottom of the tank and compacts the boundary area, the rigid seal formed between it and the tank opening completely seals the internal space, forcing the gas released from the compressed material to be concentrated and discharged directionally through the one-way valve of the second piston. This sealing linkage structure optimizes the compaction process and the storage environment.

[0020] Preferably, the openings of each radial pipe are covered with a screen, which is a metal mesh structure that fits tightly against the openings of the radial pipes to prevent backflow of brewing waste particles. The metal screen tightly covers the openings of the radial pipes, forming a robust physical barrier that effectively prevents brewing waste particles from flowing back into the pipes, avoiding the risk of blockage in the gas distribution channels and ensuring long-term operational stability. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a preferred dry temporary storage device for brewing waste according to this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of a preferred dry temporary storage device for brewing waste according to this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bottom area inside a preferred storage tank according to this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a preferred inflatable component of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a preferred inflatable component of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the push rod and piston configured in the top area of ​​a preferred storage tank according to this utility model.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of brewing waste just placed into the storage tank, as presented in this utility model.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of brewing waste in a storage tank being compressed by a first piston, as illustrated in this utility model.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of brewing waste in a storage tank being compressed by a second piston, as shown in this utility model.

[0030] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of filling a storage tank with nitrogen using an air inlet pipe, as shown in this utility model.

[0031] List of reference numerals

[0032] 100: Storage tank; 110: First push rod; 120: First piston; 130: Second push rod; 140: Second piston; 141: One-way valve; 150: Wall cover; 200: Inflation assembly; 210: Inlet pipe; 220: Distribution network; 221: Circumferential pipeline; 222: Axial pipeline; 223: Radial pipeline; 230: Screen. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] This embodiment relates to a dry temporary storage device for brewing waste, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a storage tank 100 for storing brewing waste and an aeration assembly 200 for filling the storage tank 100 with nitrogen. The storage tank 100 has an open top design so that a piston structure for compacting the brewing waste can be inserted into the tank through the open top. After the piston structure is inserted, it can seal the open top, creating a sealed space within the storage tank 100. This sealed space is used to contain and maintain the nitrogen supplied by the aeration assembly 200, thereby reducing the risk of microbial growth by reducing the oxygen content. In addition, the storage tank 100 has an openable and closable cover 150 at the bottom for opening and removing the brewing waste.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, the aforementioned piston structure includes a first piston 120 and a second piston 140 that are axially movable. According to a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the first piston 120 is smaller than that of the second piston 140, while the diameter of the second piston 140 is the same as the inner diameter of the storage tank 100, allowing them to act sequentially on different areas within the storage tank 100 to compact brewing waste. The first piston 120 is axially located between the second piston 140 and the inner bottom of the storage tank 100. When the two pistons are coaxially arranged within the storage tank 100, the second piston 140 adheres to the inner wall of the storage tank 100 and seals the opening, thus forming a sealed space together with the storage tank 100. In this case, the second piston 140 constitutes the top boundary of this sealed space. The second piston 140 can move axially towards the inner bottom of the storage tank 100 to compress the sealed space, and can also move axially towards the opening of the storage tank 100. When the second piston 140 moves out of the opening, the sealed space opens.

[0036] Preferably, such as Figure 6 As shown, the top of the first piston 120 is conical, and the bottom of the second piston 140 has a matching conical groove. This structural design allows the second piston 140 to continue compacting the boundary area of ​​the brewing waste in the storage tank 100 after the first piston 120 has compacted the central area, without being obstructed by the first piston 120. Preferably, after the compaction operation is completed, the bottom surfaces of the two pistons are flush.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the inflation assembly 200 includes an inlet pipe 210 for supplying nitrogen. One end of the inlet pipe 210 is connected to the side wall of the storage tank 100, and the other end is connected to an inflation device (not shown in the figure). Those skilled in the art will understand that, in addition to nitrogen, the inflation assembly 200 can also introduce other chemically stable gases into the storage tank 100. The selected gas must effectively reduce the oxygen content within the storage tank 100 and inhibit microbial growth, thereby achieving the purpose of corrosion prevention.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, the inflation assembly 200 includes a distribution network 220 embedded in the side wall of the storage tank 100. Specifically, the distribution network 220 is located in the space between the inner and outer walls of the storage tank 100. This design avoids occupying storage space for brewing waste inside the tank and is less susceptible to damage from external impacts. The air inlet pipe 210 can communicate with the distribution network 220, allowing nitrogen supplied by the inflation device to enter the distribution network 220. The distribution network 220 is used to uniformly disperse nitrogen into the interior of the storage tank 100. The distribution network 220 is arranged near the bottom of the storage tank 100 to ensure that when the second piston 140 moves axially, the distribution network 220 is always within the sealed space formed by the second piston 140 and the storage tank 100.

[0039] like Figure 4 As shown, the distribution network 220 of the inflation assembly 200 includes multiple annular circumferential pipes 221, which are spaced apart from each other along the axial direction of the storage tank 100. The different circumferential pipes 221 are connected by multiple axial pipes 222, which extend along the axial direction of the storage tank 100. One end of the air inlet pipe 210 of an external inflation device can be connected to any of the circumferential pipes 221. This connectivity ensures that all circumferential pipes 221 can circumferentially flow with gas through the axial pipes 222.

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, each circumferential pipe 221 extends radially from the storage tank 100 into a radial pipe 223, leading to the interior space of the tank. Each radial pipe 223 forms an opening on the inner wall of the tank. Nitrogen gas introduced into the inlet pipe 210 flows sequentially through the circumferential pipe 221 and the axial pipe 222, and finally enters the interior of the tank through the radial pipe 223. The openings of the radial pipes 223 are covered with a screen 230 matching the opening size, which prevents brewing waste particles from entering the radial pipes 223 through the openings, thus avoiding blockage. Since the circumferential pipes 221 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the storage tank 100, the radial pipes 223 extending from them are also distributed at different heights of the storage tank 100. This distribution allows the pipe network to uniformly fill the brewing waste at different depths inside the tank with gas, thereby effectively replacing the residual air in the waste at different depths.

[0041] like Figure 5 As shown, the screens 230 at the openings of radial pipes 223 located at different heights are of different sizes to match their respective opening dimensions. According to a preferred embodiment, when the inlet pipe 210 is connected to the lowest-height circumferential pipe 221, the radial pipe 223 extending from the lowest-height circumferential pipe 221 has the smallest diameter; the radial pipe 223 extending from the middle-height circumferential pipe 221 has a medium diameter; and the radial pipe 223 extending from the highest-height circumferential pipe 221 has the largest diameter. Since the static pressure of the gas decreases with increasing height, this design, where the pipe diameter increases with height, reduces pipe resistance in high-pressure differential regions (smaller diameter at lower levels) and increases the flow area in low-pressure differential regions (larger diameter at higher levels), making the dynamic pressure at the outlet of each radial pipe 223 more uniform, thereby ensuring the uniformity of nitrogen penetration in the brewing waste pile.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the first piston 120 is fixed to the end of the first push rod 110, and the second piston 140 is fixed to the end of the second push rod 130. The second push rod 130 has a hollow tube structure. The outer diameter of the first push rod 110 is adapted to the inner diameter of the second push rod 130, so that the first push rod 110 can be placed in the hollow cavity of the second push rod 130 in a coaxial nesting manner. By pushing the first push rod 110 and the second push rod 130 sequentially, the operator can drive the first piston 120 and the second piston 140 to compact different areas of the brewing waste in the storage tank 100 in turn. Preferably, the bottom area of ​​the first piston 120 is 50% to 70% of the bottom area of ​​the second piston 140, more preferably 55% to 65%.

[0043] like Figure 6 As shown, the second piston 140 is equipped with a one-way valve 141. This valve allows gas to flow unidirectionally from the inside of the storage tank 100 to the outside and has a specific opening pressure. When the operator pushes the first piston 120 and the second piston 140 to compress the tank, the sealed space formed by the second piston 140 and the storage tank 100 gradually decreases, causing the internal air pressure to rise. When the air pressure reaches the opening pressure of the one-way valve 141, the gas (mainly air) in the sealed space is discharged through the one-way valve 141. When the operator fills the tank with nitrogen through the air inlet pipe 210, the air pressure in the sealed space rises. When the air pressure reaches the opening pressure of the one-way valve 141, the continuously supplied nitrogen will displace and push the residual air in the tank out of the one-way valve 141, thereby significantly reducing the air content. After nitrogen is continuously supplied for a certain period of time, the residual air content in the tank drops to an extremely low level, forming an environment with extremely low oxygen content. This environment effectively inhibits the growth of microorganisms and achieves a corrosion-preserving function.

[0044] The following describes the operating steps of the dry temporary storage device for brewing waste of this application:

[0045] See Figure 7 In its initial state, the brewing waste is in a loose state after being loaded into the storage tank.

[0046] See Figure 8 The operator pushes the first push rod 110, driving the first piston 120 to compact the central area of ​​the brewing waste, so as to maximize the removal of air between the waste particles in this area. The central area is defined as the area formed by projecting the bottom contour of the first piston 120 axially onto the bottom of the storage tank 100.

[0047] See Figure 9 The operator then pushes the second push rod 130, driving the second piston 140 to compact the boundary area of ​​the brewing waste, thereby removing air between the waste particles in that area. The boundary area is defined as the area formed by projecting the bottom contour of the second piston 140 axially onto the bottom of the storage tank 100, after removing the central area.

[0048] See Figure 10 Finally, the operator starts the external inflation equipment and pumps nitrogen into the storage tank 100 through the air inlet pipe 210 to create a low-oxygen environment for corrosion prevention.

[0049] It should be noted that the above specific embodiments are exemplary. Those skilled in the art can devise various solutions inspired by the disclosure of this utility model, and these solutions all fall within the scope of this utility model and its protection scope. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model specification and its drawings are illustrative and do not constitute a limitation on the claims. The protection scope of this utility model is defined by the claims and their equivalents. Throughout the text, features introduced by "preferred" are merely optional and should not be construed as mandatory. Therefore, the applicant reserves the right to abandon or delete relevant preferred features at any time.

Claims

1. A dry temporary storage device for brewing waste, comprising a storage tank (100) for storing brewing waste, characterized in that, The storage tank (100) is movably provided with a first piston (120) and a second piston (140). The two pistons are arranged coaxially and can move axially independently to compact different areas of the brewing waste in the storage tank (100). Wherein, the diameter of the first piston (120) is smaller than that of the second piston (140), and the first piston (120) is located axially between the second piston (140) and the inner bottom of the storage tank (100), such that when the first piston (120) moves axially toward the bottom of the storage tank (100), it compacts the central area of ​​the brewing waste; when the second piston (140) moves axially toward the bottom of the storage tank (100), it compacts the boundary area of ​​the brewing waste.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device includes an inflation assembly (200), which includes an air inlet pipe (210) communicating with the storage tank (100) and a distribution network (220) embedded in the side wall interlayer of the storage tank (100). The distribution network (220) is arranged near the bottom of the storage tank (100) and communicates with the air inlet pipe (210) for filling the storage tank (100) with nitrogen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The distributed pipe network (220) includes a plurality of circumferential pipes (221) spaced apart along the axial direction of the storage tank (100), and the circumferential pipes (221) are connected to each other by axial pipes (222), wherein each circumferential pipe (221) extends into a plurality of radial pipes (223) leading into the tank.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The screen (230) size corresponding to the radial pipe (223) located at different axial heights is matched with its opening size, and the pipe diameter of the radial pipe (223) increases with its height.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first piston (120) is fixed to the end of the first push rod (110), and the second piston (140) is fixed to the end of the hollow second push rod (130). The first push rod (110) is nested in the hollow cavity of the second push rod (130) and coaxial with it.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second piston (140) is provided with a one-way gas valve (141) to allow gas to be discharged unidirectionally from the inside of the storage tank (100) to the outside.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage tank (100) is equipped with an openable and closable wall cover (150) at the bottom for removing the compacted brewing waste.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the second piston (140) is the same as the inner diameter of the storage tank (100), and it is used to fit against the tank wall and close the top opening of the storage tank (100).

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second piston (140) is sealed to the opening of the storage tank (100) to form a closed space. When the second piston (140) moves axially toward the bottom of the storage tank (100), the gas inside the storage tank (100) is discharged through the one-way valve (141).

10. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each radial pipe (223) opening is covered with a screen (230), which is a metal mesh structure and fits tightly against the opening of the radial pipe (223) to prevent brewing waste particles from flowing back in.

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