SYSTEM FOR SHREDDING AND DRYING WASTE CONTAINING ORGANIC COMPONENTS

Abstract

A waste shredding and drying system comprising a rotating roller shredder (1) provided with rotating cutting teeth (2), a stator (3) composed of static knives (4) separated from each other by a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of the rotating cutting teeth (2), a finishing knife (5) comprising a longitudinal edge located under the stator (3); a homogenizing container (6) comprising an agitation mechanism (7) and a forced-air drying mechanism (8), which also receives sanitizing and desiccant compounds; and an automated control of the direction of rotation of the rotating roller (1), capable of reversing the rotation of the roller for a predetermined time interval.

Description

SYSTEM FOR SHREDDING AND DRYING WASTE CONTAINING ORGANIC COMPONENTS Problem to solve Several studies demonstrate the influence of household waste or waste without separation of organic and inorganic materials on the generation of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and contamination of groundwater by the percolation of leachate from landfills and garbage dumps. The problem of waste has been addressed in different ways. One of them is recycling, which recovers useful components that have been discarded, such as glass, metals, plastics, paper, etc. Another is reuse, which consists of giving a second life to an item that was going to be thrown away, such as clothing, cardboard, construction materials, etc. But despite this and other options, there is always one final element that must be discarded: organic matter, because the costs of reuse or recycling would be too high. On the other hand, the collection of segregated household solid waste (HSW) has a much higher cost than traditional collection, which leads institutions to discard this alternative. Thus, waste in general constitutes the second most significant problem in caring for the planet, after air pollution. Many authors argue that the problem must be addressed at its source and that everyone must contribute. Therefore, something is needed that gives all families the opportunity to contribute from the outset to mitigating this environmental impact. The proliferation of vectors in household waste is a source of pathogen spread, thus adding negative social and economic impacts. To help solve these technical problems, a large number of crushing and drying technologies have been developed, but in general their application is complicated by the fact that this type of waste has a great heterogeneity in its chemical and physical composition, which translates into a wide variability in its corrosivity, swellability, consistency, toughness and hardness, but also in terms of the great disparity of particle sizes to be treated. In particular, the variability of its physical composition directly affects the complexity and cost of small-flow processing machinery. This is because a wide range of particle sizes and hardness levels has necessitated the use of more than one crushing or grinding stage, thus complicating the processing equipment. Indeed, a fine crushing stage tends to quickly become clogged when it receives very large particles, or the flow of particles to the crushing stage is stopped by agglomerations before the crusher. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that, to achieve adequate organic inertization and drying, crushing down to millimeter sizes is required to obtain a good ratio between surface area and particle volume; therefore, simple crushing is insufficient. The present invention is a system for shredding, drying, and inertizing waste containing organic components, to reduce its volume and weight, eliminate odor emissions and vectors, in houses, apartments, or other facilities, so as to obtain a harmless byproduct that does not contribute to the aforementioned environmental, social, and economic impacts in landfills and dumps, and allows families and institutions to contribute to the process of mitigating global warming. This system achieves waste shredding with a single, fine-shredding roller, but thanks to its control elements, it operates intelligently, continuously measuring the drive torque of the single shredder, thus determining if it is experiencing jams or overloads, or if the flow of feed particles has stopped, and acting accordingly to resolve the problem. State of the Art Various technologies disclose features aimed at solving the problem of household waste management, with a wide variety of operating techniques, but none of them are similar to the technology of the present invention: ES2692832 Method for treating a biomass material comprising at least the steps of: - pretreatment of said biomass material comprising the steps of: 1) thermal hydrolysis at a temperature above 140 °C, followed by 2) wet blasting resulting in a semi-solid product. ES2938879 The technology provides an automated processing facility configured to convert high water content organic waste, such as fecal sludge and garbage, into electricity, while simultaneously generating and collecting potable water. ES2798075 A renewable energy micro-generation apparatus (100) comprising: (i) a portable processing container (102) comprising: a mixing tank (202) for mixing waste with a liquid, a shredder (106) in fluid communication with the mixing tank configured to macerate waste. CN114951215 (A) The present invention relates to the technical field of waste disposal, in particular to an environmentally friendly waste recycling and processing device, comprising an installation box, a storage unit arranged within the installation box, the storage unit including a processing box and a storage box, and a shredding unit arranged within the installation box, the shredding unit including the installation frame, cover plate, shredding assembly, transmission assembly, first guide plate, second guide plate, and screening assembly. The installation frame is fixed to and connected within the installation box, and the shredding assembly is rotatably mounted on the installation frame. The transmission component is positioned outside the installation frame and connected to the shredding component.The screening component is placed at the bottom of the installation frame and connected to the transmission component. The screening component is connected to the processing box and storage box, respectively, to address the existing environmental problem. The waste disposal device can only crush larger tree poles and cannot process some fallen leaves and smaller branches. Furthermore, the crushed tree poles are also deposited directly in landfills, where they cannot be effectively utilized. CN 111482442 (A) A waste compression device for building construction, comprising a crushing box, a waste storage box, and a compression box; a crushing roller is arranged in the crushing box; a crushing bar is arranged on a rotating part and located in a collection hopper, and the crushing elements are arranged on the crushing rod; there are multiple extrusion chambers in the compression box, and the discharge bypass pipe is connected to the extrusion chamber; the first drive device is arranged on the first fixed plate and connected to the first connecting plate; the movable plate is arranged below the first connecting plate.The lower part of the movable plate is equipped with a plurality of extrusion rods, and the extrusion plate is connected to these rods. The second fixed plate is mounted on the fourth support frame, and the second drive device is mounted on the second fixed plate and connected to the second connecting plate. Several movable rods are mounted on the second connecting plate, and the pusher plate is located in the extrusion chamber and connected to the movable rods. The invention can not only crush construction waste, which is useful for subsequent compression operations, but can also perform multiple sets of compression and ejection operations simultaneously, with simple operation, convenient use, and savings in time and labor. WO2015167233 (A1) The present invention relates to a food waste disposer having an improved drying function, capable of gently crushing high-viscosity food waste during a drying step and preventing odors from being generated during a food waste treatment step, and specifically to a food waste disposer having an improved drying function, including a dryer having a drying screw rotating within a housing, to dry the food waste and, at the same time, crush and discharge the dried food waste, thereby increasing the moisture drying rate of the crushed food waste to prevent unpleasant odors generated by the treated food waste. CN 115365270 (A) The invention relates to the technical field of waste product processing and recycling, in particular to a system for recycling and processing waste soda cans, which includes a crushing mechanism, a sieving mechanism, an extrusion mechanism, a cleaning mechanism, and a preheating mechanism. The reciprocating up-and-down motion drives the trapezoidal plate to siev and remove residual moisture from the can fragments. The reciprocating up-and-down motion of the sliding rod drives the extrusion block to move alternately up and down, causing the teeth to mesh and break the can.The rotation of the second shaft causes the first drum to rotate, and the second drum is equipped with resistance heating to melt the paint from the label on the can fragments. The molten paint falls into the second drum through the second small hole, and the rotation of the first drum drives the threaded rod to melt the molten paint at the bottom of the second drum. It scrapes down to the discharge channel, and hot air from inside the second drum enters. the trapezoidal plate through the connecting tube, and the hot air is discharged through the first small hole in the trapezoidal plate for preheating and drying the cans. CN 115178569 (A) The invention provides a type of household waste treatment equipment, comprising the equipment body, shredder, shaftless screw feeder, ball mill, classification tank, wet / dry separation granulator, and ultra-high-pressure dewatering mechanism. The equipment body is connected to the shredder, shaftless screw feeder, ball mill, classification tank, and ultra-high-pressure dewatering mechanism, respectively, for dry and wet separation. The screw feeder is connected to the feed end of the ball mill. The discharge end of the ball mill is located above the classification tank, which is connected to the first and second screw mills.The twin-screw machine is connected to a wet-dry separator granulator. The household waste treatment equipment according to the present invention can perform comprehensive processing, such as shredding, decomposition, sorting, and dewatering of household waste, thereby greatly reducing the cost of household waste processing. KR102233980 (B1) The present invention relates to an apparatus for disposing of food waste, comprising a shredding unit for shredding and discharging the incoming food waste, and a drying unit for drying and discharging the shredded food waste. The food waste disposal apparatus divides the shredded and discharged food waste into a specific, small quantity, and dries the food waste at either identical or mutually different temperatures step by step, thereby improving disposal efficiency.To achieve the above objective, the drying unit includes a drying vat comprising a plurality of layers, and includes a supply port formed in the topmost layer, and a drop hole for food waste, formed in the floor of each layer, wherein the drop holes of the layers are not aligned with each other vertically, and a discharge unit for pushing the food waste, which remains in each layer of the drying vat, towards the drop hole in each layer so that the food waste is discharged. AU2015203451 (A1) A food processing apparatus is described. The food processing apparatus includes a housing to define a space for the dehydration and drying of food waste, the housing having an inlet port for introducing the food waste and an outlet port for discharging the dehydrated and dried food waste, a cylindrical dehydrator for removing the water contained in the food waste by centrifugal force within the housing, the dehydrator having a communication orifice in communication with the inlet port or the outlet port through its rotation.an agitator installed in the dehydrator to be rotated simultaneously with or independently of the rotation of the dehydrator and which serves to selectively open or close the communication hole and to agitate and crush the food remains inside the dehydrator by means of its rotation, and a dryer for drying the food remains by supplying dry air to the housing. KR101407004 (B1) The present invention relates to a food waste treatment apparatus and, more particularly, to a food waste treatment apparatus used for efficiently crushing and drying food waste in a confined space with a very simple structure and includes: a hopper (10) with four wall surfaces that are wide upwards and narrow downwards, into which the food waste is introduced; a first screw (20) in which a drive shaft (22) disposed in a lower part of the hopper is connected to a drive source (21) so that it can rotate, and a spirally projecting blade portion (23) is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the drive shaft so that the food waste can be conveyed;and multiple blades (30) projecting towards the center to cut food waste conveyed from a circular discharge port (3) at one end of the first screw in the conveying direction.; EA200870490 (A1) The present invention relates to a plant for the production of organic particles, preferably a substrate, for use in the production of biogas, comprising an inlet for supplying wet and dry organic waste to the internal chamber of the plant, where the organic waste may contain foreign bodies such as soft packing material, preferably plastic, mesh and string, as well as metal, glass, etc.A rotating shaft located in the chamber and containing at least one grinding tool mounted on the circumference of the shaft, which has a shaped edge; a stationary part installed in the chamber, and the stationary part acting as a counter-tool relative to the grinding tool; an outlet device for crushed particles; and a foreign body discharge device, wherein the distance between the grinding tool and the stationary part allows the hard parts of the waste to be ground into smaller particles, but prevents the crushing of soft parts of the waste, such as plastics. The invention also relates to a process for producing organic particles, preferably a substrate, for use in biogas production. KR20050019063 (A) PURPOSE: To provide an apparatus that shreds and cuts food waste into pieces using cutting means having different rotational speeds, and dries the food waste using a drying medium while the shredded and cut food waste is pressed and dehydrated to minimize odor generation due to dehydration. The apparatus also evaporates the wastewater generated by pressing and dehydration and purifies the wastewater using a cooling system so that the purified wastewater can be discharged to prevent water pollution. CONSTITUTION: An apparatus for disposing of food waste comprising a housing (14) on one front side in which a control unit is installed having a plurality of operating buttons, and a hopper (16) installed on one side of an upper part of the housing for receiving food waste such that the hopper is mounted or dismounted from the housing to dispose of food waste injected through the hopper, the apparatus (10) comprising a transfer means rotatably installed on one side of a lower part of the hopper being inclined at a fixed angle, and a part of which is contained in the inner side of the hopper for transferring the injected food waste to a lower part of the hopper; a cutting means (30) rotatably installed on a lower part of the transfer means being parallel to the transfer means for shredding and cutting the transferred food waste at different rotational speeds in different directions of rotation;a dehydration means (40) installed at the bottom of the cutting means parallel to the cutting means for dehydrating food waste by rotating the shredded and cut food waste at different rotation speeds, thereby pressing the food waste to one side; a drying means (50) surrounding the outer circumferential surface of one end of the dehydration means for drying the food waste while the food waste is being dehydrated by the dehydration means; a purification means (60) for purifying the wastewater generated from the food waste by the dehydration means;and a power transmission means (80) for actuating the transfer means, the cutting means, and the drainage means by receiving the driving force from a drive motor installed on the lower surface of the housing such that the drive motor is actuated in accordance with the control part.; KR20010082231 (A) PURPOSE: A food waste treatment apparatus is provided, to grind and dry food waste by using an impeller without another grinder, so it does not produce stench and contaminated wastewater.CONSTITUTION: The apparatus comprises a body (6); a treatment tub (19) connected to the lower part of the body, wherein the treatment tub (19) is provided with at least one rotary shredding unit installed therein, and the rotary shredding unit comprises a rotating shaft (24), and a heating chamber (28) including a heater (18) for heating the thermal fluids, and heats the food waste gathered around the rotating shaft (24) and evaporates the moisture contained in the food waste; a fan (46) installed inside the body (6) and connected to the treatment tub (19), and deflates the internal air; a cooler connected to the treatment tub (19) and cools the deflated air from the treatment tub; and an air filter (62) connected to the cooler and removes the harmful component contained in the air passing through the cooler. Description of the invention The invention consists of a system for shredding and drying waste containing organic components, to reduce its volume, eliminate odor and bacteria emissions, and transform it into an inert material, while maintaining a simple and economical design. It comprises a rotating roller shredder (1) equipped with rotating cutting teeth (2), spaced at regular intervals along the roller axis, which shreds the waste against a stator (3). The stator (3) is further composed of static knives (4), spaced at a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of the rotating cutting teeth (2), allowing the latter to pass through the stator (3) between the static knives (4). The thickness of the static knives (4) is equal to or less than the distance between two successive rotating cutting teeth (2). Additionally, a finishing knife (5) comprises a longitudinal cutting edge.parallel to the axis of the toothed roller, located under the stator (3), where the longitudinal edge approaches the outer portion of the rotating cutting teeth (2), allows secondary grinding of the waste that has already been cut by the rotating roller (1) and the stator (3); a homogenizing container (6), which receives shredded waste from the rotating roller shredder (1), comprising an agitation mechanism (7) and a forced-air drying mechanism (8), also receives sanitizing compounds such as ozone, sodium hypochlorite, sodium peroxide or others, and also desiccant compounds such as calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, cement, gypsum, bentonite or others, dehydrating the ground waste and organically decomposing it; an automated control of the direction of rotation of the rotating roller (1), linked to a means of measuring the driving torque of the roller,It is capable of reversing the roller's rotation for a predetermined time interval, to prevent early obstruction of the crusher due to simultaneous cutting of hard materials or reductions in crushing flow due to blockages of garbage before crushing, by reorganizing the garbage entering the crusher. The refinish knife (5) preferably comprises a portion of support material that projects it towards the stator (3), producing a closure that forces all the material from the grinding between the rotating roller (1) and the stator (3) to pass towards the refinish knife (5). The forced air of the forced-air drying mechanism (8) can be preheated by a heater and blown into the container by a blower, increasing the drying efficiency; in a preferred embodiment, this heating is carried out by using an electric resistance in the air stream of the blower. A preset minimum permissible torque parameter within the automated rotation direction control, equal to or greater than the shredder's idle brake torque, can be continuously compared to the drive torque of the roller. This allows the system to detect when the rotating roller shredder (1) is operating with an excessively low waste flow due to insufficient waste to be shredded, signaling the automated rotation direction control of the rotating roller (1) to reverse direction for a period of time. Similarly, a maximum permissible torque parameter, equal to or less than the maximum nominal torque of the roller, allows the system to detect when the shredder is operating with a roller obstruction, signaling the automated rotation direction control of the rotating roller (1) to reverse direction for a period of time. The means of measuring the driving torque of the roller is preferably indirect and may correspond to a sensor of the supply current of the same. A general control system can manage the automated control of the roller's rotation direction, but also govern the drive of the crusher, the forced air drying mechanism (8) and the stirring mechanism of the homogenizing container, which receives a process start signal and keeps it in operation for a pre-set time parameter. The general control system and the automated control of the roller's rotation direction are preferably computerized, with power outputs through electrical contactors that act on the connection, switching and disconnection of electrical drives of the different parts of the system. The grinding process yields a solid mass in a semi-dry state that falls by gravity into a homogenizing container (6) where sanitizers are applied, which may include ozonation, chlorination, hydrogen peroxide, quicklime and others; then desiccants, stabilizers, and binders are added, which may include calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, cement, gypsum, bentonite or others in proportions of 5 to 25%. The stirring mechanism (7) of the homogenizing container (6) may comprise a propeller-like rotor with or without pitch, preferably with at least two blades, located at different heights within the homogenizing container, which is rotated by a motor, so as to produce a horizontal movement of the particles, but also a vertical movement to homogenize the mixture. The system components that come into contact with the waste are preferably made of corrosion-resistant materials, such as plastics and stainless steel. Specifically, all materials subjected to high mechanical stress are preferably made of stainless steel, while casings and covers are preferably made of plastic to minimize costs. Preferably, there will be a hopper (9) located above the rotating roller shredder (1), which holds the waste to be shredded. This allows the system to operate in batches by containing a volume of waste to be processed. The dimensions of this hopper (9) will conveniently be similar to those of a household garbage bag, so that during operation the waste can be deposited into the hopper (9) inside its container bag. The hopper (9) may comprise a top cover, with an opening detector, which sends a stop signal to the general control system if the cover is opened while the crusher is in operation. In a preferred embodiment, the rotary roller shredder (1) consists of several toothed stainless steel discs spaced by separator discs, traversed by a square drive shaft, driven by an electric geared motor. All of this is contained within a stainless steel housing open at the top to the hopper (9) and at the bottom to the homogenizing container (6). A garbage bag is inserted into the hopper (9), and the rotating cutting teeth (2) tear the bag, releasing the garbage to be further shredded into small particles. These particles fall by gravity into the homogenizing container (6), where they are mixed with sanitizing and desiccant compounds. The hopper (9), its lid, and the homogenizing container (6) are made of plastic, while a steel frame provides support for the system.The stirring mechanism of the homogenizing container (6) consists of an electric geared motor with a detachable drive coupling, allowing the homogenizing container (6) to be removed for emptying once the process is complete. The stator components (3), as well as the trimming knife (5), are made of stainless steel and securely bolted to the housing. An outer cover, conveniently made of plastic or thin sheet metal, protects the mechanical components and gives the system a suitable appearance. Description of the figures Figure 1 shows a general exterior isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the system, in perspective, where its main parts and their relative spatial arrangement can be distinguished, such as the rotating roller shredder (1), located under the hopper (9), the homogenizing container (6) and its corresponding agitation mechanism (7), located under the rotating roller shredder (1), to receive the shredded waste from it. A general supporting structure that groups the elements is also shown. Figure 2 shows two isometric views of the rotary roller crusher (1), in perspective, which will be located inside the box, where its static and rotating parts can be distinguished, especially its rotary cutting teeth (2), its stator (3) with its static knives (4), along with their respective separators, and further down its refinish knife (5). Figure 3 shows a top orthogonal view of the rotary roller crusher (1), which will be located inside the box, where its static and rotating parts can be distinguished, especially its rotary cutting teeth (2) and its stator (3) with its static knives (4), making clear their relative arrangements to achieve effective crushing. Figure 4 shows an orthogonal profile view of the rotary roller crusher (1), which will be located inside the box, where its static and rotating parts can be distinguished, especially its rotary cutting teeth (2) and its stator (3), with its static knives (4), as well as its refinish knife (5).

Claims

1. A waste shredding and drying system containing organic components, to reduce its volume, eliminate odor and bacteria emissions, and transform it into an inert material, while maintaining a simple and economical design, comprising a rotating roller shredder (1) equipped with rotating cutting teeth (2), spaced at regular intervals along the roller axis, which shreds the waste against a stator (3), CHARACTERIZED in that, furthermore: a) the stator (3) is composed of static knives (4), spaced at a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of the rotating cutting teeth (2), allowing the latter to pass through the stator (3) between the static knives (4); b) the thickness of the static knives (4) is equal to or less than the distance between two successive rotating cutting teeth (2); c) a finishing knife (5), comprising a longitudinal cutting edge,parallel to the axis of the toothed roller, located under the stator (3), where the longitudinal edge approaches the outer portion of the rotating cutting teeth (2), allows for secondary grinding of the waste that has already been cut by the rotating roller (1) and the stator (3); d) a homogenizing container (6), which receives shredded waste from the rotating roller shredder (1), comprising an agitation mechanism (7) and a forced-air drying mechanism (8), also receives sanitizing compounds such as ozone, sodium hypochlorite, sodium peroxide or others, and also desiccant compounds such as calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, cement, gypsum, bentonite or others, dehydrating the ground waste and organically decomposing it; e) an automated control of the direction of rotation of the rotating roller (1), linked to a means of measuring the driving torque of the roller,It is capable of reversing the roller's rotation for a predetermined time interval to prevent early clogging of the shredder due to simultaneous cutting of hard materials or reductions in shredding flow caused by blockages of waste before shredding, by reorganizing the waste entering the shredder.

2. The waste shredding and drying system of claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the regrind knife (5) comprises a portion of support material that projects it towards the stator (3), producing a seal that forces all the material from the grinding between the rotating roller (1) and the stator (3) to pass towards the regrind knife (5).

3. The waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 2,CHARACTERIZED in that the forced air of the forced-air drying mechanism (8) is preheated by a heater and blown into the container by a blower.

4. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 3, CHARACTERIZED in that a preset minimum permissible torque parameter, within the automated rotation direction control, which is equal to or greater than the brake torque of the shredder when idle, which is continuously compared with the drive torque of the roller, allows detection when the shredder is operating under an excessively low waste flow condition, due to a lack of waste to be shredded, indicating to the automated rotation direction control of the rotating roller (1) that it should reverse direction for a period of time.

5. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 4, CHARACTERIZED in that a preset maximum permissible torque parameter,Within the automated control of the rotational direction, which is equal to or less than the maximum nominal torque of the roller, and which is continuously compared with the roller's driving torque, it is possible to detect when the shredder is operating under a roller obstruction condition, indicating to the automated control of the rotating roller's direction (1) that it should reverse direction for a period of time.

6. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 5, CHARACTERIZED in that the means of measuring the roller's driving torque is indirect and corresponds to a sensor of the roller's power supply current.

7. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 6, CHARACTERIZED in that a general control system manages the automated control of the roller's rotational direction, but also governs the shredder's drive.The forced-air drying mechanism (8) and the stirring mechanism of the homogenizing container, which receives a process start signal and maintains it in operation for a pre-established time parameter.

8. Waste shredding and drying system of claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the general control system and the automated control of the roller's rotation direction are computerized, with power outputs through electrical contactors that act on the connection, switching, and disconnection of electrical drives of the different parts of the system.

9. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 8, CHARACTERIZED in that the stirring mechanism (7) of the homogenizing container comprises a propeller-like rotor with or without pitch, which is rotated by a motor.

10. Waste shredding and drying system of claim 9, CHARACTERIZED in that the rotor comprises at least two blades,located at different heights within the homogenizing container (6).

11. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the constituent elements of the system that are in contact with the waste are made of corrosion-resistant materials, such as plastics and stainless steel.

12. Waste shredding and drying system of claims 1 to 11, CHARACTERIZED in that a hopper (9), located above the rotating roller shredder (1), which contains the waste to be shredded, allows the system to operate in batches.

13. Waste shredding and drying system of claim 12, CHARACTERIZED in that the hopper (9) comprises a top cover with an opening detector, which sends a stop signal to the general control system if the cover is opened while the shredder is in operation.

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