liquid / solid separator for animal waste, process for treating animal waste and installation incorporating such a separator

Abstract

Liquid / solid separator (1) for separating the liquid and solid parts of animal excrement, said separator (1) comprising: - a horizontal surface (2) for receiving excrement with slots (5) for discharging the liquid part, - a scraper (6) of the receiving surface (2), - a first system (7) for driving the scraper (6) in movement, - at least one unclogging blade (8) per discharge slot (5) and - a second system (9) for driving the unclogging blades (8) in axial movement in the associated discharge slots (5), the surface (2) for receiving excrement comprises a plurality of parallel elongated elements (10) separated from each other by a gap (11) to form a louvered floor, each gap (11) forms one of the discharge slots (5), each elongated element (10) comprises a top portion (100) forming a V open towards the ground with each branch (12) of the V forming a side inclined towards a slot (5).Figure for abstract: Fig. 2.

Description

Title of the invention: liquid / solid separator for animal waste, method for treating animal waste and installation incorporating such a separator

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid / solid separator for separating the liquid and solid parts of animal waste, a method for treating animal waste from farm animals using such a separator and an installation incorporating such a separator.

[0002] It relates in particular to a liquid / solid separator for separating the liquid and solid parts of animal excrement, said separator comprising: - a so-called horizontal surface for receiving excrement with a top face, a bottom face, and one or more slots for evacuating the liquid part, - a scraper on the top face of the receiving surface, - a first system for driving the scraper to move on said top face of the receiving surface, -at least one cleaning blade per evacuation slot and - a second drive system for axial movement of the unclogging blade(s) in the associated evacuation slots.

[0003] Many animal breeding facilities such as sheep, goats, cattle, integrate means of treating animal waste which can then be used for recovery. These animal wastes comprise a liquid part and a solid part. The objective of the treatment is to obtain a solid part with the highest possible dry matter content to use said treated solid part as a spreading product or in a composting station. The liquid part must be as little loaded as possible with "muddy" elements. This liquid part can be used as a fertilizer particularly rich in potash for spreading on agricultural land. Existing animal waste treatment facilities are generally installed in livestock buildings under the animal circulation area, which makes such installations complex and the maintenance of such installations is difficult.

[0004] An aim of the invention is to propose a liquid / solid separator of the aforementioned type whose design can allow its positioning outside the animal breeding and circulation area.

[0005] Another aim of the invention is to propose a liquid / solid separator of the aforementioned type, the design of which makes it possible to improve the quality of the separation in order to obtain the highest possible dry matter content and to obtain the least liquid part. possible loading with “muddy” elements without harming the simplicity of the separator and the ease of its maintenance.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a liquid / solid separator for separating the liquid and solid parts of animal excrement, said separator comprising: - a so-called horizontal surface for receiving excrement with a top face, a bottom face, and one or more slots for evacuating the liquid part, - a scraper on the top face of the receiving surface, - a first system for driving the scraper to move on said top face of the receiving surface, -at least one cleaning blade per evacuation slot and - a second system for driving the unclogging blade(s) axially in the associated discharge slots, characterized in that the surface for receiving the excrement comprises a plurality of parallel elongated elements of beam or profile type separated from each other by a gap to form a so-called drainage openwork floor, in that the or each gap forms the or one of the discharge slots of said surface for receiving the excrement, in that each elongated element comprises a part of the top forming a V open towards the ground with each branch of the V forming an inclined side towards a discharge slot for gravity feeding of said discharge slot. The production of a drainage surface in the form of an openwork floor with elongated elements having a V profile open towards the ground allows simple and low-cost gravity collection of the liquid part of the excrement.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the invention, each elongate element has two longitudinal lateral flanks converging in the direction of the ground to assist in unclogging the drainage slots. The drainage slots are formed by the space left free between two elongate elements. This arrangement of the lateral flanks allows for a reduced slot width at the level of the upper face of the surface for receiving the excrement while facilitating the unclogging of said slots. The conformation of the elongate elements constituting the drainage floor allows, thanks to the V-shaped profile of the elongate elements, to promote a gravitational flow towards the slots and, thanks to the lateral flanks converging in the direction of the ground of said elongate elements, to assist in the unclogging of the slots carried out by the unclogging blades. The separation is thus carried out in a simple manner with reduced maintenance.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the invention, the separator comprises a first support frame for the scraper and a second support frame for the unclogging blade(s), the first system for driving the scraper to move on the top face of the receiving surface is a system for driving the first frame back and forth, the scraper comprises at least one scraping blade mounted to pivot on the first frame for the passage of the scraping blade from a lowered position called active during a forward movement of the first frame and a raised position called inactive during a return movement of the first frame, and the second system for driving the axial movement of the unclogging blade(s) in the associated discharge slots is a back-and-forth drive system of the second frame. This arrangement allows simple treatment of the solid part of the excrement.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the invention, the first frame is at least partially common with the second frame, the first drive system and the second drive system comprise a common motor and a cable drive control for back and forth movement of the first and second frames. This results in simplicity of construction of the separator.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, each elongated element of beam or profile type is an element made of synthetic material. Alternatively, each elongated element may be made of metal or concrete or other.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the branches of the V of at least one, preferably of each elongated element of beam or profile type, form between them an angle of between 90° and 175°, preferably close to 165°.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the longitudinal lateral flanks of at least one of the elongated beam or profile type elements form between them an angle of between 2° and 90°.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, each longitudinal lateral flank of an elongated element of beam or profile type forms, with an inclined face formed by a branch of the V of the upper part of said element, an angle of between 40 and 95°, preferably close to 92°.

[0014] The invention also relates to an installation for the treatment of animal waste from farm animals, said installation comprising at least one liquid / solid separator, characterized in that the liquid / solid separator is of the aforementioned type.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the installation, the installation comprises a collector of the liquid part of the excrement arranged vertically and below the drainage floor of said separator and a zone for collecting the solid part of the excrement arranged at one end of the drainage floor of said separator. This results in a gravity collection of both the liquid part and the solid part.

[0016] The invention also relates to a method for treating animal waste from farm animals using a liquid / solid separator, characterized in that the liquid / solid separator being of the aforementioned type, said method comprises a step of supplying waste to the surface for receiving waste from said separator, a step of maintaining the waste on said surface during a period of draining the waste for collecting the liquid part of the waste under said receiving surface, a step of scraping said receiving surface and a step of unclogging the slots by moving the unclogging blades. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] represents a perspective view of a liquid / solid separator according to the invention;

[0019] [Fig.2] represents a partial perspective view taken from the rear of the scraper of a liquid / solid separator according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.3] represents a partial top view of a compliant liquid / solid separator to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.4] represents a partial front view of a liquid / solid separator according to the invention associated with a detailed view of the surface for receiving the droppings;

[0022] [Fig.5] represents a perspective view of an elongated element;

[0023] [Fig.6] represents a partial perspective view of a scraper in the active position of the scraper's scraping blade;

[0024] [Fig.7] shows in the form of schematic side views the training steps in movement of the scraping blade of said scraper;

[0025] [Fig.8] represents a partial perspective view of a scraper in the inactive position raised from the scraper blade;

[0026] [Fig.9] represents a perspective view of an installation for the treatment of animal droppings;

[0027] [Fig. 10] represents a partial perspective view of an installation for the treatment of animal waste in accordance with the invention.

[0028] As mentioned above, the invention relates to a liquid / solid separator 1 for animal waste that can be attached to a breeding area, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 to form an installation 20 for the treatment of said waste. In [Fig.9], the liquid / solid separator 1 is designed to extend below a breeding area in a manner attached to the breeding area to be fed by gravity with waste from the breeding area. In this embodiment, preferably the liquid / solid separator 1 is outside the building forming the breeding area.

[0029] In the example of [Fig. 10], the liquid / solid separator 1 is located below the breeding area, but extends inside the breeding building. Regardless of its embodiment, the liquid / solid separator 1 is generally not vertical to an area with animals. This liquid / solid separator 1 is therefore gener- not normally located under an animal circulation area as in the state of the art. This liquid / solid separator 1 can be either inside or outside the building forming the breeding area, or even exceptionally under this area.

[0030] Regardless of its arrangement outside or inside the livestock building, the liquid / solid separator 1, object of the invention, comprises a surface 2 for receiving animal droppings which extends substantially horizontally. This receiving surface 2 comprises a top face 3 intended to receive the untreated animal droppings, an opposite bottom face 4 and one or more slots 5 for discharging the liquid part of the droppings. In the example illustrated in the figures, several parallel discharge slots 5 are provided.

[0031] The liquid / solid separator 1 also comprises a scraper 6 on the top face of the surface 2 for receiving the excrement and a first system 7 for driving the scraper 6 to move on said top face 3 of the receiving surface 2 for a back-and-forth movement of the scraper 6 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the discharge slots 5.

[0032] The liquid / solid separator 1 comprises at least one, generally several, unclogging blades 8 as illustrated in [Fig.2] where the unclogging blades 8 are each formed by a cut metal blank and extend in parallel. Each unclogging blade 8 is intended to unclog a discharge slot 5 by axially traveling through said discharge slot 5. For this purpose, the liquid / solid separator 1 comprises a second drive system 9 intended to drive the unclogging blades 8 in axial displacement in the associated discharge slots 5.

[0033] The surface 2 for receiving the excrement comprises a plurality of parallel elongated elements 10 separated from each other by a free space called a gap and shown at 11 in the figures to form a floor with an openwork drainage channel for the excrement. Thus, the liquid part of the excrement can pass through the floor to be collected under the floor while the solid part of the excrement remains on the surface of said floor.

[0034] Each day 11 therefore forms a slot 7 for evacuating the surface 2 for receiving the excrement.

[0035] To assist in this drainage without clogging of the drainage slots 5, each elongated element 10 comprises a top portion 100 forming a V open towards the ground with each branch 12 of the V forming a sloped face towards a drainage slot 5 for gravity feeding of said drainage slot 5. Each elongated element 10 is in the form of a beam or a profile. In the case where said elongated element 10 is in the form of a profile, the branches 12 of the V of the top portion 100 of the elongated element 10 each form a part of a dihedral open towards the ground.

[0036] Ideally, each elongated element 10 is in accordance with [Fig.5] and is in the form of an element made of synthetic material. This results in ease of washing, maintenance and replacement of said elongated elements 10. Alternatively, each elongated element 1 may be made of metal, concrete or other. The longitudinal lateral parts of this elongated element 10 adjoining the V-shaped top part 100 of said element form the longitudinal lateral flanks 101 of this elongated element 10. These longitudinal lateral flanks 101 extend convergently towards the ground to help unclog the evacuation slots 5 formed by the space left free between two elongated elements. The lateral flanks 101 of an elongated element 10 therefore tend to move closer to each other from the V-shaped top part 100 of said elongated element 10 towards its base. Thus, the width of a slit increases from its top towards its base, as illustrated in [Fig.4], which increases the efficiency of the separation while facilitating the unclogging of the evacuation slot 5.

[0037] In the example of Figures 4 and 5, the branches 12 of the V of each elongated element 10 form between them an angle of between 90° and 175°. This angle A is here close to 165°. The lateral flanks 101 of an elongated element 10 form between them an angle of between 2° and 90°. Each lateral flank 101 of an elongated element 10 forms with an inclined face formed by a branch 12 of the V of the top part 100 of the elongated element 10 an angle B of between 40° and 95°, preferably close to 92°.

[0038] This receiving surface 2 is capable of being traversed by the scraper 6 and the unclogging blades 8. The scraper 6 comprises at least one scraping blade 15 mounted to pivot on a frame called the first frame 13. This first frame 13 is mounted to move back and forth on the receiving surface 2 and moves in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the discharge slots 5 of the receiving surface 2.

[0039] For the reciprocating movement drive of this first frame 13, the liquid / solid separator 1 comprises a first system 7 for driving the scraper 6 on the top face 3 of the receiving surface 2. The first frame 13 is more particularly visible in FIGS. 2 and 8.

[0040] This first frame 13 comprises two parallel cheeks 132 extending parallel to the discharge slots of the receiving surface 2. These cheeks 132 are externally equipped with rollers to be guided in movement along the edges of the surface 2 for receiving the droppings. These cheeks 132 are connected to each other by cylindrical rods extending transversely to the discharge slots 5. One of these rods, called a pivoting round 131, is equipped with the scraping blade(s) 15 of the scraper 6. The scraping blade(s) 15 of the scraper 6 are pivotally coupled to this round 131 for the passage of the scraping blade(s) 15 from a lowered position, called active, in which the leading edge of the blade is in contact with the face of the top 3 of the receiving surface 2 during a movement, called forward, of the first frame 13, and a raised position, called inactive, during a return movement of the first frame 13.

[0041] Thus, in other words, the or each scraping blade 15 is mounted to pivot so as to take at least two positions, one in which the leading edge of the blade is lowered to come into contact with the surface 2 for receiving the excrement and the other in which the leading edge is raised to be moved away from the surface 2 for receiving the excrement, these positions each being a function of the direction in which the scraper 6 is driven in movement.

[0042] To allow such automatic pivoting movement of the scraper blade 15 as a function of the movement stroke of the first frame 13, the first frame 13 is equipped, between its cheeks 132, with a traction bar 18 or drawbar parallel to the cheeks. This traction bar 18 is equipped with longitudinal slots 181 with a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of movement of the first frame 13.

[0043] One of the lights 181 houses with play the pivoting round 131. A half-moon-shaped stop 19 carried by the drawbar allows, by bearing contact with the or each scraper blade 15, the pivoting of the or each scraper blade 15. The relative movement between the pivoting round 131 and the drawbar 18 allows, by bearing contact of the scraper blade 15 with the half-moon 19, a pivoting movement of the scraper blade in the direction of a lifting during the return movement of the first frame 13, as illustrated in the bottom view of [Fig.7] whereas, during the forward movement of the first frame 13, the scraper blade 15 tends, under the effect of its own weight, to come to bear on the surface 2 for receiving the excrement.

[0044] The unclogging blades 8 are, in a similar manner, carried by a frame called the second frame and shown at 14 in the figures. This second frame is also mounted to move back and forth under the action of a drive system called the second drive system 9 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the evacuation slots 5.

[0045] In the example illustrated in [Fig.2], the unclogging blades 8 are carried by a connecting crosspiece of the cheeks 132 of the first frame 13, this crosspiece forming the second frame 14. In this embodiment, the first frame 13 and the second frame 14 are at least partially common and the first and second drive systems are also at least partially common. Thus, the first drive system 7 and the second drive system 9 comprise a common motor 16 and a control 17 with drive cables for back-and-forth movement of the first and second frames.

[0046] In the example shown in [Fig.l], the motor 16 is disposed beyond one end of the floor. A return pulley is disposed at the opposite end of the floor and the cable forms a loop between the motor 16, the return pulley return and the traction bar 18. Thus, the rotational drive of the motor in a first direction of rotation causes a movement of the traction bar 18 in a first direction and the rotational drive of the motor 16 in an opposite direction of rotation causes a movement of the traction bar 18 in an opposite direction. Each direction of movement of the traction bar corresponds to an active or inactive position of the scraper blade 15.

[0047] In the example of Figures 1 and 2, the first and second frames are common and driven simultaneously in movement. Obviously, the first and second frames can be separate and driven successively or in parallel in movement. This solution is more complex to implement.

[0048] To complete the installation 20 for the treatment of animal excrement, a collector 21 of the liquid part of the excrement is arranged vertically and below the drainage floor of the liquid / solid separator 1 and a zone 22 for collecting the solid part of the excrement is arranged at one end of the drainage floor of said liquid / solid separator 1.

[0049] In practice, the treatment of animal excrement using a liquid / solid separator 1, as described above, therefore comprises a step of supplying excrement to the surface 2 for receiving excrement of said liquid / solid separator 1, a step of maintaining the excrement on said receiving surface 2 during a period of draining the excrement for collecting the liquid part of the excrement under said receiving surface, a step of scraping said receiving surface 2 and a step of unclogging the discharge slots 5 by moving the unclogging blades.

[0050] As mentioned above, the scraping step and the unclogging step can be carried out synchronously or successively. The liquid part and the solid part of the excrement are thus automatically collected in a simple manner with high separation efficiency.

Claims

Claims

1. Liquid / solid separator (1) for separating the liquid and solid parts of animal excrement, said separator (1) comprising: - a so-called horizontal excrement receiving surface (2) with a top face (3), a bottom face (4), and one or more slots (5) for discharging the liquid part, - a scraper (6) of the top face (3) of the receiving surface (2), - a first system (7) for driving the scraper (6) in movement on said top face (3) of the receiving surface (2), - at least one unclogging blade (8) per discharge slot (5) and - a second system (9) for driving the unclogging blade(s) (8) in axial movement in the associated discharge slots (5), characterized in that the excrement receiving surface (2) comprises a plurality of parallel elongated elements (10) of the beam or profile type separated between them by a day (11) to form a so-called drainage openwork floor,in that the or each day (11) forms the or one of the evacuation slots (5) of said surface (2) for receiving the droppings, in that each elongated element (10) comprises a part of the top (100) forming a V open towards the ground with each branch (12) of the V forming a sloped side in the direction of an evacuation slot (5) for a gravity feed of said evacuation slot (5).,

2. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each elongated element (10) has two longitudinal lateral flanks (101) converging in the direction of the ground to help unclog the evacuation slots (5).

3. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a first frame (13) supporting the scraper (6) and a second frame (14) supporting the unclogging blade(s) (8), in that the first system (7) for driving the scraper (6) on the top face (3) of the receiving surface (2) is a reciprocating drive system of the first frame (13), in that the scraper (6) comprises at least one scraping blade (15) mounted to pivot on the first frame (13) for the passage of the scraping blade (15) from a lowered position called active during a forward movement of the first frame (13) and a raised position called inactive during a return movement of the first frame (13), and in that the second system (9) for driving the axial displacement of the unclogging blade(s) (8) in the associated evacuation slots is a system (9) for driving the second frame (14) back and forth.

4. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first frame (13) is at least partially common with the second frame (14), in that the first drive system (7) and the second drive system (9) comprise a common motor (16) and a cable control (17) for driving the first and second frames (13, 14) back and forth.

5. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each elongated element (10) of beam or profile type is an element made of synthetic material.

6. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the branches (12) of the V of at least one, preferably of each elongated element (10) of beam or profile type, form between them an angle of between 90° and 175°, preferably close to 165°.

7. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to claim 2 or one of claims 3 to 6 taken in combination with claim 2, characterized in that the longitudinal lateral flanks (101) of at least one of the elongated beam or profile type elements (10) form between them an angle of between 2° and 90°.

8. Liquid / solid separator (1) according to claim 2 or one of claims 3 to 7 taken in combination with claim 2, characterized in that each longitudinal lateral flank (101) of an elongated element (10) of beam or profile type forms, with an inclined face formed by a branch (12) of the V of the upper part (100) of said element (10), an angle of between 40° and 95°, preferably close to 92°.

9. Installation (20) for the treatment of animal waste from farm animals, said installation (20) comprising at least one liquid / solid separator (1), characterized in that the liquid / solid separator (1) is in accordance with one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Installation (20) for the treatment of animal excrement from farm animals according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a collector (21) of the liquid part of the excrement arranged vertically and below the drainage floor of said separator (1) and a zone (22) for collecting the solid part of the excrement arranged vertically and below the drainage floor of said separator (1) and a zone (22) for collecting the solid part of the excrement arranged vertically and below the drainage floor of said separator (1). one end of the drainage floor of said separator (1).

11. Method for treating animal waste from livestock using a liquid / solid separator (1), characterized in that the liquid / solid separator (1) being in accordance with one of claims 1 to 8, said method comprises a step of supplying waste to the waste-receiving surface (2) of said separator (1), a step of maintaining the waste on said surface (2) during a period of draining the waste for collecting the liquid part of the waste under said receiving surface (2), a step of scraping said receiving surface (2) and a step of unclogging the slots (5) by moving the unclogging blades (8).

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