Organic fertilizer production apparatus and production method

Abstract

To provide an apparatus and a method to enclose nitrogen volatilized into the atmosphere in fertilizers, produce organic fertilizers that avoid problems such as soil environmental degradation caused by long-term use of chemical fertilizers, and produce organic fertilizers that also regenerate soil by pulverizing the organic content in a treatment process and using it as a feed for soil microorganisms.SOLUTION: Provided is an organic fertilizer production apparatus having a decomposition treatment part of a two layer structure comprising a first layer for steaming and decomposing an organic matter and a second layer formed so that heat medium oil can circulate along the outside of the first layer, wherein the first layer is provided with a stirring plate for stirring the organic matter, the stirring plate has a rubbing part for rubbing the organic matter on an inner wall surface, and the second layer has a heater for heating and controlling a temperature of the heat medium oil in a circulation channel of the heat medium oil, and the decomposition treatment part has a heater for heating the heat medium oil circulating in the second layer and controlling the temperature, performs indirect heating by rubbing the organic matter against the inner wall surface of the first layer heated to a high temperature by heat transfer from the heat medium oil, and evaporates moisture contained in the organic matter. Also provided is an organic fertilizer production method.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing organic fertilizer. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, compost (special fertilizer) used in agriculture has been known to include, for example, fermented chicken manure produced by fermenting chicken manure. Livestock manure is commonly used as fertilizer because it contains phosphorus and potassium, which are essential for growing vegetables, and small amounts of nitrogen.

[0003] Fermentation of livestock manure is carried out by the activity of aerobic microorganisms, and usually the temperature of the livestock manure during the fermentation process rises due to the heat of fermentation, and pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus, as well as viruses, are killed by the fermentation heat (approximately 80°C) during the fermentation period, making it possible to use it as a fertilizer that is safe for people and vegetables. The fermentation period is about 30 to 40 days. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP2002-220294 Public Relations Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Compost (special fertilizer) produced by fermentation emits greenhouse gases such as methane gas and nitrous oxide during the fermentation process, and about half of the nitrogen contained in the organic matter combines with oxygen in the air during fermentation to become nitrous oxide, which is lost as a vapor into the atmosphere. Because of this, fermented compost (special fertilizer) alone cannot provide the nitrogen necessary to increase the productivity of agricultural crops, so the necessary nitrogen and other components are usually supplemented with chemical fertilizers (fossil fuels, naphtha, etc.).

[0006] However, the long-term use of chemical fertilizers reduces the activity of microorganisms in the soil, worsening the soil's aggregate structure and root zone environment, and causing the accumulation of heavy metals, which deteriorates the soil environment. If vegetables are grown in such soil, the nutritional value of the vegetables harvested will gradually decrease year by year.

[0007] To address this issue, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is promoting specially cultivated agricultural products (reduced chemical fertilizer and pesticide cultivation), but it is difficult to increase the productivity of agricultural crops without making up for the reduced amount of chemical fertilizer.In addition, it is difficult around the world to consistently procure organic fertilizers that contain a lot of ingredients and can be used as an alternative to chemical fertilizers, and in order to make up for the lack of ingredients in compost such as conventional fermented chicken manure, the low concentration of fertilizer ingredients in the compost must be compensated for by increasing the amount of compost added, which requires a lot of effort and causes unpleasant odors.

[0008] The present invention aims to address these problems. That is, the objectives of the present invention are to confine within the fertilizer the nitrogen that would otherwise volatilize into the atmosphere during fermentation, to produce an organic fertilizer that can avoid problems such as soil pollution and deterioration that accompany the long-term use of chemical fertilizers, to produce an organic fertilizer that also regenerates the soil by crushing the organic matter contained in the fertilizer and using it as food for soil microorganisms in the treatment process, and to produce an organic fertilizer that can increase the productivity of agricultural crops while avoiding problems caused by the large-scale input of fertilizer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve such problems, the organic fertilizer production apparatus according to the present invention has a decomposition treatment section with a two-layer structure consisting of a first layer for steaming and decomposing organic matter, and a second layer formed along the outside of the first layer to allow thermal oil to circulate, the first layer is provided with an agitation plate for agitating the organic matter, the agitation plate having a rubbing section for rubbing the organic matter against an inner wall surface, the second layer has a heater in a circulation flow path of the thermal oil for heating and temperature control of the thermal oil, and the decomposition treatment section heats and temperature controls the thermal oil circulating in the second layer with the heater, indirectly heats the organic matter by rubbing it against the inner wall surface of the first layer which has become hot due to heat transfer from the thermal oil, and performs a process of evaporating the moisture contained in the organic matter.

[0010] In addition, the organic fertilizer production method according to the present invention is characterized in that it uses an apparatus having a two-layer decomposition processing section consisting of a first layer for steaming and decomposing organic matter and a second layer formed along the outside of the first layer to allow heat transfer oil to circulate, and continues the steps of heating the heat transfer oil to a predetermined temperature and controlling the temperature, stirring the organic matter in the first layer and rubbing it against the inner wall surface, and discharging water vapor generated by evaporation of moisture contained in the organic matter from the first layer until the organic matter reaches a specific temperature. Effect of the Invention

[0011] With an organic fertilizer production device and production method having such characteristics, it is possible to produce an organic fertilizer that can confine within the fertilizer nitrogen that would otherwise volatilize into the atmosphere during fermentation, avoid problems such as deterioration of the soil environment that accompanies the long-term use of chemical fertilizers, produce an organic fertilizer that also regenerates the soil by crushing the organic matter contained in the fertilizer in the treatment process and using it as food for soil microorganisms, and produce an organic fertilizer that can increase crop productivity while avoiding problems that arise from the use of large amounts of fertilizer. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an organic fertilizer production apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of a decomposition processing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a right side view of the decomposition processing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a right side view of a decomposition processing unit during steam decomposition processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] An enlarged portion of Figure 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a steam decomposition treatment process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a comparison diagram of the components of the organic fertilizer (chicken manure) produced in the embodiment of the present invention, and conventional fermented chicken manure and dried chicken manure. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a comparison diagram of the components of organic fertilizers (pig manure, cow manure) produced in an embodiment of the present invention and conventional special fertilizers (pig manure, cow manure). [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing chemical analysis values ​​of an organic fertilizer produced according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing decomposition of organic matter in an organic fertilizer produced according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote parts having the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate.

[0014] The present invention provides an organic fertilizer production device and an organic fertilizer production method, which include a step of subjecting organic matter to steam decomposition treatment, suppressing nitrogen loss due to fermentation and producing an organic fertilizer containing more nitrogen components from the same raw materials than conventional compost (special fertilizer). Steam decomposition treatment refers to a treatment in which the material to be treated (organic matter) is rubbed against the high-temperature inner wall surface inside a decomposition layer, the organic matter is thermally decomposed by indirect heating, the moisture contained in the organic matter is evaporated, and the organic matter is heated while being stirred until it reaches a specific temperature. The specific contents will be described later.

[0015] (Organic fertilizer production equipment configuration) The configuration of the organic fertilizer production apparatus 1 will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. The organic fertilizer production apparatus 1 includes a decomposition processing section 10, a vent 30, a rotary drive section 40, a heater 50, and a cooling section 60.

[0016] The decomposition processing section 10 is formed of a first layer (hereinafter, decomposition layer) 11 and a second layer (hereinafter, oil layer) 12 formed along the outside of the decomposition layer 11. That is, the decomposition processing section 10 has a two-layer structure of the decomposition layer 11 and the oil layer 12. Each layer is stainless steel, and the stainless steel of the outer layer of the decomposition layer 11 is about 10 mm thick, and the stainless steel of the outer layer of the oil layer 12 is about 4 mm thick. The decomposition layer 11 has a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape with the side extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the cylinder (see FIG. 3), and the oil layer 12 has a circulation flow path along the outside of the decomposition layer 11 that allows the heat transfer oil to circulate. In this embodiment, edible oil that is as unlikely to release heat as possible is used as the heat transfer oil circulating in the oil layer 12. The edible oil used as the heat transfer oil is preferably one that is highly energy efficient and easy to store heat and control temperature. In addition, it is preferable that it can be used for a long period of time (for example, about 200 to 350 days of continuous operation).

[0017] The decomposition layer 11 is provided such that the axial direction of the elliptical cylinder is parallel to the horizontal direction, and the side surfaces extend in the vertical direction. In addition, the rotation shaft column 23 penetrates the bottom surface of the elliptical cylinder of the decomposition layer 11 from the outside of the decomposition processing unit 10 in the axial direction. The rotation shaft column 23 has a cylindrical shape, and rotates around its axis by a rotation drive unit 40 provided outside the decomposition processing unit 10. The rotation shaft column 23 penetrates a portion vertically below the center of gravity of the bottom surface of the elliptical shape of the decomposition layer 11 (see Figures 2 and 3).

[0018] From the side of the rotating shaft column 23, the rotating vanes 20 extend in a direction perpendicular to the side of the rotating shaft column 23 toward the side of the decomposition layer 11. The rotating vanes 20 rotate integrally with the rotating shaft column 23 as the rotating drive unit 40 rotates. The rotating shaft column 23 and the rotating vanes 20 rotate clockwise during steam decomposition treatment in the right side view of the decomposition layer 11 in FIG. 3 described later. In the embodiment, the number of rotating vanes 20 is three, but this is not limited thereto, and the number of rotating vanes 20 provided may be one or more depending on the scale of the device and the size of the rotating vanes 20. Specific details of the rotating vanes 20 will be described later.

[0019] The circulation flow path of the oil layer 12 is connected to the heater 50, and the thermal oil circulating through the circulation flow path is heated by the heater 50 and circulates. The heater 50 heats the thermal oil to a predetermined temperature and manages the temperature. In this embodiment, the thermal oil is heated to a target temperature of 200°C. A thermal oil temperature sensor 51 is provided upstream of the heater 50 in the oil layer 12, and the temperature of the thermal oil is measured and managed one by one. The thermal oil circulating along the outside of the decomposition layer 11 and managed to be 200°C heats the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 by heat transfer. In addition, although not shown, a heat insulating material may be provided to cover the outside of the oil layer 12, i.e., the outside of the decomposition treatment unit 10, in order to suppress heat dissipation from the decomposition treatment unit 10 by the outside air and to facilitate temperature management.

[0020] The decomposition treatment section 10 is also provided with an input section 13 for inputting the organic matter to be treated into the decomposition layer 11, and a discharge section 14 for discharging the organic fertilizer after the steam decomposition treatment. The discharge section 14 is provided with a pulverizer (not shown) for powdering the solidified organic fertilizer remaining in the organic fertilizer after the steam decomposition treatment.

[0021] The ventilation opening 30 is provided with an outside air intake 31 for drawing outside air into the decomposition layer 11, and an inside air exhaust 32 for exhausting the inside air in the decomposition layer 11 to the outside. Specifically, a compressor 310 for drawing outside air and introducing it into the decomposition layer 11 is connected to the outside air intake 31, and sends compressed outside air into the decomposition layer 11 that has become hot during the steam decomposition treatment of organic matter. An exhaust fan 320 for exhausting the inside air in the decomposition layer 11 is provided at the inside air exhaust 32, and mainly exhausts water vapor generated by the steam decomposition treatment from the decomposition layer 11 to the outside. The outside air intake 31 and the compressor 310, and the inside air exhaust 32 and the exhaust fan are connected by, for example, a ventilation duct 300.

[0022] The vent 30 is provided at a high position in the vertical direction of the decomposition treatment section 10. As described above, the rotating shaft column 23 is provided at the bottom surface of the substantially elliptical decomposition layer 11, penetrating slightly below the center of gravity in the vertical direction, so that the rotating blades 20 rotating around the rotating shaft column 23 do not reach the inner wall surface 11A on the vertical upper side of the decomposition layer 11. That is, the vent 30 is provided at a position where the rotating blades 20 do not pass by when rotating. This prevents, for example, organic matter in the decomposition layer 11 from entering and blocking the vent 30 during steam decomposition treatment, thereby preventing the intake of outside air and the exhaust of inside air.

[0023] The provision of the ventilation opening 30 improves the efficiency of the steam decomposition process by discharging water vapor generated by the steam decomposition process from the decomposition layer 11 and preventing water vapor from accumulating within the decomposition layer 11. In addition, by heating the organic matter at 200°C to thermally decompose components that cause bad odors, such as hydrogen sulfide, and discharging the odor together with water vapor from the internal air exhaust opening 32, almost no bad odor remains in the organic matter after the steam decomposition process.

[0024] In addition, the temperature of the air taken in from the outside air intake 31 rises due to compression by the compressor 310, so it is unlikely to become a factor in disturbing the temperature control in the decomposition layer 11. If the temperature of the taken in air differs from the temperature in the decomposition layer 11 and there is concern that this may become a factor in disturbing the temperature control, a heater may be provided separately to take in heated air. Therefore, even when steam decomposition treatment is performed in an area with a low outside temperature, it is not affected by the outside temperature.

[0025] The temperature inside the decomposition layer 11 during the steam decomposition treatment is measured by measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the inside air exhaust port 32 using a temperature and humidity sensor 321 provided in the inside air exhaust port 32. In addition, by measuring the humidity of the air discharged from the inside air exhaust port 32, it is possible to determine whether or not evaporation of the moisture contained in the organic matter during the steam decomposition treatment is complete. For example, when the humidity of the air discharged from the inside air exhaust port 32 becomes normal humidity during the steam decomposition treatment, it is determined that evaporation of the moisture contained in the organic matter is complete.

[0026] The rotary drive unit 40 is provided outside the decomposition treatment unit 10 inside the organic fertilizer production apparatus 1, and rotates the rotary shaft column 23 by a gear mechanism. Specifically, the rotary drive unit 40 may be, for example, a motor, a so-called geared motor with an integrated transmission, or a cyclo-reduction gear (registered trademark).

[0027] As described above, the heater 50 is connected to the oil layer 12 in which the thermal oil circulates, and performs heating and temperature control of the thermal oil. In the circulation flow path of the oil layer 12, the temperature of the thermal oil is measured by a thermal oil temperature sensor 51 provided upstream of the heater 50, and in the event of overheating, the temperature is controlled by, for example, stopping the heater 50 by thermostat control, thereby preventing the organic matter from burning. Examples of the heater 50 may be a thermal medium heater or a thermal medium boiler (electric, gas, hydrogen, etc.).

[0028] The cooling section 60 is composed of rotary valves 61A and 61B, a pressure blower 62, and a transport duct 63. Specifically, the high-temperature organic fertilizer discharged from the discharge section 14 of the decomposition processing section 10 flows into the transport duct 63 by the rotary valve 61A. The transport duct 63 is connected to the pressure blower 62, and the organic fertilizer that flows into the transport duct 63 is transported inside the transport duct 63 by the wind pressure of the pressure blower 62. The organic fertilizer transported inside the transport duct 63 is cooled by the wind of the pressure blower 62. The cooled organic fertilizer flows from the transport duct 63 into the rotary valve 61B, and is discharged from the rotary valve 61B into a flexible container bag. The method of cooling the organic fertilizer in the embodiment is just one example, and the specific cooling method is not limited thereto.

[0029] Although not shown in the figure, the organic fertilizer production apparatus 1 is also equipped with a small outlet for checking the state of the organic matter being treated, and a sprinkler for extinguishing a fire in the decomposition treatment section 10 in the event that the factory equipment is stopped due to a power outage or the like.

[0030] Next, the rotating blade 20 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rotating blade 20 is composed of a pillar member 22 extending vertically from the side surface of the rotating shaft pillar 23, and an agitating plate 21 provided at the tip of the pillar member 22. Specifically, the rotating shaft pillar 23 and the pillar member 22 are not integrally molded, and the pillar member 22 extends while being fixed to the rotating shaft pillar 23 by a pillar fixing portion 22A. The agitating plate 21 is provided with an agitating edge 211 and a rubbing portion 212.

[0031] The stirring plate 21 has a rectangular plate shape, and is provided at the tip of the pillar member 22 with the surface inclined in the direction of rotation (clockwise in FIG. 3) of the rotating shaft pillar 23 during steam decomposition treatment with respect to the extension direction of the pillar member 22 (see FIG. 3). In addition, a stirring edge 211 is provided along the diagonal of the rectangular surface on the surface of the stirring plate 21 on the side to which the pillar member 22 is not connected, and the stirring edge 211 is formed perpendicularly from the surface of the stirring plate 21. The stirring edge 211 shown in the figure is substantially triangular, but is not limited thereto, and may be a different shape, such as a square shape.

[0032] The rubbing portion 212 refers to the side surface of the agitation plate 21 that is located at the farthest position from the rotation shaft column 23 (see FIG. 3). The side surface of the agitation plate 21 that is the rubbing portion 212 is not formed perpendicular to the surface of the agitation plate 21, but is formed so as to be parallel or approximately parallel to the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 in the region where the rubbing portion 212 described later rubs the organic matter against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11. In the case of an approximately parallel shape, it is desirable that, of the four sides of the surface of the rubbing portion 212, two sides parallel to the horizontal direction are inclined so that the side on the rotation direction side during the steam decomposition treatment is farther from the inner wall surface 11A than the other side. By forming the rubbing portion 212 in this way, a force is easily applied to rub the organic matter against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 during the steam decomposition treatment.

[0033] 2 and 3, the positions, shapes, and sizes of the inlet 13, outlet 14, and vent 30 are not limited to those shown in the drawings. For example, as long as the vent 30 is provided at a position where the operation of the rotary blade 20 makes it difficult for organic matter to enter the vent 30, it may be provided at a position other than those shown in the drawings, or multiple vents may be provided.

[0034] (Steaming and decomposition treatment) Next, the steam decomposition process will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The steam decomposition process refers to a process in which organic matter is rubbed against the inner wall surface 11A while being stirred in the decomposition layer 11, whereby the organic matter is thermally decomposed by indirect heating, and the moisture contained in the organic matter is evaporated. The moisture content of the organic matter input into the decomposition layer 11 is about 40% to 60%. In Figures 4 and 5, the organic matter is indicated by diagonal lines slanting downward to the right.

[0035] During the steam decomposition process, heat transfer oil controlled at 200°C circulates through the oil layer 12 outside the decomposition layer 11, so that the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 is at about 200°C due to heat transfer, and the organic matter is rubbed against the inner wall surface 11A at about 200°C by the rubbing portion 212 of the rotating blade 20 to pyrolyze the organic matter, and the contained moisture is evaporated while being stirred by the stirring edge 211. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4, the organic matter that accumulates vertically downward in the decomposition layer 11 is scooped up by the stirring edge 211 of the rotating blade 20 and stirred in the decomposition layer 11, and the rubbing portion 212 rubs the organic matter against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 in a region close to the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 during the rotation of the rotating blade 20.

[0036] The rubbing of the organic matter against the inner wall surface 11A by the rubbing part 212 is performed in the region vertically below the dashed dotted line C shown in the figure, for example, while the rubbing part 212 passes between points A and B. As described above, the rotating shaft column 23 from which the rotating blades 20 extend is provided penetrating slightly vertically below the center of gravity of the bottom surface of the substantially elliptical decomposition layer 11, so that the rotating blades 20 do not reach the inner wall surface 11A on the vertically upper side of the decomposition layer 11, and therefore rubbing is hardly performed vertically above the dashed dotted line C.

[0037] 5, the rubbing portion 212 moves as indicated by the arrow T due to the rotation of the rotary blade 20, and at point A, the rubbing portion 212 starts rubbing the organic matter against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11. It is desirable that the rubbing portion 212 is formed so as to be parallel or approximately parallel to the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 between points A and B. For example, the rubbing portion 212 shown in the figure is formed approximately parallel to the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11.

[0038] As the rubbing portion 212 moves, organic matter located on the arrow T between points A and B in the decomposition layer 11 penetrates between the rubbing portion 212 and the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11, and is rubbed against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 by the rubbing portion 212 in the direction indicated by arrow P.

[0039] In addition, since the agitating edges 211 are formed along the diagonals of the rectangular surface of the agitating plate 21, the organic matter is agitated in the left-right direction by the agitating edges 211 near the vertically lower portion of the decomposition layer 11 where the organic matter accumulates.

[0040] Furthermore, the thickness of the stainless steel of the decomposition layer and the oil layer described above is set to 10 mm for the outer layer of the decomposition layer and 4 mm for the outer layer of the oil layer, so that the thickness can withstand the internal pressure when the rubbing part 212 rubs the organic matter against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 during the steam decomposition treatment. For example, if there is a risk that the internal pressure of the decomposition layer 11 during the steam decomposition treatment will increase by increasing the area of ​​the rubbing part 212 by making the stirring plate 21 thicker or by changing the angle at which the rubbing part 212 is formed to increase the rubbing force, the stainless steel layer is formed to a thickness that can withstand the generated internal pressure.

[0041] Steam generated by the steam decomposition treatment is appropriately discharged from the inside air outlet 32, and outside air is taken in from the outside air inlet 31, so that the temperature is efficiently raised and the steam decomposition treatment is performed without the steam remaining in the decomposition layer 11. The steam decomposition treatment continues until the temperature of the organic matter reaches approximately 150°C to 160°C.

[0042] (Processing) Next, the production process of organic fertilizer by the organic fertilizer production apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. First, the heater 50 heats the thermal oil circulating in the oil layer 12 until it reaches 200°C (step S01). The temperature of the thermal oil is detected by a thermal oil temperature sensor 51 provided upstream of the heater 50 in the oil layer 12 and is controlled by adjusting the output of the heater 50. In the event of overheating, for example, the heater 50 is stopped by thermostat control to prevent the organic matter from burning. When the temperature of the thermal oil reaches 200°C, the organic matter is put into the decomposition layer 11 (step S02). The moisture content of the organic matter put into the decomposition layer 11 is 40% to 60%.

[0043] Once the organic matter has been added, the steam decomposition process begins (step S03). The added organic matter is rubbed against the inner wall surface 11A while being agitated by the rotating blades 20 in the decomposition layer 11, and the temperature increases, causing the organic matter to be decomposed by pyrolysis and the moisture contained therein to evaporate. First, between the temperature at which the organic matter was added and 80°C, pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and harmful seeds are sterilized (step S04). After that, the temperature continues to rise, and when the temperature of the organic matter reaches approximately 100°C to 110°C, the temperature rise temporarily stops. If the organic matter contains moisture, the temperature will not rise above 100°C to 110°C.

[0044] The moisture contained in the organic matter evaporates completely through the steam decomposition process at 100°C to 110°C (step S05). When all the moisture contained in the organic matter has evaporated, the temperature of the organic matter begins to rise again. The water vapor generated by the steam decomposition process is discharged together with the odor from the internal air exhaust port 32 to the outside of the organic fertilizer production apparatus 1, and when all the moisture has evaporated, the foul odor of the organic matter almost disappears, resulting in an almost odorless state.

[0045] When the temperature starts to rise from 110°C, the organic matter crushing process is then carried out (step S06). When the temperature is between 110°C and 160°C, the organic matter from which moisture has been removed is further rubbed against the inner wall surface 11A of the decomposition layer 11 by the rubbing unit 212, and the organic matter contained therein, such as cellulose, is crushed into a fine powder. The organic matter crushing process is carried out until the temperature of the organic matter reaches approximately 150 to 160°C.

[0046] When the temperature of the organic matter reaches 150 to 160°C, the organic matter crushing process is terminated (step S07). The temperature of the organic matter is determined by taking out a small amount from the small outlet when the temperature and humidity sensor detects normal humidity. When the organic matter crushing process is completed, the steam decomposition process is terminated (step S08). The organic fertilizer is discharged from the discharge section 14 of the decomposition processing section 10 (step S09). When discharged, the organic fertilizer that was not completely powdered in the steam decomposition process is powdered by a grinder provided in the discharge section 14.

[0047] The organic fertilizer discharged from the discharge section 14 flows from the rotary valve 61A into the transport duct 63, and while the organic fertilizer is being transported, it is subjected to a forced cooling process using cold air from the pressure blower 62 (step S10). The organic fertilizer that has flowed into the transport duct 63 is transported by the wind pressure of the pressure blower 62. The temperature of the air from the pressure blower is about 40°C, and the organic fertilizer transported through the transport duct 63 is cooled to about 60°C by the air from the pressure blower 62. The organic fertilizer cooled to 60°C flows from the transport duct 63 into the rotary valve 61B, and is discharged from the rotary valve 61B into the flexible container bag 70 (step S11).

[0048] The processing time from step S01 to step S11 varies depending on the moisture content of the organic matter (40% to 60%), but can be completed in about 5 to 8 hours. The moisture content of the organic matter varies depending on the amount of moisture ingested by livestock depending on, for example, the season (temperature).

[0049] Organic fertilizer produced under such temperature control through a process that includes steam decomposition treatment contains more nitrogen than the nitrogen content of conventional compost (special fertilizer).

[0050] (Comparison of ingredients) The components of the treated organic fertilizer in this embodiment are compared with those of a conventional fertilizer using FIG. 7. The raw material of the fertilizers shown in the figure is all chicken manure. The component contents of the products shown in FIG. 7 are the values ​​of the component contents written on the products that are actually sold, and the component contents of the test results are the values ​​of the component contents written on the test result certificate submitted by the contractor after conducting a commissioned test. The measurement items are the three items of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium, in accordance with the items written on the products. The measurement method for the components in the commissioned test was the Fertilizer Analysis Method (the National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences Method, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).

[0051] Here, fermented chicken manure and dried chicken manure are used for comparison. Fermented chicken manure is chicken manure that has been fermented and then dried. Dried chicken manure is chicken manure that has simply been dried with hot air.

[0052] First, the fermented chicken manure and the treated chicken manure of this embodiment are compared. The total amount of nitrogen contained in the first product of the fermented chicken manure is 3.5% of the total components, the total amount of nitrogen contained in the second product is 2.5% of the total components, and the total amount of nitrogen contained in the third product is 2.3% of the total components, and the average total amount of nitrogen of these three products is 2.77% of the total components. In contrast, the treated chicken manure of this embodiment has a total amount of nitrogen of 5.23% of the total components in the first test result, a total amount of nitrogen of 4.8% of the total components in the second test result, and a total amount of nitrogen of 6.05% of the total components in the third test result, and the average total amount of nitrogen of these three test results is 5.36% of the total components, and the treated chicken manure of this embodiment has an average total amount of nitrogen that is 2.59% higher than that of conventional fermented chicken manure sold on the market.

[0053] Next, the dried chicken manure and the treated chicken manure in this embodiment are compared. Unlike the fermented chicken manure, the dried chicken manure is not fermented, and therefore the nitrogen components are not lost by volatilization compared to the fermented chicken manure. Therefore, it is characterized by containing more nitrogen components than the fermented chicken manure. The total amount of nitrogen contained in the first product of the dried chicken manure is 4.3% of the total components, the total amount of nitrogen contained in the second product is 4.5% of the total components, and the total amount of nitrogen contained in the third product is 4.3% of the total components, and the average total amount of nitrogen of these three products is 4.37% of the total components. In contrast, the average total amount of nitrogen contained in the treated chicken manure in this embodiment is 5.36% of the total components, so the average total amount of nitrogen of the treated chicken manure in this embodiment is 0.99% higher than that of conventional dried chicken manure sold on the market.

[0054] From the above test results, it can be seen that the treated chicken manure produced in this embodiment contains more nitrogen than conventional compost (special fertilizer). In particular, compared to dried chicken manure in which organic matter is dried to evaporate the moisture contained in the organic matter, the treated chicken manure in this embodiment contains about 0.99% more nitrogen components, which shows that simply drying alone is not enough to maintain a high nitrogen content in organic fertilizer, and that this is an effect unique to the treatment process of this embodiment, which includes the steam decomposition treatment process.

[0055] In the above explanation, chicken manure is used as the raw material for the organic matter to be subjected to the steam decomposition treatment, but the organic matter is not limited to this. Fig. 8 shows the components of fermented pig manure and fermented cow manure that are actually sold, and the pig manure and cow manure produced by the steam decomposition treatment in this embodiment.

[0056] The content of ingredients in the sold product is the content value of the ingredient listed on the product actually sold, and the content value of the ingredient in the test result is the content value of the ingredient listed on the test result certificate submitted by the contractor after the commissioned test. The measurement items are the three items of total nitrogen, total phosphate, and total potassium, in accordance with the items listed on the product. The measurement method for the content of ingredients in the commissioned test was the DeValta alloy sulfuric acid method for total nitrogen, the vanadomolyptic acid method for total phosphate, and the atomic and optical method for total potassium for both the treated pig manure and the treated cow manure.

[0057] First, a comparison is made between fermented pig manure and the pig manure treated in this embodiment. The total amount of nitrogen contained in the fermented pig manure is 3.4% of the total components. In contrast, the total amount of nitrogen contained in the treated pig manure in this embodiment is 4.3% of the total components, so the treated pig manure in this embodiment has a total nitrogen amount that is 0.9% higher than that of conventional fermented pig manure that is sold.

[0058] Next, the fermented cow dung and the cow dung treated in this embodiment are compared. The total amount of nitrogen contained in the fermented cow dung is 0.63% of the total components. In contrast, the total amount of nitrogen contained in the cow dung treated in this embodiment is 1.4% of the total components, and the total amount of nitrogen in the cow dung treated in this embodiment is 0.77% higher than that of conventional fermented cow dung that is sold.

[0059] From the above results, by performing thermal decomposition by steam decomposition treatment in this embodiment instead of decomposing organic matter by fermentation treatment, it is possible to prevent nitrogen components from volatilizing into the atmosphere, and by not performing fermentation treatment, it is possible to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases generated, and it is possible to produce organic fertilizer that contains more nitrogen components than conventional compost (special fertilizer).

[0060] (Comparison of organic matter decomposition) Next, test results on the decomposition of organic matter in the organic fertilizer produced by the process including the steam decomposition treatment in this embodiment are shown with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The test results shown in Figures 9 and 10 are analytical values ​​recorded in the test result certificate submitted by the contractor after a commissioned test.

[0061] The six test materials were cow dung that had been subjected to steam decomposition treatment, cow dung + food residues, pig dung, pig dung + food residues, chicken dung, and chicken dung + food residues. For materials with added food residues, food residues were added so that they made up less than 10% of the total. The purpose of testing materials with added food residues is to conduct tests under the same conditions as most livestock dung that has been fermented in the past, where food residues are added so that they make up less than 10% of the total.

[0062] The survey items were moisture, total nitrogen, total carbon, ADF (acid detergent fiber), lignin, crude ash, and silicic acid, as per usual methods. Regarding the decomposition of organic matter, easily decomposable organic matter was defined as carbon, and less decomposable organic matter was defined as ADF (acid detergent fiber). For several organic materials, including livestock manure compost, a high positive correlation (r2 = 0.921) was observed between the ADF content and the amount of organic matter remaining in soil for three months (less decomposable organic matter), with the regression equation passing through the origin. Furthermore, since the amount of carbon in ADF and the amount of carbon remaining for three months were almost the same, ADF is considered to be the less decomposable organic matter itself.

[0063] (Chemical analysis values) In FIG. 9, units other than moisture are mg per 1 g of dry matter. As shown in Figure 9, the component values ​​of "cow dung" and "cow dung + food" were almost the same as those of general cow dung compost, except for the slightly lower crude ash content. In addition, the high silica content indicated the possibility of using it as a siliceous fertilizer. Compared to the component values ​​of general pig manure compost, "pig manure" and "pig manure + food" had higher total nitrogen, carbon, ADF, and lignin, and lower crude ash. This indicates that it is rich in organic matter. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between "pig manure" and "pig manure + food." The component values ​​of "chicken manure" and "chicken manure + food" were roughly the same as those of general chicken manure compost, except that the carbon content was high and the crude ash content was low.

[0064] (Decomposition of organic matter) In the graph shown in Figure 10, the vertical axis is the ADF content (hardly decomposable organic matter) and the horizontal axis is the 14-day carbon decomposition amount (easily decomposable organic matter). In addition, "+ food" indicates that food waste has been added. As shown in Figure 10, "cow manure" contained little easily decomposable organic matter and much less decomposable organic matter. This is a similar trend to other cow manure composts. "Cow manure + food" contained more easily decomposable organic matter than "cow manure", but the amount of less decomposable organic matter was about the same. "Chicken manure" contained more easily decomposable organic matter than "cow manure", but the amount of less decomposable organic matter was about the same. "Pig manure + food", "chicken manure", and "chicken manure + food" contained more easily decomposable organic matter than the other test materials. Also, there was less less less decomposable organic matter in "chicken manure" and "chicken manure + food".

[0065] Thus, although differences were observed within the test materials, when compared with the entire plots of other livestock manure composts, they were within the ranges of the corresponding livestock manure composts, and it is considered that there are no significant differences between easily decomposable and less decomposable organic matter.

[0066] From the above results, it was found that the decomposition of organic matter by steam decomposition treatment, i.e., the properties of organic fertilizer, are comparable to those of general livestock manure compost. This indicates that the possibility of damage caused by easily decomposable organic matter is low, and that the soil improvement effect is comparable to that of livestock manure. In other words, steam decomposition treatment is almost as effective at decomposing organic matter as fermentation treatment.

[0067] The above describes the embodiment of the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the described embodiment, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1: organic fertilizer production device, 10: decomposition processing section, 11: decomposition layer, 11A: inner wall surface, 12: oil layer, 13: input section, 14: discharge section, 20: rotating blade, 21: stirring plate, 211: stirring edge, 212: rubbing part, 22: Pillar member, 22A: Pillar fixing part, 23: Rotating shaft pillar, 30: ventilation port, 31: outdoor air intake port, 32: indoor air exhaust port, 300: ventilation duct, 310: Pressure pump, 320: Exhaust fan, 321: Temperature and humidity sensor, 40: Rotation drive unit, 50: Heater, 51: Thermal oil temperature sensor, 60: cooling section, 61A, 61B: rotary valve, 63: conveying duct, 70: Flexi-con bag

Claims

1. A first layer in which organic matter is steam-decomposed; A decomposition treatment unit having a two-layer structure comprising a second layer formed along the outside of the first layer so that a thermal oil can be circulated; The first layer is A stirring plate for stirring the organic matter is provided, The stirring plate is A rubbing unit is provided for rubbing the organic material against an inner wall surface, The second layer is A heater for heating and controlling the temperature of the thermal oil is provided in the thermal oil circulation flow path, The decomposition processing unit includes: The heater heats and controls the temperature of the thermal oil circulating through the second layer, and the organic matter is rubbed against the inner wall surface of the first layer, which has become hot due to heat transfer from the thermal oil, to indirectly heat the organic matter, thereby evaporating the moisture contained in the organic matter.

2. A first layer in which organic matter is steamed and decomposed; A second layer is formed along the outside of the first layer so that a thermal oil can be circulated. The thermal oil is heated to a predetermined temperature and the temperature is controlled. The organic matter is stirred in the first layer and rubbed against the inner wall surface; A step of discharging water vapor generated by evaporation of moisture contained in the organic material from the first layer, The organic fertilizer production method continues until the organic matter reaches a specific temperature.

Images