Fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer production apparatus

Abstract

To provide a production apparatus for fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer with high production efficiency.SOLUTION: A production apparatus includes a first treatment apparatus 2a for fermenting processed residue A composed of fish; a pressing apparatus 3 for pressing mud-like fermented material C generated by the first treatment apparatus 2a to separate it into fermented solids D and fermented raw liquid E containing oil; a centrifugal separator 4 for centrifugally separating the fermented raw liquid E into a solid fraction F and a liquid fraction G containing oil; and a sedimentation separator 6 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I by separating oil from the liquid fraction G.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, not only have fish been used for their edible meat parts as fresh foods or processed foods, but the processing residues left after the meat parts have been removed have also been effectively utilized. Fish processing residues are processed into fish meal and fish oil using multiple devices. Fish meal is used in livestock feed, pet food, etc. Fish oil is used as an ingredient in margarine, shortening, soap, health foods, etc. Various specific methods for producing fish meal and fish oil from fish processing residues have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a production method in which fish processing residues are boiled and pressed to separate them into cake and press water, from which fish meal and fish oil are finally obtained. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-256735 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, fish processing residues may have other potential uses beyond fish meal and fish oil. For example, if they could be used to produce liquid fertilizer, they could be used in agriculture.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing a fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer with high production efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inventions disclosed in this specification to solve the above-mentioned problems are configured as follows: That is, the first invention is characterized by comprising a first processing device for fermenting a raw material made of fish, a squeezing device for squeezing the fermented mud produced in the first processing device to separate it into a fermentation solid and a fermentation liquid containing oil, a centrifuge for centrifuging the fermentation liquid to separate it into a solid and a liquid containing the oil, and a sedimentation-type separation device for producing a fish-derived fermentation liquid fertilizer by separating the oil from the liquid.

[0007] According to the first invention, raw materials such as fish processing residues are first fermented in a first processing device, and the resulting mud-like fermented product is then compressed in a compression device. This allows the mud-like fermented product to be separated into fermentation solids and a fermentation liquid containing oil. The fermentation liquid is then separated into a solid and an oil-containing liquid using a centrifuge. The liquid contains large amounts of water-soluble proteins (free amino acids), various vitamins, minerals, and the like. The fish oil is then separated from the liquid using a sedimentation separator. The resulting fish oil can be used as an ingredient in margarine, shortening, soap, health foods, and the like. The liquid remaining after the fish oil removal contains large amounts of water-soluble proteins (free amino acids), various vitamins, minerals, and the like, which are effective in promoting crop growth, and can therefore be effectively used in agriculture as a fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer. Furthermore, since fish oil and fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer can be produced simultaneously, this device for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer has high production efficiency.

[0008] The second invention is characterized in that the first invention further includes a second treatment device that produces fish meal by drying the fermentation solid.

[0009] According to the second invention, it is possible to produce fish meal in addition to fish oil and fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer. In other words, three types of products can be produced from fish processing residues, resulting in a manufacturing device with higher production efficiency.

[0010] The third invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, a classification device is provided that classifies the solid content and extracts fish meat pieces of a predetermined size, and the fish meat pieces are configured to be fed into the second processing device.

[0011] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the solid matter separated from the fermentation liquor by the centrifuge does not need to be discarded entirely, but a portion of it can be reused for the production of fish meal, thereby making it possible to achieve a more efficient production apparatus.

[0012] The fourth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to third inventions, the first treatment device and / or the second treatment device is a reduced-pressure fermentation and drying device that stores the material to be treated in a storage container, heats it to a predetermined temperature range under reduced pressure, and stirs it, while utilizing microorganisms to decompose the organic components of the material to be treated.

[0013] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the boiling point of the water in the material to be treated can be lowered by reducing the pressure, and the water in the material to be treated can be boiled at a temperature that activates the microorganisms, allowing the material to be fermented and dried efficiently in a short time.

[0014] The fifth invention is characterized in that, in the fourth invention, the first treatment device and the second treatment device are the same reduced pressure fermentation drying device, and when the reduced pressure fermentation drying device is used as the first treatment device, it operates mainly for fermentation, and when the reduced pressure fermentation drying device is used as the second treatment device, it operates mainly for drying.

[0015] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a single reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus can serve as both the first and second treatment apparatuses, thereby reducing installation costs and space compared to when a first treatment apparatus for fermentation and a second treatment apparatus for drying are separately provided, resulting in an apparatus for producing a fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer with high overall efficiency. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer according to the present invention can produce fish oil and fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer simultaneously, and therefore has high production efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall schematic diagram of an apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a reduced-pressure fermentation and drying device, which is part of the apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer of this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a compressing device that is part of the fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer production apparatus of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a centrifuge that is part of the apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer of the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing an example of a classification device that is part of the fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer production apparatus of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a sedimentation-type separation device that is part of the fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer production apparatus of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic view of an entire apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the entire apparatus 1 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I according to one embodiment of the present invention. The production apparatus 1 of this embodiment is an apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I (also referred to as "Fish Fermented Liquid Fertilizer", or "FFLF" for short) using, as a raw material, processing residue A remaining after removing the edible meat parts for eating or canning from abundantly caught fish such as sardines, mackerel, herring, and cod. The production apparatus 1 of this embodiment is primarily intended to produce fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I, but is also capable of producing fish meal J and fish oil O as well.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the production apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a first processing apparatus 2a, a compression apparatus 3, a second processing apparatus 2b, a centrifuge 4, a classification apparatus 5, and a sedimentation-type separation apparatus 6. The first processing apparatus 2a is an apparatus for fermenting processed residue A made from fish as a raw material. The processed residue A is introduced into the first processing apparatus 2a together with water B. The first processing apparatus 2a then discharges a muddy fermented product C as a product of the fermentation process.

[0021] The compression device 3 compresses the mud-like fermentation product C produced in the first processing device 2a to separate it into a fermentation solid D and an oil-containing fermentation liquid E. The centrifuge 4 centrifuges the fermentation liquid E to separate it into a solid F and an oil-containing liquid G. The second processing device 2b dries the fermentation solid D to produce fish meal J. The classifier 5 classifies the solid F to extract fish pieces K of a predetermined size. In this embodiment, the fish pieces K extracted by the classifier 5 are configured to be fed into the second processing device 2b. The sedimentation-type separator 6 separates fine solids and oil from the liquid G to produce a fish-derived fermentation liquid fertilizer I.

[0022] In the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the first processing apparatus 2a and the second processing apparatus 2b have the same structure. Specifically, the first processing apparatus 2a and the second processing apparatus 2b are configured as a reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2 that stores the material to be processed in a storage container 21 (see FIG. 2), heats it to a predetermined temperature range under reduced pressure, and agitates it, while also using microorganisms to decompose the organic components of the material to be processed. The configurations of the reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2, the compressing apparatus 3, the centrifuge 4, the classifying apparatus 5, and the sedimentation-type separation apparatus 6 will be described in detail below.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2, which is part of the apparatus 1 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2 includes a storage container 21, a stirring device 22, a storage section heating means H, a condensation section 25, a vacuum pump 26, a cooling water pump 27, and a cooling tower 28.

[0024] The storage container 21 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 211 and a pair of end walls 212, 212 that close the open end of the peripheral wall 211. The peripheral wall 211 is disposed so that its central axis extends horizontally. A storage section 216 for storing the object to be processed is formed inside the storage container 21, surrounded by the peripheral wall 211 and the pair of end walls 212, 212. The peripheral wall 211 has a substantially elliptical cross section. An inlet 213 for the object to be processed is provided at the top of the longitudinal center of the peripheral wall 211. In addition, communication pipes 215 are provided on one end side and the other end side of the peripheral wall 211 in the longitudinal direction of the storage container 21. A product discharge port 214 is provided on one side of the pair of end walls 212, 212, for discharging the product after processing the input object to be processed.

[0025] The agitator 22 is provided to agitate the material to be processed in the storage section 216. The agitator 22 has an agitator shaft 221, a plurality of agitator blades 223, and an electric motor 222. Both ends of the agitator shaft 221 are supported by a pair of end wall sections 212, 212. A plurality of agitator blades 223 are attached to the agitator shaft 221 at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of the agitator shaft 221 and so as to extend radially from the agitator shaft 221. The electric motor 222 rotates the agitator shaft 221 in a forward or reverse direction.

[0026] The accommodation section heating means H has a heating jacket 23 provided to cover the peripheral wall 211 of the accommodation vessel 21, and a boiler 24 that supplies heating steam to the heating jacket 23. The heating jacket 23 is provided to heat the accommodation section 216. The heating jacket 23 has a jacket peripheral wall 231 that covers the peripheral wall 211. Heating steam is supplied to the heating jacket 23 from the boiler 24 through a supply pipe 24a. The heating steam supplied to the heating jacket 23 heats the peripheral wall 211 of the accommodation vessel 21, thereby imparting heat to the treatment target in the accommodation section 216. The heating steam supplied to the heating jacket 23 is condensed by heat exchange to become condensed water. This condensed water is returned to the boiler 24 through a return pipe 24b connected to the heating jacket 23.

[0027] The condenser 25 is provided to condense steam generated from the object to be treated heated in the storage unit 216. The condenser 25 includes a condenser container 251, a guide pipe 254, and a connection unit 255. The condenser container 251 is disposed adjacent to the storage container 21 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the storage container 21. The guide pipes 254 are connected to both ends of the condenser container 251. The connection unit 255 connects an end of the guide pipe 254 to an end of the communication pipe 215 of the storage container 21. Steam generated from the object to be treated in the storage unit 216 is guided to the condenser container 251 through the communication pipe 215, the connection unit 255, and the guide pipe 254. A pair of heads 252, 252 and multiple cooling pipes 253 supported by the pair of heads 252, 252 are provided inside the condenser container 251. A cooling water pipe 29 is provided between the cooling pipe 253 and the cooling tower 28.

[0028] The cooling tower 28 has a water receiving tank 281, a pumping pump 282, a nozzle 283, a flow section 284, and a fan 285. The cooling water discharged from the condensation section 25 flows into the water receiving tank 281. The pumping pump 282 pumps the cooling water from the water receiving tank 281. The nozzle 283 sprays the pumped cooling water toward the flow section 284. The fan 285 blows air toward the flow section 284 while the cooling water flows down the flow section 284. The air blown by the fan 285 reduces the temperature of the cooling water. After flowing down the flow section 284, the cooling water flows back into the water receiving tank 281. The cooling water cooled in the cooling tower 28 is pumped by the cooling water pump 27 and returned to the condensation section 25 through the cooling water piping 29. The cooling water circulates through the cooling water piping 29 between the condensation section 25 and the cooling tower 28.

[0029] In the cooling tower 28, condensed water formed by condensing steam generated from the heated treatment object in the condenser 25 is also poured. A vacuum pump 26 is connected to the condenser container 251 of the condenser 25 via a suction pipe 26a. The vacuum pump 26 reduces the pressure in the storage section 216 of the storage vessel 21, and guides the condensed water accumulated in the condenser container 251 and the suction pipe 26a to a water receiving tank 281 of the cooling tower 28.

[0030] The material to be treated is introduced into the container 21 through the inlet 213, and while being heated by the heating jacket 23, it is stirred by the rotation of the stirring blades 223 of the stirring device 22. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the material is discharged from the product discharge port 214.

[0031] When the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 having the above-described configuration is used as the first processing apparatus 2a, it is operated primarily for fermentation. In this case, the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is operated, for example, for two hours at 60 to 70°C without reducing the pressure. When the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the second processing apparatus 2b, it is operated primarily for drying. In this case, the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is operated, for example, for 20 hours at 60 to 70°C while reducing the pressure to 0.1 atmospheres.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a compression device 3, which is part of the apparatus 1 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fermenter I according to this embodiment. Processing residue A, introduced into the first treatment device 2a together with water B, undergoes fermentation, becoming a mud-like fermented product C, which is then discharged from the first treatment device 2a. The mud-like fermented product C is supplied to the compression device 3 by a conveyor (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, the compression device 3 is configured so that the mud-like fermented product C introduced through an inlet nozzle 31 is transported toward an outlet chute 33 by a worm screw 32 driven to rotate by, for example, an electric motor 32a. During the transport process of the mud-like fermented product C, the gap between the worm screw 32 and a cylindrical wall portion 34 gradually narrows, so that the mud-like fermented product C is squeezed as it is sent toward the outlet side, and the liquid separates. Specifically, a plurality of slits 35 are formed in the wall portion 34 on the outer periphery of the worm screw 32, and a raw fermented liquid E is squeezed out through these slits 35.

[0033] The fermentation stock solution E discharged from the slit 35 is collected in a collecting section 36 and then discharged to the outside from a discharge port 37. The muddy fermentation product C sent to the end of the worm screw 32 is also squeezed by being sandwiched between the worm screw 32 and an outlet-side plate 38. By adjusting the position of this outlet-side plate 38 with a hydraulic cylinder 39, a fermentation solid D with a predetermined moisture content is discharged from an outlet chute 33.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a centrifuge 4, which is part of the apparatus 1 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I according to this embodiment. The fermentation stock solution E separated from the sludge-like fermentation product C by the compression device 3 is supplied to the centrifuge 4 via a supply pipe (not shown). The centrifuge 4 according to this embodiment is a so-called decanter type. As shown in FIG. 4 , the centrifuge 4 includes a casing 41 having a solid discharge port 41b and a liquid discharge port 41c formed on the underside thereof, a bowl 42 disposed within the casing 41, a screw conveyor 43 for conveying the solid phase separated by centrifugation within the bowl 42, and a supply nozzle 44 for supplying the fermentation stock solution E, which is delivered from the compression device 3 through the supply pipe, into the bowl 42. The bowl 42 is supported at both shafts by a bearing mechanism 45a, such as a bearing, disposed outside the casing 41. Furthermore, the screw conveyor 43 is supported at both shafts by a bearing mechanism 45b. A plurality of partition walls 41a are provided inside the casing 41. The bearing mechanism 45 a is supported by a support base 49 .

[0035] When the power of the main motor 46, which is a drive mechanism, is transmitted via the rotary belt 46a to the pulley 46b on the bowl 42 side, the bowl 42 rotates, and the rotational power is further transmitted to the screw conveyor 43 via the gear box 47 and spline shaft 47a, which are differential speed generating devices, so that the bowl 42 and the screw conveyor 43 rotate at a relative differential speed.

[0036] A backdrive motor 48 is connected to the gearbox 47 via a rotating belt 48a and a pulley 48b. The backdrive motor 48 is provided to apply a brake so that the screw conveyor 43 rotates slower than the bowl 42. The bowl 42 has a conical portion 421 formed on one end of a cylindrical body, and a disk-shaped portion 422 formed on the other end. The body of the bowl 42 forms a liquid pool for the fermentation stock solution E supplied into the bowl 42. Meanwhile, the conical portion 421 forms a beach portion where the solid phase conveyed by the screw conveyor 43 separates from the liquid phase, and a first discharge port 421a for discharging the solid component F is provided at its end. The disk-shaped portion 422 is also provided with a second discharge port 422a for discharging the separated liquid component G.

[0037] The screw conveyor 43 has spirally formed screw blades 43a on its outer circumferential surface for conveying the solid phase in the bowl 42. Furthermore, the screw conveyor 43 has a supply hole 43b on its outer circumferential surface. The supply hole 43b communicates with a liquid supply chamber 43c formed inside the screw conveyor 43.

[0038] The supply nozzle 44 is inserted into the liquid supply chamber 43c without coming into contact with the rotating bowl 42 and the screw conveyor 43. The fermentation stock solution E sent from the compression device 3 is discharged into the liquid supply chamber 43c from the tip of the supply nozzle 44. The fermentation stock solution E supplied into the liquid supply chamber 43c is discharged from the supply hole 43b by the action of the centrifugal force of the rotating screw conveyor 43 and supplied into the bowl 42, where it is separated into a solid component F and a liquid component G and discharged.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing an example of a classifier 5, which is part of the apparatus 1 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I according to this embodiment. Of the solid fraction F and liquid fraction G separated from the fermentation stock solution E in the centrifuge 4, the solid fraction F still contains a portion that can be used to produce fish meal J. Therefore, the solid fraction F is supplied to the classifier 5 via a belt conveyor (not shown), where it is classified into useful and useless particles. The classifier 5 according to this embodiment is a so-called vibrating sieve. The classifier 5 sieves the solid fraction F into three types: small, medium, and large particles. As shown in FIG. 5 , the classifier 5 has a cylindrical housing 51 floatingly supported on a lower base 53 by multiple coil springs 52. A lid 54 covering the upper opening of the housing 51 is provided with an inlet 54a for the solid fraction F.

[0040] Inside the housing 51, a first wire mesh 55a, a second wire mesh 55b, and a third wire mesh 55c are installed vertically and spaced apart from one another, approximately horizontally. The mesh size of the upper first wire mesh 55a is, for example, approximately 40 mm, corresponding to the size of large objects, while the mesh size of the middle second wire mesh 55b is, for example, approximately 20 mm, corresponding to the size of medium-sized objects. A rubber mesh beater (not shown) is provided below each of the wire meshes 55a-55c. A first discharge port 51a, a second discharge port 51b, and a third discharge port 51c are provided vertically and spaced apart from one another on the outer periphery of the housing 51, corresponding to the upper surfaces of the three wire meshes 55a-55c, respectively. The three discharge ports 51a-51c discharge the large, medium, and small objects sieved by the respective wire meshes 55a-55c. In this embodiment, the medium-sized objects are extracted as fish pieces K.

[0041] Housing 51 has an inverted mortar-shaped bottom 57 with the inner periphery protruding upward so as to close the lower end opening of housing 51. Vibration motor 56 is disposed below bottom 57. Eccentric weights 56a and 56b are provided above and below vibration motor 56, respectively, and these eccentrically rotate to vibrate housing 51 as a whole.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a sedimentation-type separator 6, which is part of the apparatus 1 for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I according to this embodiment. Of the solid fraction F and liquid fraction G separated from the fermentation stock solution E in the centrifuge 4, the liquid fraction G contains oil and small solids that were not completely separated as the solid fraction F. Therefore, a process for separating the oil and small solids from the liquid fraction G is performed in the sedimentation-type separator 6. As shown in FIG. 6, the sedimentation-type separator 6 includes a treatment tank 61. A first side wall 61d of the treatment tank 61 is provided with an inlet pipe 62 for introducing the liquid fraction G. A second side wall 61e of the treatment tank 61, opposite the first side wall 61d, is provided with an outlet pipe 63 for discharging the liquid after removing the oil and suspended solids from the liquid fraction G. A first partition wall 64 and a second partition wall 65 are provided in the treatment tank 61 at a predetermined interval, in this order, from the first side wall 61d toward the second side wall 61e. The first partition wall 64 and the second partition wall 65 are disposed so as to have a gap between them and the bottom wall 61f of the treatment tank 61. In addition, a sediment outflow prevention wall 66 extending upward from the bottom wall 61f is provided between the first partition wall 64 and the second partition wall 65 and at a position closer to the first partition wall 64.

[0043] By dividing the interior of the treatment tank 61 as described above, the treatment tank 61 is divided into three tanks: a first tank 61A between the first side wall 61d and the first partition wall 64; a second tank 61B between the first partition wall 64 and the second partition wall 65; and a third tank 61C between the second partition wall 65 and the second side wall 61e. The first tank 61A allows fine solids contained in the liquid G introduced through the inlet pipe 62 to settle to the bottom of the first tank 61A. After the fine solids are removed, the liquid G moves to the second side wall 61e. This movement occurs through the gap between the first partition wall 64 and the bottom wall 61f, but the sediment outflow prevention wall 66 prevents the fine solids settled to the bottom of the first tank 61A from moving downstream to the second tank 61B or the third tank 61C.

[0044] The second tank 61B causes oil contained in the liquid G to rise to the surface of the liquid G. The separated oil is prevented from flowing back toward the first tank 61A or out toward the third tank 61C by being blocked by the first partition wall 64 and the second partition wall 65. The liquid G from which fine solids have been removed in the first tank 61A and from which oil has been removed in the second tank 61B is moved toward the third tank 61C through the gap between the second partition wall 65 and the bottom wall 61f.

[0045] In the third tank 61C, fine solids and oils are removed from the liquid G in the first tank 61A and the second tank 61B, and a liquid containing a large amount of water-soluble proteins (free amino acids), various vitamins, minerals, etc., which are effective in promoting crop growth, is stored. This liquid is discharged from the discharge pipe 63 as fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I. The fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I is then bottled to become a finished product and shipped.

[0046] Here, the extraction of the oil separated from the liquid fraction G in the second tank 61B will be described in detail. The oil separated in the second tank 61B can be commercialized as fish oil O, separately from the fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I. If the oil that rises to the surface of the liquid fraction G in the second tank 61B were to be periodically scooped up with a ladle or bucket, this would be extremely time-consuming. Therefore, it is preferable to use an automatic oil extraction device. However, the amount of liquid fraction G stored in the second tank 61B is not always constant. The liquid level fluctuates depending on the difference between the flow rate of the untreated liquid fraction G introduced through the inlet pipe 62 and the flow rate of the treated liquid fraction G discharged from the outlet pipe 63 as the fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I. Furthermore, the thickness of the oil layer accumulated in the second tank 61B also fluctuates. Therefore, in this embodiment, an oil extraction device 67 is employed that can automatically extract the oil in response to such fluctuations.

[0047] The oil extraction device 67 includes a submersible pump 67d, multiple main lower frames 67c extending radially from the submersible pump 67d, main floats 67a attached to the upper surfaces of the tips of the main lower frames 67c, and a main upper frame 67b connecting the upper ends of the multiple main floats 67a. A hopper 67e is provided at the upper end of the submersible pump 67d. The lower end of the hopper 67e is connected to an impeller chamber (not shown) provided inside the submersible pump 67d. A discharge port 67f is provided on the upper side of the submersible pump 67d. A discharge hose 67g is connected to the discharge port 67f.

[0048] The oil extraction device 67 also includes a gate ring 67k that surrounds the upper periphery of the hopper 67e, multiple gate lower frames 67j that extend radially from the gate ring 67k, gate floats 67h attached to the upper surfaces of the tips of each gate lower frame 67j, and gate upper frames 67i that connect the upper ends of the multiple gate floats 67h. The oil extraction device 67 uses the buoyancy of the main float 67a and gate floats 67h to constantly adjust the submersible pump 67d and gate ring 67k to a constant depth below the surface of the liquid G stored in the treatment tank 61. Even if the liquid level of the liquid G in the treatment tank 61 fluctuates, the submersible pump 67d and gate ring 67k also move up and down in accordance with the fluctuations. The upper end of the gate ring 67k is maintained slightly below the surface of the liquid G in the second tank 61B.

[0049] By rotating the impeller inside the submersible pump 67d, the oil that rises to the surface of the liquid G in the second tank 61B enters the inside of the gate ring 67k from the upper end thereof, passes through the hopper 67e, and is sucked into the interior of the submersible pump 67d (the impeller chamber). The oil that has been sucked into the interior of the submersible pump 67d is then discharged from the discharge port 67f and extracted as fish oil O through the discharge hose 67g. This allows for automatic extraction of the fish oil O.

[0050] 7 is an overall schematic diagram of a production apparatus 10 for producing a fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the production apparatus 10 differs from the above-described production apparatus 1 in that the first processing apparatus 2a and the second processing apparatus 2b are configured to use the same reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2. The structure of the reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2 itself is the same as that of the above-described production apparatus 1. Furthermore, the production apparatus 10 has the same configuration as the above-described production apparatus 1, except for the reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2. Specifically, the production apparatus 10 includes a compression apparatus 3, a centrifuge 4, a classification apparatus 5, and a sedimentation-type separation apparatus 6, and the structures thereof are also the same as those of the production apparatus 1.

[0051] In the manufacturing apparatus 10, when the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the first processing apparatus 2a, it is operated mainly for fermentation. When the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the second processing apparatus 2b, it is operated mainly for drying. The operating conditions are set in the same manner as the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the above embodiment. That is, when the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the first processing apparatus 2a, the operating conditions are set, for example, at 60 to 70°C for 2 hours without reducing the pressure. When the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the second processing apparatus 2b, the operating conditions are set, for example, at 60 to 70°C for 20 hours while reducing the pressure to 0.1 atmospheres.

[0052] The manufacturing apparatus 10 operates one reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 by sequentially switching between operating conditions as the first processing apparatus 2a and operating conditions as the second processing apparatus 2b in accordance with the manufacturing process. First, processing residue A is fed into the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 together with water B. The reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is then operated under the operating conditions as the first processing apparatus 2a, and discharges a mud-like fermentation product C as the product of the fermentation treatment. The mud-like fermentation product C produced in the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is separated into a fermentation solid D and an oil-containing fermentation liquor E in the compression apparatus 3. The fermentation solid D is fed into the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 after the mud-like fermentation product C has been discharged.

[0053] The fermentation stock solution E is separated into a solid fraction F and a liquid fraction G containing oil in a centrifuge 4. The solid fraction F is classified in a classifier 5, and fish meat pieces K are extracted. The fish meat pieces K are fed into the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 after discharging the fermented mud C. In this way, the fermented solid D and fish meat pieces K are fed into the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 after discharging the fermented mud C. Thereafter, the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is operated under the operating conditions of the second processing apparatus 2b, and discharges fish meal J as a product of the dried treatment. In addition to fish meal J, the production apparatus 10 produces fish oil O and fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I, which are produced in the same manner as the production apparatus 1 described above.

[0054] As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 for fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I according to the above embodiment includes a first processing device 2a that ferments processing residue A made of fish, a compression device 3 that compresses the mud-like fermentation product C produced in the first processing device 2a to separate it into a fermentation solid D and a fermentation liquid E containing oil, a centrifuge 4 that centrifuges the fermentation liquid E to separate it into a solid F and a liquid G containing oil, and a sedimentation separation device 6 that separates the oil from the liquid G to produce fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I.

[0055] According to the above configuration, fish processing residue A is first fermented in the first processing device 2a, and the resulting mud-like fermented product C is then compressed in the compression device 3. This allows the mud-like fermented product C to be separated into a fermentation solid D and an oil-containing fermentation liquid E. The fermentation liquid E is then separated into a solid F and an oil-containing liquid G using a centrifuge 4. The liquid G contains large amounts of water-soluble protein (free amino acids), various vitamins, minerals, etc. Fish oil O is then separated from the liquid G using a sedimentation separator 6. The resulting fish oil O can be used as an ingredient in margarine, shortening, soap, health foods, etc. Meanwhile, the liquid remaining after removing the fish oil O, known as fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I, contains large amounts of water-soluble protein (free amino acids), various vitamins, minerals, etc., which are effective in promoting crop growth, and can therefore be effectively used in agriculture. Furthermore, the production apparatus 1 can simultaneously produce fish oil O and fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I, and therefore has high production efficiency.

[0056] In the above embodiment, a second processing device 2b is provided that produces fish meal J by drying the fermentation solid D.

[0057] According to the above configuration, it is possible to produce fish meal J in addition to fish oil O and fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer I. In other words, three types of products can be produced from fish processing residue A, resulting in a manufacturing device 1 with higher manufacturing efficiency.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a classifying device 5 is provided that classifies the solid content F to extract fish pieces K of a predetermined size, and the fish pieces K are configured to be fed into the second processing device 2b.

[0059] According to the above configuration, the solid matter F separated from the fermentation stock solution E by the centrifuge 4 does not need to be discarded in its entirety, but a portion of it can be reused for the production of fish meal J. This results in a production apparatus 1 with higher production efficiency.

[0060] In addition, in the above embodiment, the first processing device 2a and the second processing device 2b are a reduced-pressure fermentation and drying device 2 that stores the material to be processed in a storage container 21, heats it to a predetermined temperature range under reduced pressure, and stirs it, and uses microorganisms to decompose the organic components of the material to be processed.

[0061] According to the above configuration, the boiling point of the water in the material to be treated can be lowered by reducing the pressure, which allows the water in the material to be boiled at a temperature that activates microorganisms, thereby enabling the material to be fermented and dried efficiently in a short time.

[0062] In the manufacturing apparatus 10 of the other embodiment, the first processing apparatus 2a and the second processing apparatus 2b are the same reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2. When the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the first processing apparatus 2a, it is operated mainly for fermentation. When the reduced-pressure fermentation drying apparatus 2 is used as the second processing apparatus 2b, it is operated mainly for drying.

[0063] According to the above configuration, the first processing device 2a and the second processing device 2b can be used in a single reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus 2. This reduces installation costs and space compared to when the first processing device 2a for fermentation and the second processing device 2b for drying are separately provided, resulting in a highly efficient manufacturing apparatus 10 as a whole.

[0064] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. The technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but is defined by the claims. The technical scope of the present invention also includes all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims.

[0065] For example, in the above embodiment, both the first processing device 2a and the second processing device 2bt are configured as reduced pressure fermentation and drying devices 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and either or both of the first processing device 2a and the second processing device 2b may be configured as fermentation devices or drying devices of different configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1 Manufacturing equipment 2. Reduced pressure fermentation and drying equipment 2a First processing device 2b Second processing device 3. Compression equipment 4. Centrifuge 5 Classifier 6 Sedimentation separator 10 Manufacturing equipment 21 Containment Container A. Processing residue C Mud fermented product D. Fermentation solids E Fermentation stock F Solid content G liquid content I. Fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer J Fish Meal K Piece of fish meat О Fish oil

Claims

1. a first processing device for fermenting raw materials comprising fish; A pressurizing device that presses the muddy fermentation product produced in the first treatment device to separate it into a fermentation solid and an oil-containing fermentation liquid; a centrifuge that separates the fermentation stock solution into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction containing the oil; a sedimentation-type separation device for producing a fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer by separating the oil component from the liquid component; A manufacturing apparatus for fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer, comprising:

2. 2. The apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer according to claim 1, further comprising a second treatment device for producing fish meal by drying the fermented solid matter.

3. A classifying device is provided which classifies the solid content to extract fish meat pieces of a predetermined size, 3. The apparatus for producing a fermented liquid fertilizer derived from a marine yeast according to claim 2, wherein the fish meat pieces are introduced into the second treatment device.

4. The apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer according to claim 3, characterized in that the first treatment device and / or the second treatment device is a reduced-pressure fermentation and drying device that stores the material to be treated in a storage container, heats it to a predetermined temperature range under reduced pressure, and stirs it, while using microorganisms to decompose the organic components of the material to be treated.

5. The first treatment device and the second treatment device are the same reduced-pressure fermentation and drying device, When the reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus is used as the first treatment apparatus, it is operated mainly for fermentation, 5. The apparatus for producing fish-derived fermented liquid fertilizer according to claim 4, wherein when the reduced-pressure fermentation and drying apparatus is used as the second treatment apparatus, it is configured to be operated mainly for drying.

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