Agitation and grinding apparatus

Abstract

Conventional stirring and grinding devices simply accumulate the ground food waste and dry it by blowing hot air on it, which results in uneven drying and makes efficient drying impossible. [Solution] The stirring and grinding apparatus 1 comprises a processing tank 10 in which the lower opening of a cylindrical side plate 11 is closed by a bottom plate 12 and the upper opening is closed by a top plate 14 with an inlet; a stirring cylinder 16 fixed inside the processing tank 10 and having a plurality of grinding holes 17; a pressure screw 22, a stirring rod 23 with guide blades and an introduction blade 24 with notches, each pivotally supported on the rotating shaft of an electric motor 31; a first air supply cylinder 41 is provided, tilted at a height that is not blocked by the material to be processed by the side plate of the processing tank 10, and in a direction that is approximately tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16; and a duct 55 from a heating unit 50 that blows heated air can be connected to the first air supply cylinder 41.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , , , , , , , , , ,

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stirring and pulverizing device that can appropriately dry waste containing a large amount of moisture, such as food waste or waste composed of organic matter containing a large amount of moisture (hereinafter abbreviated as the object to be treated), in a short time according to the types and proportions of animals and plants constituting the object to be treated.

Background Art

[0002] As a device for treating conventional objects to be treated, a stirring device provided with a stirring screw in a stirring cylinder having pulverizing holes formed in a cylindrical wall is provided inside a treatment tank. By operating the stirring screw, the object to be treated deposited at the lower part of the treatment tank is pressure-fed into the stirring cylinder, pushed out from the upper opening edge, and at the same time, a part of the object to be treated is pushed out from the pulverizing holes during the pressure-feeding to be pulverized and dropped, and a stirring and pulverizing device has been proposed in which stirring, pulverizing, and evaporation of moisture are effectively performed.

[0003] Furthermore, as an improvement thereof, the lower end of the cylindrical wall of the stirring cylinder is configured in a saw blade shape, and a stirring blade having a diameter larger than that of the screw portion is provided at the lower end of the stirring screw, so that the object to be treated can be more reliably pulverized, the pulverizing efficiency can be further increased, and the stirring effect can be enhanced. The invention named "Stirring and Pulverizing Device" of Patent Document 2 has also been proposed.

[0004] Also, after pulverizing food waste, it is collected in a food waste storage body 1, and the invention named "Food Waste Treatment Device" of Patent Document 2 in which the food waste is dried by a drying mechanism 7 attached to the food waste storage body 1 has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, the conventional stirring and grinding apparatus described in Patent Document 1 lacks a drying device, which poses a problem as it takes a long time for the material to be processed to dry.

[0007] Furthermore, the food waste processing device described in Patent Document 2 simply dries the crushed food waste accumulated in the food waste storage container 1 by applying hot air to it, which results in uneven drying and makes it impossible to dry efficiently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following technical measures.

[0009] The stirring and grinding apparatus of the first invention comprises a processing tank in which the lower opening of a cylindrical side plate is closed by a bottom plate and the upper opening is closed by a top plate with an inlet; a stirring cylinder fixed inside the processing tank and having a plurality of grinding holes; and a pressure screw, a stirring rod with guide blades and an introduction blade with notches, each of which is pivotally supported on the rotating shaft of an electric motor outside the processing tank and installed inside the processing tank. In this stirring and grinding apparatus, a first air supply cylinder is provided at a height that is not blocked by the material to be processed by the side plate of the processing tank and is inclined to be substantially tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air can be connected to the first air supply cylinder. The stirring and grinding apparatus of the second invention, in the invention described in claim 1, is configured such that a second air supply cylinder is provided on the top plate of the processing tank, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the second air supply cylinder. The stirring and grinding apparatus of the third invention, in the invention described in claim 2, is provided with means for selectively connecting one or both of the first air supply cylinder and the second air supply cylinder to the heating unit. The stirring and grinding apparatus of the fourth invention, in the invention described in claim 2, is provided with a third air supply cylinder inclined at a position substantially tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder, approximately at the lower part of the height direction of the side plate of the processing tank, and is configured such that a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air can be connected to the third air supply cylinder. The stirring and grinding apparatus of the fifth invention, in the invention described in claim 4, is provided with means for selectively connecting one or more of the first air supply cylinder, the second air supply cylinder, and the third air supply cylinder to the heating unit. The stirring and grinding apparatus of the sixth invention, in the invention described in claim 3 or claim 5, is equipped with means for detecting the dry state of the material to be processed. The stirring and grinding apparatus of the seventh invention is provided with means for reversing the rotation of the electric motor in the invention described in claim 6. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] By having the technical means described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0011] Unlike the invention described in Patent Document 1, this method can efficiently dry moisture-containing materials such as food waste in a short amount of time.

[0012] Furthermore, unlike the invention described in Patent Document 2, the material to be processed can be dried while being stirred and crushed inside the processing tank, resulting in even and efficient drying. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the stirring and grinding apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the processing tank of the stirring and grinding apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view AA of the processing tank of the stirring and grinding apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4]It is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation content of the stirring and pulverizing device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a plan view of the treatment tank of the stirring and pulverizing device 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of the treatment tank of the stirring and pulverizing device 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the stirring and pulverizing device 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation content of the stirring and pulverizing device 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the stirring and pulverizing device 4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Embodiments of the stirring and pulverizing device according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment.

[0015] (First Embodiment) The first embodiment will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 4. First, the overall configuration of the stirring and pulverizing device 1 of the present invention will be described using the explanatory diagram of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 1 is an external view of the stirring and pulverizing device 1 of the present invention. The stirring and pulverizing device 1 includes a treatment tank 10, a stirring cylinder 16 fixed to the treatment tank 10 inside the treatment tank 10, a rotating part 20 rotated by a motor 31 provided inside a mounting table 30 at the lower part of the treatment tank 10 inside the treatment tank 10 and the stirring cylinder 16, an air supply and exhaust cylinder 40 provided on the outer surface of the treatment tank 10, a heating part 50 provided outside the treatment tank 10 and having air heating means and air supply means, and a control part 60 and an operation part 70 attached to the outer surface of the mounting table 30. Figure 1 is intended to illustrate the general appearance of the stirring and grinding apparatus 1. Details regarding the positional relationships of the multiple exhaust and supply pipes 40 in the processing tank 10 will be described later using Figures 2 and 3.

[0017] The processing tank 10 consists of a cylindrical side plate 11, a bottom plate 12 that closes the lower opening of the side plate 11, and a top plate 14 that closes the upper opening of the side plate 11. A portion of the top plate 14 is provided with an opening 13, which is an openable and closable lid for loading the material to be processed into the processing tank 10. At the bottom of the side plate 11 is provided an opening 15, which is an openable and closable lid for removing the processed material after processing. In Figure 1, the shape of the opening 15 is shown as a hopper shape to facilitate the removal of the processed material after processing.

[0018] The stirring cylinder 16 is a cylindrical structure with openings at the top and bottom, and as shown in Figure 1, multiple grinding holes 17 are drilled on the side of the cylinder. The ends of the grinding holes 17 are machined into blade shapes so that the material to be processed is cut and broken into smaller pieces as it passes through the grinding holes 17 from the inside of the stirring cylinder 16. The pumping screw 22, which pumps the material to be processed upward inside the stirring cylinder 16 (described later), expands in the direction of pumping, as shown in Figure 1. In addition, a saw blade 18 is provided at the lower end of the stirring cylinder 16 to cut the material to be processed as it moves upward by the notched introduction vane 24 (described later).

[0019] The rotating section 20 is configured such that a stirring rod 23 with guide blades, located near the bottom plate 12 of the processing tank 10, stirs the material to be processed and simultaneously sends the material to a notched introduction blade 24 located on the stirring rod 23. The notched introduction blade 24 is located above the notched introduction blade 24 and sends the material to a pressure screw 22 located inside the stirring cylinder 16. The stirring rod 23 with guide blades, the notched introduction blade 24, and the pressure screw 22 are configured to rotate in the forward or reverse direction in conjunction with the rotating shaft of an electric motor 31 located inside the mounting base 30 on which the processing tank 10 is placed.

[0020] The mounting base 30 is equipped with load transducers (load cells) 66 capable of measuring the weight of the processing tank 10, located at the support points of the mounting base 30, for example, at the four legs. The electric motor 31 is configured so that its rotational speed and direction can be varied by an inverter. Inside the mounting base 30, an inverter for changing the rotational speed of the electric motor 31 and a transducer that changes the direction of the motor motor 31's shaft from horizontal to vertical using bevel gears or the like are installed so that the shaft of the electric motor 31 is horizontal.

[0021] The heating section 50 consists of a blower 52 equipped with an air intake port 51, a heater 53 that heats the air passing through it by applying electricity to the air supply side of the blower 52, such as an electric heating element or a ceramic heater, and a three-way branching pipe 54 that can branch the air that has passed through the heater 53 in three directions. The heating section 50 is preferably capable of heating the air to about 300 degrees Celsius, depending on the airflow, but an appropriate one may be selected considering the capacity of the processing tank 10 and the required drying time. The blower 52 may be made capable of varying the airflow, and the heater 53 may also be made capable of varying the heat output.

[0022] From the three-way branch pipe 54, three flexible ducts 55 can be simultaneously connected to the air supply pipes of the supply and exhaust pipe 40: the damped first air supply pipe 41, the damped second air supply pipe 42, and the damped third air supply pipe 43. When connected by the three ducts 55, the dampers of the damped first air supply pipe 41, the damped second air supply pipe 42, and the damped third air supply pipe 43 can be opened and closed by the output from the control unit 60, which will be described later. The control unit 60 can select and control whether to open only one of the damped first air supply pipe 41, the damped second air supply pipe 42, or the damped third air supply pipe 43, open any two, or open all three. This makes it possible to send air heated by the heating unit 50 to the damped section of the processing tank 10. Although it is also possible to connect the exhaust port 44 and the intake port 51 with a duct 55 to circulate the heated air, this configuration will not be used in this embodiment.

[0023] The control unit (control board) 60 is housed inside a box (housing) on ​​which the operation unit 70 is located on the front. The control unit 60 has a timing (counter) function, a function to output or output according to the driving sequence of the stirring and grinding device 1 corresponding to the conditions set in the operation unit 70, a function to respond to preset operations and operations from the operation unit 70, and a function to display the operating status of the stirring and grinding device 1, such as the start and stop of operation of the stirring and grinding device 1 and alarms, on the operation unit 70.

[0024] Furthermore, the control unit 60 can receive signals from the load transducer 66 and control the motor 31, the first air blower 41 with damper, the second air blower 42 with damper, the third air blower 43 with damper, the blower 52, the heater 53, and the display function of the operation unit 70 to output or stop the output.

[0025] The control unit 70 allows the user to select whether to start or stop the operation of the stirring and grinding device 1, and to select a predetermined operating pattern (operating procedure) for the stirring and grinding device 1. For example, based on the type and size of the material to be processed into the processing tank 10, and the estimated moisture content of the material based on its weight, several operating patterns (operating procedures) are pre-set (stored) in the control unit 60 regarding which of the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41, damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42, and damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43 should be operated with its damper open. One of these pre-set operating patterns (operating procedures) can be selected from the operation unit 70. Furthermore, when operation is selected, the system is equipped with an operation indicator that shows that it is in operation, such as by lighting up the operation switch, and an alarm indicator that stops the operation of the stirring and grinding device 1 and shows that the operation has stopped if the operation does not meet the set conditions.

[0026] Figures 2 and 3 will be used to explain the positional relationship of the multiple supply and exhaust pipes 40 in the processing tank 10. The supply and exhaust pipes 40 consist of a damper-equipped first supply pipe 41, a damper-equipped second supply pipe 42 and a damper-equipped third supply pipe 43, and an exhaust pipe 44, all of which are attached to the processing tank 10. Figure 2 is a plan view of the processing tank 10 (a view of the processing tank 10 only from above), and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 2. As mentioned above, when ducts 55 are connected to the three supply pipes of the heating unit 50, the damper-equipped first supply pipe 41, damper-equipped second supply pipe 42 and damper-equipped third supply pipe 43, the air heated by the heating unit 50 can be sent into the processing tank 10 to the damper-equipped first supply pipe 41, damper-equipped second supply pipe 42 and damper-equipped third supply pipe 43, which have their dampers open.

[0027] As for the exhaust stack 44, the heated air sent into the processing tank 10 passes through the inside of the processing tank 10 and is then discharged to the outside of the processing tank 10. In addition, while dampers are attached to the air supply cylinders for the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41, the damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42, and the damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43, it is also possible to omit the dampers from the air supply cylinders and instead attach dampers to the three outlet locations of the three-way branching cylinder 54.

[0028] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 2, illustrating the state in which the inside of the processing tank 10 is visible from the side of the processing tank 10. For this reason, the opening of the damped first air supply cylinder 41 inside the processing tank 10, which is visible on the inner surface of the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, is shown as the first air supply port 41a, the opening of the damped third air supply cylinder 43 inside the processing tank 10 is shown as the lower port 43a, and the opening of the exhaust cylinder 44 inside the processing tank 10 is shown as the exhaust port 44a. Note that the damped second air supply cylinder 42 is located on the top plate 14, so its opening cannot be shown in Figure 3, but the position of the second air supply port can be estimated from the position of the damped second air supply cylinder 42 in Figure 2.

[0029] Furthermore, in Figure 3, the stirring cylinder 16, the pressure screw 22(20), the stirring rod with guide blades 23(20), and the inlet blade with notches 24(20) are shown with dashed lines to indicate their positions, as showing them with solid cross-sections would make them difficult to understand. The rotation direction of the pressure screw 22(20), the stirring rod with guide blades 23(20), and the inlet blade with notches 24(20) is counterclockwise when the electric motor 31 rotates forward in Figure 2, and clockwise when the electric motor 31 rotates backward in Figure 2. In Figure 3, the square in the lower right of the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10 shows the door of the outlet 15, which is provided on the side plate 11 so as to be openable and closable, as viewed from the inside.

[0030] In Figures 2 and 3, the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41 is mounted approximately above the height of the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, in a direction that is approximately horizontal to the ground surface of the stirring and grinding device 1 and tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16. Because it is mounted tangentially to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16, the heated air, whose airflow direction is determined by the mounting direction of the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41, is sent to the space outside the stirring cylinder 16 inside the processing tank 10. This space is where the material to be processed, which has been pumped by the pressure screw 22 inside the stirring cylinder 16, is sent as ground material through the grinding holes 17 and the upper opening of the stirring cylinder 16, making it possible to efficiently apply heated air to the ground material.

[0031] The damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42 is mounted on the top plate 14 of the processing tank 10 so as to face approximately perpendicularly into the space below the processing tank 10 where the stirring cylinder 16 is not present. Therefore, the heated air, whose airflow direction is determined by the mounting direction of the damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42, is sent to the space outside the stirring cylinder 16 inside the processing tank 10. This space is where the material to be processed, which has been pumped by the pressure screw 22 inside the stirring cylinder 16, is sent as pulverized material through the crushing holes 17 and the upper opening of the stirring cylinder 16. As a result, heated air can be efficiently directed onto the pulverized material.

[0032] The damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43 is mounted approximately at the lower part of the height direction of the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, in a direction that is approximately horizontal to the ground surface of the stirring and grinding device 1 and tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16. Because it is mounted tangentially to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16, the heated air, whose airflow direction is determined by the mounting direction of the damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43, is sent to the space outside the stirring cylinder 16 inside the processing tank 10. This space is where the material to be processed, which has been pumped by the pressure screw 22 inside the stirring cylinder 16, is sent as ground material through the grinding holes 17 and the upper opening of the stirring cylinder 16, making it possible to efficiently apply heated air to the ground material.

[0033] The exhaust pipe 44 is mounted approximately above the height of the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, approximately horizontal to the ground surface of the stirring and grinding device 1, and tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring pipe 16. The conditions for determining the mounting position and direction of the exhaust pipe 44 will be described later in relation to the damper-equipped first air supply pipe 41, the damper-equipped second air supply pipe 42, and the damper-equipped third air supply pipe 43, as well as in relation to the material being processed.

[0034] As an example of the amount of material to be processed to be placed in the processing tank 10, the range between the upper limit line 7a, which shows the maximum amount of material to be processed as indicated by the dashed line in Figure 3, and the lower limit line 7b, which shows the minimum amount of material to be processed as indicated by the dashed line, is roughly appropriate given the structure of the stirring cylinder 16 and the rotating part 20. This is because, considering the processing efficiency of the material to be processed in the processing tank 10, processing with a volume of approximately half the capacity of the processing tank 10 is economical and efficient.

[0035] Based on the relationship between the processing tank 10 and the material to be processed, in the normal operation of the stirring and grinding device 1, the first air outlet 41a of the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41, the opening of the damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42, and the exhaust port 44a of the exhaust cylinder 44 are all above the upper limit line 7a of the material to be processed, and are not blocked by the material to be processed. Furthermore, in the space above the upper limit line 7a of the material to be processed in the processing tank 10, when the pressure screw 22 rotates in the direction of pressure feeding (counterclockwise in Figure 2), the ground material to be processed is pushed out from the upper opening of the stirring cylinder 16 and the multiple grinding holes 17 at the top of the stirring cylinder 16 towards the processing tank 10. Applying heated air to this ground and finely ground material to be processed allows for sequential drying of the material, efficiently expanding the drying of the entire material.

[0036] The third air outlet 43a of the damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43 is located below the lower limit line 7b of the material to be processed, and therefore it is assumed that it is acceptable for it to be blocked by the material to be processed. Therefore, although the damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43 is equipped with a damper, a means to prevent backflow, such as a wire mesh or an on / off valve, may be installed to prevent the material to be processed from entering the damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43.

[0037] If heated air supplied from the damped first air supply cylinder 41, the damped second air supply cylinder 42, or the damped third air supply cylinder 43 flows directly into the exhaust pipe 44 (so-called short cycle), the amount of moisture evaporated from the material being processed per unit time, in other words, the drying efficiency, will decrease. From an economic efficiency standpoint, this will naturally reduce the amount of moisture evaporated from the material being processed per unit time in relation to the power consumption of the stirring and grinding device 1, resulting in wasted electricity.

[0038] Therefore, the exhaust pipe 44 is installed in the treatment tank 10 taking into consideration the respective mounting positions of the damped first air supply pipe 41, damped second air supply pipe 42, or damped third air supply pipe 43, so that the straight-line distance between the second and third air supply pipes 43a, which can be estimated from the positions of the first air supply pipe 41a and the second air supply pipe 42, and the exhaust pipe 44a is as far apart as possible, and so that the airflow from the damped first air supply pipe 41, damped second air supply pipe 42, or damped third air supply pipe 43 does not flow in a straight line towards the exhaust pipe 44a.

[0039] The first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper, the second air supply cylinder 42 with a damper, and the third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper are each equipped with a damper motor to drive the damper, and the cylindrical opening of each air supply cylinder can be opened and closed by output from the control unit, which will be described later. Furthermore, the damper motor may be modified to allow for adjustment of the damper's opening angle and thereby change the airflow, by using a stepping motor or a damper motor equipped with an angle sensor (potentiometer).

[0040] In the stirring and grinding apparatus 1 configured as described above, an example of starting operation by selecting one of the operating patterns (operating procedures) set in the control unit 60 using the operation unit 70 is explained using the flowchart in Figure 4.

[0041] The material to be processed is introduced into the processing tank 10 of the stirring and grinding device 1 from the inlet 13, near the center of the processing tank 10, specifically between the upper limit line 7a and the lower limit line 7b of the material to be processed as explained in Figure 3. The user of the stirring and grinding device 1 judges the condition of the material to be processed from the operation unit 70 and selects the first operating pattern if it is deemed to be the best. When the operation start switch is turned on, the control unit 60 starts timing with the timer provided in the control unit 60 and displays that it is in operation, and measures the weight of the material to be processed that has been put into the processing tank 10 with the load transducer 66 (the weight increase due to the material being put into the processing tank 10), and the control unit 60 stores a target value, which is the value converted to the voltage output from the load transducer 66 when the measured weight of the material becomes one-third, based on the weight of the material to be processed. For example, if it is assumed that the weight of the material to be processed after drying will be one-third, the control unit 60 stores a target value (Step 1).

[0042] The aforementioned operating patterns will now be explained. In this embodiment, the first operating pattern is described as the case where the user selects the first operating pattern and only the damper of the first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper is open. This is an example where the user visually determines that the solid material to be processed, such as vegetable scraps, is predominantly less than approximately 5 cm in size. As for other operating patterns, for example, if the user determines that the material to be processed is mainly powder, the user can select a second operating pattern using the control unit 70, in which only the third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper is opened. Furthermore, if the user determines that the solid particles in the material to be processed are approximately 5 cm or larger, a third operating pattern can be selected via the control panel 70, in which only the second air supply cylinder 43 with a damper is opened.

[0043] The ability to select the aforementioned operating patterns is due to the fact that, in this embodiment, there are three types of air supply cylinders—a first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper, a second air supply cylinder 42 with a damper, and a third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper—each with different mounting positions and directions in the processing tank 10. This allows for the selection of the optimal air supply cylinder from among the three types with different mounting positions and directions depending on the shape and condition of the object to be processed.

[0044] Next, the control unit 60 outputs power to the electric motor 31 to rotate the stirring rod with guide blades 23, the inlet blade with notches 24, and the pressure screw 22 in reverse for a predetermined time, for example, 30 minutes, according to the first operating pattern that has been set and stored (step 2). The reverse rotation of the guided stirring rod 23, the notched introduction blade 24, and the pressure screw 22 is performed to loosen the material to be processed inside the processing tank 10, and to ensure that the subsequent stirring, crushing, and pumping processes of the guided stirring rod 23, the notched introduction blade 24, and the pressure screw 22 proceed smoothly. This step may be omitted if the material to be processed is sufficiently loosened.

[0045] Simultaneously with or slightly after step 2, the control unit 60 opens only the damper of the damped first air supply cylinder 41 (step 3). Note that the dampers of the damped first air supply cylinder 41, the damped second air supply cylinder 42, and the damped third air supply cylinder 43 are set to the closed state in the initial state (reference state) setting of the control unit 60. This is to prevent odors from flowing back from inside the treatment tank 10, but in the initial state, it is also possible to set all dampers to be open or to open only specific dampers.

[0046] Next, the control unit 60 outputs to the blower 52 and the heater 53, and starts blowing air heated by the heating unit 50 (step 4).

[0047] If the control unit 60 determines that 30 minutes have elapsed since the start of operation, proceed to step 6 (step 5). If 30 minutes have not elapsed, return to step 2 and continue the operations of steps 2 to 4.

[0048] The control unit 60 continues to output to the blower 52 and heater 53, but stops outputting to the motor 31 to reverse rotation. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the output to the motor 31 was stopped, for example, after a 1-minute stop, the control unit 60 outputs to the motor 31 to rotate the stirring rod with guide blades 23, the inlet blade with notches 24, and the pressure screw 22 in the forward direction (step 6).

[0049] The control unit 60 compares the target value stored in step 1 with the value continuously output from the load transducer 66, and continues the output of the electric motor 31. If the control unit 60 determines that the value has reached the target value stored in step 1, the process proceeds to step 8 (step 7). If the target value is not reached, the process returns to step 6 and continues the operation in step 6.

[0050] In step 7, if the target value stored in step 1 is not reached after a predetermined time, for example, 3 hours, the drying of the material to be processed may be considered complete, and the process may proceed to step 8. To distinguish this completion of drying from normal drying, a warning light or the like may be illuminated on the control unit 70.

[0051] In step 7, if the control unit 60 determines that the value has reached the value stored in step 1, it stops outputting to the heater 53 (step 8).

[0052] Simultaneously with or slightly after step 8, the control unit 60 stops the output of the electric motor 31 (step 9).

[0053] Simultaneously with step 8 or after a predetermined time, for example 30 minutes, the control unit 60 stops the output of the blower 52, closes the damper of the first air supply cylinder 41 with damper, ends the timing on the timer provided in the control unit 60, and turns off the "in operation" indicator on the operation unit 70 (step 10).

[0054] In steps 8 to 10, the output of the heater 53, electric motor 31, and blower 52 is stopped in that order to effectively utilize the residual heat of the heater 53 to continue drying in the processing tank 10 for a predetermined time, and after the utilization of the residual heat is complete, the blower 52 is used to cool the inside of the processing tank 10. This operation can be omitted if it is not necessary.

[0055] (Second embodiment) The second embodiment of the stirring and grinding apparatus 2 will be described using Figures 5 and 6. In the stirring and grinding apparatus 2 of the second embodiment, the mounting position of the exhaust pipe 44 to the processing tank 10 is the same as in the stirring and grinding apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, but the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41 is changed to a damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 46, the damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42 is changed to a damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 47, and the damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 43 is changed to a damper-equipped third air supply cylinder 48. As for the other parts, they are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and their description is omitted.

[0056] In the damped first air supply cylinder 46, the mounting position in the height direction within the processing tank 10 is the same as that of the stirring and grinding device 1 in the first embodiment. However, while the damped first air supply cylinder 41 in Figure 2 is tilted approximately 45 degrees to the left with respect to the position of the exhaust pipe 44, the damped first air supply cylinder 46 in Figure 5 is tilted approximately 45 degrees to the right with respect to the position of the exhaust pipe 44. Therefore, the damped first air supply cylinder 46 is tilted approximately 90 degrees to the right from the position of the damped first air supply cylinder 41. Comparing Figure 2 and Figure 5, considering the relationship with the distance to the exhaust pipe 44 and the airflow direction determined by the orientation of the air supply cylinder, the damped first air supply cylinder 46 is mounted in a position that makes short-circuiting of heated air less likely to occur compared to the first embodiment.

[0057] Furthermore, in Figure 2, the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41 is mounted approximately perpendicular to the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, whereas in Figure 6, the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 46 is mounted at an angle of 5 to 15 degrees downward relative to the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, so that heated air is sent downward toward the interior of the processing tank 10. As shown in Figure 5, although it is angled downward by 5 to 15 degrees, it is mounted approximately tangentially to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16, just like the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 41. Not only is the mounting position of the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 46 as described above, but the direction of the heated air sent from the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 46 is such that it is located away from the exhaust port 44a and is tilted downward by 5 to 15 degrees, as shown in the first air supply port 46a in Figure 6, making it even less likely for short cycles to occur. By supplying heated air from the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 46 at a downward angle of 5 to 15 degrees, the heated air is supplied in a direction that hits the workpiece not only from the side but also from above, which can contribute to improving drying efficiency.

[0058] Regarding the damped second air supply cylinder 47, as can be seen from the comparison between Figure 2 and Figure 5 and Figure 3 and Figure 6, the height is the same as that of the damped second air supply cylinder 42 of the stirring and grinding device 1 of the first embodiment. However, on the top plate 14 in Figure 2, the damped second air supply cylinder 42 is located near the exhaust pipe 44, whereas the damped second air supply cylinder 47 in Figure 5 is positioned approximately 80 degrees to the left relative to the exhaust pipe 44 when viewed from the top plate 14. For illustrative purposes, it is shown as approximately 80 degrees to the left, but as mentioned above, positioning it as far away from the exhaust pipe 44 as possible will prevent short cycles, so it may be possible to position it approximately 135 degrees away within the range of the top plate 14.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the first embodiment, the second air supply cylinder 47 with a damper is installed at an angle of 5 to 15 degrees so that heated air is supplied to the processing tank 10 at a right angle from the top plate 14, and in Figures 5 and 6, the heated air is supplied at an angle downward relative to the processing tank 10. Not only is the mounting position of the second air supply cylinder 47 with a damper important, but because it is installed at an angle downward, the direction of the heated air supplied from the second air supply cylinder 47 with a damper is away from the exhaust port 44a, making it less likely for short cycles to occur. By supplying heated air from the second air supply cylinder 47 with a damper at an angle downward of 5 to 15 degrees, the heated air is supplied in a direction that hits the workpiece not only from above but also from the side, which can contribute to improving drying efficiency.

[0060] Regarding the damped third air supply cylinder 48, as can be seen from the comparison between Figure 2 and Figure 5 and Figure 3 and Figure 6, the height direction is the same as the damped third air supply cylinder 43 of the stirring and grinding device 1 of the first embodiment. However, while the damped third air supply cylinder 43 in Figure 2 is oriented approximately parallel to the exhaust pipe 44, the damped third air supply cylinder 48 in Figure 5 is mounted at an angle of approximately 70 to 90 degrees relative to the exhaust pipe 44. Although the orientation of the damped third air supply cylinder 48 relative to the exhaust pipe 44 has changed, it is mounted approximately tangentially to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16, just like the damped first air supply cylinder 41. As shown in Figure 6, the third air supply cylinder 48 with a damper and the exhaust port 44a of the exhaust cylinder 44 are separated by a height difference, and when the material to be processed is placed in the processing tank 10, the possibility of a short cycle is low. When the rotating part 20 rotates in the forward direction (counterclockwise in Figure 5), heated air can be directed toward the material to be processed, which can also contribute to improving drying efficiency.

[0061] Furthermore, in Figure 3, the damped third air supply cylinder 43 is mounted approximately perpendicular to the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, whereas in Figure 6, the damped third air supply cylinder 48 is mounted at an angle of 5 to 15 degrees downward relative to the side plate 11 of the processing tank 10, so that heated air is sent downward toward the inside of the processing tank 10. As shown in Figure 5, although it is angled downward by 5 to 15 degrees, it is mounted approximately tangentially to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder 16, just like the damped third air supply cylinder 43. The direction of the heated air sent from the damped third air supply cylinder 46 is angled downward by 5 to 15 degrees, so that the heated air hits the workpiece not only from the side but also from above, which can contribute to improving drying efficiency. Furthermore, since the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 48 is installed facing downward relative to the processing tank 10, it becomes difficult for the material to be processed to enter the damper-equipped first air supply cylinder 48, and any material that does enter is easily discharged towards the processing tank 10 by heated air.

[0062] (Third embodiment) The stirring and grinding apparatus 3 of the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In the stirring and grinding apparatus 3 of the third embodiment, a heating section outlet temperature sensor 67 is installed in the three-way branch pipe 54 of the heating section 50 instead of the load transducer 66, and an exhaust port temperature sensor 68 is installed in the exhaust port 44 of the stirring and grinding apparatus 3. As a result of the changes in the control and operation of the heating section outlet temperature sensor 67 and the exhaust port temperature sensor 68, the control unit 60 is changed to a control unit 61 and the operation unit 70 is changed to an operation unit 71. However, the other parts are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and their description is omitted.

[0063] By attaching a heating outlet temperature sensor 67 to the three-way branch pipe 54 and an exhaust port temperature sensor 68 to the exhaust port 44 of the stirring and grinding device 3, it becomes possible to measure the temperature of the heated air sent to the processing tank 10 (hereinafter referred to as the supply air temperature, and when describing this temperature, it will be represented by the symbol T1) and the temperature of the heated air after passing through the processing tank 10 (hereinafter referred to as the exhaust temperature, and when describing this temperature, it will be represented by the symbol T2).

[0064] This makes it possible to determine the change in the supply air temperature (T1) as it passes through the processing tank 10, that is, the value obtained by subtracting the exhaust air temperature (T2) after passing through the processing tank 10 from the supply air temperature (T1) (hereinafter referred to as the change value, and when explaining this value, it will be represented by the symbol Td = T1 - T2).

[0065] When a material containing a large amount of moisture is placed inside the processing tank 10 of the stirring and grinding device 3, and heated air with a supply air temperature of T1 is supplied to the processing tank 10, water vapor is generated from the material containing a large amount of moisture inside the processing tank 10, resulting in an exhaust temperature of T2. This is because the heated air at supply air temperature T1 raises the temperature of the material, which is at room temperature, and after the temperature rise, the moisture contained in the material vaporizes into water vapor, and the heat energy of the latent heat of vaporization is removed from the heated air at supply air temperature T1, resulting in a significantly lower exhaust temperature of T2.

[0066] Although it varies depending on the atmospheric conditions and the state of the material being processed, for example, if heated air at 300 degrees Celsius is sent to the processing tank 10, the temperature of the heated air will drop to approximately 60 degrees Celsius after passing through the processing tank 10. Furthermore, by calculating the cumulative value of the change Td, which is obtained by subtracting the exhaust temperature T2 after passing through the processing tank 10 from the supply air temperature T1 sent to the processing tank 10, the total amount of moisture vaporized from the material being processed can be estimated. For example, the cumulative value can be obtained by measuring the change Td at intervals of 5 seconds to 2 minutes and accumulating these measured values.

[0067] Furthermore, since the total amount of moisture vaporized from the material being processed is determined by the cumulative value of the change value Td, it is naturally possible to estimate the total amount of moisture vaporized from the material being processed by replacing the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 with a humidity sensor installed on the exhaust pipe 44. Therefore, it is also acceptable to replace the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 with a humidity sensor installed on the exhaust pipe 44.

[0068] In the stirring and grinding apparatus 3 configured as described above, an example of starting operation by selecting one of the operating patterns (operating procedures) set in the control unit 61 using the operation unit 71 is explained using the flowchart in Figure 8.

[0069] The material to be processed is introduced into the processing tank 10 of the stirring and grinding device 3 from the inlet 13, near the center of the processing tank 10, specifically between the upper limit line 7a and the lower limit line 7b of the material to be processed as explained in Figure 3. The user of the stirring and grinding device 3 judges the condition of the material to be processed from the control unit 71 and selects the fourth operating pattern if it is deemed suitable. When the start switch is turned on, the control unit 61 starts timing with the timer provided in the control unit 61 and displays an indication that it is in operation (step 11). The explanation of the operating pattern is the same as in the first embodiment, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0070] Next, the control unit 61 outputs power to the electric motor 31 to rotate the stirring rod with guide blades 23, the inlet blade with notches 24, and the pressure screw 22 in the opposite direction for a predetermined time, for example, 30 minutes, according to the set fourth operating pattern (step 12). The reverse rotation of the guided stirring rod 23, the notched introduction blade 24, and the pressure screw 22 is performed to loosen the material to be processed inside the processing tank 10, and to ensure that the subsequent stirring, crushing, and pumping processes of the guided stirring rod 23, the notched introduction blade 24, and the pressure screw 22 proceed smoothly. This step may be omitted if the material to be processed is sufficiently loosened.

[0071] Simultaneously with or slightly after step 12, the control unit 61 opens only the damper of the damped second air supply cylinder 42 (step 13). Note that the dampers of the damped first air supply cylinder 41, the damped second air supply cylinder 42, and the damped third air supply cylinder 43 are set to closed in the initial state (reference state) setting of the control unit 61. This is to prevent odors from flowing back from inside the treatment tank 10, but in the initial state, it is also possible to set all dampers to be open or to open only specific dampers.

[0072] Next, the control unit 61 outputs to the blower 52 and the heater 53, starting the blowing of air heated in the heating unit 50, and begins measuring the supply air temperature T1 at the heating unit outlet temperature sensor 67 and the exhaust air temperature T2 at the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 (step 14).

[0073] If the control unit 63 determines that 30 minutes have elapsed since the start of operation, the process proceeds to step 16 (step 15). If 30 minutes have not elapsed, the process returns to step 12 and continues the operations of steps 12 to 14.

[0074] The control unit 61 continues to output to the blower 52 and heater 53, but stops outputting to the motor 31 to reverse rotation. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the output to the motor 31 was stopped, for example, after a 1-minute stop, the control unit 61 outputs to the motor 31 to rotate the stirring rod with guide blades 23, the inlet blade with notches 24, and the pressure screw 22 in the forward direction (step 16).

[0075] Since the measurement of the supply air temperature T1 at the heating outlet temperature sensor 67 and the exhaust air temperature T2 at the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 has started, the system detects abnormalities in the heating state as described below. If an abnormality is detected, the system proceeds to step 31; otherwise, it proceeds to step 18 (step 17).

[0076] Examples of abnormal heating conditions are shown below. Here, the supply air temperature T1 is set to the desired temperature, 300 degrees Celsius, via the control unit 71. If the temperature of the supplied air temperature T1 measured by the heating outlet temperature sensor 67 does not exceed a temperature lower than the set temperature (for example, 200 degrees Celsius) for a predetermined time after the motor 31 in step 16 starts rotating in the forward direction, for example, 15 minutes after the start of forward rotation, then it is determined that the heater 53 is malfunctioning, thus detecting a heater malfunction.

[0077] If the temperature of the supplied air temperature T1 measured by the heating outlet temperature sensor 67 exceeds a predetermined temperature (for example, 400 degrees Celsius) significantly after a predetermined time has elapsed since the motor 31 started rotating in the forward direction in step 16, for example, 15 minutes after the start of forward rotation, it is determined that the blower 52 or the damper of the first supply air cylinder 41 with damper is malfunctioning, thus detecting an air supply abnormality.

[0078] Even though it is known at the stage of introducing the material to be processed into the processing tank 10 that it contains sufficient moisture, if the change value Td changes in the direction of decreasing or if the cumulative value of the change value Td does not exceed a predetermined cumulative value after a predetermined time has elapsed since the motor 31 in step 16 started rotating in the forward direction, for example, 15 minutes after the start of forward rotation, it is determined that a short cycle of heated air has occurred in the processing tank 10, and this is called short cycle abnormality detection.

[0079] Furthermore, if it is determined that a short cycle is occurring, the control may be changed from opening only the damper of the second air supply cylinder 42 with a damper to opening only the damper of the first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper. If the change value Td widens after operating for about 10 minutes, the operation may be continued with only the damper of the first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper open. Alternatively, the control may be changed from "opening only the damper of the second air supply cylinder 42 with a damper" to "opening only the damper of the third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper".

[0080] If an abnormality in the heating state is detected in step 17, the operation unit 71 displays an abnormality, the timer in the control unit 61 stops timing, the output to the electric motor 31, blower 52, and heater 53 is stopped, the damper of the damper-equipped second air supply cylinder 42 is closed, and the operation of the stirring and grinding device 3 is terminated (step 31).

[0081] The control unit 61 continues to output power to the electric motor 31, blower 52, and heater 53, and continues to accumulate the change value Td. When it determines that the accumulated value from the start has reached a predetermined value, and at the same time the change value Td has reached a predetermined temperature difference (for example, 30 degrees or less), it determines that sufficient steam has been generated from the workpiece and that the workpiece has lost moisture (is dry), and therefore no further steam generation from the workpiece is expected, and proceeds to step 19. If the accumulated value from the start does not reach a predetermined value, it returns to step 16 (step 18).

[0082] Furthermore, when it is determined that the cumulative temperature difference from the start has reached a predetermined value, and at the same time the temperature difference measured at predetermined intervals has reached a predetermined temperature difference (for example, 30 degrees or less), the damper of the second air supply cylinder 42 with a damper may be changed from opening only the damper of the first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper or opening only the damper of the third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper. This is because changing the type of air supply cylinder changes the direction of the heated air to the workpiece, which may allow for further drying. For example, by sending heated air from the third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper, which is embedded in the workpiece, it may be possible to further accelerate the drying of the workpiece, and because time has passed since the start, it can be expected that the workpiece has been finely pulverized. In this case, if the value of the change Td does not increase from 30 degrees or less, the treated material may be judged to be dry.

[0083] If the control unit 61 determines in step 18 that the workpiece is dry, it stops outputting to the heater 53 (step 19).

[0084] Simultaneously with or slightly after step 19, the control unit 61 stops the output of the electric motor 31 (step 20).

[0085] Simultaneously with step 19 or after a predetermined time, for example 30 minutes, the control unit 61 stops the output of the blower 52, closes the damper of the first air supply cylinder 41 with damper, ends the timing on the timer provided in the control unit 61, and turns off the "operating" indicator on the operation unit 71 (step 21).

[0086] In steps 19 to 21, the output of the heater 53, electric motor 31, and blower 52 is stopped in that order to effectively utilize the residual heat of the heater 53 to continue drying in the processing tank 10 for a predetermined time, and after the utilization of the residual heat is complete, the blower 52 is used to cool the inside of the processing tank 10. This operation can be omitted if it is not necessary.

[0087] (Fourth embodiment) The stirring and grinding apparatus 4 of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 9. In the stirring and grinding apparatus 4 of the fourth embodiment, the exhaust pipe 44 of the first embodiment is replaced with an exhaust pipe with a damper 45. As a result of changing to the exhaust pipe with a damper 45, the control unit 60 of the first embodiment is changed to a control unit 62, and the operating unit 70 of the first embodiment is changed to an operating unit 72. Other parts are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and their description is omitted.

[0088] The exhaust pipe 45 with a damper is equipped with a damper motor that drives the damper, and the cylindrical opening can be opened and closed by the output from the control unit 62. By using a damper motor with a stepping motor or a damper motor with an angle sensor (potentiometer), the opening degree of the damper can be adjusted to change the exhaust volume. The opening degree of the opening of the exhaust pipe 45 with a damper can be changed from closed to any desired opening degree from the operation unit 72.

[0089] The inclusion of a damper-equipped exhaust pipe 45 allows for resistance to be applied to the exhaust side by the damper, thereby adjusting the state of heat exchange between the material to be processed and the heated air inside the processing tank 10. Furthermore, even when utilizing residual heat after stopping the heated air, it can be used efficiently by reducing the damper opening. As an example of adjusting the state of heat exchange, a control method is used in which the damper opening of the damper-equipped exhaust pipe 45 is set to the optimal drying efficiency by measuring the amount of load reduction at the load transducer 66 while gradually decreasing the opening.

[0090] In the stirring and grinding apparatus 1 of the first embodiment to the stirring and grinding apparatus 4 of the fourth embodiment, fermentation treatment can also be performed on the material to be processed. In the third embodiment of the stirring and grinding apparatus 3, a heating section outlet temperature sensor 67 and an exhaust port temperature sensor 68 are provided. The heating section outlet temperature sensor 67 and the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 control the heater 53 and blower 52 so that the inside of the processing tank 10 is at a temperature suitable for fermentation, for example, 40 to 60 degrees Celsius, and the control unit 61 can control the temperature inside the processing tank 10.

[0091] In this case, for example, if the control unit 61 changes the amount of heating, including stopping heating in the heater 53 in the heating unit 50, or changes the amount of air blown by the blower 52, based on the measured values ​​of the heating unit outlet temperature sensor 67 and the exhaust port temperature sensor 68, then finer temperature adjustments can be made inside the processing tank 10.

[0092] Furthermore, by simultaneously controlling which of the dampers—the first air supply cylinder 41 with a damper, the second air supply cylinder 42 with a damper, and the third air supply cylinder 43 with a damper—to open based on the heating outlet temperature sensor 67 and the exhaust port temperature sensor 68, the control unit 61 can supply heated or ambient temperature air from a position suitable for fermentation in the processing tank 10, thereby ensuring that the processed material is evenly distributed at a temperature suitable for fermentation.

[0093] In particular, it can accelerate the fermentation of the material being treated when the outside temperature is low, such as in winter, and shorten the processing time. Of course, when fermentation has progressed inside the processing tank 10, the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 can measure the temperature inside the processing tank 10, so the exhaust port temperature sensor 68 can be used to operate the processing tank 10 in a way that maintains a constant temperature inside it.

[0094] Although the present invention has been described above based on the first to fourth embodiments, the present invention is not limited in any way to the configurations of these embodiments. For example, the combinations of the first to fourth embodiments can be changed as appropriate.

[0095] Furthermore, this invention is not limited to these claims, but includes the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. The invention described in the claims of this application is listed below. (Note) [1] Note 1 describes an agitation and grinding device comprising a processing tank in which the lower opening of a cylindrical side plate is closed by a bottom plate and the upper opening is closed by a top plate with an inlet; a stirring cylinder fixed inside the processing tank and having a plurality of grinding holes; and a pressure screw, a stirring rod with guide blades and an introduction blade with notches, each of which is pivotally supported on the rotating shaft of an electric motor outside the processing tank and installed inside the processing tank, wherein a first air supply cylinder is provided at a height that is not blocked by the material to be processed by the side plate of the processing tank and is inclined to be approximately tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the first air supply cylinder. [2] Appendix 2 is the stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a second air supply cylinder is provided on the top plate of the processing tank, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the second air supply cylinder. [3] Appendix 3 is the stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 2, which is further provided with means for selectively connecting one or both of the first air supply cylinder and the second air supply cylinder to the heating section. [4] Appendix 4 is the stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a third air supply cylinder is provided at a point approximately tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder at a point approximately approximately below the height of the side plate of the processing tank, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the third air supply cylinder. [5] Appendix 5 is the stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 4, which is further provided with means for selectively connecting one or more of the first air supply cylinder, the second air supply cylinder, and the third air supply cylinder to the heating unit. [6] Note 6 is the stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 5, wherein the stirring and grinding apparatus is equipped with means for detecting the dry state of the material to be processed. [7] Appendix 7 is the stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 6, which is equipped with means for reversing the rotation of the electric motor. [Industrial applicability]

[0096] Regarding the stirring and grinding equipment, given the current situation where moisture-containing waste is discarded in homes and businesses, it can reduce the volume of this waste or reuse it by converting it into fertilizer or animal feed, thus aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrating industrial applicability. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 1, 2, 3, 4: Agitation and grinding device 7a: Upper limit line of the object to be processed 7b: The object to be processed is at the lower limit line 10: Treatment tank 11: Side panel 12: Bottom plate 13: Inlet 14: Top plate 15: Dispensing opening 16: Stirring cylinder 17: Grinding holes 18: Saw blade 20: Rotating part 22: Pressure screw 23: Stirring rod with induction blades 24: Induction vane with notches 30: Mounting platform 31: Electric motor 40: Exhaust / Intake Stack 41, 46: First air supply cylinder with damper 41a, 46a: First air outlet 42, 47: Second air supply cylinder with damper 43, 48: Third air supply cylinder with damper 43a, 48a: Third air outlet 44:Exhaust stack 44a: Exhaust port 45: Exhaust pipe with damper 50: Heating section 51:Air supply port 52: Blower 53: Heater 54: Three-way junction pipe 55: Duct 60, 61, 62: Control Unit 66: Load transducer (load cell) 67: Heating section outlet temperature sensor 68: Exhaust vent temperature sensor 70, 71, 72: Operation section

Claims

1. A processing tank with cylindrical side plates, the lower opening closed by a bottom plate, and the upper opening closed by a top plate with an input port, A stirring cylinder fixed inside the processing tank and having multiple crushing holes, In a stirring and grinding apparatus consisting of a pressure screw, a stirring rod with guide blades, and an introduction blade with notches, each of which is pivotally supported on the rotating shaft of an electric motor outside the processing tank, the apparatus is provided inside the processing tank. A stirring and grinding apparatus is provided with a first air supply cylinder that is inclined to be approximately tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder at a height that does not block the material to be processed by the side plate of the processing tank, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the first air supply cylinder.

2. The stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a second air supply cylinder is provided on the top plate of the processing tank, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the second air supply cylinder.

3. The stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for selectively connecting one or more of the first and second air supply cylinders to the heating unit.

4. The stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a third air supply cylinder is provided at approximately the lower part of the side plate of the processing tank in the height direction, and is inclined in a direction that is approximately tangential to the outer circumference of the stirring cylinder, and a duct from a heating unit that blows heated air is connected to the third air supply cylinder.

5. The stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for selectively connecting one or more of the first air supply cylinder, the second air supply cylinder, and the third air supply cylinder to the heating unit.

6. The stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 5, wherein the stirring and grinding apparatus is further provided with means for detecting the dry state of the material to be processed.

7. The stirring and grinding apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means for reversing the rotation of the electric motor.

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