Methods for collecting waste, methods for separating materials suitable for fermentation, methane fermentation methods, and methane fermentation treatment systems.

Abstract

This invention provides a waste collection method that reduces the effort required for sorting waste at each household and business, and allows for the collection of organic waste with a low rate of unsuitable materials for fermentation. [Solution] A method for collecting waste, comprising: placing organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment in a first storage bag that is identifiable by being given at least one of the identifiable marking functions, including color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag; placing the first storage bag containing the organic waste and other waste together in a second storage bag; accumulating them at a collection site; and transporting the second storage bag containing the first storage bag to a processing facility by collection vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a garbage collection method, a method for separating fermentation-appropriate substances, a methane fermentation method, and a methane fermentation treatment system.

Background Art

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, in order to realize a resource recycling society, the practical application of a methane fermentation treatment device that converts organic waste such as food waste and paper waste into biogas (containing about 60% methane gas, about 40% carbon dioxide gas, a small amount of hydrogen sulfide, etc.) that can be used as an energy source by anaerobic microorganisms is being promoted.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 1(a), currently, miscellaneous combustible garbage such as food waste, paper waste, and resin packaging waste discarded from ordinary households and commercial waste discarded from restaurants, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "garbage") is mixed and stored in one garbage bag, accumulated at a garbage collection site, collected by a garbage collection truck, transported to a garbage treatment facility, and sorted by a crushing and separation device installed in the garbage treatment facility to select organic waste such as food waste and paper waste that are suitable for fermentation and supplied to a methane fermentation device, and other combustible garbage is supplied to an incinerator device for incineration treatment.

[0004] Such a crushing and separation device generally has a configuration in which the waste crushed by a crushing mechanism is separated by a screening separation mechanism or a wind separation mechanism, so the separation rate of fermentation-appropriate substances and fermentation-inappropriate substances suitable for methane fermentation is poor. When the separated fermentation-appropriate substances are supplied to the fermentation device, various problems such as blockage in the fermentation tank have occurred.

[0005] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1(b), at each household and each business establishment that are the sources of garbage, organic waste and other combustible garbage are separated and individually bagged, and the garbage collection contractor collects them on different collection days, so a method of directly supplying the pre-separated organic waste to the methane fermentation device has also been proposed.

[0006] Patent Document 2 proposes a method for collecting and sorting waste, as shown in Figure 1(c), in which waste is separated into multiple types of garbage bags, each distinguished by a different color; these multiple types of garbage bags are collected using the same vehicle; and the collected separated waste is sorted according to the type of garbage bag.

[0007] The collected garbage bags of multiple types are placed on the same conveyor belt, where the color of the garbage bags is detected by an optical color detection device or similar device. Based on the conveyor's movement speed from the time of color detection, the target garbage bags reach their designated positions and are sorted by a sorting device before being deposited into their respective pits. Examples include recyclable waste A, recyclable waste B, recyclable waste C, recyclable waste D, and incineration / melting waste.

[0008] Patent Document 3 discloses a waste sorting method for efficiently sorting rubble and waste from demolished buildings that contain a wide variety of materials. This method involves acquiring numerical data representing the characteristics of the waste being transported by a transport means using a gravity sensor, calculating the volume of the waste from the contour of an image captured by a camera, calculating the specific gravity of the waste from that volume and the weight acquired by a weight sensor, and identifying the material of the waste based on sorting training data obtained by machine learning that links the material information of the waste, its weight, and the contour of the image. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-86157 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-50949 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-109197 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] However, as shown in Figure 1(b), adopting a method in which waste is separated at the source of generation, such as each household or business, and the separated waste is collected by waste collection companies on different collection days, presents problems such as the effort required of each household or business to individually put out the type of waste corresponding to the collection day at the waste collection site, and increased transportation and labor costs for waste collection companies to collect the separated waste on different collection days, making it difficult to implement.

[0011] Furthermore, when adopting the waste collection and sorting method shown in Figure 1(c) as described in Patent Document 2, it becomes possible to appropriately send waste to corresponding processing equipment such as methane fermentation equipment and incineration equipment depending on the type of waste. However, as the number of types of waste to be sorted increases, the effort required for sorting at each household and business increases, and a complex and expensive waste sorting system equipped with conveyor equipment, color detection equipment, sorting equipment, etc., becomes necessary to sort the collected waste. Moreover, there was a problem of an increased frequency of missorting at the waste source and missorting in the waste sorting system.

[0012] Furthermore, while the waste sorting method described in Patent Document 3 can sort individual pieces of various waste materials such as rubble and demolished buildings, it is difficult to determine whether multiple pieces of waste mixed in a single bag are appropriate waste materials possessing predetermined characteristics.

[0013] In view of the above-mentioned prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a waste collection method, a method for separating materials suitable for fermentation, a methane fermentation method, and a methane fermentation treatment system that can reduce the effort required for sorting waste at each household and business establishment and produce organic waste with a low rate of contamination from materials unsuitable for fermentation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, the first characteristic configuration of the waste collection method according to the present invention is a waste collection method comprising: placing organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment in a first storage bag equipped with an identifiable marking function; placing the first storage bag containing the organic waste and other waste together in a second storage bag; accumulating them at a collection site; and transporting the second storage bag containing the first storage bag to a treatment facility by a collection vehicle.

[0015] Of the waste generated in each household and business, organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation is separated and placed in the first storage bag. The first storage bag is then placed in the second storage bag along with other waste, and the second storage bag is collected at the collection site. Other waste may be placed in the second storage bag while still in other storage bags, or it may be placed directly in the second storage bag without being placed in other storage bags first.

[0016] This system reduces the effort required for sorting, requiring only the separation of organic waste into the first storage bag, while effectively reducing the rate of contamination of organic waste with unsuitable materials for fermentation. Furthermore, even if other waste is placed in other storage bags, the first storage bag placed in the second storage bag can be identified by its identifiable marking function, ensuring that the first storage bag is reliably separated from other waste when transported to the processing facility. In addition, since organic waste and other waste can be collected simultaneously via the second storage bag, transportation costs and labor costs for waste collection companies can also be reduced.

[0017] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the identifiable marking function consists of at least one of the following: color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

[0018] Colors, patterns, marks, materials, and identification tags can be suitably used as identifiable marking functions.

[0019] The first characteristic configuration of the separation method of fermentation suitable substances according to the present invention is to break the second storage bag transported to the treatment facility using the garbage collection method having the first characteristic configuration described above, and from the mixture of the first storage bag and the other waste stored in the second storage bag, the first storage bag is separated based on the identifiable labeling function.

[0020] By breaking the second storage bag transported to the treatment facility, the first storage bag and other waste stored in the second storage bag are exposed, and by identifying the first storage bag based on the identifiable labeling function attached to the first storage bag, it becomes possible to reliably separate the organic waste so that no other waste is mixed in.

[0021] The second characteristic configuration is, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, in that the first storage bag is separated based on the result of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bag in addition to the identifiable labeling function.

[0022] Based on the result of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bag in addition to the labeling function, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the first storage bag contains organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment.

[0023] The third characteristic configuration is, in addition to the second characteristic configuration described above, in that the specific gravity measurement is performed by volume measurement equipment including a camera or a laser volume meter for measuring the volume of the first storage bag and weight measurement equipment including a weighing scale incorporated in a handling arm or a conveyor for measuring the weight of the first storage bag.

[0024] The specific gravity of the first storage bag is obtained by dividing the weight of the first storage bag measured by the weight measurement equipment by the volume of the first storage bag measured by the volume measurement equipment, and based on the specific gravity, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the contents of the first storage bag are organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment. As the volume measurement equipment, a camera or a laser volume meter capable of grasping the outer shape of the first storage bag can be preferably adopted, and as the weight measurement equipment, a weighing scale incorporated in a handling arm or a conveyor can be preferably adopted.

[0025] The fourth characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, when the contents of the second storage bag that has been damaged are conveyed by a conveyor, the first storage bag is separated based on the identifiable labeling function.

[0026] On the conveyor where the contents of the damaged second storage bag, that is, the first storage bag and other waste (including other waste contained in other storage bags) are conveyed, the first storage bag is easily separated based on the identifiable labeling function. The separation may be manually done by an operator visually or automatically by a separation device equipped with a sensor.

[0027] The fifth characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first or fourth characteristic configuration described above, the identifiable labeling function is constituted by at least one of color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

[0028] As the identifiable labeling function, color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag can be preferably adopted.

[0029] The first characteristic configuration of the methane fermentation method according to the present invention is that the first storage bag separated by using the separation method of fermentation-appropriate substances having the first characteristic configuration described above is damaged, and the organic waste contained in the first storage bag is subjected to methane fermentation treatment as a fermentation-appropriate substance.

[0030] By damaging the second storage bag, the first storage bag separated from other waste can be taken out. By damaging the first storage bag, the organic waste separated at the source such as each household can be taken out as it is, and by subjecting the organic waste to methane fermentation treatment as a fermentation-appropriate substance, the occurrence of abnormal conditions such as blockage in the fermentation tank due to fermentation-inappropriate substances can be effectively avoided, and smooth fermentation treatment can be promoted.

[0031] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the damaged first storage bag, the damaged second storage bag, and the other waste contained in the second storage bag are subjected to incineration treatment in an incineration facility.

[0032] When the first container bag is removed from the second container bag after it has been ruptured, other waste, mainly combustible waste, remains. Similarly, when the first container bag is ruptured and the organic waste is removed, the ruptured first container bag remains. By incinerating the ruptured first and second container bags, along with the other waste, at an incineration facility, the volume of combustible waste can be efficiently reduced.

[0033] The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first or second characteristic configuration described above, the identifiable marking function consists of at least one of the following: color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

[0034] Colors, patterns, marks, materials, and identification tags can be suitably used as identifiable marking functions.

[0035] The first characteristic configuration of the methane fermentation treatment system according to the present invention is a methane fermentation treatment system for methane fermentation treatment of organic waste, comprising: a first storage bag for containing organic waste and equipped with an identifiable labeling function; a second storage bag for containing the first storage bag and other waste excluding the organic waste; a bag-breaking device for breaking the second storage bag; a conveyor device for transporting the contents of the second storage bag broken by the bag-breaking device; a sorting device for separating the first storage bag from the contents transported by the conveyor device based on the identifiable labeling function; a second bag-breaking device for breaking the first storage bag separated by the sorting device; and a methane fermentation device for methane fermentation treatment of the contents broken by the second bag-breaking device as a fermentation-suitable material.

[0036] The second characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the sorting device sorts the first storage bags based on the results of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bags, in addition to the identifiable marking function.

[0037] In addition to its labeling function, based on the results of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bag, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the first storage bag contains organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment.

[0038] The third characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the second characteristic configuration described above, the sorting device includes volume measuring equipment, which includes a camera or laser volume meter for measuring the volume from the shape of the object, and weight measuring equipment, which includes a weighing scale incorporated into a handling arm or conveyor for measuring the weight of the object, and the specific gravity measurement of the first storage bag is performed using the volume measuring equipment and the weight measuring equipment.

[0039] The specific gravity of the first storage bag can be determined by dividing the weight of the first storage bag, measured by the weight measuring device, by the volume of the first storage bag, measured by the volume measuring device. Based on this specific gravity, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the contents of the first storage bag are organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation.

[0040] The fourth characteristic configuration is that, in addition to the first characteristic configuration described above, the identifiable marking function consists of at least one of the following: color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

[0041] Colors, patterns, marks, materials, and identification tags can be suitably used as identifiable marking functions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0042] As described above, the present invention provides a waste collection method, a method for separating materials suitable for fermentation, a methane fermentation method, and a methane fermentation treatment system that can reduce the effort required for sorting waste in each household and business establishment and produce organic waste with a low rate of unsuitable materials for fermentation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0043] [Figure 1] (a), (b), and (c) are diagrams illustrating conventional waste collection methods, methods for separating materials suitable for fermentation, and methane fermentation methods, respectively. [Figure 2] (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of the waste collection method, the fermentation material sorting method, and the methane fermentation method according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Diagram illustrating the methane fermentation treatment system. [Figure 4] Diagram illustrating the method for separating materials suitable for fermentation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0044] The following describes, with reference to the drawings, the waste collection method, the fermentation method, the methane fermentation treatment system, and the methane fermentation treatment system according to the present invention.

[0045] [Methane fermentation treatment system] Figure 3 shows a methane fermentation treatment system 10 for treating organic waste with methane fermentation. The methane fermentation treatment system 10 includes a first storage bag 1, a second storage bag 2, a collection vehicle 3, a bag breaking device 4, a conveyor device 5, a sorting device 6, a methane fermentation device 7, and the like.

[0046] The first storage bag 1 is a bag for containing organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment, such as food waste and paper waste. At least one of the following identifiable marking functions, including color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag, is attached to the whole or a part of the bag so that it can be identified as the first storage bag 1 by an operator or identification sensor. The first storage bag 1 is preferably a storage bag made from a resin such as polyethylene. Desired coloring can be achieved by adding pigment to the raw material resin, and desired patterns and marks can be attached by printing or coating on the surface. The first storage bag 1 may also be a colored translucent bag.

[0047] It is also possible to use machine-readable code information such as QR codes (registered trademark) as patterns or marks. Furthermore, IC tags or the like may be embedded in the first storage bag 1 and made identifiable by reading them with an RFID reader. Identification tags with embedded IC tags or identification tags with QR codes (registered trademark), barcodes, or text printed on the surface may be attached to the first storage bag 1. When QR codes (registered trademark) or barcodes are used, identification can be achieved by reading them with a code reader, and when printed media such as text are used, identification can be achieved by recognizing images captured by a camera via a character recognition device. Furthermore, it is also possible to form the first storage bag 1 from a special identifiable material. It is sufficient if the material is different from commonly available storage bags, and can be distinguished by an operator or identification sensor, by varying the type of resin material, additives, etc. By varying the material, it is also possible to easily melt and rupture the bag with laser light of a specific wavelength.

[0048] The second storage bag 2 is a larger bag than the first storage bag 1, and together with the first storage bag 1, it is used to contain waste other than organic waste. Like the first storage bag 1, the second storage bag 2 is also made from a resin such as polyethylene. The second storage bag 2 may be a transparent bag or a semi-transparent bag, and may be colored or otherwise distinguishable from the color, pattern, or mark attached to the first storage bag 1.

[0049] Organic waste mainly consists of food waste and paper generated in ordinary households, while other waste mainly consists of combustible waste generated in ordinary households. However, even paper that is coated with resin or metal is included in other waste because it is difficult to treat with methane fermentation. Other waste may be placed directly in the second storage bag 2, or it may be placed in another storage bag that can be identified as being different from the first storage bag 1, and then placed in the second storage bag 2. Other storage bags can also be made from resins such as polyethylene.

[0050] The collection vehicle 3 consists of a vehicle equipped with a storage compartment capable of accommodating the second collection bag 2.

[0051] The bag-breaking device 4 comprises a housing 41 that guides the second storage bag 2 being transported by the conveyor device 5, and a bag-breaking mechanism 42 that can selectively break the second storage bag 2 within the housing 41. The bag-breaking mechanism 42 can be, for example, a rotating claw installed in the upper interior of the housing 41. The rotating claw scratches the top of the second storage bag 2 guided by the housing 41, causing the contents to scatter onto the transport surface of the conveyor device 5. The contents are caught by the inner wall of the housing to prevent them from scattering into the surrounding area.

[0052] The bag-breaking device 4 described above is illustrative, and any known bag-breaking device 4 can be used as appropriate. For example, it is possible to configure the device to melt a portion of the second storage bag 2 by bringing the heating head into contact with it. The heating head may also be attached to the tip of the rotating claw described above. Alternatively, instead of breaking the bag with a mechanically movable part such as a claw, the bag may be melted using a light source such as a laser. For example, the second storage bag 2 may be lifted with a gripping part, and the bottom may be melted with a laser to cause the contents to fall out.

[0053] The conveyor system 5 consists of a belt conveyor with an endless belt that is driven to rotate, a slat conveyor with a plate-shaped conveying plate that moves, a flight conveyor, etc. It guides the second storage bag 2, which is placed on the belt or conveying plate, to the bag-breaking device 4, and transports the contents of the second storage bag 2 that have been broken open by the bag-breaking device 4 to the sorting device 6. It also has a transport lane that transports the contents of the second storage bag 2 that have been sorted by the sorting device 6 toward the incinerator, and a transport lane that transports the first storage bag 1 that has been sorted by the sorting device 6 toward the methane fermentation device 7, and has multiple transport lanes that transport to each processing device.

[0054] The sorting device 6 is a device that includes an identification mechanism 60 for identifying the contents of the second storage bag 2 for the first storage bag 1, and a sorting mechanism 63 for separating the identified first storage bag 1 from other waste.

[0055] The identification mechanism 60 can consist of a camera 61 equipped with an image recognition function that can identify the first storage bag based on any of the aforementioned colors, patterns, or marks, a computing device 62 using electronic circuits such as a microcomputer that determines whether or not it is the first storage bag 1 based on the image obtained by the camera, and, if code information such as a QR code (registered trademark) is attached as a pattern or mark, a code reader such as a camera that reads the code information.

[0056] The sorting mechanism 63 consists of, for example, a handling arm such as a robotic arm or an extrusion arm that grasps the first storage bag 1 and transfers it to a conveyor device 5 that guides it to the fermentation device 7. The conveyor device 5 that grasps the first storage bag 1 and guides it to the fermentation device 7 is equipped with a second bag-breaking device 8 that breaks open the first storage bag 1. The configuration of the second bag-breaking device 8 is almost the same as that of the bag-breaking device 4 described above.

[0057] [Garbage collection methods] As shown in Figure 2(a), the waste collection method according to the present invention involves placing organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment in a first storage bag 1, which is made identifiable by being given at least one of the identifiable marking functions, including color, pattern, mark, material, identification tag, etc. The first storage bag 1 containing the organic waste and other waste are then placed together in a second storage bag 2, which is collected at a collection site, and the second storage bag 2 containing the first storage bag 1 is transported to a treatment facility by a collection vehicle 3. The treatment facility is equipped with multiple facilities for processing waste, such as a waste incinerator and a methane fermentation device.

[0058] Of the waste generated in each household and business, organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation is separated and placed in the first storage bag 1. The first storage bag 1 is then placed in the second storage bag 2 along with the other waste, and the second storage bag 2 is collected at the collection site. The other waste may be placed in the second storage bag 2 while still in other storage bags other than the first storage bag 1, or it may be placed directly in the second storage bag 2 without being placed in other storage bags first.

[0059] This system reduces the effort required for sorting, requiring only the separation of organic waste into the first storage bag 1, while effectively reducing the rate of contamination of organic waste with unsuitable materials for fermentation. Furthermore, even if other waste is placed in other storage bags, the first storage bag 1, placed in the second storage bag 2, can be identified by any of the following identifiable marking functions, including color, pattern, mark, material, or identification tag. This ensures that the first storage bag 1 can be reliably separated from other waste when transported to the processing facility. In addition, since organic waste and other waste can be collected simultaneously via the second storage bag 2, transportation costs and labor costs for waste collection companies can also be reduced.

[0060] [Method for separating materials suitable for fermentation] The method for separating fermentable materials is as shown in Figures 2(b) and 4, in which the second storage bag 2, which has been transported to the processing facility using the waste collection method described above, is ruptured, and the first storage bag 1 is separated from the mixture of the first storage bag 1 and other waste contained in the second storage bag 2 based on at least one of the identifiable marking functions, including color, pattern, mark, material, identification tag, etc.

[0061] By tearing open the second storage bag 2 that has been transported to the processing facility, the first storage bag 1 and other waste contained within it are exposed. By identifying the first storage bag 1 based on one of the aforementioned identifiable marking functions attached to the first storage bag 1, the organic waste can be reliably separated to prevent contamination with other waste.

[0062] When the contents of the torn second storage bag 2 are transported on a conveyor belt, the first storage bag 1 is separated based on at least one of the identifiable marking functions described above.

[0063] On the conveyor device 5, which transports the contents of the torn second storage bag 2, i.e., the first storage bag 1 and other waste (including other waste contained in other storage bags), the first storage bag 1 is easily separated based on at least one of the identifiable marking functions described above. The separation may be done manually by workers through visual inspection, or it may be done automatically by a separation device 6 equipped with sensors such as cameras and code readers as described in Figure 3.

[0064] Other embodiments of the methane fermentation treatment system and the method for separating fermentable materials described above will now be explained. The separation device 6 may be equipped with a calculation device 62 that, in addition to the marking function described above, determines whether or not a bag is a first storage bag based on the result of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bag 1 and separates it accordingly. After separating a bag as a first storage bag 1 based on the marking function described above, the calculation device 62 further determines whether or not a first storage bag 1 contains organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation based on the specific gravity of the first storage bag 1 and finally separates it as a first storage bag 1. The calculation device 62 has a preset appropriate range of specific gravity for determining whether an organic waste can be treated with methane fermentation, and if the actually detected specific gravity deviates from this appropriate range, it will ultimately determine that it is not a first storage bag 1, even if it was separated as a first storage bag 1 based on the marking function.

[0065] In this case, the sorting device 6 only needs to be equipped with a volume measuring device that measures the volume of the first storage bag 1, which is the object to be sorted, from its external shape, and a weight measuring device that measures the weight of the first storage bag 1. The calculation device 62 can then calculate the specific gravity of the first storage bag 1 by dividing the weight of the first storage bag 1, measured by the weight measuring device, by the volume of the first storage bag 1, measured by the volume measuring device. Based on this specific gravity, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the contents of the first storage bag 1 are organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment.

[0066] As volume measurement equipment, a camera 61 capable of capturing the external shape of the first storage bag 1 or a laser volume meter can be suitably employed, and as weight measurement equipment, a sorting mechanism (hereinafter referred to as "robot arm") 63 capable of measuring weight by lifting or a weighing scale incorporated into a conveyor device 5 can be suitably employed.

[0067] For example, if a two-dimensional camera is used as the camera 61, which is an example of volume measurement equipment, the computing device 62 can extract the outline of the first storage bag 1 from the captured image, determine the area S of the region enclosed by the outline, and calculate the volume V of the first storage bag 1 by multiplying the area S by a predetermined coefficient. For example, the radius r of a circle with the same area as area S can be calculated, and the volume of a sphere with radius r can be taken as the volume V of the first storage bag 1. Multiple two-dimensional cameras may be used as the camera 61, and the computing device 62 may generate the three-dimensional shape of the first storage bag 1 from the images captured by each camera 61 and calculate the volume V. A three-dimensional camera may be used as the camera 61, and the computing device 62 may be configured to grasp the three-dimensional shape of the first storage bag 1.

[0068] When a laser volumetric meter is used as an example of volume measurement equipment, the volume of the first storage bag 1 can be obtained by understanding the external shape of the first storage bag 1 from the distance image obtained from the point cloud data of reflected light from the first storage bag 1 scanned by the laser beam. For example, by scanning the first storage bag 1 being transported by the conveyor device 5 from above with a laser beam, three-dimensional coordinates (X and Y coordinates on the transport surface of the conveyor device 5 and the Z coordinate, which is the height from the irradiation position to the transport surface of the conveyor device 5) can be obtained from the point cloud data of reflected light relative to the irradiation position of the first storage bag 1. By adding the volumes of the columnar bodies obtained from these three-dimensional coordinates, the volume of the first storage bag 1 can be calculated.

[0069] A weight sensor integrated into the robot arm 63 can be used as the weight measurement equipment. For example, a force sensor can be used as the weight sensor. A force sensor is a sensor that detects torque, which is the moment of force or rotational force applied from various directions, by decomposing it into components in the X, Y, and Z directions and converting it into an electrical signal. It is not limited to a force sensor, but any known weight sensor that can be integrated into the robot arm 63 can be used.

[0070] A weighing scale integrated into the conveyor device 5 can be used as the weight measuring equipment. For example, one can imagine a configuration in which the conveying surface of the conveyor device 5 is divided into minute areas, and load cells are installed in each area. The total weight of the load cells in the area occupied by the first storage bag 1 can be calculated as the weight of the first storage bag 1. The size of the areas is not particularly limited.

[0071] The calculation unit 62 determines the first storage bag 1 based on the marking function described above. If the calculated specific gravity of the first storage bag 1 falls within the appropriate range pre-stored in the memory unit, it determines that the first storage bag 1 is appropriate and transfers it to the conveyor device 5 that leads to the fermentation device 7 using the robot arm 63. If it deviates from the appropriate range, it transfers it to the conveyor device 5 that leads to the incinerator or the conveyor device 5 for non-combustible materials. For example, if the contents of the first storage bag 1 include metals or ceramics in addition to organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation, it deviates from the appropriate range upwards. If the contents of the first storage bag 1 include PET bottles or packaging resins, it deviates from the appropriate range downwards.

[0072] Furthermore, the computing unit 62 can be configured to capture images of the first storage bag 1 taken by a camera before and after it is picked up by the robot arm 63, and to determine whether or not unsuitable materials other than organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation are mixed in with the first storage bag 1 based on the degree of change in the shape of the first storage bag 1. If the contents of the first storage bag 1 include metals or ceramics in addition to organic waste that can be treated with methane fermentation, attention will be paid to the fact that the shape of the first storage bag 1 after being picked up by the robot arm 63 will be significantly distorted by the heavy objects such as metals or ceramics compared to before pickup. A laser volumetric meter may be used instead of a camera to detect the change in volume.

[0073] [Methane fermentation method] The methane fermentation method involves rupturing the first storage bag 1, which has been separated using the above-described method for separating materials suitable for fermentation, and then treating the organic waste contained in the first storage bag 1 as a material suitable for fermentation through methane fermentation.

[0074] By rupturing the second storage bag 2, the first storage bag 1, which has been separated from other waste, can be removed. By rupturing the first storage bag 1, the organic waste separated at the source, such as each household, can be removed as is. By treating this organic waste as a suitable material for methane fermentation, the occurrence of abnormal conditions such as blockage in the fermentation tank due to unsuitable materials can be effectively avoided, thereby promoting smooth fermentation.

[0075] Then, the torn first storage bag, the torn second storage bag 2, and the other waste contained in the second storage bag are incinerated at the incineration facility.

[0076] When tearing open the first storage bag 1, a bag-breaking device similar to the one described in Figure 3 can be used. For example, the vertical position of the bag-breaking mechanism 42 can be lowered to match the size of the first storage bag 1.

[0077] When the first container bag 1 is removed from the torn second container bag 2, other waste, mainly combustible waste, remains. By incinerating the torn second container bag 2 and the other waste at an incineration facility, the volume of combustible waste can be efficiently reduced. Similarly, by incinerating the torn first container bag 1 at an incineration facility, the volume of combustible waste can be efficiently reduced.

[0078] The embodiments described above represent only one aspect of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited by this description. It goes without saying that the specific configuration of each part can be appropriately modified and designed within the scope that the effects of the present invention are achieved. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1: First storage bag 2: Second storage bag 3: Garbage truck 4: Bag breaking device 5: Conveyor device 6: Separation device 60: Identification mechanism 61: Camera 62: Arithmetic device 63: Separation mechanism

Claims

1. This is a method of garbage collection. A first containment bag equipped with an identifiable labeling function contains organic waste that can be subjected to methane fermentation treatment. The first storage bag containing the organic waste and other waste are placed together in a second storage bag. A method for collecting waste, comprising accumulating the waste at a collection point, transporting the second storage bag containing the first storage bag to a processing facility by a collection vehicle.

2. The waste collection method according to claim 1, wherein the identifiable marking function comprises at least one of color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

3. The second storage bag, which has been transported to the processing facility using the waste collection method described in claim 1, is ruptured. A method for separating fermentable materials, comprising separating the first storage bag from a mixture of the first storage bag and other waste contained in the second storage bag, based on the identifiable labeling function.

4. The method for separating fermentation-suitable materials according to claim 3, wherein, in addition to the identifiable labeling function, the first storage bags are separated based on the result of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bags.

5. The method for separating fermentable materials according to claim 4, wherein the specific gravity measurement is performed by measuring the volume of the first storage bag using volume measuring equipment including a camera or a laser volume meter, and measuring the weight of the first storage bag using weight measuring equipment including a weighing scale incorporated into a handling arm or conveyor.

6. The method for separating fermentable materials according to claim 3, wherein the contents of the torn second storage bag are transported by a conveyor, and the first storage bag is separated based on the identifiable marking function.

7. The method for separating fermentable substances according to claim 3 or 6, wherein the identifiable marking function comprises at least one of color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

8. The first storage bag, separated using the method for separating fermentable materials described in claim 3, is then ruptured. A methane fermentation method for treating organic waste contained in the first containment bag as a suitable material for fermentation through methane fermentation.

9. The methane fermentation method according to claim 6, wherein the torn first storage bag, the torn second storage bag, and the other waste contained in the second storage bag are incinerated at an incineration facility.

10. The methane fermentation method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the identifiable marking function comprises at least one of a color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

11. A methane fermentation treatment system for treating organic waste with methane fermentation, A first containment bag containing organic waste and equipped with an identifiable labeling function, The first storage bag and the second storage bag in which other wastes excluding the organic waste are stored, A bag-breaking device for breaking the second storage bag, A conveyor device for transporting the contents of the second storage bag that has been opened by the bag-breaking device, A sorting device that separates the first storage bags from the contents being transported by the conveyor device based on the identifiable marking function, A second bag-breaking device for breaking open the first storage bag that has been separated by the aforementioned sorting device, A methane fermentation apparatus for treating the contents that have been opened by the second bag-opening device as a suitable material for fermentation, A methane fermentation treatment system that includes this.

12. The methane fermentation treatment system according to claim 11, wherein the sorting device sorts the first storage bags based on the results of measuring the specific gravity of the first storage bags, in addition to the identifiable labeling function.

13. The methane fermentation treatment system according to claim 12, wherein the sorting device comprises a volume measuring device including a camera or laser volume meter for measuring the volume from the shape of the object, and a weight measuring device including a weighing scale incorporated into a handling arm or conveyor for measuring the weight of the object, and the volume measuring device and the weight measuring device are used to measure the specific gravity of the first storage bag.

14. The methane fermentation processing system according to claim 11, wherein the identifiable marking function comprises at least one of color, pattern, mark, material, and identification tag.

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