Debris volume detection device, debris volume detection method, debris conveying system

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a dregs quantity determination device and a dregs quantity determination method that can easily and accurately determine the amount of dregs, as well as a dregs transport system equipped with this dregs quantity determination device. [Solution] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a sludge quantity determination device comprising: a sludge shape information acquisition means for acquiring information relating to the two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape of sludge introduced into a sludge transport section that collects and transports sludge from a sedimentation tank; and a sludge quantity calculation means for calculating information relating to the amount of sludge based on the information relating to the shape of the sludge acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means; a sludge quantity determination method using this device; and a sludge transport system equipped with this device. According to the present invention, the equipment and facilities necessary for determining the amount of debris are simplified, and the amount of debris can be accurately determined.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a scum volume grasping device, a scum volume grasping method, and a scum conveying system.

Background Art

[0002] The solid matter removed from sewage (hereinafter referred to as "scum") in a grit chamber such as a sewage treatment plant or a pumping station is transferred to a scum treatment facility for treatment. At this time, the scum separated from the sewage in the grit chamber was conveyed to a storage hopper using a belt conveyor. However, a large space is required to install the belt conveyor, and there are problems related to the working environment such as odor from the scum and scattering of sewage, and problems related to maintenance management such as frequent cleaning of the drive device.

[0003] Therefore, as a device for washing and transferring scum, a water conveyance system (scum conveyance system) that combines crushing, washing, and pipe conveyance of scum has been proposed.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In the transfer of sludge recovered from a sedimentation basin to a sludge treatment facility, using sludge transport equipment such as the sludge transport system described in Patent Document 1, the amount of sludge introduced into the sludge transport equipment (sludge transport system) fluctuates depending on the fluctuations in the amount and quality of rainwater and wastewater flowing into the sewage treatment plant (sedimentation basin). In this case, in order to prevent excessive load on the sludge transport equipment and to ensure stable operation, it is necessary to accurately grasp the amount of sludge introduced into the sludge transport equipment.

[0006] Conventionally, when recovering and transporting sediment from sedimentation tanks, it has been considered to determine the amount of sediment by using measuring instruments that directly measure the weight of the object to be measured (e.g., load cells). However, this presents challenges, as it requires space to temporarily store the sediment to be measured and space to install the measuring instrument itself, and there are certain limitations on the installation location of the measuring instrument and the work related to its operation and maintenance.

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a dregs quantity determination device and a dregs quantity determination method that can easily and accurately determine the amount of dregs, as well as a dregs transport system equipped with this dregs quantity determination device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of diligent study on the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present invention have found that by acquiring information on the shape of the debris introduced into the debris conveying equipment, and by grasping information on the amount of debris based on this information on the shape of the debris, it is possible to simplify the equipment and facilities necessary for determining the amount of debris and to accurately determine the amount of debris, compared to using measuring instruments that directly measure the weight of the debris, such as load cells, thus completing the present invention. In other words, the present invention relates to the following debris quantity determination device, debris quantity determination method, and debris transport system.

[0009] The present invention, which solves the above problems, is characterized by comprising: a sludge shape information acquisition means for acquiring information relating to the shape of the sludge; and a sludge amount calculation means for calculating information relating to the amount of sludge based on the information relating to the shape of the sludge acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means. This debris quantity determination device allows for the determination of debris quantity based on information related to the shape of the debris. Compared to using measuring instruments that directly measure the weight of the debris, such as load cells, it facilitates the simplification of the equipment and facilities required for determining the amount of debris, and enables accurate determination of the amount of debris.

[0010] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the debris quantity determination device of the present invention, the debris shape information acquisition means is characterized by being an imaging means that performs imaging of the debris. This feature allows for the acquisition of information related to the shape of the debris, which can be used to derive information related to the amount of debris, as well as information related to the properties of the debris (for example, the presence of bulky waste). In other words, it becomes easier to acquire information that was previously obtained by visual inspection by workers, both frequently and appropriately.

[0011] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the sediment quantity determination device of the present invention, the imaging means is characterized by imaging the sediment when the sediment is scraped up and / or when the sediment is transported by the sediment transport unit that collects and transports the sediment from the sediment tank. This feature allows the system to be installed at locations where sediment is collected and transported from sedimentation tanks (in other words, equipment related to sediment transport), enabling real-time acquisition of information about the sediment being transported. In other words, it makes it possible to grasp information about the amount of sediment, which is useful information for ensuring the stable operation of equipment related to sediment transport.

[0012] Furthermore, one embodiment of the crumb quantity determination device of the present invention is characterized by comprising an output means that outputs information related to the crumb quantity calculated by the crumb quantity calculation means. This feature allows workers to quickly and accurately grasp information regarding the amount of debris, making it easier to take appropriate action as needed. Furthermore, applying this debris amount sensing device to a debris conveying system can significantly contribute to the stable operation of the debris conveying system.

[0013] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the debris quantity determination device of the present invention, the debris quantity calculation means has a data storage means that stores information relating to the debris shape acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means and information relating to the debris quantity, and the debris quantity calculation means is characterized in that it calculates information relating to the debris quantity based on the information relating to the debris shape acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means and the information stored in the data storage means. This feature makes it easy to use a processing unit such as a CPU for operations (calculations) related to acquiring information on the amount of debris. As a result, it becomes easy to grasp the amount of debris being transported in real time.

[0014] The present invention, which solves the above problems, is a method for determining the amount of sludge, characterized by comprising a sludge shape information acquisition step for acquiring information relating to the shape of the sludge, and a sludge amount determination step for calculating information relating to the amount of sludge based on the information relating to the shape of the sludge acquired in the sludge shape information acquisition step. This method for determining the amount of debris allows for the determination of debris quantity based on information related to the shape of the debris. Compared to using measuring instruments that directly measure the weight of the debris, such as load cells, it facilitates the simplification of the equipment and facilities required for determining the amount of debris, and enables accurate determination of the amount of debris.

[0015] The present invention, which solves the above problems, comprises the above-mentioned sludge quantity sensing device and a sludge conveying unit that collects and conveys sludge from a sedimentation tank, wherein the sludge conveying unit has a sludge scraping unit and a sludge transfer unit. According to this sludge conveying system, it facilitates the simplification of equipment and facilities required for grasping the amount of sludge, enables accurate grasping of the amount of sludge, suppresses excessive load on the equipment related to sludge conveyance, and makes it possible to achieve stable operation.

[0016] Moreover, as an embodiment of the sludge conveying system of the present invention, the sludge conveying unit has a plurality of sludge scraping and lifting units, and the sludge shape acquisition means in the sludge amount grasping device is provided for each sludge scraping and lifting unit. According to this feature, it is possible to increase the sludge recovery efficiency from the sedimentation basin and grasp the information related to the amount of sludge recovered for each sludge scraping and lifting unit. Thereby, it is possible to accurately grasp the amount of sludge introduced into the subsequent stage (sludge transfer unit) of the sludge scraping and lifting unit and achieve more stable operation.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sludge amount grasping device and a sludge amount grasping method that can simply and accurately grasp the amount of sludge, and a sludge conveying system equipped with this sludge amount grasping device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of the sludge amount grasping device of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of the sludge conveying system of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of another aspect of the sludge scraping and lifting unit in the sludge conveying system of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of the sludge conveying system of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of the sludge conveying system of the third embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] The present invention provides a sludge quantity determination device, a sludge quantity determination method, and a sludge transport system for transporting sludge collected in sedimentation basins at sewage treatment plants, pumping stations, and the like.

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the debris quantity detection device, debris quantity detection method, and debris transport system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The debris quantity detection method of the present invention will be replaced by the following description of the structure and operation of the debris quantity detection device. Furthermore, the debris quantity detection device, debris quantity detection method, and debris transport system described in the embodiments are merely examples used to illustrate the debris quantity detection device, debris quantity detection method, and debris transport system according to the present invention, and are not limited thereto.

[0021] [First Embodiment] [Scrap volume detection device and scrap volume detection method] First, embodiments of the present invention relating to the debris quantity determination device and debris quantity determination method will be described by illustrating them. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a sludge quantity detection device in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the debris quantity determination device 1 according to this embodiment comprises a debris shape information acquisition means 2 and a debris quantity calculation means 3. In Figure 1, the dashed arrows indicate connections that allow for the input and output of information (data). The following describes the various components of the sludge quantity detection device 1 of this embodiment.

[0022] The debris shape information acquisition means 2 is for performing a debris shape information acquisition step to acquire information relating to the debris shape (the two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape of the debris). Furthermore, as an example of the debris shape information acquisition means 2 in this embodiment, it is preferable to acquire shape information of debris introduced into a location where debris is collected and transported from a sedimentation tank (debris transport section 20, described later). Here, the sludge whose information is to be acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 can be any sludge that is in the process of being recovered from the sedimentation tank and transported to the sludge processing equipment. A suitable example is the sludge introduced into the equipment (sludge scraping section 30 and / or sludge transfer section 40) that constitutes the sludge transport system 100, which will be described later. In particular, with respect to the sludge introduced into the sludge transport system 100 and used for sludge transport, the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 can acquire shape information of the sludge quantity, which is useful information for ensuring the stable operation of sludge transport equipment such as the sludge transport system 100 described later.

[0023] The debris shape information acquisition means 2 in this embodiment only needs to be capable of acquiring information relating to the shape of the debris, more specifically, information relating to the two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape of the debris. Here, "information relating to the two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape" means information that allows for the determination of at least the area or outer shape of the target (debris), and more preferably, information that allows for the determination of the volume of the target. Specific examples of the debris shape information acquisition means 2 in this embodiment include imaging means using a camera, as well as sensors using light and sound waves, such as range sensors (3D laser scanners) and ultrasonic sensors.

[0024] In this embodiment, it is particularly preferable to use an imaging means as the debris shape information acquisition means 2. This has the advantage of making the device easy to miniaturize and having fewer restrictions on the installation location. In addition to acquiring information related to the debris shape, it also becomes easy to acquire information about the properties of the debris (for example, the presence of foreign matter (bulky waste)). In other words, it becomes easy to acquire information that was conventionally acquired by visual inspection by workers at a high frequency and appropriately. When an imaging means is used as the debris shape information acquisition means 2, the information (data) to be acquired may be either still images (including continuous shooting) or videos.

[0025] The sludge amount calculation means 3 is for performing a sludge amount determination step that calculates information related to the sludge amount. More specifically, the sludge amount calculation means 3 is for performing a sludge amount determination step that acquires information related to the sludge amount based on the information obtained by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 described above. The sludge amount calculation means 3 is connected to the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 so that information from the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 can be input and output. This connection may be made directly by wiring or the like, or it may be made indirectly via communication technology such as wireless.

[0026] The information obtained by the debris shape information acquisition means 2 is largely related to the amount of debris. Therefore, the debris amount calculation means 3 uses this relationship to determine the amount of debris at that time from the information obtained by the debris shape information acquisition means 2.

[0027] The debris amount calculation means 3 includes a step (step 1) of acquiring information related to the debris shape obtained by the debris shape information acquisition means 2, and a step (step 2) of deriving information related to the debris amount from the relationship between the information acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means 2 and the information related to the debris amount. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide an output means 4 downstream of the debris amount calculation means 3 that performs a step (step 3) of outputting an evaluation result related to the debris amount based on the information derived by the debris amount calculation means 3. Furthermore, while the debris volume calculation means 3 may include manual operation by an operator, it is preferable to use a calculation device that has data input / output functions for acquiring information related to process 1, creates a program for proceeding with the subsequent process 2, and executes it using a processor such as a CPU. This makes it easier to perform operations for acquiring information related to the debris volume accurately and quickly, and in particular, makes it easier to grasp the amount of debris being transported in real time.

[0028] Each step in the slag amount calculation means 3 will be described below. The description of the process in the residue amount calculation means 3 is merely an example of an embodiment and is not limited thereto.

[0029] First, as step 1, the step of acquiring information obtained by the debris shape information acquisition means 2 is sufficient if it involves collecting the results related to the shape information of the target (debris) as information (data), as described above. At this time, the timing of data collection may be continuous or at predetermined intervals. Conventionally, visual monitoring by workers during debris transport is limited to a few times a day at most. However, the debris shape information acquisition means 2 of this embodiment enables rapid and appropriate information acquisition, allowing for frequent input of information to the debris amount calculation means 3, and enabling rapid assessment of the debris amount. Furthermore, as described above, by using an imaging means as the debris shape information acquisition means 2, it becomes possible to acquire information about the properties of the debris as well. This makes it possible to quickly determine whether or not there is a situation requiring action regarding the debris to be transported (such as whether or not foreign matter removal is necessary, or whether or not it is necessary to stop the debris transport itself).

[0030] Next, in step 2, the process of deriving information related to the amount of sludge from the relationship between the information obtained in step 1 and the information related to the amount of sludge can be described as performing calculations to derive information related to the amount of sludge from the information collected in step 1 (data obtained by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2) using information related to the relationship between the data obtained by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 and the information related to the amount of sludge (calculation formulas, analysis programs, etc.). Specifically, for example, information related to the relationship that makes it possible to estimate the density or weight of the sludge from the information related to the two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape of the sludge obtained by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2, that is, information related to the area and volume of the sludge and information related to the outer shape of the sludge (calculation formulas, analysis programs, etc.), can be described as performing calculations based on this relationship. In particular, when an imaging means is used as the debris shape information acquisition means 2, it becomes easier to identify and distinguish the constituent materials contained in the debris (metals, fibers (paper, cloth, etc.), plastics (vinyl pieces, etc.), etc.), which makes it possible to improve the calculation accuracy for estimating the density and weight of the debris. Regarding the relationship between the data acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 and the information relating to the amount of sludge, pre-acquired data may be used, or the information may be acquired during the operation of the sludge amount determination device 1. As a means of acquiring the information used in step 2 during the operation of the sludge amount determination device 1, for example, one could use a computing device that generates and executes a machine learning program (learning model) based on data accumulated regarding the relationship between the data acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 and the information relating to the amount of sludge, as learning data, or one could use a computing device that automatically generates and executes a predictive model that predicts the relationship between the data acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 and the information relating to the amount of sludge, based on this learning data and learning model.

[0031] As a specific example of the debris amount calculation means 3 that carries out step 2, as shown in Figure 1, the debris amount calculation means 3 is provided with a calculation means 3a and a data storage means 3b, and the data storage means 3b stores information relating to the relationship between the data acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means 2 and the information relating to the amount of debris (information acquired in advance or information acquired during the operation of the debris amount grasping device 1). In this case, step 2 involves inputting the data collected from the debris shape information acquisition means 2 and the information stored in the data storage means 3b into the calculation means 3a, and the calculation means 3a derives information relating to the amount of debris from the data acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means 2. Furthermore, by providing the above-mentioned data storage means 3b as the debris amount calculation means 3 in this embodiment, and carrying out the step (step 2) of deriving information relating to the amount of debris using the information stored in the data storage means 3b, it becomes easy to perform operations (calculations) related to step 2 using a computing device via a processor such as a CPU. In other words, it becomes possible to grasp the amount of debris related to the debris being transported in real time.

[0032] In this case, the information relating to the amount of debris derived by the calculation means 3a represents an estimated value (absolute value) of the amount of debris used for debris transport. In particular, in debris transport equipment such as the debris transport system 100 described later, it becomes possible to obtain specific numerical values ​​for the amount of debris during debris scraping and / or debris transport.

[0033] Furthermore, it is preferable to perform a step (step 3) in which an evaluation result related to the amount of sludge is output based on the information derived in step 2 of the sludge amount calculation means 3. In step 3, the information obtained in step 2 may be output directly to the outside, but considering the convenience of information use at the output destination, it is preferable to make a judgment regarding the quality of the sludge amount and the properties of the sludge (for example, whether it can be used as is for sludge transport (in an appropriate amount state), or whether some kind of action (such as suppressing the transport of an excessive amount or removing foreign matter) is required), and output the evaluation result related to the amount of sludge in a combined form.

[0034] As a specific example of the means for carrying out process 3, as shown in Figure 1, an output means 4 is provided after the sludge amount calculation means 3, connected so that the results of the calculation means 3a and the information stored in the data storage means 3b can be input, and the evaluation results related to the sludge amount are output externally. In this case, regarding the handling of information in the output means 4, as described above, the result of the calculation means 3a may be output directly to the outside, but it is preferable to perform calculations on the evaluation result related to the amount of sludge from the result of the calculation means 3a and the information stored in the data storage means 3b. Examples of the calculations at this time include obtaining information representing good / bad quality related to the amount of sludge and the properties of the sludge (such as a numerical threshold, information indicating foreign matter contamination (image data), etc.) from the information stored in the data storage means 3b and performing a comparative calculation by comparing it with the result of the calculation means 3a.

[0035] Furthermore, in step 3, when outputting the evaluation results related to the amount of sludge, a display means such as a monitor may be provided as the output means 4, and the contents of the evaluation results may be notified to the worker using strings of characters, symbols, etc. via this display means, as well as notifying the worker with sound or light.

[0036] Furthermore, the evaluation results related to the amount of shavings obtained in step 3 (output data from output means 4) may also be input to data storage means 3b and used as training data for forming learning models and prediction models within data storage means 3b. Furthermore, in order to suppress the decrease in accuracy of the evaluation in the sludge amount calculation means 3, a program may be executed that periodically or as needed to compare the evaluation results related to the sludge amount from the output means 4 with the information in the data storage means 3b, and automatically reshape (reconstruct) the learning model and prediction model.

[0037] As described above, the debris volume determination device and debris volume determination method of this embodiment calculate information related to the amount of debris based on information related to the shape of the debris. Compared to cases where measuring instruments that directly measure the weight of debris, such as load cells, are used, this makes it easier to simplify the equipment and facilities required for determining the amount of debris and enables accurate determination of the amount of debris.

[0038] Furthermore, the debris volume determination device and debris volume determination method of this embodiment can quickly and appropriately determine the amount of debris used for debris transport, and can be suitably used in the operation and design of equipment related to debris transport. Specifically, when operating or designing equipment related to debris transport (such as the debris transport systems 10A to 10C described later), the amount of debris introduced to the equipment related to debris transport can be determined by the debris quantity determination device and debris quantity determination method of this embodiment. This makes it possible to obtain information regarding the acceptable range of debris that can be accepted (transported) by the equipment related to debris transport, and the capacity of the equipment related to debris transport necessary for smooth debris transport. Furthermore, it becomes possible to obtain useful information for determining the timing of operational control to suppress the transfer of excessive amounts of debris to the equipment related to debris transport, and for determining whether maintenance such as foreign matter removal is necessary.

[0039] [Scrap Conveying System] Below, as an example of applying the debris quantity sensing device of this embodiment, an embodiment relating to a debris conveying system will be described as an example. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the sludge conveying system 10A in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the sludge transport system 10A according to this embodiment comprises the sludge quantity sensing device 1 described above and a sludge transport unit 20 that collects and transports sludge from the sedimentation tank C, and the sludge transport unit 20 is configured to have a sludge scraping unit 30 and a sludge transfer unit 40. Furthermore, the sludge transfer unit 40 of this embodiment includes a sludge conveyor 41 and a mixing unit 42 that performs sludge washing and transfer.

[0040] The conveying of debris by the debris conveying system 10A in this embodiment will be described in outline. First, the sediment in the sewage (rainwater, wastewater) contained in the sedimentation basin C is collected and recovered by the sediment scraping unit 30. The sediment recovered by the sediment scraping unit 30 is then fed into the mixing unit 42 along with water via the sediment discharger 41 in the sediment transfer unit 40. After that, the sediment is crushed in the crushing unit 50 located within the mixing unit 42, and the mixture of crushed sediment and water (hereinafter simply referred to as "mixed water") is discharged outside the mixing unit 42 from the downstream side of the crushing unit 50. In this way, the sediment recovered from the sedimentation basin C is transported by water while undergoing crushing and washing treatments.

[0041] At this time, the configuration of the debris quantity sensing device 1 provided in the debris transport system 10A is as described above, and it is sufficient that information is acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means 2 regarding the debris introduced into the debris transport section 20, and the details of the configuration are omitted. In this embodiment, the debris quantity sensing device 1 is preferably configured as shown in Figure 2 to target the debris scraped up by the debris scraping unit 30 and / or the debris being transported on the debris discharger 41 within the debris transport unit 40, and to enable the acquisition of information by the debris shape information acquisition means 2. This makes it easier to acquire information in advance regarding the amount of debris to be fed into the mixing unit 42 within the debris transport unit 40, and to appropriately take measures to prevent excessive amounts of debris from being fed into the mixing unit 42 or debris containing foreign matter from being fed into the mixing unit 42.

[0042] The following describes the various components of the sludge transport system 10A in this embodiment, illustrating them with examples. [Scum Tempura Department] The debris scraping section 30 is for the process of collecting and recovering debris from the sedimentation tank C. In this embodiment, the sludge raking section 30 can be a structure known as a sedimentation raking machine or a dust removal machine. An example of the sludge raking section 30 is a structure in which an endless chain to which a plurality of rake sections 31 are attached is rotated (clockwise in Figure 2) to rake up the sludge in the sedimentation basin C and introduce it into the sludge transporter 41.

[0043] In this case, as described above, it is preferable to arrange the debris shape information acquisition means 2 in the debris quantity grasping device 1 so as to enable the acquisition of information targeting debris collected on the rake section 31 of the debris scraping section 30. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable that the debris shape information acquisition means 2 enables the acquisition of information for each piece of debris collected on each individual rake section 31. This makes it possible to grasp information related to the amount of debris collected by one rake section 31 and introduced to the debris transfer section 40. In other words, it becomes possible to improve the accuracy of the information related to the amount of debris introduced to the debris transfer section 40. Furthermore, it is difficult to install measuring instruments that directly measure weight, such as load cells, on the scraping section 30 (especially for each rake section 31). Therefore, the amount of sludge collected on the rake section 31, in particular the amount of sludge collected for each individual rake section 31, can only be easily determined by using the sludge amount determination device 1 in this embodiment.

[0044] Furthermore, the structure of the sludge scraping section 30 is not limited to that shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating another aspect of the sludge scraping section 30. In this embodiment, the debris raking section 30 includes a screen section 32 provided downstream of the sedimentation tank C to capture debris, and an endless chain to which multiple rake sections 31 are attached rotates (counterclockwise in Figure 3) to rake up the debris captured by the screen section 32. A wiper 34 installed inside a frame section 33 covering the upper part of the endless chain causes the debris to fall from the rake sections 31 and is introduced into the debris transporter 41.

[0045] In this case, as in Figure 2, it is preferable to arrange the debris shape information acquisition means 2 in the debris amount sensing device 1 so as to enable the acquisition of information targeting debris collected on the rake section 31 of the debris scraping section 30. In particular, it is preferable to acquire shape information relating to the debris immediately before it is introduced into the debris discharge machine 41, thereby improving the accuracy of the information relating to the amount of debris introduced to the debris transfer section 40. Specifically, if the debris shape information acquisition means 2 is an imaging means, as shown in Figure 3, one possible location for the placement of the debris shape information acquisition means 2 is a position in the frame section 33 where the rake section 31 with debris captured can be imaged (the area of ​​the circle filled with a diagonal pattern in Figure 3). In other words, one possible location for the placement of the debris shape information acquisition means 2 is a position where the rake section 31, which has moved away from the sedimentation basin C (water surface) and is near the position where the debris is dropped towards the debris discharge machine 41, can be imaged.

[0046] [Waste Disposal Machine] The sludge removal machine 41 is one of the sludge transfer units 40 and is used to transport the sludge recovered from the sedimentation tank C by the sludge scraping unit 30 to the downstream equipment (mixing unit 42) in the sludge transport system 10A. In this embodiment, the debris discharger 41 can be any device capable of discharging debris, such as a belt conveyor.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, it is preferable to arrange the sludge shape information acquisition means 2 in the sludge quantity grasping device 1 so that it is possible to acquire information targeting sludge being transported on the sludge discharge machine 41. This makes it possible to grasp information related to the amount of sludge introduced into the mixing section 42. In other words, it becomes possible to improve the accuracy of information related to the amount of sludge introduced into the mixing section 42, in particular, of the sludge transport section 40.

[0048] [Mixing section] The mixing section 42 is one of the sludge transfer sections 40, and is used to mix sludge and water to wash and transfer the sludge. One example is a channel-type tank in which water is stored up to a predetermined level. In the mixing section 42, the sludge scraped up from the sedimentation tank C by the sludge scraping section 30 is fed in by the sludge transporter 41, and water is added to turn the sludge into a slurry. At this time, information regarding the amount of sludge fed into the mixing section 42 can be obtained by the sludge amount sensing device 1.

[0049] In this embodiment, the means for introducing sludge and water into the mixing section 42 and the structure related to the introduction are not particularly limited. For example, a mixing tank (not shown) for pre-mixing sludge and water may be provided in front of the mixing section 42, or separate locations may be provided for introducing sludge and water into the mixing section 42. Furthermore, the water introduced into the mixing unit 42 is not particularly limited and can include tap water, water for general use, treated water, etc. Considering the costs associated with water procurement, it is particularly preferable to utilize treated water discharged from treatment facilities such as sewage treatment plants.

[0050] In this embodiment, a flow of separated water F1 for transporting sludge is formed inside the mixing section 42. As shown in Figure 2, the direction of the flow F1 of separated water within the mixing section 42 in this embodiment is from the upstream section where the sludge and water from the sludge discharger 41 are introduced, towards the crushing section 50 installed inside the mixing section 42. This flow F1 of separated water allows the sludge accumulated at the bottom of the mixing section 42 to be transported to the crushing section 50. Furthermore, the mixed water that has passed through the crushing section 50 is transported to the mixed water discharge section 42a by the flow F1 of separated water.

[0051] The means for forming the flow F1 of separated water within the mixing section 42 are not particularly limited. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the bottom surface of the mixing section 42 is inclined to create a height difference between the point where sludge and water from the sludge discharger 41 are introduced (upstream section) and the mixed water discharge section 42a where the mixed water is discharged, thereby utilizing the potential energy within the mixing section 42. Other means of forming the separated water flow F1 include using a water flow from a pump to introduce water into the mixing section 42, as well as installing a device (such as a stirring device) in the mixing section 42 that forms a flow using power such as a screw. Furthermore, multiple means may be provided to form the flow F1 of the separated water.

[0052] The mixing section 42 may be provided with various components to facilitate the smooth transport of sludge. For example, a water level gauge S may be provided in the mixing section 42, and an action may be taken according to the observed water level. More specifically, it is preferable to provide a control unit that controls the water level in the mixing section 42 according to the measurement result of the water level gauge S. One example of control by the control unit is that when the water level in the mixing unit 42 falls below a predetermined value, the control unit increases the amount of water supplied to the mixing unit 42 in order to continue conveying the sludge. This ensures that the amount of water necessary for conveying the sludge is maintained within the mixing unit 42, thereby enabling stable sludge conveying. Furthermore, alternative methods of responding to the observation results of the water level gauge S include providing a drain section in the mixing section 42 to discharge any remaining sludge or mixed water from the mixing section 42 as drain water outside the system as needed, or providing a drainage section at the top of the mixing section 42 to drain water by overflow.

[0053] Furthermore, the control unit may perform control not only based on the observation results of the water level gauge S, but also based on the evaluation results of the amount of sludge output from the sludge amount sensing device 1. For example, if the amount of sludge introduced into the mixing unit 42 is increasing, the control unit can take action by increasing the amount of water supplied to the mixing unit 42. This ensures that the amount of water necessary for sludge transport is maintained within the mixing unit 42, similar to the response to a decrease in water level, and also dilutes the sludge within the mixing unit 42. As a result, stable sludge transport can be achieved while suppressing excessive load on the crushing unit 50.

[0054] [Crushing section] The crushing section 50 is used to crush the debris. By crushing the debris, the transport of the debris within the mixing section 42 can be further promoted. The debris consists of metals, plastics, underwear, rags, cotton wool, and other fibers contained in sewage and wastewater, and this debris can get entangled in downstream equipment such as pumps, dewaterers, and agitators, causing equipment failure. Therefore, crushing the debris with the crushing section 50 can prevent equipment failure. Furthermore, crushing the debris can also improve the efficiency of debris washing.

[0055] In this embodiment, the crushing section 50 is installed inside the mixing section 42, as shown in Figure 2. Alternatively, a crusher can be used as the crushing section 50. Here, any type of crusher can be used as the crushing section 50; for example, a twin-shaft crusher equipped with multiple crushing blades on the drive shaft may be used. In this embodiment, since the crusher is installed inside the mixing section 42, a vertical twin-shaft crusher with an upright drive shaft is particularly preferred. Furthermore, regarding the installation of the crusher, it is preferable to tilt it with respect to the water surface of the mixing section 42. More specifically, it is preferable to erect the vertical twin-shaft crusher so that its drive shaft is tilted or perpendicular to the inclined bottom surface of the mixing section 42. This prevents debris from accumulating on the upstream side of the crusher, allowing debris to flow easily into the crusher. As a result, the crushing of debris can be further promoted.

[0056] The mixed water, which is a mixture of the crushed waste and water in the crushing section 50, is discharged out of the system from the mixed water discharge section 42a.

[0057] As described above, the debris transport system 10A in this embodiment, by incorporating the debris volume sensing device described above, makes it easy to simplify the equipment and facilities necessary for sensing the amount of debris, enables accurate sensing of the amount of debris, suppresses excessive load on the debris transport equipment, and facilitates stable operation.

[0058] [Second Embodiment] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the sludge conveying system 10B according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the sludge transport system 10B according to this embodiment has the following configuration in addition to the configuration of the sludge transport system 10A of the first embodiment: a separation unit 60 that separates the mixed water discharged from the mixing unit 42 into sludge and separated water; a circulation path L1 that circulates the separated water discharged from the separation unit 60 back to the mixing unit 42; and a mixed water transport path L2 that connects the mixing unit 2A and the separation unit 4 and transports the mixed water. Note that the components of the sludge transport system 10B in this embodiment that are the same as those of the sludge transport system 10A in the first embodiment will not be described.

[0059] The conveying of sludge by the sludge conveying system 10B of this embodiment will be described in outline. First, as a process common to the sludge transport system 10A, sludge in the sewage (rainwater, wastewater) contained in the sedimentation basin C is collected and recovered by the sludge scraping section 30. The sludge recovered by the sludge scraping section 30 is then fed into the mixing section 42 along with water via the sludge discharger 41 in the sludge transport section 40. After that, the sludge is crushed in the crushing section 50 located within the mixing section 42, and the resulting mixed water is discharged from the downstream side of the crushing section 50 via the mixed water discharge section 42a. In the sludge transport system 10B of this embodiment, the mixed water discharged via the mixed water discharge section 42a is transported to the separation section 60 via the mixed water transport path L2. This mixed water is separated into sludge and separated water in the separation section 60. Furthermore, this separated water is supplied to the mixing section 42 via the circulation path L1, causing the separated water to circulate within the sludge transport system 10B, and a flow of separated water is formed within the mixing section 42. In this embodiment, the sludge conveying system 10B, in addition to crushing the sludge, utilizes the separated water separated from the sludge-water mixture to form a flow of the separated water for conveying the sludge within the mixing section 42, thereby promoting sludge conveying within the mixing section 42 without the need to constantly replenish large amounts of water.

[0060] At this time, the configuration of the debris quantity sensing device 1 provided in the debris transport system 10B is as described above, and it is sufficient that information is acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means 2 regarding the debris introduced into the debris transport section 20, and the details of the configuration are omitted. Furthermore, as the debris quantity sensing device 1 provided in the debris transport system 10B of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, it is preferable to arrange the debris shape information acquisition means 2 so that it can acquire information from the debris scraping unit 30 and / or the debris being transported on the debris discharger 41 of the debris transport unit 40, similar to the debris transport system 10A. This makes it easier to acquire information in advance regarding the amount of debris to be fed into the mixing unit 42 of the debris transport unit 40, and to take appropriate measures to prevent excessive amounts of debris from being fed into the mixing unit 42 or debris containing foreign matter from being fed into the mixing unit 42. In addition, it also makes it easier to take appropriate measures to prevent mixed water containing an excessive amount of debris from being introduced into the separation unit 60.

[0061] The following describes the various components of the sludge transport system 10B in this embodiment, illustrating them with examples of additions to the components of the sludge transport system 10A.

[0062] [Separation section] The separation unit 60 is for the process of separating the mixed water supplied from the mixing unit 42 via the mixed water transport path L2 into sludge and separated water. The separation unit 60 can be any device capable of performing solid-liquid separation, such as a drum-type filter or a centrifugal separator. The separated water in the separation unit 60 is supplied to the mixing unit 42 through the circulation path L1. As a result, a flow F1 of separated water is formed within the mixing unit 42, as described above. Meanwhile, the sludge separated in the separation unit 60 is processed by a dewatering machine, a sludge washing machine, or the like. Furthermore, the separation unit 60 may be supplied with cleaning water to clean the inside of the apparatus after the solid-liquid separation process.

[0063] [Mixed water transport path] The mixed water transport path L2 is for transporting the mixed water discharged from the mixing section 42 to the separation section 60, and includes a pipe connecting the mixed water discharge section 42a of the mixing section 42 and the separation section 60.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the mixed water transport path L2 may be branched to provide a mixed water return path L3 that returns the mixed water to the mixing section 42. Providing the mixed water return path L3 can further promote the flow of separated water within the mixing section 2A.

[0065] The mixed water return path L3 may be connected directly or branched to the circulation path L1. This allows the returned mixed water to be used to form the flow of separated water, thereby further promoting the transport of sludge accumulated at the bottom of the mixing section 42.

[0066] As described above, the sludge conveying system 10B in this embodiment, by being equipped with the sludge quantity sensing device described above, facilitates the simplification of the equipment and facilities necessary for sensing the amount of sludge, enables accurate sensing of the amount of sludge, suppresses excessive load on the equipment related to sludge conveying, and facilitates stable operation. In addition, in sludge conveying, the sludge conveying system 10B in this embodiment utilizes the separated water separated from the mixture of sludge and water in conjunction with sludge crushing, and forms a flow of separated water for sludge conveying within the mixing section, thereby promoting sludge conveying within the mixing section without constantly supplying large amounts of water.

[0067] [Third Embodiment] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the sludge conveying system 10C according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the sludge transport system 10C transports sludge from multiple sedimentation basins C. In the sludge transport system 10A of the first embodiment, multiple sludge scraping units 30 are provided, and a sludge shape information acquisition means 2 in the sludge quantity grasping device 1 is provided for each sludge scraping unit 30. Furthermore, in the sludge transport system 10C of this embodiment, the sludge collected from each sedimentation basin C by the sludge scraping unit 30 is introduced into a single mixing unit 42 via a sludge discharger 41 corresponding to the sludge scraping unit 30. Regarding the configuration of the sludge conveying system 10C in this embodiment, the explanation will be omitted if it is the same as the configuration of the sludge conveying system 10A in the first embodiment.

[0068] If multiple sedimentation basins C are provided, each sedimentation basin C will be equipped with a sediment scraping section 30 to collect sediment. In this case, the amount and properties of sediment may differ from one sedimentation basin C to the other. In the debris transport system 10C of this embodiment, each of the multiple debris scraping units 30 arranged in each sedimentation basin C is provided with debris shape information acquisition means 2 in the debris amount sensing device 1, making it possible to appropriately grasp the amount of debris recovered for each debris scraping unit 30 (in other words, for each sedimentation basin C). That is, by improving the accuracy of the information regarding the amount of debris introduced downstream of the debris scraping unit 30 (debris transport unit 40), and by calculating the amount of debris recovered for each debris scraping unit 30 (for each sedimentation basin C) and utilizing it as useful information for the operation of the debris transport system 10C, it becomes possible to achieve even more stable operation.

[0069] Furthermore, in addition to providing a means for acquiring sludge shape information 2 for each sludge scraping section 30 in the sludge transport system 10C, a means for acquiring sludge shape information 2 may also be provided in the sludge transport section 40 (sludge discharger 41) in order to acquire shape information relating to the sludge being transported by the sludge transport section 40 (sludge discharger 41). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a sludge discharger 41 may be provided for each sludge scraping section 30, and the sludge may be individually fed into the mixing section 42. Alternatively, a sludge discharger (not shown) may be provided by combining multiple sludge dischargers 41, and the sludge may be fed into the mixing section 42 via this sludge discharger. In addition, if a sludge shape information acquisition means 2 is provided for the sludge transfer section 40, providing it for a sludge discharger that combines multiple sludge dischargers 41 makes it possible to quickly and accurately grasp information regarding the amount of sludge fed into the mixing section 42.

[0070] Furthermore, while Figure 5 shows a sludge transport system 10C in which multiple sludge scraping sections 30 are provided for each of the multiple sedimentation basins C, it is sufficient to have at least multiple sludge scraping sections 30 as the sludge transport section 20, and is not limited to this. For example, a single sedimentation basin C may be provided with multiple sediment scraping sections 30, and each sediment scraping section 30 may be provided with sediment shape information acquisition means 2. In this case, it becomes possible to acquire information regarding the amount of sediment recovered from each sediment scraping section 30, and based on this information, it becomes possible to evaluate the processing capacity (performance) related to sediment recovery for each sediment scraping section 30.

[0071] The embodiments described above are examples of a debris volume detection device, a debris volume detection method, and a debris transport system. The debris volume detection device, debris volume detection method, and debris transport system according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, and the debris volume detection device, debris volume detection method, and debris transport system according to the embodiments described above may be modified without changing the gist of the claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0072] The present invention provides a sludge quantity determination device, a sludge quantity determination method, and a sludge transport system, which are suitably used in the transport of sludge recovered from sedimentation basins in sewage treatment plants, pumping stations, and the like. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 1. Debris quantity sensing device, 2. Debris shape information acquisition means, 3. Debris quantity calculation means, 3a. Calculation means, 3b. Data storage means, 4. Output means, 10A, 10B, 10C. Debris transport system, 20. Debris transport section, 30. Debris scraping section, 31. Rake section, 32. Screen section, 33. Frame section, 34. Wiper, 40. Debris transfer section, 41. Debris discharge machine, 42. Mixing section, 42a. Mixed water discharge section, 50. Crushing section, 60. Separation section, C. Sedimentation basin, F1, F2. Separated water flow, L1. Circulation path, L2. Mixed water transport path, L3. Mixed water return path, S. Water level gauge

Claims

1. A means for acquiring information related to the shape of slag, A sludge quantity determination device characterized by comprising: a sludge quantity calculation means that calculates information relating to the amount of sludge based on information relating to the sludge shape acquired by the sludge shape information acquisition means.

2. The debris quantity determination device according to claim 1, characterized in that the debris shape information acquisition means is an imaging means for imaging debris.

3. The sediment quantity determination device according to claim 2, characterized in that the imaging means images the sediment when the sediment is being scraped up and / or when the sediment is being transported by the sediment transport unit which collects and transports the sediment from the sediment tank.

4. The residue amount grasping device according to claim 1, further comprising an output means for outputting information relating to the residue amount calculated by the residue amount calculation means.

5. The aforementioned sludge amount calculation means includes data storage means for storing information relating to the relationship between the information relating to the sludge shape and the information relating to the sludge amount obtained by the aforementioned sludge shape information acquisition means. The debris amount calculation means is characterized in that it calculates information relating to the debris amount based on the information relating to the debris shape acquired by the debris shape information acquisition means and the information stored in the data storage means, as described in claim 1.

6. A step to acquire information related to the shape of the sludge, A method for determining the amount of sludge, characterized by comprising: a sludge amount calculation step, which calculates information relating to the amount of sludge based on the information relating to the sludge shape obtained in the sludge shape information acquisition step.

7. A device for determining the amount of residue according to any one of claims 1 to 5, It is equipped with a sludge transport unit that collects and transports sludge from a sedimentation tank, A sludge conveying system characterized in that the sludge conveying unit has a sludge scraping unit and a sludge transfer unit.

8. The aforementioned sludge conveying unit has a plurality of sludge scraping units, The sludge conveying system according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for acquiring the shape of the sludge in the sludge quantity grasping device is provided for each of the sludge scraping sections.

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