Waste treatment facilities and waste treatment methods

Abstract

To provide a waste treatment facility that can suppress the deterioration of sorting performance. [Solution] The system comprises a transport mechanism for transporting waste along a predetermined transport route (low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, crushed material transport conveyor 8, vibrating feeder 13, residue transport conveyor 18, etc.), a first crusher (low-speed rotary crusher 4 and high-speed rotary crusher 6) positioned in the middle of the transport route to crush the waste, a sorting machine (magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14) positioned downstream of the first crusher in the transport route to sort the waste crushed by the first crusher, and a dryer (low-speed rotary crusher 4, high-speed rotary crusher 6, second low-speed rotary crusher 34, second high-speed rotary crusher 36, dryer 51) capable of drying the waste transported to the sorting machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to technologies for waste treatment facilities and waste treatment methods.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, technologies for waste treatment facilities that sort and process crushed waste are well-known. For example, it is as described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] In the waste treatment facility described in Patent Document 1, waste crushed by a crusher is sorted into iron, aluminum, and other combustibles (general waste) by a sorter (magnetic separator, aluminum separator, etc.) and then processed. Also, on the waste conveyance path, a fire detection sensor for detecting the combustion of waste and a fire extinguishing facility for stopping the combustion of waste are provided. In such a waste treatment facility, when the combustion of waste is detected, water can be discharged from the fire extinguishing facility onto the waste to stop (extinguish) the combustion of the waste.

[0004] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, for the waste on which water spraying for fire extinguishing has been performed, iron, aluminum, and combustibles adhere to each other through the water. For this reason, the sorting performance by the sorter deteriorates, and there is a risk that combustibles will be mixed into the sorted iron or aluminum.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure has been made in view of the above situation, and the problem to be solved is to provide a waste treatment facility and a waste treatment method capable of suppressing a decrease in sorting performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The problems that this invention aims to solve are as described above, and the means for solving these problems will now be explained.

[0008] A waste treatment facility according to one aspect of this disclosure comprises: a transport mechanism for transporting waste along a predetermined transport route; a first crusher positioned in the middle of the transport route for crushing the waste; a sorting machine positioned downstream of the first crusher in the transport route for sorting the waste crushed by the first crusher; and a dryer capable of drying the waste transported to the sorting machine.

[0009] Furthermore, a waste treatment facility according to one aspect of this disclosure uses a second crusher, different from the first crusher, as the dryer for crushing the waste. It is.

[0010] Furthermore, a waste treatment facility according to one aspect of the present disclosure uses the first crusher located in the transport route as the dryer, and further comprises a transport mechanism for transporting the waste sorted by the sorter to the first crusher.

[0011] Furthermore, the sorting machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a magnetic metal sorting machine for sorting magnetic metals, and the transfer mechanism transfers the waste sorted by the magnetic metal sorting machine to the first crusher.

[0012] Furthermore, the sorting machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a non-magnetic metal sorting machine for sorting non-magnetic metals, and the transfer mechanism transfers the waste sorted by the non-magnetic metal sorting machine to the first crusher.

[0013] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the transfer mechanism transfers the waste sorted by the sorting machine to the first crusher when it detects ignition of the waste, water being sprayed on the waste, or wetting of the waste in the transport path, or when the sorting accuracy of the sorting machine falls below a predetermined value.

[0014] Furthermore, the first crusher according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a low-speed rotary crusher equipped with a low-speed rotor that rotates at a predetermined speed, and a high-speed rotary crusher positioned downstream of the low-speed rotary crusher in the transport path and equipped with a high-speed rotor that rotates at a higher speed than the low-speed rotor, wherein the transport mechanism transports the waste sorted by the sorting machine to the high-speed rotary crusher or to a point upstream of the high-speed rotary crusher in the transport path.

[0015] Furthermore, the transfer mechanism according to one aspect of this disclosure transfers the waste sorted by the sorting machine to a receiving hopper into which the waste is fed along the transport path.

[0016] Furthermore, a waste treatment facility according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a fire detection unit located in the middle of the transport route for detecting fires in the waste along the transport route, and a fire extinguishing water spraying unit located in the middle of the transport route for spraying water onto the transport route when the fire detection unit detects a fire in the waste.

[0017] Furthermore, a waste treatment facility according to one aspect of the present disclosure uses the first crusher located in the transport path as the dryer, and further comprises a transport mechanism for transporting waste upstream of the sorting machine to the first crusher.

[0018] Furthermore, a waste treatment method according to one aspect of this disclosure includes a crushing step of crushing waste using a crusher, a sorting step of sorting the waste crushed in the crushing step, and a drying step of drying the waste before sorting in the sorting step.

[0019] Moreover, the waste treatment method according to one aspect of the present disclosure further includes a transfer step of transferring the waste selected in the sorting step to the crusher, and in the drying step, the waste transferred by the transfer step is passed through the crusher to dry the waste.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a decrease in sorting performance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the waste treatment facility according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Enlarged schematic diagram showing the upstream portion of the waste treatment facility. [Figure 3] Enlarged schematic diagram showing the downstream portion of the waste treatment facility. [Figure 4] Block diagram showing the configuration related to the control of the waste treatment facility. [Figure 5] Schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the waste treatment facility according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] Schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the waste treatment facility according to the third embodiment. [Figure 7] Schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the waste treatment facility according to the fourth embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, the waste treatment facility 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0023] Waste treatment facility 1A is a facility for recycling waste by processing it through crushing, sorting, etc. Waste treatment facility 1A mainly consists of a receiving hopper 2, a low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, a low-speed rotary crusher 4, a high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, a high-speed rotary crusher 6, a high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, a crushed material transport conveyor 8, a magnetic separator 9, a steel air separator 10, a first sorting damper 11, a steel bunker 12, a vibrating feeder 13, an aluminum separator 14, a steel air separator 15, a second sorting damper 16, an aluminum bunker 17, a residue transport conveyor 18, an odor-proof damper 19, a waste pit 20, a first return conveyor 21, a second return conveyor 22, a fire detection sensor 31, a fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32, a dust-proof water spraying unit 37, and a control unit 33, etc. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0024] The receiving hopper 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is the part that receives waste brought in from the outside. The receiving hopper 2 is formed in the shape of a container with an open top. Waste can be loaded into the receiving hopper 2 from above.

[0025] The low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3 transports the waste material fed into the receiving hopper 2 to the low-speed rotary crusher 4, which will be described later.

[0026] The low-speed rotary crusher 4 is used to crush the waste that is fed into the machine. The low-speed rotary crusher 4 is a crusher that has a rotating shaft 4a that rotates at a relatively low speed (compared to the high-speed rotary crusher 6 described later). For example, the rotating shaft 4a of the low-speed rotary crusher 4 rotates at a rotational speed of 60 rpm or less. In this embodiment, a twin-shaft crusher is used as the low-speed rotary crusher 4, in which two rotating shafts 4a with cutters formed on them are arranged horizontally. The low-speed rotary crusher 4 crushes the waste that has been transported by the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3. By crushing the waste with the low-speed rotary crusher 4, the load on the high-speed rotary crusher 6 described later can be reduced. In addition, if the waste contains undegassed spray cans, the spray cans can be crushed with the low-speed rotary crusher 4 before they reach the high-speed rotary crusher 6, allowing for safe degassing.

[0027] The high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5 transports the waste crushed by the low-speed rotary crusher 4 to the high-speed rotary crusher 6, which will be described later.

[0028] The high-speed rotary crusher 6 is used to crush the waste that is fed into it. The high-speed rotary crusher 6 is a crusher that has a rotating shaft 6a that rotates at a relatively high speed (compared to the low-speed rotary crusher 4 mentioned above). For example, the rotating shaft 6a of the high-speed rotary crusher 6 rotates at a rotational speed greater than 60 rpm. In this embodiment, a vertical crusher is used as the high-speed rotary crusher 6, in which a single rotating shaft 6a equipped with a grinder or the like is arranged vertically and rotates inside the shell to crush the waste. The high-speed rotary crusher 6 crushes the waste that has been transported by the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5.

[0029] Furthermore, the high-speed rotary crusher 6 according to this embodiment also functions as a dryer for drying waste, as will be described later.

[0030] The high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7 and crushed material transport conveyor 8 shown in Figures 1 to 3 transport the waste crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 to the magnetic separator 9, which will be described later. The waste crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 is supplied to the crushed material transport conveyor 8 via the high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7.

[0031] The magnetic separator 9 shown in Figures 1 and 3 separates and removes magnetic metals from waste. In this embodiment, iron is assumed to be the magnetic metal to be separated. The magnetic separator 9 can separate magnetic metals from waste by attracting them using magnetic force. The magnetic separator 9 separates magnetic metals from waste transported by the crushed material conveyor 8 and can supply the separated magnetic metals to the first sorting damper 11, which will be described later. Waste that is not separated by the magnetic separator 9 is supplied to the vibrating feeder 13, which will be described later.

[0032] The steel air separator 10 removes non-iron waste (combustible materials, etc.) attached to the iron separated by the magnetic separator 9 using airflow. The steel air separator 10 can remove low-density materials such as combustible materials attached to the iron by blowing air onto the waste falling from the magnetic separator 9.

[0033] The first sorting damper 11 controls the supply direction of the waste (mainly iron) sorted by the magnetic separator 9. The first sorting damper 11 consists of a damper plate that can open and close the waste supply path, and a drive source that drives the damper plate. The first sorting damper 11 is positioned at a branching point in the waste supply path, and the supply direction of the waste can be switched by closing one of the branched supply paths. The first sorting damper 11 can switch between a state in which the waste sorted by the magnetic separator 9 can be supplied to the steel bunker 12 (described later) and a state in which it can be supplied to the first return conveyor 21 (see Figure 3).

[0034] The steel bunker 12 stores the waste (mainly iron) separated by the magnetic separator 9. The steel bunker 12 can store the waste supplied via the first sorting damper 11. The waste stored in the steel bunker 12 is transported to the outside at an appropriate time.

[0035] The first return conveyor 21 is for transporting the waste sorted by the magnetic separator 9 to the upstream side of the waste transport route of the waste treatment facility 1A. The first return conveyor 21 transports the waste supplied via the first sorting damper 11 to the receiving hopper 2.

[0036] The vibrating feeder 13 uses vibration to distribute the waste material, from which iron has been removed by the magnetic separator 9, to the aluminum separator 14, which will be described later. By controlling the operation of the vibrating feeder 13, the amount of waste material supplied to the aluminum separator 14 can be adjusted.

[0037] The aluminum sorter 14 separates and removes non-magnetic metals from the waste. In this embodiment, aluminum is assumed to be the non-magnetic metal to be sorted. The aluminum sorter 14 generates eddy currents by passing the non-magnetic metal through a rotating magnetic field, thereby flicking and separating the non-magnetic metal. The aluminum sorter 14 sorts the non-magnetic metal from the waste conveyed by the vibrating feeder 13 and can supply the sorted non-magnetic metal to the second sorting damper 16, which will be described later. The waste that is not sorted by the aluminum sorter 14 is supplied to the residue conveying conveyor 18, which will be described later.

[0038] The aluminum wind separator 15 removes non-aluminum waste (combustible materials, etc.) attached to the aluminum separated by the aluminum separator 14 using wind power. The aluminum wind separator 15 can remove low-density materials such as combustible materials attached to the aluminum by blowing wind onto the waste falling from the aluminum separator 14.

[0039] The second sorting damper 16 controls the supply direction of waste (mainly aluminum) sorted by the aluminum sorting machine 14. The second sorting damper 16 consists of a damper plate that can open and close the waste supply path, and a drive source that drives the damper plate. The second sorting damper 16 is positioned at a branching point in the waste supply path, and the supply direction of the waste can be switched by closing one of the branched supply paths. The second sorting damper 16 can switch between a state in which the waste sorted by the aluminum sorting machine 14 can be supplied to the aluminum bunker 17 (described later) and a state in which it can be supplied to the second return conveyor 22.

[0040] The aluminum bunker 17 stores waste (mainly aluminum) sorted by the aluminum sorting machine 14. The aluminum bunker 17 can store waste supplied via the second sorting damper 16. The waste stored in the aluminum bunker 17 is transported to the outside at an appropriate time.

[0041] The second return conveyor 22 is for transporting the waste sorted by the aluminum sorting machine 14 to the upstream side of the waste transport route of the waste treatment facility 1A. The second return conveyor 22 transports the waste supplied via the second sorting damper 16 to the receiving hopper 2.

[0042] Furthermore, the destination of waste transported by the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22 is not limited to the receiving hopper 2. The destination of waste transported by the first return conveyor 21, etc., may be the high-speed rotary crusher 6, or at least upstream of the high-speed rotary crusher 6. For example, the first return conveyor 21, etc., may be configured to transport waste to the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, the low-speed rotary crusher 4, the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, etc.

[0043] The residue conveyor 18 transports the waste (residue) remaining after metals, mainly iron and aluminum, have been removed by the magnetic separator 9 and the aluminum separator 14 to the waste pit 20.

[0044] The odor-blocking damper 19 is installed to prevent odors generated from the waste from flowing into the residue conveying conveyor 18 when the waste supplied from the residue conveying conveyor 18 is guided to the waste pit 20, which will be described later.

[0045] Waste pit 20 is used to store waste (residue) remaining after metals, mainly iron and aluminum, have been removed. The waste stored in waste pit 20 is either transported outside at an appropriate time or incinerated in the facility's waste incinerator.

[0046] As described above, the waste treatment facility 1A has a transport mechanism (low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, crushed material transport conveyor 8, vibrating feeder 13, residue transport conveyor 18, etc.) that transports waste along a predetermined transport route from the receiving hopper 2 to the waste pit 20.

[0047] The fire detection sensors 31 shown in Figures 2 to 4 are for detecting when a fire has started inside any of the equipment in the waste treatment facility 1A, or when there is a risk of a fire starting. Here, "fire" in this embodiment includes not only the state of burning with flames, but also the state where there are no flames but the fire is smoldering and the temperature is rising, or the state where smoke is emitted. As the fire detection sensors 31, it is possible to use sensors that can detect when waste in the waste treatment facility 1A has caught fire, or when there is a risk of waste catching fire. For example, as the fire detection sensors 31, a temperature sensor capable of detecting high temperatures, a flame sensor capable of detecting flames, a smoke sensor capable of detecting smoke emission, and a CO sensor or CO2 sensor capable of detecting carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide generated in conjunction with ignition can be used.

[0048] The fire detection sensors 31 are installed on each piece of equipment within the waste treatment facility 1A. For example, the fire detection sensors 31 are placed on the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, the high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, the crushed material transport conveyor 8, the steel bunker 12, the aluminum bunker 17, the residue transport conveyor 18, etc. The placement and number of fire detection sensors 31 are not particularly limited, and any number can be placed in any location, taking into consideration areas where fires are particularly likely to occur or where detection is easy.

[0049] The fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 is used to extinguish fires in waste materials. The fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 is formed by water spraying nozzles or sprinklers that can spray water supplied from a water tank onto the waste materials. The fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 is placed in various parts of the waste treatment facility 1A. For example, the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 is placed on the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, the high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, the crushed material transport conveyor 8, the steel bunker 12, the aluminum bunker 17, the residue transport conveyor 18, the odor control damper 19, etc. The placement and number of fire extinguishing water spraying units 32 are not particularly limited, and any number can be placed in any location, in a location where fire extinguishing can be particularly effective.

[0050] The dust-suppression water spraying unit 37 sprays water to suppress dust rising from the waste. The dust-suppression water spraying unit 37 is formed by water spraying nozzles or sprinklers that can spray water supplied from a water tank towards the waste. The dust-suppression water spraying unit 37 is placed in various parts of the waste treatment facility 1A. For example, the fire-extinguishing water spraying unit 32 is placed in the receiving hopper 2, the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, etc. The placement and number of dust-suppression water spraying units 37 are not particularly limited, and any number can be placed in any location, in a location where dust suppression can be particularly effective.

[0051] The control unit 33 shown in Figure 4 is for controlling the operation of each part of the waste treatment facility 1A. The control unit 33 mainly consists of a processing unit such as a CPU, and storage devices such as RAM and ROM. The storage device of the control unit 33 stores information and various programs necessary for controlling the operation of each part of the waste treatment facility 1A.

[0052] The control unit 33 is connected to the fire detection sensor 31 and can acquire detection results from the fire detection sensor 31. The control unit 33 is also connected to the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 and the dustproof water spraying unit 37 and can control the operation of the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 and the dustproof water spraying unit 37 (start and stop of water spraying). The control unit 33 is also connected to the first distribution damper 11 and the second distribution damper 16 and can control the operation of the first distribution damper 11 and the second distribution damper 16 (direction of waste supply). The control unit 33 is also connected to conveying mechanisms such as the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3 and the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5 and can control the operation of the conveying mechanisms (start and stop).

[0053] The following describes the operation mode (waste treatment method) of the waste treatment facility 1A, which is configured as described above.

[0054] Normally (when no fire or other incidents are detected by the fire detection sensor 31), the control unit 33 controls the first sorting damper 11 to guide the iron sorted by the magnetic separator 9 to the steel bunker 12. Similarly, normally, the control unit 33 controls the second sorting damper 16 to guide the aluminum sorted by the aluminum separator 14 to the aluminum bunker 17.

[0055] In this state, the waste introduced into the receiving hopper 2 is supplied to the low-speed rotary crusher 4 by the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3 and crushed. The waste crushed by the low-speed rotary crusher 4 is supplied to the high-speed rotary crusher 6 by the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5 and further crushed (crushing process).

[0056] The waste crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 is transported to the magnetic separator 9 by the high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7 and the crushed material transport conveyor 8. The magnetic separator 9 separates iron from the waste transported by the crushed material transport conveyor 8 and stores it in the steel bunker 12 via the first sorting damper 11 (sorting process).

[0057] The waste from which iron has been removed by the magnetic separator 9 is transported to the aluminum separator 14 by the vibrating feeder 13. The aluminum separator 14 separates aluminum from the supplied waste and stores it in the aluminum bunker 17 via the second sorting damper 16 (sorting process).

[0058] The waste from which aluminum has been removed by the aluminum sorting machine 14 is supplied to the waste pit 20 via the residue conveying conveyor 18 and the odor-proof damper 19.

[0059] In this way, the waste introduced into waste treatment facility 1A is crushed as appropriate and then classified into magnetic materials such as iron, non-magnetic materials such as aluminum, and other waste (combustible materials, etc.).

[0060] Furthermore, if the fire detection sensor 31 detects that a fire has started or is likely to start, the control unit 33 activates the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 and sprays water on the waste in the waste treatment facility 1A. At the same time, the control unit 33 also stops the transport mechanism, such as the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, and stops the transport of waste. After the fire is confirmed to be extinguished by workers, the transport mechanism and other equipment are restarted.

[0061] Here, as described above, when waste that has been wet by watering is separated using the magnetic separator 9 and the aluminum separator 14, there is a risk that flammable materials may adhere to the iron and aluminum via the water, and that these flammable materials may be mixed into the separated iron and aluminum. Therefore, in this embodiment, the waste that may be wet by watering is dried again by passing it through the crusher, thereby suppressing a decrease in the sorting performance of the separator.

[0062] Specifically, when the conveying mechanism is restarted after watering, the control unit 33 controls the first sorting damper 11 and the second sorting damper 16. The control unit 33 controls the first sorting damper 11 to switch the supply path of the sorted iron so that the iron sorted by the magnetic separator 9 is guided to the first return conveyor 21. Similarly, the control unit 33 controls the second sorting damper 16 to switch the supply path of the aluminum so that the aluminum sorted by the aluminum separator 14 is guided to the second return conveyor 22. In this way, iron and aluminum that are highly likely to have flammable materials attached to them via water can be guided to the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22.

[0063] The iron and aluminum guided to the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22 are transferred to the receiving hopper 2 (transfer process) and processed again by the low-speed rotary crusher 4 and the high-speed rotary crusher 6. In this way, by supplying the wet waste (iron and aluminum) back to the crusher, the waste can be dried by the heat generated by the wind produced by the rotation of the crusher, the contact between the waste materials inside the crusher, and the friction between the waste materials and the blades of the crusher (drying process). In other words, the crusher can be used as a dryer for drying the waste. In particular, in this embodiment, by using the high-speed rotary crusher 6, which has a relatively high rotational speed and crushes the waste by rotating a rotor equipped with a grinder inside a shell, the waste can be dried effectively. This is because the high rotational speed generates a high wind speed, and the number of frictions and the speed of friction increase. This makes it possible to suppress the decrease in the sorting performance by the magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14 that follows.

[0064] Furthermore, as mentioned above, while the waste is being returned to the receiving hopper 2 using the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22, it is desirable to stop the input of new waste into the receiving hopper 2 (mixing with wet waste).

[0065] Furthermore, after the wet waste is transferred to the receiving hopper 2 and crushed again by the crusher, the first sorting damper 11 and the second sorting damper 16 are switched back to their original state (i.e., to guide iron and aluminum to the steel bunker 12 and aluminum bunker 17) at an appropriate timing. This switching can be performed manually by an operator or by control by the control unit 33.

[0066] When controlled by the control unit 33, the switching timing can be determined by any method. For example, considering the transport time of waste along the transport path, it is possible to switch the first sorting damper 11 and the second sorting damper 16 when a predetermined time has elapsed using a timer. Another example is to install a waste detection sensor (e.g., a photoelectric sensor) in the odor-proof damper 19, and switch the first sorting damper 11 and the second sorting damper 16 when it is detected that there is no more waste passing through the odor-proof damper 19.

[0067] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which sorted waste is returned to the receiving hopper 2 using the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to return the waste by other methods. For example, it is also possible to return the waste to the receiving hopper 2 using transport vehicles such as trucks, heavy machinery such as wheel loaders, or handcarts.

[0068] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which waste is transferred to the crusher via the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22 when the fire detection sensor 31 detects that a fire has occurred or that there is a risk of a fire occurring. However, the triggers for transferring the waste are not limited to this.

[0069] For example, if water is sprayed to extinguish a fire on the waste, and the wetness of the waste is detected by sensors in the receiving hopper 2, steel bunker 12, aluminum bunker 17, etc., the waste can be transported by the first return conveyor 21, etc. Also, for example, if the sorting accuracy of the sorting machines (magnetic separator 9, aluminum separator 14) falls below a predetermined value, the waste can be transported by the first return conveyor 21, etc. The sorting accuracy of the sorting machines can be calculated, for example, by detecting the proportion of combustible material attached to the sorted iron (iron contained in the steel bunker 12).

[0070] Furthermore, in addition to using various sensors, various other methods can be employed to detect fires, wetting of waste, etc. For example, it is possible to acquire images of the transported waste and the iron and aluminum contained in the steel bunker 12 and aluminum bunker 17, and detect fires, wetting of waste, etc. through image processing. It is also possible to machine-learn images of the waste, etc., and detect fires, wetting of waste, etc. through AI-based image recognition.

[0071] In the example above, the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 was described as an example of water spraying. However, in the receiving hopper 2 and other areas, water is sprayed from the dust-proof water spraying unit 37 to suppress dust that rises when waste is loaded or transported. The amount of dust that rises varies depending on the waste loading conditions and the properties of the waste, so the water spraying is adjusted as needed. As a result, the water spraying may be excessive for sorting. In this case, a decrease in sorting performance may occur. Even when fire extinguishing water is sprayed by the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32, the waste can be dried by supplying the wet waste (iron and aluminum) back to the crusher, as described above, and a decrease in sorting performance by the magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14 can be suppressed.

[0072] Whether or not drying of the waste is necessary when water is being sprayed from the dustproof water spraying unit 37 can be determined based on, for example, whether the amount of water sprayed from the dustproof water spraying unit 37 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, whether water is being sprayed from the dustproof water spraying unit 37 for a predetermined time or longer, whether there is water being discharged from the drain port installed at the bottom of the receiving hopper 2 or conveyor where dustproof water is being sprayed, and whether the flow rate of the water discharged from the drain port is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

[0073] In the following section, the waste treatment facility 1B according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5.

[0074] The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment (see Figure 1, etc.) is that the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22 are replaced with a second low-speed rotary crusher 34, a second high-speed crusher supply conveyor 35, a second high-speed rotary crusher 36, and a sorting return conveyor 41, etc. The following will mainly explain these differences.

[0075] The second low-speed rotary crusher 34 (twin-shaft crusher), the second high-speed crusher supply conveyor 35, and the second high-speed rotary crusher 36 (vertical crusher) are configured in general the same way as the low-speed rotary crusher 4, the high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, and the high-speed rotary crusher 6 described above. The second high-speed crusher supply conveyor 35 can transport the waste crushed by the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 to the second high-speed rotary crusher 36.

[0076] Furthermore, the first sorting damper 11 of the second embodiment can switch between a state in which the waste sorted by the magnetic separator 9 can be supplied to the steel bunker 12 and a state in which it can be supplied to the second low-speed rotary crusher 34.

[0077] The sorting return conveyor 41 is for transporting the waste crushed by the second high-speed rotary crusher 36 to the upstream side of the sorting machine (magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14). The sorting return conveyor 41 transports the waste crushed by the second high-speed rotary crusher 36 to the upstream side of the magnetic separator 9 (crushed material transport conveyor 8). In the illustrated example, the sorting return conveyor 41 is shown transporting the waste to the crushed material transport conveyor 8, but the position to which the waste is transported by the sorting return conveyor 41 is not particularly limited.

[0078] Thus, in the second embodiment, a second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and a second high-speed rotary crusher 36 are provided separately from the low-speed rotary crusher 4 and the high-speed rotary crusher 6. By switching the first sorting damper 11, the iron sorted by the magnetic separator 9 can be supplied to the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and the second high-speed rotary crusher 36.

[0079] By crushing the waste with the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and the second high-speed rotary crusher 36, the waste can be dried. In other words, in the second embodiment, the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and the second high-speed rotary crusher 36, which are provided separately from the low-speed rotary crusher 4 and the high-speed rotary crusher 6, are used as dryers. Since the second high-speed rotary crusher 36 is the main component that functions as a dryer, it is possible to omit the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and the second high-speed crusher supply conveyor 35.

[0080] The waste dried by the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and the second high-speed rotary crusher 36 is transferred by the sorting return conveyor 41 to the crushed material transport conveyor 8, where it is sorted again by the magnetic separator 9.

[0081] Although not shown in Figure 5, a configuration for drying and returning aluminum (crusher, conveyor, etc.) can also be provided, similar to the configuration for drying and returning iron (second low-speed rotary crusher 34, second high-speed crusher supply conveyor 35, second high-speed rotary crusher 36, and sorting return conveyor 41). This allows aluminum to be dried using a crusher, just like iron.

[0082] In the following section, the waste treatment facility 1C according to the third embodiment will be described using Figure 6.

[0083] The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment (see Figure 1, etc.) in that it is equipped with a dryer 51 instead of the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22, etc. The following will mainly explain this difference.

[0084] The dryer 51 is used to dry the waste that is transported to the sorting machines (magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14). The dryer 51 is positioned upstream of the sorting machines in the waste transport path. The illustrated example shows an example where the dryer 51 is installed on the crushed material transport conveyor 8. The dryer 51 can dry the waste that is transported by the crushed material transport conveyor 8.

[0085] The dryer 51 only needs to be capable of drying the waste, and its configuration is not particularly limited. For example, the dryer 51 may be equipped with a heater and a blower and blow hot air onto the waste. The dryer 51 may also agitate the waste to promote drying. Furthermore, the crushed material conveying conveyor 8 itself may be heated.

[0086] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the number or location of the dryers 51. For example, it is possible to place dryers 51 at multiple locations along the waste transport route.

[0087] In this way, by installing the dryer 51 in the middle of the waste transport route, the waste can be dried without transporting (returning) it upstream. Furthermore, the dryer 51 does not need to be operated continuously; as in the first embodiment, it can be activated only when the fire detection sensor 31 detects that a fire has occurred or is likely to occur (for example, when the waste is wet).

[0088] In the following section, the waste treatment facility 1D according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7.

[0089] The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment (see Figure 1, etc.) in that it transfers the waste before sorting (upstream of the sorting machine), rather than the waste after sorting, back to the crusher. The following will mainly explain this difference.

[0090] In the fourth embodiment, a distribution damper 23 is positioned in the middle of a conveyor (in this embodiment, a crushed material transport conveyor 8) located downstream of the high-speed rotary crusher 6.

[0091] The sorting damper 23 controls the supply direction of waste that has been crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 and is not yet sorted by the sorting machines (magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14). The sorting damper 23 consists of a damper plate that can open and close the waste supply path, and a drive source that drives the damper plate. The sorting damper 23 is positioned at the branching point of the waste supply path, and the supply direction of the waste can be switched by closing one of the branched supply paths. The sorting damper 23 can switch between a state in which the waste crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 can be supplied to the magnetic separator 9 and a state in which it can be supplied to the return conveyor 24, which will be described later.

[0092] The return conveyor 24 is for transporting the waste crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 to the upstream side of the waste transport route in the waste treatment facility 1D. The return conveyor 24 transports the waste supplied via the sorting damper 23 to the receiving hopper 2.

[0093] In the waste treatment facility 1D configured in this way, when the waste crushed by the high-speed rotary crusher 6 is supplied to the return conveyor 24 by the distribution damper 23, the waste is returned to the receiving hopper 2 by the return conveyor 24. The waste returned to the receiving hopper 2 is processed again by the low-speed rotary crusher 4 and the high-speed rotary crusher 6. In this way, the crushers can be used as dryers to dry the waste, thus drying it.

[0094] The waste supply route can be switched by the distribution damper 23 based on any arbitrary trigger. For example, similar to the first embodiment, it is possible to switch the supply route to supply waste to the return conveyor 24 after water has been sprayed by the fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32.

[0095] As described above, the waste treatment facilities 1A, 1B, and 1C according to the above embodiment are A conveying mechanism that transports waste along a predetermined transport route (low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, crushed material transport conveyor 8, vibrating feeder 13, residue transport conveyor 18, etc.), The first crusher (a low-speed rotary crusher 4 and a high-speed rotary crusher 6) is positioned along the aforementioned transport route to crush the waste, A sorting machine (magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14) is positioned downstream of the first crusher in the transport path and sorts the waste crushed by the first crusher, A dryer (low-speed rotary crusher 4, high-speed rotary crusher 6, second low-speed rotary crusher 34, second high-speed rotary crusher 36, dryer 51) capable of drying the waste transported to the sorting machine, It is equipped with the following features. This configuration helps to suppress a decrease in sorting performance. Specifically, by drying the waste using a dryer, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of combustible materials to iron and aluminum. This makes it easier to sort iron and aluminum using a sorting machine.

[0096] Furthermore, the waste treatment facilities 1A and 1B according to the first and second embodiments are: As the aforementioned dryer, This method uses a second crusher (second low-speed rotary crusher 34, second high-speed rotary crusher 36) that is different from the first crusher used to crush the waste. This configuration allows for the drying of waste materials using a crusher. Furthermore, a second crusher, separate from the first crusher, can be used for additional waste drying.

[0097] Furthermore, the waste treatment facility 1A according to the first embodiment is As the aforementioned dryer, The system further comprises a transfer mechanism (first return conveyor 21 and second return conveyor 22) that transfers the waste sorted by the sorting machine to the crusher using the first crusher (low-speed rotary crusher 4 and high-speed rotary crusher 6) arranged along the transport path. By configuring the system in this way, equipment costs can be reduced by using the crusher already installed in the waste treatment facility 1A. In addition, the waste can be easily transferred to the crusher using the transfer mechanism (first return conveyor 21 and second return conveyor 22).

[0098] Furthermore, the sorting machine is Includes a magnetic metal separator (magnetic separator 9) for separating magnetic metals, The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the magnetic metal separator is then transferred to the first crusher. By configuring it in this way, magnetic metals (iron) can be sorted with high precision.

[0099] Furthermore, the sorting machine is Includes a non-magnetic metal sorting machine (aluminum sorting machine 14) for sorting non-magnetic metals, The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the non-magnetic metal sorting machine is then transferred to the first crusher. By configuring it in this way, non-magnetic metals (aluminum) can be sorted with high precision.

[0100] Furthermore, the transfer mechanism is If ignition of waste, water spraying on waste, or wetting of waste is detected along the transport route, or if the sorting accuracy of the sorting machine falls below a predetermined value, the waste sorted by the sorting machine is transferred to the first crusher. This configuration allows for efficient operation by enabling waste transfer only when it is necessary to dry the waste.

[0101] Furthermore, the first crusher is, A low-speed rotary crusher 4 equipped with a low-speed rotor (rotating shaft 4a) that rotates at a predetermined speed, A high-speed rotary crusher 6 is positioned downstream of the low-speed rotary crusher in the aforementioned transport path and is equipped with a high-speed rotor (rotating shaft 6a) that rotates at a higher speed than the low-speed rotor, Includes, The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the sorting machine is then transported to the high-speed rotary crusher 6, or to a location upstream of the high-speed rotary crusher 6 in the transport path. With this configuration, the waste can be dried using a high-speed rotary crusher 6 equipped with a high-speed rotor that rotates at a relatively high speed, thereby effectively drying the waste.

[0102] Furthermore, the transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the sorting machine is then transferred to the receiving hopper 2, which is used to load the waste into the transport path. This configuration allows waste to be easily transferred to the receiving hopper 2.

[0103] Furthermore, waste treatment facilities 1A, 1B, and 1C are A fire detection unit (fire detection sensor 31) is placed in the middle of the transport route and detects the ignition of waste along the transport route, A fire extinguishing water spraying unit 32 is positioned in the middle of the transport route and sprays water onto the transport route when the fire detection unit detects ignition of waste, It is equipped with the following features. With this configuration, even if the waste gets wet due to the water sprayed by the fire extinguishing sprinkler unit 32, the deterioration of the sorting performance of the sorting machine can be suppressed by drying the waste using the dryer.

[0104] Furthermore, waste treatment facility 1D is As the aforementioned dryer, Using the first crusher arranged along the transport path, The system further includes a transfer mechanism (return conveyor 24) for transferring waste from the upstream side of the sorting machine to the first crusher. By configuring the system in this way, equipment costs can be reduced by using the crusher already installed in the waste treatment facility 1D. In addition, the waste can be easily transferred to the crusher using the transfer mechanism (return conveyor 24).

[0105] Furthermore, the waste disposal method according to the above embodiment is The crushing process involves crushing waste using a crusher, A sorting step for sorting the waste crushed in the crushing step, A drying process in which the waste materials are dried before sorting in the aforementioned sorting process, It includes. This configuration helps to suppress a decrease in sorting performance. Specifically, drying the waste prevents flammable materials from adhering to iron and aluminum. This makes it easier to sort iron and aluminum.

[0106] Furthermore, the above waste disposal method is The process further includes a transfer step of transferring the waste sorted in the sorting step to the crusher, In the drying process, The waste transferred in the transfer process is dried by passing it through the crusher. By configuring the system in this way, equipment costs can be reduced by using the crusher that is already installed in waste treatment facility 1A.

[0107] Furthermore, the low-speed crusher supply conveyor 3, high-speed crusher supply conveyor 5, high-speed crusher discharge conveyor 7, crushed material transport conveyor 8, vibrating feeder 13, and residue transport conveyor 18, etc., according to the above embodiment are all embodiments of the transport mechanism according to the present invention. Furthermore, the low-speed rotary crusher 4 and the high-speed rotary crusher 6 according to the above embodiment are one form of the first crusher according to the present invention. Furthermore, the magnetic separator 9 and aluminum separator 14 according to the above embodiment are one form of the separator according to the present invention. Furthermore, the low-speed rotary crusher 4, high-speed rotary crusher 6, second low-speed rotary crusher 34, second high-speed rotary crusher 36, and dryer 51 according to the above embodiment are all embodiments of the dryer according to the present invention. Furthermore, the second low-speed rotary crusher 34 and the second high-speed rotary crusher 36 according to the above embodiment are one embodiment of the second crusher according to the present invention. Furthermore, the first return conveyor 21 and the second return conveyor 22 according to the above embodiment are one form of implementation of the transfer mechanism according to the present invention. Furthermore, the magnetic separator 9 according to the above embodiment is one embodiment of the magnetic metal separator according to the present invention. Furthermore, the aluminum sorting machine 14 according to the above embodiment is one embodiment of the non-magnetic metal sorting machine according to the present invention. Furthermore, the rotating shaft 4a and rotating shaft 6a according to the above embodiment are, respectively, embodiments of the low-speed rotor and high-speed rotor according to the present invention. Furthermore, the fire detection sensor 31 according to the above embodiment is one embodiment of the fire detection unit according to the present invention. Furthermore, the return conveyor 24 according to the above embodiment is one form of implementation of the transfer mechanism according to the present invention.

[0108] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configurations, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

[0109] For example, the configurations of waste treatment facilities 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are just examples, and the number and arrangement of various equipment such as crushers and conveying devices (conveyors) can be changed as needed. As an example, waste treatment facility 1A is equipped with two crushers (a low-speed rotary crusher 4 and a high-speed rotary crusher 6), but it is also possible to have one or more crushers.

[0110] Furthermore, the sorting machines shown in the above embodiment (magnetic separator 9, steel air separator 10, aluminum separator 14, and aluminum air separator 15) are just examples, and the number, arrangement, etc., can be arbitrarily changed as needed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1. Waste treatment facility 2. Receiving hopper 3. Low-speed crusher supply conveyor 4. Low-speed rotary shredder 5. High-speed crusher supply conveyor 6. High-speed rotary crusher 7. High-speed crusher discharge conveyor 8. Crushed material conveyor 9. Magnetic separator 11. First distribution damper 14. Aluminum sorting machine 16 Second distribution damper 21 First return conveyor 22 Second return conveyor 31 Fire detection sensor 32 Firefighting Water Spraying Unit 33 Control Unit

Claims

1. A transport mechanism that transports waste along a predetermined transport route, A first crusher is positioned along the aforementioned transport route to crush the waste, A sorting machine is positioned downstream of the first crusher in the transport path and sorts the waste crushed by the first crusher. A dryer capable of drying the waste transported to the sorting machine, Equipped with, Waste disposal facility.

2. As the aforementioned dryer, A second crusher, different from the first crusher, is used to crush the waste. A waste treatment facility according to claim 1.

3. As the aforementioned dryer, Using the first crusher arranged along the transport path, The system further comprises a transfer mechanism for transferring the waste sorted by the sorting machine to the first crusher. A waste treatment facility according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned sorting machine is Includes a magnetic metal sorting machine for sorting magnetic metals, The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the magnetic metal separator is transferred to the first crusher. A waste treatment facility according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned sorting machine is Includes a non-magnetic metal sorting machine for sorting non-magnetic metals, The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the non-magnetic metal sorter is transferred to the first crusher. A waste treatment facility according to claim 3.

6. The transfer mechanism is If, along the transport route, ignition of waste, water spraying on waste, or wetting of waste is detected, or if the sorting accuracy of the sorting machine falls below a predetermined value, the waste sorted by the sorting machine is transferred to the first crusher. A waste treatment facility according to claim 3.

7. The first crusher is, A low-speed rotary crusher equipped with a low-speed rotor that rotates at a predetermined speed, A high-speed rotary crusher is positioned downstream of the low-speed rotary crusher in the aforementioned transport path and is equipped with a high-speed rotor that rotates at a higher speed than the low-speed rotor, Includes, The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the sorting machine is transported to the high-speed rotary crusher, or to a location upstream of the high-speed rotary crusher in the transport path. A waste treatment facility according to claim 3.

8. The transfer mechanism is The waste sorted by the sorting machine is transferred to a receiving hopper into which the waste is fed along the transport path. A waste treatment facility according to claim 3.

9. A fire detection unit is placed in the middle of the transport route and detects the ignition of waste along the transport route. A fire extinguishing sprinkler unit is positioned in the middle of the transport route and sprays water onto the transport route when the fire detection unit detects ignition of waste, Equipped with, A waste treatment facility according to claim 1.

10. As the aforementioned dryer, Using the first crusher arranged along the transport path, The system further comprises a transfer mechanism for transferring waste from the upstream side of the sorting machine to the first crusher. A waste treatment facility according to claim 1.

11. The crushing process involves crushing waste using a crusher, A sorting step for sorting the waste crushed in the crushing step, A drying process in which the waste materials are dried before sorting in the aforementioned sorting process, including, Waste disposal methods.

12. The process further includes a transfer step of transferring the waste sorted in the sorting step to the crusher, In the drying process, The waste transported in the aforementioned transport process is dried by passing it through the crusher. The waste disposal method according to claim 11.

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