Method for treating silicic acid plant-based organic matter, treated silicic acid plant-based organic matter, treated rice husks, seedling raising material, and livestock oral intake composition

Abstract

To provide a method for treating a silicate plant-based organic matter efficiently and easily, and to provide a silicate plant-based organic processed product, processed rice husk, seedling material, and domestic animal oral intake composition that can be obtained efficiently and easily.SOLUTION: A method for treating a rice husk 11 as a silicate plant-based organic matter comprises a water containing step S1, a mixing step S2, and a contact treatment step S3. In the water containing step S1, the rice husk 11 is contained with water. In the mixing step S2, the rice husk 11 containing water is mixed with a siliceous shale 15 to obtain a rice husk mixture. In the contact treatment step S3, the rice husk mixture is brought into contact with superheated steam.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for treating a silicic acid plant-derived organic matter, a treated silicic acid plant-derived organic product, a treated rice husk product, a seedling raising material, and a livestock orally ingestible composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Many silicate plant organic materials such as rice husks and rice straw are difficult to decompose, and it takes a long time for them to become compost. Furthermore, when they are fermented with livestock manure, for example, the high water retention properties of rice husks and rice straw can cause odors.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes a technology for producing useful carbonized materials using waste materials containing large amounts of organic matter, such as rice husks, as raw materials. This technology involves carbonizing the processed organic matter, such as rice husks, in a carbonization device using superheated steam as a heat source. Patent Document 2 discloses a method for semi-carbonizing biomass in which hot air is blown onto rice husks as biomass under negative pressure. Patent Document 3 also discloses a method for producing silicic acid-containing powder in which rice husks or straw are placed in a treatment vessel, steam is injected into the vessel to increase the internal pressure and temperature, and the rice husks or straw are held under steam pressure to pulverize them without burning. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-159778 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-045078 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 3579417 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, carbonization and incineration reduce the carbon content, which can lead to the loss of compost function and the resulting inorganic mineral material. In other words, to prevent the loss of plant nutrient components, lowering the treatment temperature lengthens the treatment time. Therefore, other methods for efficiently treating silicate plant-based organic matter are desired. Furthermore, the method of Patent Document 3 requires precise setting of conditions, since the internal pressure in the treatment vessel is increased and the rice husks or straw are pulverized without being burned.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a method for processing silicic acid plant-based organic matter that efficiently and simply processes silicic acid plant-based organic matter, and to provide silicic acid plant-based organic treated products, processed rice husk products, seedling raising materials, and livestock oral intake compositions that can be obtained efficiently and simply. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The method for treating silicic acid plant organic matter of the present invention comprises a hydration step, a mixing step, and a contact treatment step. In the hydration step, water is added to silicic acid-containing silicic acid plant organic matter. In the mixing step, the hydrated silicic acid plant organic matter is mixed with siliceous shale to form a mixture. In the contact treatment step, the mixture is contacted with superheated steam.

[0008] The mixing step preferably involves mixing granular siliceous shale with the siliceous plant organic matter.

[0009] In the mixing step, when the mass of the siliceous plant organic material is M11, it is preferable that the siliceous shale be mixed with the siliceous plant organic material in an amount of M11×0.8 or more and M11×9 or less.

[0010] The method for treating silicic acid plant-based organic matter preferably further comprises, after the contact treatment step, an ultrasonic treatment step in which water is added to the mixture and then ultrasonic treatment is carried out.

[0011] In the ultrasonic treatment step, the ultrasonic frequency is preferably at most 45 kHz.

[0012] The above-mentioned method for treating a silicic acid plant-based organic matter is particularly effective when the silicic acid plant-based organic matter is rice husk.

[0013] The silicic acid plant-based organic treated product of the present invention is obtained by hydrating a silicic acid plant-based organic matter containing silicic acid, mixing the hydrated silicic acid plant-based organic matter with siliceous shale to form a mixture, and then contacting this mixture with superheated steam.

[0014] The processed rice husks and seedling raising materials of the present invention are obtained by bringing a mixture of siliceous shale and hydrated rice husks into contact with superheated steam.

[0015] The livestock oral ingestion composition of the present invention is orally ingested by livestock and is obtained by contacting a mixture of siliceous shale and hydrated rice husks with superheated steam. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the method for processing silicic plant organic matter of the present invention, silicic plant organic matter can be processed efficiently and simply, and the silicic plant organic treated product, treated rice husk product, seedling raising material and livestock oral intake composition of the present invention can be obtained efficiently and simply. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for treating rice husks. [Figure 2] 1 is an optical microscope image of a porous nanofiber. [Figure 3] 1 is an optical microscope image of the filtrate of the treated liquid that has been subjected to an ultrasonic treatment process. [Figure 4] Optical microscope image of a phytolith-siliceous shale complex. [Figure 5] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 6] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 7] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 8] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 9] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 10] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 11] This is an optical microscope image of opal phytoliths. [Figure 12] 1 is a graph showing the pore distribution curve of the raw material, siliceous shale. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a rice husk processing facility. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a contact treatment device. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the arrangement of supply pipes. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a contact treatment device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The rice husk processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is an example of a method for processing a silicic plant-based organic matter, and as shown in Figure 1, rice husks 11 are processed to produce a processed rice husk material 13. The resulting processed rice husk material 13 can be used as a seedling raising material for raising seedlings and as a livestock oral intake composition for oral ingestion by livestock. Therefore, this rice husk processing method is also a method for producing a seedling raising material and a livestock oral intake composition.

[0019] The rice husks 11 are outer skins that are removed from rice grains (hulled rice) during threshing. The rice husks 11 may contain materials removed during hulling in addition to the outer skins. The rice husks 11 are an example of a silicic plant organic matter containing silica Si(OH)4. Examples of silicic plants include grasses other than hulled rice, some ferns (e.g., club moss), and some horsetails, and these, when dried, can also be treated as silicic plant organic matter.

[0020] The rice husk processing method includes a water-containing step S1, a mixing step S2, and a contact treatment step S3. The rice husk processing method preferably further includes an ultrasonic treatment step S6 and a drying step S7.

[0021] In the hydration step S1, water is added to the rice husks 11. This inhibits carbonization of the rice husks 11 in the subsequent contact treatment step S3, and also promotes the destruction of the layer structure of the rice husks 11 and the decomposition of the rice husks 11. It is also believed that hydration of the rice husks 11 ensures that the opal phytoliths (SiO2·nH2O) in the silica layer of the rice husks 11 gel more reliably in the subsequent contact treatment step S3, which results in the opal phytoliths more easily entering the pores of the porous siliceous shale 15 that is mixed in the mixing step S2.

[0022] The water is not particularly limited, and in this example, considering that the processed rice husk material 13 will be used as a seedling raising material and a composition for oral ingestion for livestock, water of a purity sufficient for human consumption is used, such as tap water or deionized water. Other types of water include distilled water, ion-exchanged water, and RO water purified by a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane.

[0023] In the mixing step S2, the rice husks 11 that have been hydrated in the hydration step S1 are mixed with the siliceous shale 15 to produce a mixture (hereinafter referred to as the rice husk mixture). In the mixing step S2, the rice husks 11 and the siliceous shale 15 are preferably stirred so that they are uniformly mixed. The siliceous shale 15 is mixed with the rice husks 11 for the following purposes: to ensure that an endothermic reaction occurs and lasts a long time due to its hydration in the subsequent contact treatment step S3; to develop an oxidation catalyst function (oxidation catalyst function coupled with reduction) by reducing the siliceous shale 15 in the contact treatment step S3; and to more effectively polish the rice husks 11 in the ultrasonic treatment step S6. Details of the siliceous shale 15 will be described later.

[0024] In the mixing step S2, it is preferable to mix the siliceous shale 15 with the siliceous plant organic material (rice husks in this example) in a mass range of M11 × 0.8 to M11 × 9, where M11 is the mass in a dry state, e.g., after drying in a dryer. By setting the mass of the siliceous shale 15 to M11 × 0.8 or more, the phytoliths are reliably captured by the pores of the siliceous shale 15 in the contact treatment step S3, and the polishing function of the rice husks 11 in the rice husk mixture in the ultrasonic treatment step S6 works more effectively, resulting in more effective and efficient detachment of the outer and inner layers described below. On the other hand, setting the mass of the siliceous shale 15 to M11 × 9 or less makes it easier to produce the phytolith-siliceous shale composite described below compared to when the mass exceeds M11 × 9. The mass of the siliceous shale 15 is more preferably in the range of M11 or more and M11×5 or less, and even more preferably in the range of M11 or more and M11×4 or less.

[0025] In the contact treatment step S3, superheated steam is brought into contact with the rice husk mixture. This causes the outer skin (exodermis) to detach from the rice husks 11, exposing the phytoliths that make up the silicic acid layer below the rice husk phytoliths. The exposed phytoliths are then presumably covered by siliceous shale 15, and the phytoliths are trapped in the pores of the siliceous shale 15. Carbonization of the rice husk phytoliths detached from the rice husks 11 is suppressed compared to when the hydration step S1 is not performed. Furthermore, the detached rice husk phytoliths are finer than when they comprised the rice husks 11, which is considered to be a reduction in molecular weight. Because the rice husk phytoliths are thus finer, they can be applied to seeds (including seed potatoes) or seedlings by various methods, such as sprinkling them around the seeds or roots or applying them to the surface of the seed potatoes, and are more likely to decompose. Furthermore, when used in a composition for oral ingestion by livestock, this contributes to accelerating decomposition. Details of the contact treatment step S3 will be described later with reference to another drawing.

[0026] The ultrasonic treatment step S6 is performed after the contact treatment step S3. In the ultrasonic treatment step S6, water is added to the rice husk mixture that has been subjected to the contact treatment step S3, followed by ultrasonic treatment. This causes the solid components to be further refined into fine particles. In a mixture in which the solid phase remains below the liquid phase, the apparent volume of the lower solid phase decreases, the solid components are finely refined and dispersed, and the liquid phase changes to a suspended phase. Thus, the siliceous shale 15 that holds the plant opal in its pores, the rice husk husk, and the cytoplasmic husk that was present further inside the silica layer of the rice husk 11 are each further refined by the ultrasonic treatment step S6. When the liquid that has been subjected to the ultrasonic treatment step S6 is filtered through filter paper (No. 1 filter paper manufactured by Advantec Toyo Co., Ltd.), in this example, the suspended phase becomes the filtrate, and the porous nanofibers of the solid phase component remain as residue on the filter paper (see Figure 2). Observation of the filtrate under a microscope at 1000x to 2000x magnification confirmed the presence of fine particles exhibiting dispersibility. The fine particles obtained by drying the filtrate (see Figure 3) were confirmed to be so small that their particle size could not be measured using a transmission microscope. Furthermore, the siliceous shale 15, which has been converted into reduced siliceous shale through the contact treatment step S3 by ultrasonic treatment, has high reducibility. Reduced siliceous shale is siliceous shale in which some of the iron (Fe)-containing metal salts in the double salt structure have been reduced. The degree of reduction (degree of reduction) can be adjusted by adjusting the ultrasonic treatment time. The ultrasonic treatment step S6 is preferably performed until the apparent volume of the precipitated solid phase is observed to have substantially stopped decreasing. In other words, the ultrasonic treatment step S6 should be terminated when the decrease in the solids constituting the precipitated solid phase has stopped.

[0027] The ultrasonic frequency in the ultrasonic treatment step S6 is preferably at most 45 kHz, and the use of such low-frequency ultrasonic waves makes it easier to generate cavitation with reduced oxygen involvement compared to when ultrasonic waves of frequencies higher than 45 kHz are used, which makes it easier for the phytoliths to be detached from the cytoplasmic envelope, which is the porous nanofibers, while still held in the pores of the siliceous shale 15, resulting in separation into a phytolith-siliceous shale composite (hereinafter simply referred to as the "composite") in which the porous nanofibers and the phytoliths are held in the pores of the porous siliceous shale 15 (see Figure 4). From the perspective of ease of detachment, the ultrasonic frequency is more preferably in the range of 10 kHz to 45 kHz, and even more preferably in the range of 20 kHz to 30 kHz, and in this example it is set to 24 kHz.

[0028] The phytoliths separated from the cytoplasmic envelope by ultrasonic treatment undergo dehydration condensation of silanols, resulting in various forms, such as plates (see Figure 5), fibers (see Figure 6), feathers (see Figures 7 and 8), thin films (see Figure 9), and gels (see Figures 10 and 11). These forms can be adjusted by adjusting the ultrasonic frequency, water temperature, and treatment time. Since dehydration condensation produces soluble substances with different colors, it is believed that the properties of phytoliths change to those of general colloidal silica. It has been reported that gel-type silica is produced under hydrothermal reaction conditions using calcium silicate as a raw material. However, since gel-type phytoliths are also produced by contact treatment with superheated steam in the contact treatment step S3, it is believed that they are converted to gel-type silica under reducing conditions.

[0029] In the drying step S7, the rice husk mixture that has undergone ultrasonic treatment is dried to obtain a processed rice husk product 13. Note that processed rice husks that can be used as seedling raising materials and livestock oral intake compositions are obtained as the product of the contact treatment step S3, but the rice husk treatment method of this example includes the ultrasonic treatment step S6, and the drying step S7 is performed to remove the water used in the ultrasonic treatment step S6, so the product that has undergone the drying step S7 will be referred to as the processed rice husk product 13. The processed rice husk product 13 is a mixture of the above-mentioned complex, rice husk husks detached from the rice husks 11, and porous nanofibers derived from the cytoplasmic exodermis that were present inside the rice husks 11. Note that the processed rice husk product 13 may also contain siliceous shale 15 that does not retain (non-retain) phytopal.

[0030] Here, the siliceous shale 15 will be described. The siliceous shale 15 mixed with the rice husks 11 is preferably granular to improve the processing efficiency of the contact treatment step S3 and the ultrasonic treatment step S6, and granular shale is used in this example. The particle size (the largest diameter of the irregular particles) is not particularly limited, but considering a wide variety of applications, such as seedling raising materials and livestock oral intake compositions, it is preferable that it be at most 5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 100 μm to 2 mm. In this example, shale with a size in the range of approximately 500 μm to 1 mm is used. If siliceous shale is available only in large chunks (blocks) that cannot be considered granular, the rice husk processing step may include a crushing step in which the siliceous shale is crushed into granules. The crushing device (not shown) used in the crushing step is not particularly limited as long as it can crush the siliceous shale 15, and commercially available crushing devices may be used. Depending on the processing amount (amount to be crushed) of the siliceous shale 15, the target particle size, and other factors, a combination of at least two types of crushers (roller mills, jet mills, high-speed rotary crushers, container-driven mills, etc.) and crushers (jaw crushers, bucket crushers, dilute tri-crusher, cone crushers, double roll crushers, impact crushers, etc.) may be used. For example, an impact-type and a biaxial-type crusher manufactured by Horai Co., Ltd. may be combined with a high-speed rotary crusher to perform crushing that also adjusts the particle size. Instead of the siliceous shale 15, diatomaceous earth having mesopores or other natural ores having mesopores may be used.

[0031] The siliceous shale 15, which is the raw material, will now be described. The pores in the siliceous shale 15 are classified by the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) as follows: micropores (pores with a pore diameter of 2 nm or less), mesopores (pores with a pore diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm), and macropores (pores with a pore diameter of 50 nm or more). Based on this classification, the siliceous shale 15 has all of the micropores, mesopores, and macropores, and these all exist together. From the pore distribution curve described below, it can be inferred that mesopores are formed on the inner wall surfaces that define the macropores, and that micropores are formed on the inner wall surfaces that define the mesopores. Note that mesopores and micropores may exist independently in the siliceous shale 15, and some micropores may also be formed on the inner wall surfaces of macropores.

[0032] Microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) may be attached to the inner walls that define the pores of siliceous shale, and the size of the pores in siliceous shale cannot be measured without taking into account the presence or absence of these attachments. Therefore, there may be a slight difference between the measurement results of the pore size of the siliceous shale 15 used as the raw material in this example and the measurement results of the pore size of the porous material component derived from siliceous shale 15 contained in the resulting treated rice husk product 13. However, since the contact treatment with superheated steam removes attachments such as microorganisms but does not remove the components of siliceous shale 15 themselves, the size of the pores in the porous material component can be considered to be the same as the size of the pores in the raw siliceous shale 15.

[0033] The pore radius of the raw material siliceous shale 15 is at most 10 μm. As shown in FIG. 12, in the pore distribution curve showing the relationship between the pore radius and the pore volume, the pore radius of the siliceous shale 15 is in the first range of 0 nm to 10 nm, with a maximum of 0.02 cm. 3 The first peak exceeds / g, and the second range is 0.02 cm in the range of 100 nm to 10 μm. 3 / g. Therefore, the pore radius of the siliceous shale 15, which is a porous material component contained in the processed rice husk material 13, is also at most 10 μm. The pore distribution curve shown in Figure 2 is data for the pressurized siliceous shale 15, but the Horonobe Geoenvironment Research Institute (public) has reported that pressurization does not affect the pore distribution, which consists of macropores, mesopores, and micropores. The vertical axis of Figure 2 is the pore volume, and the horizontal axis is the pore radius, which are expressed in logarithmic scale.

[0034] Geographically, siliceous shale is classified as a type of diatomaceous earth, and it is generally known that diatomaceous earth also has pores. Wakkanai siliceous shale and the main diatomaceous earths produced in Japan each have the pore characteristics shown in Table 1. The "average specific surface area of ​​diatomaceous earth" in Table 1 is the average value (av1) of the specific surface area x1 of four types of diatomaceous earth: Akita diatomaceous earth, Ishikawa diatomaceous earth, Okayama diatomaceous earth, and Oita diatomaceous earth. The "ratio of specific surface area to the average diatomaceous earth" is calculated using the formula x1 / av1. The "average pore volume of diatomaceous earth" in Table 1 is the average value (av2) of the pore volume x2 of the four types of diatomaceous earth. The "ratio of pore volume to the average diatomaceous earth" is calculated using the formula x2 / av2. The "average pore radius of diatomite" in Table 1 is the average value of the average pore radius x3 for each of the four types of diatomite (av3). The "ratio of average pore radius to the average diatomite" is calculated using the formula x3 / av3. Table 1 is an excerpt from a report submitted to Horonobe Gravel Co., Ltd. (now Cerea Co., Ltd.) by the Horonobe Geo-Environment Research Institute, a public interest incorporated foundation, after the Horonobe Gravel Co., Ltd. (now Cerea Co., Ltd.) requested the Hokkaido Science and Technology Center (Horonobe Geo-Environment Research Institute) to analyze molded siliceous shale. The hard shale from the Wakkanai Formation in Kamihoronobe, Horonobe Town, has the basic properties shown in Table 2. Table 2 is based on the above-mentioned report from the Horonobe Geo-Environment Research Institute. The "Wakkanai Formation siliceous shale" in Table 1 and the "Kamihoronobe Hard Shale" in Table 2 refer to the hard shale from the Wakkanai Formation in Kamihoronobe, Horonobe Town, and is the siliceous shale 15 used in this example. In this example, siliceous shale from the Wakkanai Formation in Kamihorobe, Horonobe Town, Hokkaido, is used as the siliceous shale 15. However, the siliceous shale used as the raw material is not limited to the siliceous shale 15 of this example, and may be, for example, diatomaceous earth and siliceous shale that do not have the second peak described above, or diatomaceous earth and siliceous shale that have a peak in the first range of pore radii greater than 0 nm and less than 10 nm, but the peak is less than 0.02 cm.3 Diatomaceous earth and siliceous shale having a pore size less than 1 / g may also be used.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] [Table 2]

[0037] Although the siliceous shale 15 is not particularly limited, it is preferable to use the Wakkanai Formation siliceous shale mentioned above because it has the above-mentioned pores. The physical properties of the siliceous shale 15 used in this example are shown in Table 3. The physical property values ​​shown in Table 3 are a summary of the results of analysis by the Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute and the Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station (now part of the Hokkaido Research Organization, a local independent administrative institution).

[0038] The "water absorption rate" in Table 3 is the result of analysis conducted at the Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute. The analysis method involved drying the sample, allowing it to absorb water for 24 hours, removing the surface moisture, and then measuring the sample's weight. The sample was then dried for 8 hours in a dryer set at 150°C, and the weight of the dried sample was measured. The water absorption rate was calculated from the weight before and after drying. There were two types of samples: one with a particle size of 1 mm and one with a particle size of 8 mm. The water absorption rate for the 1 mm particle size was the average value of the water absorption rate of two samples, and the water absorption rate for the 8 mm particle size was the average value of the water absorption rate of four samples.

[0039] The "moisture absorption rate" in Table 3 is the result of analysis conducted by the Hokkaido Prefectural Industrial Research Institute (Industrial Research Institute Result No. 193123). The test method involved precisely weighing 1g of bone-dry sample into a weighing bottle, placing it in a constant temperature, constant humidity chamber at a constant temperature of 25°C, and changing the humidity between 90% RH and 50% RH every 24 hours. The mass of the sample in each atmosphere was measured, and the moisture absorption rate was calculated using the following formula. Moisture absorption rate (%) = 100 x moisture absorption amount / absolute dry mass

[0040] The "base exchange capacity" in Table 3 is the result of analysis conducted by the Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station (No. 1-42). The analytical method is based on "Diagnostic Criteria for Soil and Crop Nutrition - Analytical Method (Revised Edition)" (Hokkaido Agriculture Department, Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station, 1992). This analytical method (soil analysis method) uses ammonium acetate extraction - Schöllenberger method - formol titration.

[0041] The "available moisture content" in Table 3 is the result of analysis conducted by the Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station (Chuo No Kanpo No. 1-37). The analytical method is based on the "Diagnostic Criteria for Soil and Crop Nutrition - Analytical Method (Revised Edition)" (Hokkaido Prefectural Agriculture Department, Hokkaido Central Agricultural Experiment Station, 1992). In this analytical method (soil analysis method), the actual sample was placed in a 100 ml soil sampling tube, saturated with water, and then the gas phase was measured using a three-phase meter. Subsequently, measurements were made at the pF3 stage using the centrifuge method. Finally, the soil was thermally dried at 105°C, and the moisture content was measured. The moisture content at pF0 was calculated by adding the moisture content at saturated water level and the proportion of the gas phase.

[0042] [Table 3]

[0043] The processed rice husk material 13 can be obtained, for example, by a rice husk processing facility (hereinafter simply referred to as "processing facility") 31 shown in Figure 13. The processing facility 31 processes rice husks 11 to obtain the processed rice husk material 13, and also serves as a facility for producing seedling raising materials and a facility for producing a composition for oral ingestion by livestock.

[0044] The treatment facility 31 includes a water-containing mixer 32 and a superheated steam contact treatment device (hereinafter simply referred to as "contact treatment device") 33 for the contact treatment step S3. The treatment facility 31 includes an ultrasonic treatment device 34 when the ultrasonic treatment step S6 is performed as in this example, and a drying device 35 when the drying step S7 is performed.

[0045] The wet mixer 32 is for the wet step S1 and the mixing step S2, and soaks the rice husks 11 in water 36 and mixes them with the siliceous shale 15 to form a rice husk mixture. Instead of the wet mixer 32, a wet device (not shown) for the wet step S1 and a mixer (not shown) for the mixing step S2 may be used.

[0046] The wet mixer 32 includes a container (not shown) for containing rice husks 11, water 36, and siliceous shale 15, and an agitator (not shown) for agitating the contents contained in the container. The agitator includes, for example, an agitator blade (not shown) disposed within the container, a rod-shaped support member (not shown) that supports the agitator blade and is fixed to the circumferential surface of the support member, and a drive unit (not shown) that rotates the support member circumferentially to rotate the agitator blade within the container. The wet mixer 32 performs the water-imparting step S1 by, for example, placing rice husks 11 and water 36 in the container of the wet mixer 32 and leaving it to stand for, for example, 24 hours to allow the rice husks 11 to retain (absorb) water. It is preferable that the water 36 be placed in the container so that the entire rice husks 11 are submerged in the water. The mixing step S2 is performed by adding the siliceous shale 15 to the container containing the water-imparted rice husks 11 and agitating with the agitator blade. If some of the water 36 introduced into the container during the water-retaining step S1 remains unabsorbed by the rice husks 11, the mixing step S2 can be performed without discharging the water from the container. In this case, it is preferable to retain the water within the pores of the porous siliceous shale 15. Furthermore, additional water 36 may be added during the mixing step S2 to ensure sufficient water retention within the siliceous shale 15. By retaining water within the siliceous shale 15, an oxygen-inhibiting atmosphere is created within the pores of the siliceous shale 15 during the contact treatment in the contact treatment step S3, suppressing oxidation of the siliceous shale 15 and ensuring a reduced siliceous shale. This activates the catalyst. The agitator blades may be placed in the container at the start of the mixing step S2, and may remain in the container during the water-retaining step S1.

[0047] The contact treatment device 33 is for the contact treatment step S3. Either a batch type contact treatment device or a continuous type contact treatment device can be used as the contact treatment device, and the contact treatment device 33 is of the batch type. The contact treatment device 33 is composed of a contact treatment section 37, a superheated steam supply section 38, etc. The superheated steam supply section 38 is for supplying superheated steam to the contact treatment section 37 and is connected to the contact treatment section 37. The contact treatment section 37 brings the superheated steam supplied by the superheated steam supply section 38 into contact with the rice husk mixture containing water 36, thereby raising the temperature of the rice husk mixture. As a result, the layer structure of the rice husks 11 contained in the rice husk mixture is destroyed while carbonization is suppressed, and the rice husk husks are decomposed.

[0048] The superheated steam supply unit 38 is provided in the contact treatment device 33, but the superheated steam supply unit 38 may be an external device provided outside the contact treatment device 33 as long as it is connected to the contact treatment unit 37. Details of the contact treatment device 33 will be described later using another drawing.

[0049] The ultrasonic treatment device 34 includes a container (not shown) for containing the rice husk mixture that has been through the contact treatment step S3, a plurality of ultrasonic oscillators (not shown) provided in the container, and a control unit (not shown) that causes the ultrasonic oscillators to emit ultrasonic waves of a predetermined frequency to subject the contents of the container to ultrasonic treatment. In the ultrasonic treatment step S6, water 36 and the rice husk mixture that has been through the contact treatment step S3 are placed in the container of the ultrasonic treatment device 34, and ultrasonic waves are emitted to subject the contents of the container to ultrasonic treatment. A commercially available ultrasonic treatment device 34 may be used, and in this example, a commercially available product (CGOLDENWALL Ultrasonic NBK ultrasonic homogenizer, 16 mm probe (24 kHz)) is used.

[0050] The drying device 35 is for the drying step S7. As the drying device 35, any commercially available device such as a constant temperature dryer may be used as long as it can dry the object to be dried, and in this example, a commercially available device (constant temperature dryer DY300, manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd.) is used.

[0051] The contact treatment device 33 will be described with reference to FIG. 14. The superheated steam supply unit 38 is an example of an apparatus that performs the contact treatment step S3 (see FIG. 1). The contact treatment device 33 includes a steam generation unit 51 that generates superheated steam 23 from liquid water, a valve 52, and a controller 53 that controls the steam generation unit 51 and the valve 52. Liquid water is supplied to the steam generation unit 51, and the amount of superheated steam 23 generated and the temperature of the superheated steam 23 are adjusted under the control of the controller 53. The opening degree (including opening and closing) of the valve 52 is controlled by the controller 53, thereby adjusting the flow rate (supply flow rate) of the superheated steam 23 supplied to the contact treatment unit 37. Note that the flow rate of the superheated steam supplied to the contact treatment unit 37 may be adjusted by maintaining the valve 52 at a constant opening degree, for example, fully open, and adjusting the generation rate of the superheated steam 23 in the steam generation unit 51.

[0052] The contact treatment section 37 includes a treatment section main body 56 and a support base 57 that supports the treatment section main body 56. The treatment section main body 56 includes three mounting devices 58A-58C on which the rice husk mixture is placed, a plate-shaped support member 61 that supports the mounting devices 58A-58C, and a supply pipe 62 that supplies superheated steam 23 to the mounting devices 58A-58C. The three mounting devices 58A-58C are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, i.e., the top-bottom direction, and are designated by the reference numerals 58A, 58B, and 58C from bottom to top. In the following description, when the mounting devices 58A-58C are not to be distinguished, they will be referred to as mounting devices 58. When multiple mounting devices 58 are arranged, it is preferable to install them at intervals in the vertical direction, as in this example. The number of mounting devices 58 is not limited and may be determined depending on the amount of the rice husk mixture to be subjected to the contact treatment step S3, etc.

[0053] A pair of support members 61 are provided to support the mounting device 58. In this example, the support members 61 are provided on the support base 57 in order to position the supply pipe 62 so that the outlet 62о for the superheated steam 23, which is the tip opening of the supply pipe 62, is located below the mounting device 58A. The support members 61 are fixed to the support base 57 in an upright position, and protrusions 61a for supporting the mounting device 58 are formed on the opposing walls of the pair of support members 61. The protrusions 61a of the pair of support members 61 are set to the same height, and the mounting device 58 is supported in a state where it is floating above the floor surface while maintaining its posture. The shape of the protrusions 61a is not particularly limited, and in this example, they are formed to extend horizontally, and the mounting device 58 slides along the protrusions 61a, making it detachable from the support members 61. The direction in which the pair of support members 61 face each other is defined as the X direction.

[0054] The holder 58 is formed in a box shape with an open top, and includes a mesh member 58a and a frame 58b that supports the mesh member 58a under tension. The holder 58 has external dimensions of 60 cm x 40 cm x 8 cm high, but the size of the holder 58 is not particularly limited. The frame 58b stands upright at an angle to the mesh member 58a, so that it is supported by the protrusions 61a and prevents the placed rice husk mixture from falling from the holder 58. However, since the rice husk mixture is less likely to fall when the amount of rice husk mixture placed is small, a horizontally flat frame similar to the mesh member 58a may be used instead of the frame 58b, depending on the possibility of it falling.

[0055] The mesh member 58a holds the rice husk mixture and guides the superheated steam 23 from below to the rice husk mixture. The mesh member 58a has a plurality of meshes as through-holes that penetrate in the thickness direction, and each of these meshes allows the superheated steam 23 to pass through. In this example, the superheated steam 23 is discharged from the outlet 62o of the supply pipe 62 toward the lower surface of the mounting device 58A, as described below, and is guided to the upper surface side of the mounting device 58 by the meshes of the mesh member 58a. As a result, the superheated steam 23 comes into contact with the rice husk mixture on the mesh member 58a. In this way, the mounting device 58 functions as a support member that supports the rice husk mixture while the superheated steam 23 is contacting it, and the meshes function as a guide path that guides the discharged superheated steam 23 to the rice husk mixture. Note that although the mesh member 58a is rectangular, it may have a shape other than rectangular, for example, a circular shape.

[0056] The mesh member 58a is, for example, a net made of metal, and the frame 58b is also made of metal. There are no particular limitations on the metal as long as it can maintain its shape without melting when it comes into contact with the superheated steam 23. In this example, the material of the mesh member 58a and the frame 58b is stainless steel. Since the mesh member 58a functions as a support member for supporting the rice husk mixture, the mesh size is set to prevent the rice husk mixture from passing through. If the rice husk mixture does pass through, multiple mesh members 58a may be stacked in the thickness direction with the mesh sizes offset from each other, forming mesh sizes smaller than the mesh sizes of the multiple mesh members 58a. The mesh members 58a are set to a size that prevents the rice husk mixture from passing through.

[0057] The mesh member 58a is an example of a porous member, and the porous member is not limited to the mesh member 58a. For example, a porous plate obtained by forming a plurality of holes in a metal plate by, for example, punching may be used. Furthermore, a plurality of porous plates may be stacked in the thickness direction, or a porous plate and the mesh member 58a may be stacked in the thickness direction.

[0058] The supply pipe 62 is connected to the superheated steam supply unit 38, and is arranged so that the outlet 62о faces the underside of the mounting device 58. When a plurality of mounting devices 58 are provided as in this example, the supply pipe 62 may be installed below each of the plurality of mounting devices 58, with the outlet 62о facing the underside of each. However, since the superheated steam 23 flows upward when it is discharged from the outlet 62о, even if the supply pipe 62 is arranged only on the lowest mounting device 38A of the plurality of mounting devices 58, it is sufficient because the superheated steam 23 is guided to the granular mixture on all of the mounting devices 58A to 58C.

[0059] In this example, two supply pipes 62 are provided below each of the pair of support members 61 so as to face each other in one of two directions intersecting on a horizontal plane, and each outlet 62о is located inside the support members 61 in the X direction (see FIG. 15). As a result, the superheated steam 23 emitted from the outlet 62о is guided upward between the pair of support members 61 by the plate-shaped support members 61. Therefore, the superheated steam 23 is guided and contacts the rice husk mixture placed on the mounting devices 58A to 58C, and the delivered superheated steam 23 is used without waste in contact with the rice husk mixture. Furthermore, with this configuration, since the superheated steam is supplied upward from below, the temperature in the treatment space is likely to be uniform even for a rice husk mixture containing a lot of water, and the rice husk mixture is more evenly contacted and treated.

[0060] When the rice husk mixture is brought into contact with the superheated steam 23, the rice husk mixture is heated to the center of each grain, and the liquid water 36 (see FIG. 13) contained in the rice husk mixture turns into gaseous water, i.e., steam. By bringing the superheated steam 23 into contact with the rice husk mixture containing water 36, a processed rice husk product 13 is obtained in which the rice husk outer husks have been decomposed to the extent that the rice husks have a soft texture and do not have the hard texture of the rice husks 11.

[0061] The temperature of the processing space is more preferably in the range of 160°C to 400°C, even more preferably in the range of 180°C to 400°C, and particularly preferably in the range of 200°C to 370°C. The temperature of the processing space may be determined by detecting the temperature around the mounting table 58, and this detected temperature may be regarded as the temperature of the processing space. The temperature around the mounting table 58 can be detected, for example, by providing a temperature sensor (not shown) on the wall surface of the support member 61 on the side where the mounting tool 58 is installed.

[0062] The maximum flow rate of the superheated steam 23 generated in the steam generator 51 varies depending on the temperature of the superheated steam 23, and the degree of this change differs depending on the steam generator 51 used. For example, there is a steam generator 51 in which the flow rate increases by 1.5 times when the temperature of the superheated steam 23 drops by 100°C. In addition, flow rate adjustment has poor reproducibility. For this reason, the temperature of the superheated steam 23 and the amount of liquid water used to generate the superheated steam 23 are kept constant.

[0063] The temperature of the supplied superheated steam 23 depends not only on the temperature of the steam adjusted in the steam generator 51 but also on the flow rate adjusted by controlling the aperture of the valve 52. Therefore, it is preferable to more precisely control the temperature of the superheated steam 23 by controlling the aperture of the valve 52, as is done in this embodiment. Specifically, the aperture of the valve 52 may be adjusted by the controller 53 based on the detection result of the aforementioned temperature sensor (not shown) provided on the support member 61, for example. To increase the temperature of the superheated steam 23, the aperture of the valve 52 is adjusted to be smaller, and to decrease the temperature, the aperture is adjusted to be larger. The temperature of the superheated steam 23 may decrease between when it is generated in the steam generator 51 and when it reaches the mounting device 58. In such a case, the temperature of the superheated steam delivered from the steam generator 51 may be adjusted by the steam generator 51, taking into account the decrease in temperature.

[0064] In order to further improve the efficiency of contact treatment by contact with superheated steam 23 and to further promote the decomposition of rice husks 11 contained in the rice husk mixture, it is preferable to make the distance between the discharge outlet 62о and the lowest placing device 58A as small as possible.

[0065] The plate-like support member 61 may be, for example, a columnar (rod-like) member in an upright position from the viewpoint of supporting the mounting device 58. In the case of such a columnar support member or when the support member 61 of this example is used, the space between the support members is open, so the contact treatment space in which the contact treatment between the superheated steam 23 and the rice husk mixture is carried out is an open system. The contact treatment space may also be a closed system separated from the external space. In the case of a closed system, for example, a box-shaped partition member may be used that surrounds the mounting device 58 and separates the contact treatment space from the external space. The bottom surface of this partition member may be open to allow the introduction of the superheated steam 23. The top surface of this partition member may be closed, but in order to promote the discharge of water vapor resulting from evaporation of the water 36, an opening may be provided in the top surface of the partition member, and the water vapor may be naturally discharged from the opening, or a suction mechanism for sucking gas into the opening may be provided to suck the water vapor. The position of the supply pipe 62 may be above the uppermost mounting device 58C among the mounting devices 58. However, from the viewpoint of more effectively discharging the water contained in the rice husk mixture to the outside of the treatment space when it evaporates, it is preferable to arrange the supply pipe 62 below the mounting device 58A.

[0066] The time for which the superheated steam 23 is in contact with the rice husk mixture, i.e., the time for the contact treatment step S3, is not particularly limited, but is preferably at least 10 minutes, which further promotes the decomposition of the rice husks 11. The time for the contact treatment step S3 is more preferably at least 15 minutes.

[0067] The treatment facility 31 is equipped with the above-mentioned batch-type contact treatment device 33, but may also be equipped with a continuous contact treatment device instead of the contact treatment device 33. In Fig. 16, the continuous contact treatment device 85 is not particularly limited as long as it can bring superheated steam into contact with the rice husk mixture 80, which is the treatment object. The contact treatment device 85 is a conveyor-type contact treatment device equipped with a transport section 86 that transports the rice husk mixture 80 and a contact treatment section 87 that brings superheated steam 23 (see Fig. 7) into contact with the rice husk mixture 80 during transport.

[0068] The conveying section 86 includes a long, annular belt-shaped conveying belt 90 on which the rice husk mixture 80 is placed, a hopper 91 that supplies the rice husk mixture 80 to the conveying belt 90 from above, and a plurality of rollers 92a-92i that support the conveying belt 90 and form a conveying path, at least one of the rollers 92a-92i being a drive roller having a motor 93. In FIG. 16, the upstream-most roller 92a and the downstream-most roller 92i in the conveying direction of the rice husk mixture 80 (hereinafter simply referred to as the conveying direction) are depicted as drive rollers. The conveying section 86 further includes a drive controller 94 that rotates the drive roller in a circumferential direction by the motor 93, a collection container 96, and the like. By rotating the drive roller by the drive controller 94, the annular conveying belt 90 that is in contact with the circumferential surface of the drive roller runs in a circular motion. As a result, the rice husk mixture 80 placed on the conveyor belt 90 from the hopper 91 is transported and collected in a collection container 96 provided below one end of the travel path of the conveyor belt 90.

[0069] The conveyor belt 90 is a long, annular mesh member 58a (see FIG. 14). The contact treatment section 87 is provided to form a treatment space above the conveyor belt 90, in which the superheated steam 23 is brought into contact with the granular mixture 80. In this example, a pair of support members 61 in the contact treatment section 37 are provided in an upright position on both ends of the width direction of the conveyor belt 90 to form the treatment space. The support members 61 in this example are intended to separate and form the treatment space from the external space. The length L61 of the support members 61 in the conveying direction may be set appropriately depending on the length of the conveying path, the conveying speed, etc. Furthermore, a top plate may be provided above the pair of support members 61 to form the treatment space in a tunnel shape.

[0070] A pair of supply pipes 62 for supplying superheated steam 23 to the treatment space are provided below the conveyor belt 90 and on both sides of the conveyor belt 90 in the width direction. As in the contact treatment section 37, the supply pipe 62 below the support member 61 is arranged in an upwardly inclined position so that the outlet 62о (see Figure 7) for discharging the superheated steam 23 faces the underside of the conveyor belt 90 on which the rice husk mixture 80 is placed. As a result, the superheated steam 23 coming out of the outlet 62о passes through the mesh of the conveyor belt 90 and comes into contact with the rice husk mixture 80 on the conveyor belt 90. In this way, the treatment space is formed on the conveyor belt. In this example, there is one supply pipe 62 in the conveying direction, but there may be two or more.

[0071] In this example, the temperature of the superheated steam 23, the amount of superheated steam 23 generated per hour, and the temperature at the discharge port 62о are fixed. However, the temperature at the outlet of the treatment space (the downstream end of the support member 61 in the conveying direction) varies depending on the moisture content of the rice husk mixture 80. The inlet temperature is preferably at least 160°C, i.e., 160°C or higher. From the viewpoint of the treatment efficiency of the rice husk mixture 80 containing organic rice husks 11, the inlet temperature is more preferably in the range of 160°C to 400°C, even more preferably in the range of 180°C to 400°C, and particularly preferably in the range of 200°C to 370°C. If the outlet temperature cannot be detected, a temperature sensor (not shown) may be installed on the top of the conveyor belt 90 or on the inner surface of the support member 61 in the width direction of the conveyor belt 90 to detect the temperature around the conveyor belt 90, and this detected temperature may be regarded as the outlet temperature. It is desirable to install temperature sensors both at the discharge port 62о and at the outlet.

[0072] The temperature of the superheated steam 23 and the amount of liquid water required to generate the superheated steam 23 are constant. Under these constant conditions, the outlet temperature changes depending on the moisture content of the rice husk mixture. Using the change in the outlet temperature as an indicator, the outlet temperature decreases after treatment begins and then eventually rises. Until this rise begins, decomposition of organic matter primarily progresses. From the time the outlet temperature begins to rise until it reaches approximately the inlet temperature, the rice husk mixture 80 is dried and partially roasted (reduction roasting, in which the component siliceous shale is reduced). For organic matter decomposition, it is preferable to set the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 90, etc., taking into consideration the temperature of the discharge outlet 62o, the contact treatment with the superheated steam 23 at a high moisture content, and the timing of removal depending on the change in the outlet temperature. With the above configuration, rice husks 11 are efficiently and simply processed, and the resulting processed rice husk material 13 is useful as seedling raising material and a composition for oral consumption by livestock.

[0073] [Evaluation experiment 1] The resulting processed rice husk material 13 was a fine particle, and could be manufactured with any volumetric ratio of the composite within the range of 20% to 50%. Therefore, processed rice husk material 13 with a volumetric ratio of the composite of 50% was manufactured. This processed rice husk material 13 was evaluated as a seedling-raising material. Specifically, it was used as a seed treatment agent by coating both parent and seeds of a crop in which the vegetative bodies are planted as seeds, and the growth of the seedlings was observed. Experiments were limited to crop species in urgent need of field improvement. Cut potato seed potatoes and garlic were selected as the parent crops, and strawberry and rice were selected as the seeds. The following materials were used instead of processed rice husk material 13 in comparative and control experiments for potato, garlic, and strawberry, and in comparative experiments for rice. In the comparative experiment, siliceous shale 15 containing 20 w / w% hydrothermally treated rice husks was used, and the moisture-containing step S1 was not performed; other conditions were the same as in evaluation experiment 1. The hydrothermal reaction treatment was carried out by adding water in an amount twice the mass of the rice husks while stirring the rice husks 11, then introducing once-through boiler steam and treating for 20 minutes under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions of 190°C at a pressure between 1.93 MPa and 2.03 MPa, followed by ventilation drying. The moisture content of the rice husks obtained by this hydrothermal reaction treatment was approximately 20%. Granular siliceous shale 15 was used in the control experiment.

[0074] 1-1. Garlic The experiment was conducted in Yamato Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, in 2021. Seeds were planted in late August. A soil temperature of 15-20°C is considered optimal for rooting, but during the experiment, there were several days that were unsuitable for rooting, with an average daily temperature of 25.6°C, an average daily maximum temperature of 29.2°C, and an average daily minimum temperature of 22.5°C. When the germination rate was evaluated, the planting hole treatment in this evaluation experiment showed a germination rate of over 85%. In contrast, the germination rate in the comparison experiment was approximately 40%, and the germination rate in the control experiment was only 40%.

[0075] 1-2. Potatoes Tubers were planted in Hyogo Prefecture on August 10, 2021, and the germination rate of tuber-bed treatment was evaluated. After planting, rainfall occurred twice, flooding the furrows. On August 18, 100% decay was confirmed in the control experiment, and 95% decay was confirmed in the comparative experiment. However, the evaluation experiment in this example showed lower results, with decay suppressed to 90%.

[0076] Additionally, in Hyogo Prefecture, tubers were divided, and on August 25, 2021, the divided surfaces were coated with processed rice husk material 13. The tubers were then dried and placed on the soil, and the germination rate was evaluated on September 12. The results showed a germination rate of 5% in the control experiment, 72% in the comparative experiment, and 85% in the evaluation experiment of this example. Comparing the comparative experiment and the evaluation experiment of this example, it was found that in the evaluation experiment of this example, roots were formed before sprouting, whereas in the comparative experiment, many tubers sprouted before rooting. Furthermore, in the comparative experiment, only the thick root grew, whereas in the evaluation experiment of this example, the growth of the thick root was controlled by the formation of lateral roots from the thick root, resulting in a high ability to form a root ball. In the evaluation experiment of this example, all plants were grown well. In the evaluation experiment of this example, the harvest yield was evaluated on November 29th in an area of ​​10 a (are, 10 a = 10 x 100 m). 2 The yield was 1.79 tonnes per 10 ares. In the comparative experiment, 20% of the plants withered and disappeared, or died, resulting in a missing plant assessment. The estimated yield on November 29 was 0.95 tonnes per 10 ares. The root morphology in this experiment differed from that in the comparative experiment, suggesting that the endogenous hormones induced to break tuber dormancy were different. In the control experiment, no tubers were harvested, resulting in a zero yield. While crops such as potatoes first root and then germinate, this evaluation experiment showed that root elongation was initiated, leading to the differentiation of lateral roots. Therefore, auxin inhibits cytokinin, which is induced in the roots, and thus lateral roots are likely induced. This lateral root induction function makes processed rice husk material 13 effective in suppressing physiological damage caused by global warming in fruit trees, fruit vegetables, tuberous root crops, tuber crops, and bulb crops.

[0077] 1-3. Strawberries The application of the product as a seed treatment was evaluated in a germination test using seeds isolated from the surface of strawberry fruit, which are typically propagated by seedling collection. Seeds coated with treated rice husk product 13 were sown directly into cultivation pots in 2021. Even if roots were formed, germination was expected to be difficult due to microbial proliferation that would inhibit root growth. However, 30 days later, on December 1st, 11 of 15 seeds germinated, and the seeds subsequently grew well without any problems due to fertilization. In contrast, in a comparative test, only 2 of 15 seeds germinated after 30 days, but no further germination was observed thereafter. In the control experiment, no germination was observed as of December 1st, and no further germination was observed thereafter.

[0078] 1-4. Paddy rice The treated rice husks 13 were mixed into the nursery soil for cultivating rice, and the growth of the rice was evaluated in Yamato Town, Kumamoto Prefecture. Until the evaluation test of this example was conducted, the rice had been prone to lodging before harvesting, but in the evaluation test of this example, the growth of the roots was promoted, and the stems were short, so-called short culms, and the rice was grown in a field of 60 a (= 60 × 100 m). 2 The average milled rice weight per 10a was 480kg. On the other hand, the average milled rice weight per 60a in the comparative experiment was 350kg, and a significant difference was observed between the evaluation experiment of this example and the comparative experiment. Furthermore, there was a lot of sterility in the neighboring areas during the same period, and the average milled rice weight in the area per 10a was 290kg, a significant decrease compared to the previous year, 2020. The evaluation experiment of this example showed that processed rice husk material 13 resulted in a tillering type harvest and was extremely effective under abnormal weather conditions.

[0079] [Evaluation Test 2] In an experiment to test its use in the livestock industry, the obtained fine particles of processed rice husks 13 were evaluated as a composition for oral ingestion by livestock. Specifically, the evaluation was conducted to see whether livestock animals would orally ingest the product, and whether the animals' belching (also called "burping") would be suppressed if they orally ingested it. Cattle were selected as the livestock animals. As a result, the cattle orally ingested the processed rice husks 13, and no decrease in appetite was observed. Furthermore, the amount of belching was significantly less than when the processed rice husks 13 were not orally ingested.

[0080] Possible methods for reducing belching in livestock include controlling the rate of carbohydrate digestion, controlling intestinal absorption to a higher level than carbohydrate breakdown, and utilizing human intestinal gas reduction therapy. The complex contained in the rice husk processed material 13 used in this evaluation test is a composite of reduced siliceous shale and opal phytoliths, and is characterized by its existence as hydrophobic microparticles under hydrated conditions. Reduced siliceous shale and opal phytoliths each exist as solids in nature and also in aqueous solutions. In contrast, the complex that constitutes the rice husk processed material 13 exists as a solid upon drying, but exists as a dispersible suspension in aqueous solutions. The reduction in belching suggests that its specific surface area in the intestine is significantly higher than that of the individual components when present separately. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 11 Rice husks 13 Processed rice husks 15 Siliceous shale 31 Processing facilities 32 Water-containing mixing device 33, 85 Contact treatment equipment 34 Ultrasonic processing equipment 36 water 80 Rice husk mixture S1 Hydration process S2 mixing process S3 Contact treatment process S6 Ultrasonication process

Claims

1. a hydration step of hydrating a silicic acid plant-based organic matter containing silicic acid; a mixing step of mixing the hydrated siliceous plant organic matter with siliceous shale to form a mixture; a contact treatment step of contacting the mixture with superheated steam; A method for treating silicic acid plant-based organic matter, comprising:

2. 2. The method for treating siliceous plant-based organic matter according to claim 1, wherein the mixing step comprises mixing the granular siliceous shale with the siliceous plant-based organic matter.

3. A method for processing siliceous plant-based organic matter as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the mixing step involves mixing the siliceous shale with the siliceous plant-based organic matter in an amount ranging from M11 x 0.8 to M11 x 9, where M11 is the mass of the siliceous plant-based organic matter.

4. A method for treating silica plant-based organic matter as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an ultrasonic treatment step in which, after the contact treatment step, water is added to the mixture and then ultrasonic treatment is performed.

5. 5. The method for treating silicic acid plant-based organic matter according to claim 4, wherein the ultrasonic frequency in the ultrasonic treatment step is at most 45 kHz.

6. 6. The method for treating a silicic acid plant-based organic matter according to claim 1, wherein the silicic acid plant-based organic matter is rice husk.

7. A treated silicic acid plant-based organic material is obtained by hydrating a silicic acid plant-based organic material containing silicic acid, mixing the hydrated silicic acid plant-based organic material with siliceous shale to form a mixture, and contacting the mixture with superheated steam.

8. A processed rice husk product obtained by contacting a mixture of siliceous shale and hydrated rice husks with superheated steam.

9. A seedling raising material obtained by contacting a mixture of siliceous shale and hydrated rice husks with superheated steam.

10. A livestock oral intake composition which is obtained by bringing a mixture of siliceous shale and hydrated rice husks into contact with superheated steam and is orally ingested by livestock.

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