Crushing device and crushing method

Abstract

To provide a crusher and a crushing method that can perform smooth crushing and restrict corrosion of a crushing part without causing disturbance to operation of the crushing part, in absorbing liquid and crushing a swelling processing object.SOLUTION: Provided are a crusher and a crushing method. The crusher comprises a crushing part, a pharmaceutical introduction part, and a water introduction part, and in crushing a processing object that swells after absorbing liquid, the crusher introduces a pharmaceutical to the crushing part from the pharmaceutical introduction part, during cleaning operation of the crushing part, and after introducing the pharmaceutical, introduces water to the crushing part from the water introduction part. In cleaning the crushing part, firstly the pharmaceutical is introduced, and water is subsequently introduced, and thereby the processing object remaining in the crushing part is removed, and the pharmaceutical adhering to the crushing part can be washed away (removed) at the same time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a crushing device and a crushing method for crushing objects to be processed, and more particularly to a crushing device and a crushing method for crushing objects to be processed that swell when they absorb liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a shredding device for shredding waste is known as one of means for treating waste generated from homes and factories.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a crushing device for crushing waste plastics, which is equipped with multiple crushing blades (rotating blades and fixed blades) arranged around a rotating shaft. Patent Document 1 also describes that a cleaning water spraying device for spraying cleaning water is provided in the crushing device, so that the objects to be crushed can be crushed and washed at the same time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-209668 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described in Patent Document 1, in a crushing device having crushing blades as a crushing section, it is known to introduce a liquid such as washing water during crushing in order to smoothly operate the crushing section.

[0006] On the other hand, the objects to be crushed may include those that absorb liquid and swell. When crushing such objects, if liquid is introduced into the crushing unit during crushing, as described in Patent Document 1, the objects to be crushed will swell, which may cause problems in operating the crushing unit or in feeding the objects to the crushing unit.

[0007] On the other hand, in order to improve the reduction in crushing efficiency due to swelling of the materials to be crushed, chemicals (acids, salts, etc.) are added during crushing to suppress swelling of the materials to be crushed. However, the use of chemicals accelerates corrosion of the parts that make up the crushing unit, such as the crushing blades, which increases the frequency of replacement of the crushing unit parts, resulting in problems such as increased running costs.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a crushing device and a crushing method that can perform smooth crushing processing without interfering with the operation of the crushing section when crushing materials that absorb liquid and swell, and that can suppress corrosion of the crushing section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have discovered that in a crushing device that crushes materials that absorb liquid and swell, by providing a chemical introduction section and a water introduction section independently, and by introducing chemicals and water in that order when cleaning the crushing section, it is possible to smoothly operate the crushing section and perform crushing processing with reduced corrosion of the crushing section, and have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention provides the following crushing device and crushing method.

[0010] The crushing device of the present invention, which solves the above problems, is a crushing device that crushes objects to be treated that absorb liquid and swell, and is equipped with a crushing section that crushes the objects to be treated, a chemical introduction section that introduces chemicals, and a water introduction section that introduces water, and is characterized in that during the cleaning operation of the crushing section, chemicals are introduced into the crushing section from the chemical introduction section, and after the chemicals are introduced, water is introduced into the crushing section from the water introduction section. This crushing device crushes materials that swell when they absorb liquid. By first introducing chemicals into the crushing section during cleaning, the swelling of the materials can be suppressed, making it easier to remove any remaining materials. Water is then introduced into the crushing section, removing any remaining materials and simultaneously cleaning (removing) any chemicals adhering to the crushing section. This allows for smooth crushing without interfering with the operation of the crushing section, and also suppresses corrosion of the crushing section.

[0011] In one embodiment of the crushing device of the present invention, the objects to be processed are introduced into the crushing section in a bagged state. This feature allows the materials to be crushed while still packed in bags, improving the efficiency of the crushing process. Also, by properly introducing chemicals and water during cleaning, the crushed bags will not remain in the crushing section along with the materials, allowing the crushing process to continue smoothly.

[0012] In addition, one embodiment of the crushing device of the present invention is provided with an introduction control unit that controls the introduction of chemicals by the chemical introduction unit and the introduction of water by the water introduction unit, and the introduction control unit has the characteristic of not allowing the introduction of chemicals and water while the crushing unit is operating. This feature makes it easy to properly perform the operations related to the introduction of chemicals and water. Furthermore, by not introducing chemicals and water while the crushing unit is in operation, it is possible to perform the crushing process while suppressing swelling of the treated material, and it also reduces the chance of contact between the chemicals and the crushing unit, thereby further suppressing corrosion.

[0013] Furthermore, one embodiment of the crushing device of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises an operation control section for controlling the operation of the crushing section, and the operation control section controls the forward rotation operation and reverse rotation operation of the crushing section. According to this feature, by switching the operation of the crushing section between forward and reverse rotation, it is possible to prevent the crushed material from accumulating and remaining on the crushing section, and to allow the crushing process by the crushing section to proceed more smoothly.

[0014] The crushing method of the present invention for solving the above problems is a crushing method for crushing a workpiece that absorbs liquid and swells, and comprises a crushing step for driving a crushing unit that crushes the workpiece, a chemical introduction step for introducing chemicals, and a water introduction step for introducing water, characterized in that during the cleaning step of the crushing unit, chemicals are introduced into the crushing unit by the chemical introduction step, and after the chemical introduction, water is introduced into the crushing unit by the water introduction step. According to this feature, when crushing materials that swell when absorbing liquid, by first introducing chemicals when cleaning the crushing section, the swelling of the materials can be suppressed, making it easier to remove the materials remaining in the crushing section. Then, by introducing water into the crushing section, the materials remaining in the crushing section can be removed, and the chemicals adhering to the crushing section can be washed away. This allows for smooth crushing without interfering with the operation of the crushing section, and also suppresses corrosion of the crushing section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a crushing device and a crushing method that can perform smooth crushing processing without interfering with the operation of the crushing section when crushing materials that absorb liquid and swell, and that can suppress corrosion of the crushing section. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of a crushing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart showing the operation control (crushing process) of the crushing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing another operation control (cleaning step) of the crushing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the crushing device and crushing method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The description of the crushing method according to the present invention will be replaced with the description of the operation control of the crushing device according to the present invention. The crushing device and crushing method described in the embodiments are merely examples for explaining the crushing device and crushing method according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0018] The crushing device of the present invention is a device for crushing materials to be processed, and may be any device equipped with a crushing unit capable of crushing materials to be processed. Examples of the structure of the crushing unit of the crushing device of the present invention include, for example, a single-shaft crusher, a crusher equipped with multiple shafts such as a biaxial crusher or a triaxial crusher, and a so-called coaxial crusher, which have rotating crushing blades. The crushing device of the present invention can smoothly proceed with the crushing process and prevent corrosion of the crushing unit, regardless of the structure. In the following embodiments, a crushing unit having the structure of a biaxial crusher with rotating crushing blades will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0019] The materials to be crushed by the crushing device of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they contain materials that have the property of absorbing liquid and expanding. Examples of materials to be crushed in the present invention include materials containing water-absorbent fibers or water-absorbent polymers. Specific examples of products that can be crushed include sanitary products (such as disposable diapers, sanitary products, and pet sheets) containing fibers or SAP (super absorbent polymers), water- and oil-absorbing products that absorb wastewater and waste oil, and fabric products made of water-absorbent fibers such as cotton. In particular, materials that have a high expansion rate when absorbing liquid, such as SAP, can be suitably used as materials to be crushed in the present invention.

[0020] Furthermore, the objects to be crushed by the crushing device of the present invention can be in a bagged state. Sanitary products, in particular, are often disposed of individually in bags after use, which means the workload involved in breaking the bags is significant. Meanwhile, the crushing device of the present invention can reduce the amount of objects remaining in the crushing section by appropriately introducing chemicals and water, enabling smooth crushing. This allows objects such as used, bagged sanitary products to be crushed without breaking the bags first. By crushing the objects in their bagged state using the crushing device of the present invention, it is possible to increase the work efficiency of the crushing process.

[0021] [Crushing equipment] Fig. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram (cross-sectional view seen from the side) showing the structure of a crushing device in an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the dashed-dotted arrows in Fig. 1 indicate components that are controllably connected.

[0022] The crushing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a crushing section 10 for crushing the material to be treated, an operation control section 20 for controlling the operation of the crushing section, a chemical introduction section 30 for introducing chemicals, a water introduction section 40 for introducing water, and an introduction control section 50 for controlling the operation of the chemical introduction section 30 and the water introduction section 40.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the crushing unit 10 is housed in a casing 60. The casing 60 has an inlet 61 at its top (upper side in the figure) through which the material to be treated is fed, and an outlet 62 at its bottom (lower side in the figure) through which the material to be treated is discharged.

[0024] (Crushing section) The crushing unit 10 is for crushing the object to be processed. As the crushing unit 10 in this embodiment, a structure called a biaxial crusher having rotating crushing blades is exemplified. The arrangement of the rotation axis in the crushing section 10 of this embodiment may be either vertical or horizontal.

[0025] 1, the crushing unit 10 has a plurality of crushing blades 12a, 12b arranged around two rotating shafts 11a, 11b extending horizontally (perpendicular to the plane of the paper), and the blades are arranged side by side so as to mesh with each other. The crushing unit 10 also has a drive unit 13 for driving the crushing blades 12a, 12b to rotate. The driving unit 13 may be an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, a water motor, or an air motor engine.

[0026] When the drive unit 13 is driven, the crushing blades 12a and 12b of the crushing unit 10 rotate in a direction that entangles the material to be processed, and the material to be processed fed through the feed inlet 61 is clamped between the crushing blades 12a and 12b, crushed, and discharged through the discharge outlet 62. As shown in Figure 1, the shredding unit 10 of this embodiment shreds the material to be treated by driving the drive unit 13 at a predetermined output, causing the shredding blade 12a to rotate clockwise and the shredding blade 12b to rotate counterclockwise. The operating state of the shredding unit 10 at this time is called the forward rotation operation of the shredding unit 10. On the other hand, when the shredding blade 12a rotates counterclockwise and the shredding blade 12b rotates clockwise, this is called the reverse rotation operation of the shredding unit 10. The reverse rotation operation of the shredding unit 10 makes it possible to suppress the accumulation of the material to be treated on the shredding blades.

[0027] Each component of the crushing unit 10 will be described below.

[0028] The rotating shafts 11a and 11b are shaft members that rotate when the driving power of the driving unit 13 is transmitted thereto. Here, the means for transmitting the driving power from the driving unit 13 to the rotating shafts 11a and 11b is not particularly limited. For example, the rotating shaft 11a may be the driving shaft and the rotating shaft 11b may be the driven shaft, and the driving unit 13 may be connected to the rotating shaft 11a (driving shaft), and the rotating shaft 11a (driving shaft) and the rotating shaft 11b (driven shaft) may be coupled by a belt, gears, or the like. In this case, the driving power of the driving unit 13 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 11a (driving shaft), and then the driving power is transmitted from the rotating shaft 11a (driving shaft) to the rotating shaft 11b (driven shaft). Another example is to connect the rotating shafts 11a and 11b to the driving unit 13, respectively. In this case, the driving power of the driving unit 13 is directly transmitted to the respective rotating shafts 11a and 11b. In the crushing device 1 of this embodiment, the driving of the crushing unit 10 is controlled by an operation control unit 20 described later. In addition, the rotating shafts 11a and 11b may each be connected to a driving unit 13, allowing independent control of each rotating shaft.

[0029] The rotating shafts 11a and 11b are not particularly limited in their specific shapes as long as they have a structure that can fix the crushing blades 12a and 12b, respectively. For example, the rotating shafts 11a and 11b may have a structure that allows the crushing blades 12a and 12b to fit together.

[0030] The crushing blades 12a and 12b are members for crushing the object to be treated. The crushing blades 12a and 12b are provided so that a plurality of them are stacked on the rotating shafts 11a and 11b, respectively. The stacked crushing blades 12a and 12b crush and cut the object to be treated. The structure of the crushing blades 12a and 12b is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, there are provided a plurality of structures each having a convex portion in the circumferential direction, and there are also provided a plurality of structures each having an acute angle portion in the circumferential direction.

[0031] Furthermore, when stacking the crushing blades 12a and 12b, spacers (not shown) are provided between the stacked crushing blades. This facilitates stacking the crushing blades at a predetermined interval. The crushing blade and spacer may be integrated or separate. Here, "integrated" refers to a combination of one cutter and one spacer, an integrated combination of multiple alternating cutter and spacer layers, or an integrated combination of multiple cutter and spacer layers. For example, when the crushing blade and spacer are integrated, the number of parts can be reduced, the strength of the crushing blade can be increased, and assembly workability can be improved. On the other hand, when the crushing blade and spacer are separate, replacement is easier when the specifications of the crushing blade or spacer change or when replacement is required due to a malfunction.

[0032] The material of the crushing blades 12a and 12b is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include metal materials such as tool steel, chromium molybdenum steel, and stainless steel, and ceramic materials such as alumina, zirconia, and silicon nitride. From the viewpoint of high strength and resistance to breakage, it is preferable to use metal materials such as tool steel, chromium molybdenum steel, and stainless steel.

[0033] (Control unit) The operation control unit 20 controls the operation of the crushing unit 10. The operation control unit 20 may be directly connected to the crushing unit 10 by wiring or the like, or may be indirectly connected via a communication technique such as wireless.

[0034] The operation control unit 20 of this embodiment controls the operation of the crushing unit 10 in order to smoothly proceed with the crushing process. The operation of the crushing unit 10 controlled by the operation control unit 20 includes the operation of the crushing unit 10 during the crushing process and the cleaning process. The control target of the operation control unit 20 includes the drive unit 13.

[0035] The operation control of the crushing unit 10 refers to the control of the drive / stop, deceleration / acceleration, and rotation direction of the crushing blades 12a and 12b of the crushing unit 10. In particular, it refers to the control of the rotation direction of the crushing blades 12a and 12b of the crushing unit 10, and more specifically, it includes switching between forward and reverse rotation of the crushing unit 10. There are no particular limitations on the specific means for controlling the operation of the crushing unit 10 by the operation control unit 20. For example, means for controlling the output of the drive unit 13 of the crushing unit 10 by an on / off switch mechanism, an inverter, etc. may be mentioned.

[0036] There is no particular limitation on the timing of switching between forward and reverse rotation operations of the shredding unit 10 by the operation control unit 20. For example, the shredding unit 10 may be switched between forward and reverse rotation operations at regular intervals, or a determination unit may be provided that determines whether to switch between forward and reverse rotation operations. The judgment unit may include a unit that includes a means for detecting an increase or decrease in the output of the drive unit 13 of the crushing unit 10, or a means for detecting an overload in the crushing unit 10. Then, a judgment regarding switching between forward and reverse rotation operation is made based on the output change of the drive unit 13 or overload detection, and control is performed on the drive unit 13 of the crushing unit 10. This makes it possible to switch between forward and reverse rotation operation at an appropriate timing depending on the operating state of the crushing unit 10.

[0037] In this embodiment, the crushing device 1 uses the operation control unit 20 to switch the operation of the crushing section 10 between forward and reverse rotation, thereby preventing the accumulation of processed materials on the crushing section 10 and allowing the crushing process by the crushing section 10 to proceed smoothly. It is also preferable to not allow liquid to be present while the crushing process by the crushing unit 10 is in progress. This allows for crushing processing that suppresses swelling of the object to be processed. Therefore, it is preferable to appropriately control the timing of introduction of liquid into the crushing unit 10. The control of the process related to the presence of liquid will be described later.

[0038] The crushing device 1 in this embodiment also controls the introduction of the detergent in the cleaning process. It is preferable that the control of the cleaning process is performed in conjunction with the operation control of the crushing unit 10 by the operation control unit 20 in the crushing process described above. This prevents the objects to be processed from remaining on the crushing unit 10 both during and after crushing, making it possible to smoothly carry out the crushing process.

[0039] The configuration relating to the cleaning process in the crushing device 1 of this embodiment will be described below. (Chemical introduction section) The chemical introduction section 30 introduces a chemical that suppresses swelling of the object to be treated into the crushing section 10. The chemical introduction section 30 introduces the chemical prior to the introduction of water by the water introduction section 40, which will be described later. By introducing chemicals into the crushing section 10 using the chemical introduction section 30, swelling of the material to be treated on the crushing blades 12a and 12b can be suppressed, making it easier to remove the material from above the crushing blades 12a and 12b.

[0040] The chemical introduced from the chemical introduction section 30 may be any chemical capable of suppressing swelling of the object to be treated. For example, known chemicals that are known to inactivate highly absorbent polymers or to cause dehydration may be used. More specifically, calcium chloride, citric acid, etc. may be used.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, the chemical introduction section 30 includes a storage section 30a for storing the chemical, and a supply section 30b for supplying the chemical toward the crushing blades 12a and 12b. The chemical stored in the storage section 30a may be either solid or liquid, but from the viewpoint of efficient introduction throughout the crushing section 10, it is preferable that the chemical supplied from the supply section 30b be in a liquid state. Therefore, the chemical introduction section 30 may store a liquid chemical or a liquid (aqueous solution) with a solid chemical added in the storage section 30a and directly supply the stored liquid chemical from the supply section 30b, or may store a solid chemical in the storage section 30a and mix it with a solvent (such as water) when supplied from the supply section 30b to supply the liquid chemical.

[0042] The supply unit 30b is provided with a flow control mechanism (such as a control valve) that allows the supply of the chemical to be started or stopped by the introduction control unit 50, which will be described later. This allows the introduction control unit 50 to control the timing of introduction of the chemical from the chemical introduction unit 30.

[0043] Furthermore, the chemical introduction section 30 in this embodiment is only required to be capable of introducing chemicals into the crushing blades 12a and 12b of the crushing section 10 and allowing the chemicals to act on the materials to be treated that have accumulated or adhered to the crushing blades 12a and 12b, and the location and number of the supply section 30b are not particularly limited.

[0044] (Water inlet) The water introduction section 40 introduces water into the crushing section 10. Furthermore, the water introduction section 40 introduces water after the chemical introduction section 30 introduces chemicals. By introducing water into the crushing unit 10 using the water inlet 40, the material to be treated can be removed from the crushing blades 12a and 12b, and chemicals adhering to the crushing blades 12a and 12b can be washed (removed). This makes it possible to suppress corrosion of the crushing unit 10 by chemicals.

[0045] The water introduced from the water introduction section 40 may be pure water, tap water, or treated water discharged from other treatment facilities or natural water (river water, lake water), which has a low salt concentration and is inexpensively available.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the water introduction section 40 includes a storage section 40a for storing water and a supply section 40b for supplying water toward the crushing blades 12a and 12b. The supply unit 40b is provided with a flow control mechanism (such as a control valve) that enables the supply of water to be started or stopped by the introduction control unit 50, which will be described later. This allows the introduction control unit 50 to control the timing of water introduction from the water introduction unit 40.

[0047] The water introduction section 40 of this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can introduce water into the crushing blades 12a and 12b of the crushing section 10 and wash (remove) the materials to be treated and chemicals deposited on or attached to the crushing blades 12a and 12b, and the location and number of the supply section 40b are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the supply section 30b of the chemical introduction section 30 described above is also not particularly limited.

[0048] (Introduction control unit) The introduction control unit 50 controls the introduction of the cleaning agent in the cleaning process of the crushing unit 10. More specifically, the introduction control unit 50 controls the introduction of the chemical by the chemical introduction unit 30 and the introduction of water by the water introduction unit 40. The introduction control unit 50 may be directly connected to the chemical introduction unit 30 and the water introduction unit 40 by wiring or the like, or may be indirectly connected via a communication technique such as wireless.

[0049] The control contents of the introduction control unit 50 include the introduction amount of the cleaning agent (chemical and water) introduced from the chemical introduction unit 30 and the water introduction unit 40, the introduction timing, and the introduction order. In particular, it is preferable that the introduction control unit 50 reliably executes the operation related to the order of introduction of the cleaning agents (chemicals and water), such that the chemicals are introduced first by the chemical introduction unit 30, and then the water is introduced by the water introduction unit 40. This allows for smooth crushing processing without interfering with the operation of the crushing unit, and fully demonstrates the effect of the present invention, which is to suppress corrosion of the crushing unit.

[0050] As described above, in the homogenizer 1 of this embodiment, in order to suppress swelling of the object to be treated, it is preferable to not introduce any liquid while the homogenization process by the homogenizer 10 is in progress. Therefore, it is preferable that the introduction control unit 50 controls the introduction of chemicals and water from the chemical introduction unit 30 and the water introduction unit 40 while the homogenizer 10 is in operation. This makes it possible to control the process related to the introduction of liquid, and to smoothly proceed with the homogenization process.

[0051] Here, control of processes involving the intervention of liquid does not only refer to control over the introduction of cleaning agents from the chemical introduction section 30 and the water introduction section 40, but also refers to control over the introduction of all liquids introduced from outside the system of the crushing device 1. The means for controlling the process involving the intervention of liquid is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a means for starting and stopping the supply of chemicals and water by the introduction control unit 50, as well as a means for starting and stopping the supply of cooling water introduced from outside the system to cool the heat generated by the rotational driving of the crushing blades 12a and 12b. Regarding the control of processes involving the intervention of such liquids, the control target may be connected to the introduction control unit 50 and control may be performed by the introduction control unit 50, or a control unit may be provided separately from the introduction control unit 50.

[0052] Furthermore, the operation control unit 20 and the introduction control unit 50 in this embodiment may each be configured completely independently and perform their own control, or they may be connected to each other and share information related to the content and execution of control, as shown in Figure 1. For example, the introduction control unit 50 may control the timing of the introduction of chemicals or water based on the operating state of the homogenizer 10 ascertained by the operation control unit 20. This allows for efficient control of the operation of the homogenizer 10 and the process related to the introduction of liquid, ensuring smooth progress of the entire homogenization process. 1, the operation control unit 20 and the introduction control unit 50 may be connected to each other, or the control contents of the operation control unit 20 and the introduction control unit 50 may be executed within one control device. This simplifies the structure of the crushing device 1 and enables space saving.

[0053] (Operation control of crushing equipment) Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, the operation control of the crushing device 1 by the operation control unit 20 and the introduction control unit 50 will be described by way of example. Note that the explanations and flowcharts for each operation control are merely examples of the embodiment, and the present invention is not limited to these.

[0054] First, the operational control of the crushing step in the crushing unit 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of this operational control.

[0055] When the material to be processed is fed into the crushing unit 10 through the feed port 61, the drive unit 13 of the crushing unit 10 is driven, and the crushing blades 12a and 12b operate in the forward direction. The timing of feeding the material to be processed and the start of driving the drive unit 13 may be the same, or either may be performed first. After the forward rotation operation has started, the operation control unit 20 switches from forward rotation operation to reverse rotation operation at regular intervals or based on the judgment result of the judgment unit. After switching from forward rotation operation to reverse rotation operation, reverse rotation operation is performed for a regular period of time or a regular number of times. This switching operation may be performed only once during batch processing, but it is preferable to repeat it multiple times as shown in Figure 2. By switching the operation of the crushing unit 10 between forward rotation operation and reverse rotation operation, it is possible to prevent the materials from piling up on the crushing unit 10 and to ensure smooth crushing processing by the crushing unit 10. During this time, the introduction control unit 50 continues to stop all supply of cleaning agents (chemicals and water) from the chemical introduction unit 30 and the water introduction unit 40 and all introduction of liquids from outside the system. This prevents the objects from absorbing liquid and swelling during crushing, and also prevents the objects from accumulating on the crushing blades 12a and 12b, especially at the meshing points of the crushing blades 12a and 12b. Therefore, in the crushing step in the crushing device 1 of this embodiment, the crushing process proceeds smoothly without affecting the rotational drive of the crushing blades 12a and 12b.

[0056] Then, after a certain amount of the material to be treated has been charged, or after a certain period of operation, the charging of the material to be treated is stopped.

[0057] Furthermore, when the input materials to be processed are discharged from the discharge port 62 and the so-called batch processing is completed, the crushing section 10 is cleaned.

[0058] Next, the operation control of the washing step in the crushing section 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of this operation control.

[0059] The cleaning process starts when the feeding of the materials to be processed into the crushing unit 10 is stopped. At this time, the operation of the crushing unit 10 may be stopped, but it is preferable to continue operation. This makes it easier for the cleaning agent to spread throughout the crushing unit 10, and also promotes the removal of the objects to be treated remaining on the crushing unit 10, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the crushing unit 10. Note that the operation of the crushing unit 10 at this time may be in forward rotation only, or may be switched between forward and reverse rotation.

[0060] First, the introduction control unit 50 introduces a chemical into the homogenization unit 10 from the chemical introduction unit 30. Then, after a certain time has passed or after a certain amount of chemical has been introduced, the introduction of the chemical from the chemical introduction unit 30 is stopped. At this time, the material remaining on the homogenization unit 10 is inactivated or dehydrated by the action of the chemical, making it easier to remove from the homogenization unit 10.

[0061] Next, water is introduced into the crushing unit 10 from the water introduction unit 40 by the introduction control unit 50. Then, after a certain time has passed or after a certain amount of water has been introduced, the introduction of water from the water introduction unit 40 is stopped. At this time, the materials to be treated and chemicals remaining on or adhering to the crushing unit 10 are removed. This makes it possible to clean the crushing unit 10 and also to suppress corrosion of the crushing unit 10 by chemicals.

[0062] Then, the operation of the crushing unit 10 is stopped to complete the washing process. The operation of the crushing unit 10 may be stopped simultaneously with the stopping of the introduction of water from the water inlet unit 40, or the operation of the crushing unit 10 may be stopped with a time lag from the stopping of the introduction of water from the water inlet unit 40. After a certain period of time has elapsed, the next crushing step is started.

[0063] As described above, by controlling the operation of both the crushing process and the cleaning process of the crushing unit 10, and particularly by controlling the order in which the cleaning agent (chemicals and water) is introduced in the cleaning process, it is possible to prevent the crushed material and chemicals from remaining on the crushing unit 10, allowing the crushing process by the crushing unit 10 to proceed smoothly and suppressing corrosion of the crushing unit 10.

[0064] The operation control of the crushing unit 10 by the operation control unit 20 based on the flowcharts shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the control of the introduction of detergent into the chemical introduction unit 30 and the water introduction unit 40 by the introduction control unit 50 may be executed automatically as a control program, or may include manual operation by an operator. From the viewpoint of reducing the labor required by an operator, automatic control by a control program is more preferable.

[0065] The above-described embodiment shows an example of the crushing device and crushing method. The crushing device and crushing method according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the crushing device and crushing method according to the above-described embodiment may be modified within the scope of the gist of the claims.

[0066] For example, the crushing device of this embodiment may be provided with a structure for scraping off deposits adhering to the crushing blades of the crushing unit. One example of such a structure is a scraper provided opposite the crushing blades or spacers. This, in conjunction with the control by the operation control unit and the introduction control unit, improves the cleaning effect in the cleaning process and enables smooth operation of the crushing unit. [Industrial Applicability]

[0067] The crushing device and crushing method of the present invention can be used to crush objects that absorb liquid and swell. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1 Crushing device, 10 Crushing section, 11a, 11b Rotating shaft, 12a, 12b Crushing blade, 13 Drive section, 20 Operation control section, 30 Chemical introduction section, 30a Storage section, 30b Supply section, 40 Water introduction section, 40a Storage section, 40b Supply section, 50 Introduction control section, 60 Casing, 61 Inlet, 62 Outlet

Claims

1. A crushing device for crushing a processing object that absorbs liquid and swells, A crushing unit that crushes the object to be processed; a chemical introduction section for introducing a chemical that suppresses swelling of the object to be treated; a water introduction section for introducing water, A crushing device characterized in that, during a cleaning operation of the crushing section, the chemical is introduced into the crushing section from the chemical introduction section, and after the introduction of the chemical, water is introduced into the crushing section from the water introduction section.

2. 2. The crushing device according to claim 1, wherein the objects to be processed are introduced into the crushing section in a bagged state.

3. an introduction control unit that controls the introduction of the chemical by the chemical introduction unit and the introduction of water by the water introduction unit; 3. The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the introduction control unit prevents the introduction of the chemicals and water during operation of the homogenizer.

4. An operation control unit that controls the operation of the crushing unit, The crushing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operation control unit controls forward and reverse rotation of the crushing unit.

5. A crushing method for crushing a processing object that absorbs liquid and swells, comprising: a crushing step of driving a crushing unit to crush the object to be processed; a chemical introduction step of introducing a chemical that suppresses swelling of the object to be treated; a water introducing step of introducing water, A crushing method, characterized in that during the step of cleaning the crushing unit, the chemical is introduced into the crushing unit in the chemical introducing step, and after the introduction of the chemical, water is introduced into the crushing unit in the water introducing step.

Images