Compost heating device and compost heating system

Abstract

To provide a compost heating device and a compost heating system capable of composting a compost material while curbing energy consumption.SOLUTION: A compost heating device 2 includes: a frame 21; a warm air source which is supported by the frame 21 and which takes in air from outside to generate warm air; and an insertion pipe 25 connected to the warm air source in a state of being supported by the frame 21, provided with a through hole that discharges the warm air supplied from the warm air source to outside, and being insertable into a compost material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a compost heating device and a compost heating system.

Background Art

[0002] Compost obtained by decomposing compost materials made from biological waste such as livestock manure and food waste by the action of aerobic microorganisms is known. For composting of compost materials, it is necessary to supply air to the compost materials to activate the microorganisms in the compost materials, and devices for supplying air to the compost materials have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a compost production device that activates microorganisms in compost materials by supplying air to the entire floor surface of a fermentation tank, thereby promoting composting of the compost materials.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The compost production device of Patent Document 1 can suppress the amount of electric power required for composting of compost materials by intermittently controlling the blowing of air toward the compost materials, and is extremely useful. However, when used in winter in cold regions, it is necessary to pre-heat the blown air with a heater, and a large amount of energy is required to raise the entire compost material in the fermentation tank to an appropriate temperature. In addition, there is also a problem that heat loss is large because the piping leading to the fermentation tank is long. There is also a desire to ensure high-quality compost in early spring even in cold regions, and the development of a method for suppressing the energy consumption in composting is expected.

[0005] This invention was made based on the above background, and aims to provide a compost heating device and a compost heating system that can compost compost materials while suppressing energy consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the compost heating apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is: Support and A hot air source supported by the aforementioned support, which takes in air from the outside and generates hot air, An insertion pipe is connected to the hot air source while being supported by the support, and has a through hole for releasing the hot air supplied from the hot air source to the outside, and is insertable into the compost material. ,of Preparation 、 The aforementioned insertion pipe is A pipe body connected to the hot air source and having the through hole formed therein, The pipe body comprises a stay that extends in the longitudinal direction of the pipe body and protrudes outward from the peripheral wall portion of the pipe body, The through hole is formed in the peripheral wall of the pipe body such that it partially overlaps with the stay. ru.

[0009] The aforementioned insertion pipe is 、 before A tip member is detachably attached to the tip of the pipe body so as to close the opening at the tip of the pipe body, and is formed to narrow towards the tip. The pipe body may also include a base end member that is detachably attached to the base end of the pipe body so as to close the opening on the base end side of the pipe body.

[0010] The insertion pipe may be detachably attached to the support and connected to the hot air source via flexible piping.

[0011] The compost heating device described above is Multiple insertion pipes supported by the aforementioned support, The system includes a distributor supported by the aforementioned support, which distributes the hot air from the hot air source to each insertion pipe, The distributor may be arranged so that at least a part thereof contacts the surface of the compost material while being heated by the warm air from the warm air generation source.

[0012] To achieve the above object, a compost warming system according to a second aspect of the present invention is the compost warming device, suspension means for supporting the compost warming device in a suspended state so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and includes.

Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a compost warming device and a compost warming system capable of composting compost materials while suppressing energy consumption.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing the configuration of a compost shed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a front view showing the configuration of a compost warming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a side view showing the configuration of a compost warming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing the configuration of a compost warming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] (a) is an enlarged front view of the connection part between the frame and the insertion pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is an enlarged plan view of the connection part of (a). [Figure 6] It is a front view showing the configuration of an insertion pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] (a) is an enlarged view of a part of the insertion pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the insertion pipe of (a) cut along the line A-A. [Figure 8](a) is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of a data table of the parameter storage unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing the flow of compost heating treatment according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a front view showing the configuration of a compost heating device according to a modification of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, a compost heating device and a compost heating system according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the embodiment, a rectangular coordinate system is used in which the directions in which the frames assembled in a grid shape of the compost heating device extend are the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, and the longitudinal direction of the insertion pipe of the compost heating device is the Z-axis direction.

[0016] The compost heating system is a system that promotes composting by locally supplying hot air into the compost material to activate aerobic microorganisms in the compost material and biodegrade the compost material. The compost heating system is installed, for example, in a compost shed where composting of compost material is performed, and promotes composting of the compost material deposited in the fermentation tank of the compost shed.

[0017] The compost material contains, for example, at least any one of livestock excrement, food waste, sewage and food sludge, straw, sawdust, etc., and causes self-heating due to the activities of aerobic microorganisms contained therein. The livestock excrement contains, for example, at least one of cow dung, pig dung, chicken dung, and horse dung. The aerobic microorganisms include mesophilic bacteria with an optimum temperature range around 40°C and thermophilic bacteria around 60°C, and the temperature of the compost material is raised to 70°C or higher by the accumulation of the metabolic heat of the microorganisms.

[0018] The compost heating system utilizes the self-heating phenomenon of compost material to locally heat the compost material, thereby activating microorganisms. The heat generated by these microorganisms is then transferred to the surrounding compost material, activating the surrounding microorganisms. This process is repeated, encouraging the entire compost material to continuously generate heat through the action of microorganisms.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the compost heating system 1 comprises a compost heating device 2, an electric chain hoist 3 that suspends the compost heating device 2 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, a thermometer 4 for measuring the temperature of the compost material, and a control unit 100 that acquires measurement data from the thermometer 4 and controls the operation of the compost heating device 2 and the electric chain hoist 3. The compost heating device 2, the electric chain hoist 3, the thermometer 4, and the control unit 100 are communicated with each other via a wired or wireless communication circuit.

[0020] The compost heating device 2 is inserted into the compost material from above and supplies warm air to the inside of the compost material. The compost heating device 2 is suspended from a beam of the building covering the top of the fermentation tank via an electric chain hoist 3 so as to be positioned above the fermentation tank where the compost material is piled up. When supplying warm air to the compost material, the compost heating device 2 moves downward so as to be positioned on the compost material by the electric chain hoist 3. On the other hand, when the agitator moves along rails installed in the building, the electric chain hoist 3 raises the compost heating device 2 to a retracted position above the rails so as not to obstruct the movement of the agitator.

[0021] The agitator then grips and lifts the compost material and moves it to another location, thereby turning the compost material to expose it to air. Specifically, during turning, the compost material in the fermentation tank is sequentially moved in the direction of the agitator's movement. This allows the aerobic microorganisms in the compost material to take in oxygen, promoting the composting process.

[0022] In the compost heating system 1, multiple compost heating devices 2 suspended via an electric chain hoist 3 may be arranged in a line depending on the size of the fermentation tank. The multiple compost heating devices 2 may be arranged, for example, perpendicular to the direction of travel of the agitator (the longitudinal direction of the rail). Each compost heating device 2 is communicably connected to a control unit 100, which controls the operation of each compost heating device 2, for example, so that they move up and down simultaneously and supply warm air to the compost material at the same time.

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the compost heating device 2 comprises a frame 21, a blower 22 supported by the frame 21 that discharges air taken in from the outside, a heater 23 supported by the frame 21 that heats and discharges air taken in from the blower 22, a distributor 24 supported by the frame 21 that distributes the warm air taken in from the heater 23 in four directions, and four insertion pipes 25 supported by the frame 21 that, while inserted into the compost material, discharge the warm air taken in from the distributor 24 into the compost material. The blower 22 and heater 23 are examples of warm air sources that generate warm air by taking in air from the outside. In the compost heating device 2, since the heater 23 is installed on the frame 21, the heater 23 and the insertion pipes 25 can be brought close to each other, and heat loss due to warm air flowing through long pipes can be reduced.

[0024] The blower 22, heater 23, and insertion pipe 25 are detachably attached to the frame 21 via bolts. Furthermore, the blower 22, heater 23, and distributor 24 are detachably connected to each other via piping, and the distributor 24 and insertion pipe 25 are detachably connected to each other. Therefore, the compost heating device 2 can be transported in a disassembled state and assembled on-site.

[0025] Frame 21 is an example of a support structure that supports a blower 22, a heater 23, a distributor 24, and an insertion pipe 25. Frame 21 comprises a pair of girder-like members 21a extending parallel to each other (in the X-axis direction) and spaced apart from each other, a pair of beam-like members 21b extending perpendicular to each girder-like member 21a (in the Y-axis direction) and connected to each girder-like member 21a, and a pair of auxiliary members 21c extending in the same direction as each girder-like member 21a and connected to each beam-like member 21b. The girder-like members 21a and beam-like members 21b are, for example, H-shaped steel, and the auxiliary members 21c are, for example, steel materials with a U-shaped cross-section.

[0026] A blower 22, a heater 23, and three weights 26 are mounted on the upper surface of the frame 21, taking into consideration weight balance. Specifically, a blower 22 is installed at one of the connection points between the girder-shaped member 21a and the beam-shaped member 21b, and weights 26 are attached to the other three connection points. In addition, the heater 23 is installed so as to straddle the girder-shaped member 21a on which the blower 22 is installed and the auxiliary member 21c located near the girder-shaped member 21a, and is sandwiched between the blower 22 and the weights 26.

[0027] The weights 26 are installed on the frame 21 to balance the weight of the compost heating device 2 and to insert the insertion pipe 25 of the compost heating device 2 into the compost material by its own weight. Each weight 26 is made of, for example, one or more steel plates and is detachably attached to the upper surface of the frame 21 with bolts. The weight of each weight 26 is adjusted, for example, by changing the number of steel plates, taking into consideration the balance of the compost heating device 2. The weight of each weight 26 should be set considering the type of compost material, and is preferably in the range of 50 kg to 200 kg.

[0028] The frame 21 further comprises a pair of columnar members 21d connected to each beam-like member 21b and extending upward (in the Z-axis direction) from each beam-like member 21b, and suspension members 21e connected to each columnar member 21d and extending in the same direction as each girder-like member 21a. The columnar members 21d are, for example, steel materials with a U-shaped cross-section, and the suspension members 21e are, for example, steel materials with a rectangular cross-section. The upper surface of the suspension member 21e is provided with a plate-like member 21f having a through hole through which the hook 31 of the electric chain hoist 3 is inserted, as shown in Figure 2.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, insertion pipes 25 are detachably attached to each end of the girder-shaped member 21a so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the girder-shaped member 21a (Z-axis direction). Specifically, each end of the girder-shaped member 21a is provided with a plate-shaped member 21h having a plurality of through holes 21i through which U-bolts 21g can be inserted. The insertion pipes 25 are detachably attached to the girder-shaped member 21a by passing the insertion pipes 25 through the U-bolts 21g, passing the U-bolts 21g through a pair of through holes 21i formed in the plate-shaped member 21h, and tightening nuts 21j on the U-bolts 21g.

[0030] Returning to Figures 2 to 4, the blower 22 is connected to the heater 23 via piping, drawing in air from the outside and supplying it to the heater 23 with increased force.

[0031] The heater 23 is connected to the distributor 24 via piping and heats the air taken in from the blower 22 before supplying it to the distributor 24. The heater 23 heats the taken-in air to a temperature suitable for composting the compost material, for example, 70°C or higher. The heater 23 is connected downstream of the blower 22 to prevent damage to the blower 22 from the hot air from the heater 23.

[0032] The blower 22 and heater 23 are electrically connected to a circuit breaker that cuts off the current supply when the load on the blower 22 and heater 23 increases. The circuit breaker is mounted, for example, on the upper surface of the frame 21. Specifically, it is mounted on another girder-like member 21a opposite the girder-like member 21a to which the heater 23 is attached, in order to balance the weight of the compost heating device 2. Electricity is supplied to the circuit breaker from the outside via a cable, which extends upward toward the beams of the building together with the electric chain hoist 3.

[0033] The distributor 24 distributes the warm air from the heater 23 to four insertion pipes 25. The distributor 24 comprises a main pipe 24a connected to the heater 23, a branch box 24b connected to the main pipe 24a and branching the warm air from the main pipe 24a in four directions on the same plane (XY plane), and four branch pipes 24c extending from the branch box 24b in different directions. The four branch pipes 24c are arranged at equal angles to each other, in other words, the angle between adjacent branch pipes 24c is 90°. The main pipe 24a and the branch pipes 24c are, for example, metal pipes, preferably steel pipes, and the branch box 24b is, for example, made by cutting a metal material, preferably steel.

[0034] The main pipe 24a is an L-shaped pipe that redirects the flow of warm air, which is released laterally from the side of the heater 23, downwards. The branch pipe 24c has its tip connected to the insertion pipe 25 and supplies warm air toward the insertion pipe 25. The branch pipe 24c is detachably attached to the auxiliary member 21c of the frame 21. Specifically, the branch pipe 24c is passed through a U-bolt having the same or equivalent configuration as the U-bolt 21g, the U-bolt is passed through a pair of through holes formed in the auxiliary member 21c, and the branch pipe 24c is detachably attached by tightening a nut on the U-bolt.

[0035] While the surface of the main pipe 24a is covered with insulation to account for the possibility of unintentional contact by the user and heat loss, the branch box 24b and branch pipe 24c have exposed metal piping. As a result, when the branch box 24b and branch pipe 24c come into contact with the surface of the compost material while warmed by the hot air passing through inside, they can directly warm the surface of the compost material, preventing the surface of the compost material from freezing even during the winter months.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, the insertion pipe 25 has multiple through holes 25a in its peripheral wall, and when inserted into the compost material, it releases the warm air received from the heater 23 into the compost material through each through hole 25a. The diameter of the through holes 25a is slightly smaller than the diameter of the insertion pipe 25 to facilitate the release of warm air. The cross-sectional shape of the insertion pipe 25 is, for example, cylindrical, and in the region at the tip of the insertion pipe 25, four through holes 25a are arranged at equal intervals in each of the three rows that extend in the longitudinal direction of the insertion pipe 25 and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the insertion pipe 25. In addition, the through holes 25a formed in two adjacent rows are arranged to be staggered. This is to avoid a decrease in the rigidity of the pipe body 25b or breakage due to the concentration of through holes 25a in one place.

[0037] The insertion pipe 25 is made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as a metal material, preferably steel, and can also heat the compost material from the inside by heat transfer when it comes into contact with the inside of the compost material while heated by hot air. The length of the insertion pipe 25 is set so that it reaches the center of the compost material when inserted into it.

[0038] The insertion pipe 25 comprises a straight pipe body 25b, a tip member 25c detachably attached to the tip of the pipe body 25b, and a base end member 25d detachably attached to the base end of the pipe body 25b. When the tip member 25c and base end member 25d are removed, the openings at the tip and base ends of the pipe body 25b are opened. This allows a tool for cleaning compost material that has entered the internal piping of the pipe body 25b through the through hole 25a, such as a rod that pushes compost material from one side to the other, to be inserted. Furthermore, since the base end of each insertion pipe 25 is located above the upper surface of the beam-shaped member 21a, the base end member 25d can be easily gripped.

[0039] The pipe body 25b comprises a long tip pipe 25e positioned at the tip end, a base pipe 25f positioned at the base end and shorter than the tip pipe 25e, and a T-shaped pipe 25g connecting the tip pipe 25e and the base pipe 25f. The base pipe 25f is attached to the girder-shaped member 21a of the frame 21 via a U-bolt 21g. The T-shaped pipe 25g is connected to the tip of the branch pipe 24c.

[0040] The tip member 25c is formed so that its tip gradually narrows to facilitate insertion of the insertion pipe 25 into the compost material. The base end of the tip member 25c is inserted into the opening at the tip of the tip pipe 25e, and it is detachably attached to the tip of the tip pipe 25e. Specifically, the tip of the tip member 25c and the tip of the pipe body 25b have through holes through which, for example, a shaft can be inserted. When a shaft is inserted through each through hole, a cotter pin is attached to prevent the shaft from falling out.

[0041] The base end member 25d is detachably attached to the base end of the base pipe 25f by having its base end inserted into the base end opening of the base pipe 25f. Specifically, for example, a male thread is formed on the peripheral wall of the base end member 25d, and the male thread of the base end member 25d is tightened into a female threaded hole formed in the opening at the base end of the pipe body 25b.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, the surface of the pipe body 25b is provided with three plate-shaped stays 25h that extend in the longitudinal direction of the pipe body 25b and protrude radially. Each stay 25h is provided on the pipe body 25b such that it partially overlaps with the through holes 25a arranged in each of the three rows extending in the longitudinal direction of the pipe body 25b. Specifically, each stay 25h is provided so as to cross the center point of each circularly formed through hole 25a. The three stays 25h are arranged at equal intervals from each other, that is, the angle between two adjacent stays 25h is 120°. The stays 25h facilitate the insertion of the insertion pipe 25 into the compost material by pushing the compost material aside when the insertion pipe 25 is inserted into the compost material, and also prevent the compost material from entering the through holes 25a by covering a portion of the through holes 25a with the stays 25h, thereby preventing clogging of the through holes 25a. Furthermore, since the stay 25h is provided to cross the through hole 25a, it can also reinforce the pipe body 25b. The above describes the configuration of the compost heating device 2.

[0043] Returning to Figure 2, the electric chain hoist 3 is suspended from a beam of the building covering the fermentation tank and is an example of a suspension means for moving the compost heating device 2 vertically relative to the fermentation tank. The electric chain hoist 3 comprises a hook 31 inserted through a through hole provided in a plate-shaped member 21f, a chain 32 to which the hook 31 is connected, and a motor 33 that winds up and unwinds the chain 32. A motor driver (not shown) is connected to the motor 33, and a control unit 100 is connected to the motor driver. The motor driver adjusts the current supplied to the motor 33 based on a control signal from the control unit 100, thereby controlling the rotation of the motor 33.

[0044] Figure 8(a) is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control unit 100 according to the embodiment. The control unit 100 includes a control panel such as a programmable logic controller (PLC). The control unit 100 acquires measurement data from a thermometer 4 and a temperature sensor built into the heater 23 for measuring the temperature of the compost material, and supplies control signals to the motor 33, blower 22, and heater 23 of the electric chain hoist 3.

[0045] The control unit 100 comprises an operation unit 110, a display unit 120, a communication unit 130, a storage unit 140, and a control unit 150. Each part of the control unit 100 is connected to each other via an internal bus (not shown) so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0046] The operation unit 110 receives user instructions and supplies operation signals corresponding to the received operations to the control unit 150. The display unit 120 displays various images to the user operating the control unit 100 based on image data supplied from the control unit 150. The operation unit 110 and the display unit 120 are integrated by a touch panel. The touch panel displays an operation screen that accepts user operations and supplies operation signals corresponding to the positions where the user makes contact operations on the operation screen to the control unit 150.

[0047] The communication unit 130 is a communication interface for the control unit 100 to communicate with external devices. The communication unit 130 communicates with external devices, for example, via input / output terminals. The input / output terminals are, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0048] The storage unit 140 includes, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and flash memory. The storage unit 140 stores programs and various data to be executed by the control unit 150, and also functions as a work memory for the control unit 150 to execute processing.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8(b), the memory unit 140 includes a parameter memory unit 141 that stores various parameters used for controlling the operation of the compost heating device 2. The parameters include the operating time and stopping time of the heater 23, which alternately operates and stops, the temperature of the compost at which the hot air from the heater 23 is stopped (target temperature), and the temperature at which the heater 23 is cooled to prevent overheating (cooling start temperature).

[0050] The control unit 150 includes a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each part of the control unit 100. The control unit 150 executes the compost heating process shown in Figure 9 by executing a program stored in the memory unit 140. Functionally, the control unit 150 includes a position control unit 151 and a hot air control unit 152.

[0051] When the operation unit 110 receives a user instruction to start operation, the position control unit 151 controls the motor 33 to lower the compost heating device 2. Furthermore, when the operation unit 110 receives a user instruction to stop operation or when the compost temperature reaches the target temperature, the motor 33 controls the compost heating device 2 to raise it to a designated retraction position above the rails. The target temperature is, for example, 70°C. Additionally, when the position control unit 151 detects the movement of the agitator shown in Figure 1, it controls the motor 33 to raise the compost heating device 2 to the retraction position, and when it detects the agitator stopping, it controls the motor 33 to lower the compost heating device 2. The movement and stopping of the agitator can be detected, for example, by the control unit 100 detecting the presence or absence of a control signal indicating the agitator should be moved.

[0052] When the operating unit 110 receives a user instruction to start operation, the hot air control unit 152 continuously operates the blower 22 until the cooling period for the heater 23 has ended. The cooling period is, for example, 100 seconds. When the operating unit 110 receives a user instruction to stop operation, the hot air control unit 152 stops the operation of the blower 22.

[0053] The hot air control unit 152 acquires temperature data of the compost material measured by the thermometer 4 and controls the on / off operation of the heater 23 so as to alternately operate and stop the heater 23 based on the operating time and stop time stored in the parameter storage unit 141 until the compost temperature reaches the target temperature. By operating the heater 23 intermittently, power consumption can be reduced and overheating can be prevented. The user sets the operating time and stop time of the heater 23 in advance, taking into account the amount and type of compost material, and the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment. For example, the operating time may be 120 seconds, followed by a stop time of 90 seconds.

[0054] The hot air control unit 152 acquires temperature data inside the heater 23 measured by a temperature sensor built into the heater 23, and stops the operation of the heater 23 when the acquired measured temperature reaches the cooling start temperature. The cooling start temperature is, for example, 190°C. It is preferable to restart intermittent airflow after a certain period of time has elapsed since the heater 23 stopped. The above describes the hardware configuration of the control unit 100.

[0055] (Compost heating treatment) Next, with reference to the flowchart in Figure 9, the compost heating process performed by the control unit 100 according to the embodiment will be described. The compost heating process is a process that promotes composting by activating aerobic microorganisms in the compost material and biodegrading the compost material by supplying warm air locally into the compost material using the compost heating system 1.

[0056] The compost heating process begins when the control unit 100's operation panel 110 receives instructions from the user. Before performing the compost heating process, compost material is piled up in the compost layer of the compost shed. Then, the user operates the control unit 110 of the control unit 100 to input data for operating time, stop time, target temperature, and cooling start temperature. The control unit 150 of the control unit 100 performs the following processes based on the data input by the user.

[0057] First, when the operating unit 110 receives a user instruction to start operation, the hot air control unit 152 starts the blower 22 and the heater 23 (step S1). The blower 22 continuously supplies air to the heater 23, and the heater 23 alternately operates and stops based on the operating time and stop time set by the user and stored in the parameter storage unit 141.

[0058] Next, the position control unit 151 controls the motor 33 of the electric chain hoist 3 to lower the compost heating device 2 (step S2). When the compost heating device 2 is lowered, it reaches the surface of the compost material at some point, and then the insertion pipe 25 is gradually inserted into the compost material by the weight of the compost heating device 2. Since warm air has already been intermittently released from the through hole 25a of the insertion pipe 25 during the process in step S1, the supply of warm air to the compost material begins as soon as the insertion pipe 25 is inserted into the compost material.

[0059] Next, the position control unit 151 determines whether the agitator installed in the compost shed has started to move (step S3). If it is determined that the agitator has started to move (step S3; Yes), the compost heating device 2 is raised to the retraction position (step S4), and after waiting until the agitator stops moving, the process returns to step S2. On the other hand, if it is determined that the agitator has not started to move (step S3; No), the hot air control unit 152 determines whether the temperature of the compost material has reached the target temperature stored in the parameter storage unit 141 (step S5).

[0060] If it is determined that the temperature of the compost material has reached the target temperature (Step S5; Yes), the process proceeds to Step S9. At this time, the locally heated compost material generates its own heat due to the activation of aerobic microorganisms, promoting the composting of the compost material. In addition, the heat generated by the compost material propagates to the surrounding compost material, and aerobic microorganisms are activated in the surrounding compost material as well. On the other hand, if it is determined that the temperature of the compost material has not reached the target temperature (Step S5; No), the hot air control unit 152 determines whether it has received a stop instruction from the user (Step S6).

[0061] If it is determined that a stop command from the user has been received (step S6; Yes), the process proceeds to step S9. On the other hand, if it is determined that a stop command from the user has not been received (step S6; No), the hot air control unit 152 determines whether the internal temperature of the heater 23 has reached the cooling start temperature stored in the parameter storage unit 141 (step S7).

[0062] If it is determined that the internal temperature of the heater 23 has reached the cooling start temperature (step S7; Yes), the hot air control unit 152 stops the operation of the heater 23 until the cooling period has elapsed (step S8), and returns to the process in step S3. On the other hand, if it is determined that the internal temperature of the heater 23 has not reached the cooling start temperature (step S7; No), the process returns to the process in step S3 as is.

[0063] If the result of step S5 or step S6 is determined to be Yes, the hot air control unit 152 stops the operation of the heater 23 (step S9), and then the position control unit 151 raises the compost heating device 2 to the retracted position (step S10). As a result of the process in step S10, the insertion pipe 25 of the compost heating device 2 is withdrawn from the compost material, and the compost heating device 2 returns to the retracted position.

[0064] Next, the hot air control unit 152 stops the operation of the blower 22 after the cooling period has elapsed (step S11), and terminates the process. The above is the process for heating compost.

[0065] Once the compost heating process is complete, the locally heated compost material generates its own heat through the activation of aerobic microorganisms, accelerating the composting process. Therefore, simply turning the compost material using a mixer at the appropriate time will allow the composting process to continue. Furthermore, by turning the compost material using a mixer, compost material in which aerobic microorganisms have not yet been activated can be placed below the compost heating device 2, thereby activating the aerobic microorganisms in the compost material.

[0066] As described above, the compost heating device 2 according to the embodiment comprises a frame 21, a blower 22 and a heater 23 supported by the frame 21 that take in air from the outside and generate hot air, and an insertion pipe 25 that is connected to the heater 23 while being supported by the frame 21, has a through hole 25a for releasing the hot air supplied from the hot air source to the outside, and can be inserted into the compost material. Therefore, by locally heating the compost material and activating the aerobic microorganisms in the compost material, self-heating by the compost material is promoted, and the compost material can be composted while suppressing energy consumption.

[0067] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the following modifications are also possible.

[0068] (modified version) In the above embodiment, the support was composed of a frame 21, and the frame 21 was equipped with a girder-shaped member 21a and a beam-shaped member 21b, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The shape and structure of the support can be arbitrary as long as it can accommodate the blower 22, heater 23, distributor 24 and insertion pipe 25, for example it may be a ring-shaped structure.

[0069] In the above embodiment, three weights 26 were attached to different corners of the frame 21, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The number and arrangement of the weights 26 can be appropriately changed depending on the shape and weight of the frame 21, and the arrangement and weight of the blower 22 and heater 23. For example, two weights 26 may be attached to the frame 21 at positions opposite the blower 22 and the heater 23, respectively.

[0070] In the above embodiment, four insertion pipes 25 were provided in the frame 21, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The number of insertion pipes 25 provided in the frame 21 may be, for example, one to three, or five or more.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the insertion pipe 25 comprises a pipe body 25b and a tip member 25c and a base member 25d that are detachably attached to the pipe body 25b, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the tip and base ends of the pipe body 25b may be sealed. In this case, it is preferable that the tip of the pipe body 25b is formed to gradually narrow.

[0072] In the above embodiment, four through holes 25a were provided so as to partially overlap each stay 25h, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The number of through holes 25a is arbitrary; for example, the number of through holes 25a may differ for each stay 25h. The position of the through holes 25a is also arbitrary; for example, they may be provided in the pipe body 25b so as to be positioned between adjacent stays 25h.

[0073] In the above embodiment, multiple through-holes 25a arranged in the same row were spaced at equal intervals, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, multiple through-holes 25a may be arranged such that the density increases towards the tip of the insertion pipe 25. The base end of the insertion pipe 25 is directly heated by heat transfer from the distributor 24, and since heating the center of the compost material activates microorganisms more efficiently, increasing the amount of air released from the tip of the insertion pipe 25 allows the compost material to be heated more uniformly.

[0074] In the above embodiment, three stays 25h were provided on the pipe body 25b of the insertion pipe 25, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The stays 25h provided on the pipe body 25b may be, for example, one or two, or four or more.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the insertion pipe 25 was fixed to the beam-shaped member 21a of the frame 21, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the insertion pipe 25 may be detachably attached to the frame 21, and the insertion pipe 25 and the distributor 24 may be connected via a flexible pipe 24d. This allows the insertion pipe 25 to be removed from the frame 21 and inserted into any location in the compost material within the reach of the pipe 24d.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the blower 22 and heater 23 were activated when the compost heating device 2 was started, and then the compost heating device 2 was lowered by the electric chain hoist 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the blower 22 and heater 23 may be activated after the compost heating device 2 has been lowered by the electric chain hoist 3.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the supply of hot air to the compost material was automatically stopped when the compost temperature reached the target temperature, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the user may manually stop the supply of hot air to the compost material by taking into account parameters such as the temperature of the compost material as visually observed.

[0078] In the above embodiment, various data were stored in the storage unit 140 of the control unit 100, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, all or part of the various data may be stored on an external server or computer via a communication network.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the control unit 100 operated based on programs stored in the memory unit 140, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a functional configuration realized by a program may be realized by hardware.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the control unit 100 was, for example, a general-purpose computer, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the control unit 100 may be implemented as a computer located on the cloud.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the processing performed by the control unit 100 was realized by the device having the above-described physical configuration executing a program stored in the storage unit 140. However, the present invention may be realized as a program, or as a storage medium on which that program is recorded.

[0082] Alternatively, a device that performs the above-mentioned processing operations may be configured by distributing a program for executing the above-mentioned processing operations on a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium such as a flexible disk, CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or MO (Magneto-Optical Disk), and then installing that program on a computer.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the compost heating device 2 was suspended by an electric chain hoist 3 and lowered toward the same location in the fermentation tank, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the compost heating device 2 may be lifted manually and placed at any location in the compost material accumulated in the fermentation tank. Alternatively, the compost heating device 2 may be supported by a hoist crane or robotic arm installed in the composting shed, and the compost heating device 2 may be placed at any location in the compost material accumulated in the fermentation tank by operating the hoist crane or robotic arm.

[0084] The embodiments described above are illustrative, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Various embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as described in the claims. The components described in the embodiments and modifications can be freely combined. Furthermore, inventions equivalent to the invention described in the claims are also included in the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1. Compost heating system 2 Compost heating device 3. Electric chain hoist 4 thermometer 21 frames 21a Girder-like member 21b Beam-like member 21c Auxiliary member 21d Columnar member 21e Suspension member 21f, 21h Plate-shaped member 21g U-bolt 21i through hole 21j nuts 22 Blower 23 Heater 24 Distributor 24a Main piping 24b Branch Box 24c branch piping 24d Piping 25 Insertion pipe 25a through hole 25b Pipe body 25c Tip component 25d Base end member 25e Tip pipe 25f base pipe 25g T-tube 25-hour stay 31 hooks 32 chain 33 Motor 100 control units 110 Operation section 120 Display section 130 Communications Department 140 Storage section 141 Parameter Storage Unit 150 Control Unit 151 Position Control Unit 152 Hot air control unit

Claims

1. Support and A hot air source supported by the aforementioned support, which takes in air from the outside and generates hot air, The system includes an insertion pipe that is connected to the hot air source while being supported by the support, has a through hole for releasing the hot air supplied from the hot air source to the outside, and is insertable into the compost material, The aforementioned insertion pipe is A pipe body connected to the hot air source and having the through hole formed therein, The pipe body comprises a stay that extends in the longitudinal direction of the pipe body and protrudes outward from the peripheral wall portion of the pipe body, The through hole is formed in the peripheral wall of the pipe body such that it partially overlaps with the stay. Compost warming device.

2. The aforementioned insertion pipe is A tip member is detachably attached to the tip of the pipe body so as to close the opening at the tip of the pipe body, and is formed to narrow towards the tip, The pipe body comprises a base end member detachably attached to the base end of the pipe body so as to close the opening on the base end side of the pipe body, The compost heating device according to claim 1.

3. The insertion pipe is detachably attached to the support and connected to the hot air source via flexible piping. The compost heating device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The compost heating device described above is Multiple insertion pipes supported by the aforementioned support, The system includes a distributor supported by the aforementioned support, which distributes the hot air from the hot air source to each insertion pipe, The distributor is positioned such that at least a portion of it is in contact with the surface of the compost material while being heated by the hot air from the hot air source. The compost heating device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. A compost heating device according to claim 1 or 2, A suspension means for supporting the compost heating device so that it can move vertically while suspended, A compost heating system equipped with [features / equipment].

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