Method and apparatus for treating leather or fabrics in a rotary chemical reactor by injection of chemicals

Abstract

Method for processing hides, fabrics or the like in a rotary chemical reactor (1) comprising the steps of loading the hides or fabrics into the rotary chemical reactor; driving the rotary chemical reactor in rotation; carrying out one or more checks; and only if said one or more checks of the execution step are successfully passed, the method further comprises a step of injecting into the rotary chemical reactor nebulized and / or atomized substances consisting of water vapor (A) or a mixture of water vapor (A) and one or more chemical products (C).

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING LEATHER OR FABRICS IN A ROTARYCHEMICAL REACTOR BY INJECTION OF CHEMICALSTECHNICAL SECTOR OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for processing hides or the like.

[0002] In particular, the method according to the invention is carried out with a rotary chemical reactor in the absence of a liquid chemical bath.

[0003] The method according to the invention is particularly suitable for the retanning, dyeing and fattening phases.

[0004] The invention also relates to an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method.STATE OF THE ART

[0005] The processing of hides, or tanning, allows the transformation of animal hides, making them resistant, elastic, waterproof and rotproof by bathing them in chemical products of various kinds.

[0006] The known rotary chemical reactors (called drums according to a terminology commonly used in the relevant technical field) for the processing of hides, fabrics, or similar materials, are containers, mostly substantially cylindrical in shape, mounted on suitable support structures that allow rotation thereof about their axis and which comprise shafts, generally hollow, as they are used for the adduction and expulsion of chemicals, water and other substances necessary for the process. The perforated axes through which the products are injected, support the container by identifying the rotation axis.

[0007] Some known examples of rotary chemical reactors for tanneries are disclosed in prior documents US-2006-0026999 and WO-2004-061136.

[0008] Internally the reactor is provided with blades, ribs and other internal elements with widely varying dimensional characteristics, primarily intended to exert a mechanical action on the processed materials. In fact, inside the chemical reactor are the hides, left free, and thechemical treatment bath. The rotation of the chemical reactor causes a variable interaction between the hides, the chemical bath and the internal surfaces of the chemical reactor consisting of the internal cylindrical surface and the surface of the aforementioned internal elements.

[0009] Many factors influence this interaction, which is aimed at obtaining three distinct effects on the hides: a chemical effect, a mechanical effect and a peristaltic effect. The chemical effect, due to the interaction between the hides and the chemical bath, is optimized by precisely monitoring the composition and temperature of the chemical bath inside the drum during all the hide treatment phases, and to this end, means are used for the addition of chemicals into the rotary chemical reactor, as well as means for filtration, heating, recirculation, monitoring the concentration of various chemical substances, and other similar functions. In particular, the water and chemicals that form the chemical bath are usually introduced into the rotary chemical reactor through the hollow axes of the container.

[0010] The well-known rotary chemical reactors, although advantageous in some respects, are not without their drawbacks.

[0011] Typically, the known rotary chemical reactors, or drums, for tannery are filled with an amount of water that can reach up to about ten times the weight of the hides (i.e. about 1000% by weight), the chemicals are diluted in water which therefore acts as a transport vector of the chemical agents inside the hides. Necessarily, therefore, the enormous amount of water used in the drum is discharged, purified and disposed of. Usually, the hides (shaved or in crust) are loaded into the drum first, followed by the addition of water and chemicals for the retanning and dyeing phases. According to some known examples of retanning and dyeing processes, a single drum for processing 1000 kilograms of hides can consume up to 10 thousand liters of water and about 200 kilograms of chemicals.

[0012] In an attempt to mitigate the problem, solutions have also been proposed in which the rotary chemical reactor is provided with a chemical bath recirculation plant. With the recirculation system, the chemical bath is expelled from the reactor, reconditioned outside therotary chemical reactor, for example by adding steam containing specific chemicals dissolved therein, and then returned to the container. The above-mentioned solution allows the composition and temperature of the chemical bath to be monitored quite effectively, however, it involves a certain structural complication of the rotary chemical reactor due to the presence of the recirculation plant, and a rather high energy expenditure due to the fact that, in order to be effective, the recirculation plant must be able to treat high liquid flow rates. In addition, the effectiveness, on the finished product, of such solutions with recirculation has yet to be demonstrated, particularly in the case where a high quality of the finished product (leather) is required.

[0013] An example of a method of controlling the dosing cycle of chemicals, air and water in a drum is proposed in EP 0990707 A2. The proposed method provides for the possibility of measuring the temperature and humidity inside a drum and of regulating cycles in which hot air, water mist and chemicals are separately added to the drum.

[0014] There are also technical solutions in which inside the reactor, near the hollow support shaft and one or both of the bottom walls of the container, there are ducts provided, at their ends, with nozzles that inject water vapor directly into the container to monitor the composition and temperature of the chemical bath.

[0015] Alongside the issues related to the discharge, purification and disposal of processing residues (large amounts of water with dissolved chemicals), the weights and rotational inertias involved in the rotary chemical reactor become increasingly significant as the amount of hides increases. Furthermore, the operating temperatures of the known rotary chemical reactors are quite high requiring heating of both the water with dissolved chemical agents and the hides, which results in significant energy consumption over a relatively long period of time.

[0016] The need is therefore strongly felt to provide an improved tannery process in a rotary chemical reactor.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An object of the present invention is to respond to the drawbacks complained of with reference to the state of the art.

[0018] These and other objects are achieved by a method according to claim 1 and by an apparatus according to claim 11.

[0019] Some advantageous embodiments are the subject-matter of the dependent claims.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, a method for treating hides, fabrics, or similar products in a rotary chemical reactor for tanning comprises the steps of: loading hides or fabrics into the rotary chemical reactor, driving the rotary chemical reactor in rotation, and carrying out one or more checks.

[0021] The method further provides, only if said one or more checks are successfully passed, for a step of injecting into the rotary chemical reactor nebulized and / or atomized substances consisting of a mixture of water vapor and chemical agents.

[0022] The method further provides that, throughout the entire time the hides remain inside the rotary chemical reactor, a chemical bath is introduced exclusively through the aforementioned injection step.

[0023] The water vapor is preferably obtained from osmotized and / or distilled water.

[0024] The one or more chemicals may comprise a plurality of chemicals belonging to a plurality of classes, wherein the chemicals are not necessarily all injected simultaneously and / or simultaneously with the injection of water vapor.

[0025] The chemicals are preferably tannery chemicals, and in particular for fattening, retanning and dyeing, and may comprise products based on chromium, iron, aluminium, titanium, zirconium and / or other suitable metals, as well as non-metallic tannery chemicals, and in particular fattening, retanning and dyeing agents, which may comprise sodium- and / or chlorine-based products, such as hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, and sodium hydroxide.

[0026] According to one embodiment, said one or more checks comprise monitoring the temperature and percentage dosage of the atomized and / or injected substances.

[0027] According to one embodiment, said one or more checks comprise at least one of: monitoring the humidity of hides, monitoring the rotation speed of the rotary chemical reactor, monitoring the number of revolutions made, monitoring the internal temperature of the rotary chemical reactor, monitoring the temperature of the nebulized and / or atomized substances to be injected, monitoring the relative humidity, monitoring the weight of the rotary chemical reactor, visual check, monitoring the dosage of nebulized and / or atomized substances.

[0028] In this discussion, the term monitoring refers to both the sole detection or measurement of a certain parameter and the combined detection or measurement with a consequent automatic corrective intervention intended to bring the parameter back within predetermined values.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the step of injecting provides for the introduction of said nebulized and / or atomized substances into the rotary chemical reactor, and in particular simultaneously injecting both nebulized and / or atomized water and one or more nebulized and / or atomized chemical products.

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, a rotary chemical reactor apparatus is provided for carrying out the aforesaid method, comprising:- a hatch for loading hides into the rotary chemical reactor,- a motor for driving the rotating chemical container in rotation,- an electronic control system,- one or more sensors in operative connection with the electronic control system,- one or more injectors for injecting an atomized and / or nebulized substance consisting of water vapor and / or a mixture of water vapor and one or more chemicals into the rotary chemical reactor.

[0031] Water vapor can be injected even in the absence of chemicals, while chemicals are always injected in solution with water vapor.

[0032] The electronic control system is configured to acquire information from said one or more sensors to activate, on the basis of the acquired information, said one or more injectors.

[0033] Said one or more sensors may comprise at least one of the following: a speed sensor, a rev counter, a camera, a temperature probe, a hygrometer, a load cell, a flow meter, a pressure sensor, a dosimeter.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the rotary chemical reactor apparatus further comprises internal mechanical means within the reactor for exerting a mechanical action on the hides, such as blades, paddles, ribs, and / or the like.

[0035] According to one embodiment, said apparatus further comprises a water conditioning circuit arranged in a cavity obtained inside a wall of the rotating chemical container to handle the temperature of the internal chamber of the reactor.

[0036] According to one embodiment, said injector is a single injector and is arranged on a base wall of the rotary chemical reactor apparatus. Preferably, rolling members are interposed between the injector and the rotary container of the apparatus.

[0037] Thanks to the solutions proposed, it is possible to carry out the retanning, dyeing and / or fattening phases of a leather tanning process for hides or similar materials without the use of a chemical bath.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The characteristics of the invention will be easily understood from the following description of embodiments thereof, provided as non-limiting examples, with reference to the attached figures in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a rotary chemical reactor apparatus illustrating some possible steps of a method, according to one embodiment;- Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a rotary chemical reactor apparatus illustrating some possible steps of a method, according to one embodiment;- Figure 3 is a schematic cross-section of a rotary chemical reactor apparatus illustrating some possible steps of a method, according to one embodiment;- Figure 4 shows a schematic axonometric view of a rotary chemical reactor apparatus, according to one embodiment;- Figure 5A is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a rotary chemical reactor apparatus illustrating some possible steps of a method, according to one embodiment;- Figure 5B is a table illustrating some possible steps of the method, according to one embodiment.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

[0039] According to a general embodiment, a method for processing hides or the like in a rotary chemical reactor 1 for tannery is provided. The rotary chemical reactor 1 is preferably a tannery drum. In particular, the rotary chemical reactor 1 is of the type suitable for the retanning, and / or dyeing, and / or fattening phases of a tanning process.

[0040] The rotary chemical reactor 1 comprises a rotary container 11 , preferably cylindrical and suitable to rotate about its longitudinal axis X, which defines an internal chamber 10 for the hides P. A hatch 15 is also provided for loading the hides P inside the rotary reactor, i.e. inside the internal chamber 10 of the rotary container. The rotary container of the rotary chemical reactor 1 is supported by a support structure 14 which, for example, comprises a support on which the rotary container 11 is mounted. A motor 2 is provided for driving the rotary chemical reactor 1 in rotation. The motor 2 is preferably arranged on the support structure 14 and is operatively connected to the rotary container 11 by means of a transmission belt 12 or other transmission element of the torque delivered by the motor. The rotation axis X of the rotary container 1 is preferably coincident with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body of the rotary container itself.

[0041] According to one embodiment, inside the internal chamber 10, the rotary chemical reactor 1 , i.e. its rotary container 11 , comprises internal mechanical action means 7, 7’ for creating a mechanical effect on the hides P, such as for example blades, ribs, and / or other means suitable for the purpose. In particular, there may be blades 7 and vanes 7’ arranged alternately with each other and extended into the internal chamber 10.

[0042] First, the method preferably comprises the step of monitoring the moisture content of the hides or fabrics P. This step is carried out outside the rotary reactor 1 and therefore before loading the hides P into the rotary chemical reactor 1.

[0043] The method comprises the step of loading the hides or fabrics into the rotary chemical reactor 1 , i.e. into the internal chamber 10 of the rotary container 11 of the rotary chemical reactor 1.

[0044] The method further comprises the step of driving the rotary chemical reactor 1 in rotation, i.e. driving the rotary container 11 with its internal chamber 10 in rotation with respect to the support structure 14. The step of driving in rotation is subsequent to the step of loading the hides or fabrics P.

[0045] Advantageously, the method further comprises the step of injecting nebulized and / or atomized substances into the drum. The step of injecting provides for creating an environment with moisture content, in the internal chamber 10, which is predeterminable and for example is required by the current process (retanning, dyeing and / or fattening).

[0046] The nebulized and / or atomized substances consist of water vapor, A, or a mixture of water vapor A and one or more chemicals, C. According to one embodiment, water vapor A is injected first and then, at the end of the water vapor injection, a mixture of water vapor and chemicals C is injected.

[0047] According to the method of the invention, no other liquids or chemicals are added to the chemical reactor except during said injection step.

[0048] Thanks to such a method, it is avoided to use, in the internal chamber 10 of the rotary container 11 of the rotary chemical reactor 1 (drum 1), a liquid chemical bath, because the water A and the chemicals C are injected nebulized and / or atomized in the form of a mixture of water vapor and chemicals.

[0049] Thanks to such a method, the total weight of the water in the rotary chemical reactor is equal to or less than the weight of the dry hides or fabrics P (the maximum moisture content acceptable by the hide is equal to 100% by weight and beyond this saturation threshold the undesirable dripping of the hides inside the rotary container 11 is determined).

[0050] According to one preferred embodiment, the water vapor injected in said step of injecting is obtained from osmotized and / or distilled water.

[0051] According to one preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of carrying out one or more checks and enabling the step of injecting nebulized and / or atomized substances only if said checks are successfully passed.

[0052] Said one or more checks preferably comprise at least one of (but also all of) the following: monitoring the rotational speed of the rotary chemical reactor i.e. on the rotational speed V of the rotary container 11 , monitoring the number of revolutions made, monitoring the internal temperature of the rotary chemical reactor 1 i.e. on the temperature of the internal chamber 10, monitoring the relative humidity, monitoring the weight of the rotary chemical reactor 1 such as for example the weight of the rotary container 11 .

[0053] In particular, the monitoring of the rotation speed V of the rotary chemical reactor 1 can be carried out by acquiring information on the rotation speed V. Through a camera 3 facing the internal chamber 10, the internal movement of the hides is detectable to adapt the number of revolutions to the desired trajectory for the hides P.

[0054] In particular, the temperature monitoring can provide for monitoring the internal temperature of the rotary chemical reactor and it can be carried out by means of a temperature sensor 5 arranged facing the internal chamber 10 with wireless or wired transmission.

[0055] Alternatively or in addition, the temperature monitoring may also include monitoring the temperature of the substances to be injected. The monitoring of the temperature of the substances to be injected can prevent the formation of condensation within the internal chamber 10. In addition, the temperature monitoring may also provide for the temperature monitoring of the heating liquid circulating in the heat exchange cavities of the rotary chemical reactor 1.

[0056] In particular, the monitoring of relative humidity can be carried out by sampling the atmosphere aspirated from the internal chamber 10 of the rotary reactor 11 , through one of the two axes.

[0057] In particular, the monitoring of the weight of the rotary container 11 can take place by means of a load cell 6 arranged between the rotary container 11 and its support structure 14.

[0058] Said checks may include monitoring the amount of nebulized and / or atomized substances injected into the rotary chemical reactor 1 , i.e. into its internal chamber 10. In particular, this check on the amount of nebulized and / or atomized substances injected may include monitoring the relative amount i.e. on the relative dosage of the water vapor and one or more chemicals. This check can be carried out by means of a pressure sensor 3 arranged on the injector 4 and / or by means of a flow meter arranged on the supply ducts 8, 8’ of water vapor and one or more chemicals.

[0059] According to one preferred embodiment, one or more injectors 4 are used also for the injection phase. Advantageously, some injectors can be dedicated to injecting only water vapor while other injectors can be dedicated to injecting the mixture of water vapor and chemicals. Therefore, said one or more injectors 4 can be operatively connected to a water vapor supply duct 8, taken from a steam tank 9, and to a chemical product supply duct 8’ taken from a chemical product tank 9’ (in liquid phase, for example). The tanks and the supply ducts are preferably arranged outside the internal chamber 10 and for example are arranged on the (non-rotating) support structure.

[0060] The injector 4 is preferably provided on the rotation axis X of the rotary container 11. Even more preferably, the injector 4 is supported by the support structure and does not rotate with respect to it, whereby rotating seals are arranged between the injector (injectors) 4 and the rotary container 11.

[0061] The aforementioned check on the amount of nebulized and / or atomized substances injected into the rotary chemical reactor 1 , i.e. into its internal chamber 10, can be carried out after the injection step, or the check on the amount of nebulized and / or atomized substances can be carried out by adjusting the flow rate and injection time of each substance individually or jointly, or with flow control instruments.

[0062] According to one preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of conditioning the rotating chemical container, and in particular the internal chamber 10, bymeans of a cavity conditioning circuit 13 using water at temperature for the conditioning of the rotary chemical reactor 1 and in particular in the wall of the rotary container 11. The conditioning circuit 13 preferably comprises a heater for regulating the temperature of the liquid water inside the circuit, for the purpose of heating the internal chamber 10, and may also comprise means for supplying cold water or dilution with glycol for the possible need for cooling.

[0063] The method may further comprise the step of visually inspecting, by a camera, the internal chamber 10. This step of inspecting may be aimed at monitoring the path of the hides P inside the rotary container, as shown for example in Figure 3. The camera is preferably provided in conjunction with a led or other light source. Based on the path of the hides monitored thanks to the camera monitoring step, the rotation speed V of the rotary container 11 can be adjusted. In particular, as the hides absorb the injected substances (water vapor and one or more chemicals), they increase in weight and their trajectory in the rotary container tends to lower, so that by increasing the rotation speed, it is possible to maintain a high trajectory of the hides or fabrics.

[0064] For example, according to one embodiment, the water vapor A is injected as osmotic water in the vapor phase at a temperature in the range 130°C-150°C, and the injected chemicals comprise both tannins and anilines which are injected at a temperature in the range 30°C-65°C and oils and fats which are injected at a temperature in the range 30°C-70°C. The tannins and anilines are mixed with water (vapor) before their simultaneous injection, and then the oils and fats are injected.

[0065] The rotary chemical reactor, i.e., its internal chamber, includes both an inlet for water vapor A and an outlet for the chemical bath (a mixture of condensed water vapor, chemicals, and components of the hide or fabric that dissolve in the solution).

[0066] Thanks to the characteristics described above, provided separately or jointly in specific embodiments, it is possible to meet the required needs and obtain the aforementioned advantages, and in particular:- new technologies are provided for the processing of hides or fabrics;- complete absence of liquid bath, i.e. no liquid water is introduced into the drum or liquid chemicals;- the chemicals can be nebulized and / or atomized in the presence of steam, with the possibility of atomizing even very viscous products;- the absorption of chemicals by the hides is optimized through nebulization / atomization.- The use of water vapor allows easier dosing, providing the leather with only the quantity necessary for a given processing.- The steam obtained from os motic / di stilled water results in the absence of salts (Iron, Calcium, Manganese, Magnesium, ammonium residues,...). These salts, also due to the variability of the water supplied in a standard tanning process, can create unwanted reactions when chemicals are added.- The supply in the form of steam of only the osmotized / distilled water necessary for the treatment has obvious economic savings advantages. In fact, it is currently economically unsustainable to feed a standard industrial process (i.e. with hides immersed in a chemical bath) with osmotized / distilled water.- Chemicals intimately mixed with osmotized / distilled water vapor, become significantly more permeable within the leather or fabrics, thanks to the combined effect of temperature and the absence of impurities or salts.- The method of tumbling hides within an atmosphere saturated with water vapor and chemical allows for the easy dilation of the leather's pores with consequent advantages on the penetration capacity of the products therein.- The use of water vapor allows for processing the leather at temperatures higher than those of standard processes, being a less energy-intensive process thanks to the low volumes of chemical bath that the process of the invention uses.- High processing temperatures in the final processing phases allow the reduction of fixing acids and catalysts. The creation of the intimate mixture of chemical and steam results in the absence of oxidation in the dosing phase, as can happen for example in the case of nebulization through air. In common practice, issues related to the yellowing of fatliquors(oxidized oils and greases) can be avoided, and an easier handling of vegetable-based products (such as mimosa, chestnut, etc.) is observed, which are also known for the challenging color calibration during the dyeing phases.The process can be further improved by the electrochemical effect that is obtained, in the internal chamber 10, with a galvanic cell mounted on the outer diameter of the reactor. Such a galvanic cell produces an electric field that can optimize the absorption of chemicals within the hides P.- in particular, the mechanics of drumming with control of the number of revolutions is exploited, also by means of a camera, to move the hides through the spray mist inside the rotary container.- the amount of water required is greatly reduced, specifically its weight, which becomes comparable to the weight of the hides;- the consumption of chemical products is reduced by more than 30% compared to known chemical baths;- the rotary chemical reactor can be made much lighter than traditional solutions since the content of the rotary container is lighter, for the same processing;- the rotary chemical reactor can be made with injectors positioned on a side wall or on the internal blades, in this case the camera control allows to inject products only when there are no hides near the one or more nozzles.

[0067] These and other advantages of the invention also remain in the presence of variants and embodiments of the invention other than those described above and shown in the accompanying figures that can be provided by a person skilled in the art, remaining within the scope of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Method for retanning and / or dyeing and / or fattening hides, fabrics or similar products in a rotary chemical reactor (1) comprising the steps of:- loading the hides or fabrics (P) into the rotary chemical reactor;- driving the rotary chemical reactor in rotation;- carrying out one or more checks; characterised in that only if said one or more checks are successfully passed, the method further comprises the step of• injecting nebulized and / or atomized substances into the rotary chemical reactor, said substances consisting of water vapor or a mixture of water vapor and one or more chemicals; and in that throughout the entire time the hides (P) remain inside the rotary chemical reactor (1), a chemical bath is introduced into said chemical reactor (1) exclusively through said injection step.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein said water vapor is obtained from osmotic and / or distilled water.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising, before the step of loading, the further step of monitoring the moisture of the hides or fabrics (P).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more checks comprise monitoring the temperature and the percentage dosage of the atomized and / or nebulized substances injected.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more checks comprise at least one of: monitoring the humidity of the hides or fabrics (P), monitoringthe rotation speed of the rotary chemical reactor, monitoring the number of revolutions, monitoring the internal temperature of the rotary chemical reactor, monitoring the temperature of the nebulized and / or atomized substances to be injected, monitoring the relative humidity, monitoring the weight of the rotary chemical reactor, visual inspection with a camera, monitoring the dosage of nebulized and / or atomized substances.

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the step of injecting is carried out until an internal environment with a predeterminable relative humidity content is achieved.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of heating the rotary chemical container by means of a conditioning circuit (13) with a cavity exchanger arranged on one or more walls of the rotary chemical container.

8. Method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of adjusting the rotational speed of the rotary chemical reactor based on information about the trajectory of the hides within the rotary chemical reactor acquired by a camera.

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of:- obtaining a galvanic cell with an electric field inside the rotary chemical reactor, and- keeping the hides immersed in the electric field.

10. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of:- aspirating, for example periodically, the nebulized and / or atomized substances contained in the rotary container,- measuring relative humidity and / or acidity (pH) of the substances aspirated to estimate relative humidity and / or acidity of the rotary container; wherein preferablybetween the step of aspirating and the step of measuring, an additional step of condensing the aspirated substances is provided.

11. Rotary chemical reactor apparatus (1) for processing hides, fabrics or the like, said apparatus comprising:- a hatch (15) for loading the hides or fabrics (P) into the rotary chemical reactor and means for handling the hides (7);- a motor (2);- an electronic control system;- one or more sensors (3), in operative connection with the electronic control system;- one or more injectors (4), for injecting a nebulized and / or atomized substance consisting of water vapor or a mixture of water vapor and one or more chemicals into the rotary chemical reactor; wherein the electronic control system is configured to acquire information from said one or more sensors (3) to control, on the basis of the acquired information, said one or more injectors (4).

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more sensors (3) comprise at least one camera, and said electronic control system comprises an image recognition application; wherein, preferably said one or more sensors (3) comprise at least one of the following: a speed sensor, a tachometer, a camera, a temperature probe, a hygrometer, a load cell, a flow meter, a pressure sensor, a dosimeter; and / or wherein said apparatus further comprises a water conditioning circuit (13) arranged within a wall of the rotary chemical container; and / or whereinthe apparatus comprises a suction system for aspirating the nebulized and / or atomized substances contained in the rotary container; and / or wherein the apparatus is designed to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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