System of hardware and software for sorting solid household waste

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of public utilities and is designed for sorting solid household waste at container sites. The proposed system of hardware and software includes a rectangular container comprising: an intake zone with an intake port for depositing waste into an intake bin with a movable base for transfer to a sorting table with trays which is disposed in an enclosed sorting zone with ports for the separation of waste by an operator into designated bins; an operating zone with a workstation; a compaction zone; a packing zone; a conveyor; lifting and conveying equipment for transferring designated bins to a temporary storage warehouse; a zone for receiving empty bins and unloading full bins; an external loading and unloading robotic arm; a temporary storage warehouse; and a warehouse for outsized waste. The invention is directed toward separating organic waste from inorganic waste, thoroughly sorting inorganic waste, accurately recording and predicting waste streams and creating a database for artificial intelligence, thereby making it possible to efficiently manage the collection and processing of solid household waste.

Description

[0001] A hardware and software system for sorting municipal solid waste and selling secondary raw materials

[0002] B09B 3 / 00

[0003] The invention relates to the field of public utilities for sorting solid municipal waste at container sites.

[0004] Reducing the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) is achieved by reducing its generation and recycling it instead of sending it to incinerators or landfills. Recycling MSW into secondary raw materials is the most effective and safe way to combat the growing amount of waste.

[0005] MSW is a mixture of a wide variety of items: clean and dirty, useful and useless, hazardous and non-hazardous, flammable and non-flammable. Sorting and recycling it presents a complex environmental and technological challenge. This complexity stems from the ever-increasing volume and diversity. But the biggest obstacle to waste sorting and recycling is organic matter. It contaminates and spoils potentially recyclable fractions. As a result, some of the waste begins to lose its properties and value within the first 24 hours of collection and storage in garbage bins. During the next stage, during loading into a garbage truck and subsequent compaction, it becomes mixed, deformed, and heavily contaminated with released filtrate. Consequently, it becomes unsuitable for further processing. Ultimately, the waste that is transported to a landfill or sorting site is dirty, useless, toxic, and foul-smelling.Only a small portion of waste can be sorted, as most raw materials are already spoiled and unsuitable for further processing. This makes sorting ineffective and expensive.

[0006] At landfills, organic waste also causes numerous problems, such as fires, bacterial contamination of groundwater, soil, and air, and the spread of various viral and invasive diseases. To prevent organic waste from influencing these processes, separate waste collection technologies are typically used. Highest separate collection results have been achieved in Germany and Sweden. Kazakhstan has yet to achieve similar results. This is due to the lack of facilities for waste sorting and storage, a lack of practice in separate waste collection, a shortage of containers and specialized equipment, and a careless attitude toward sorted recyclables, which are simply disposed of in the same garbage truck as regular waste.

[0007] The problem is that organic (wet) waste contaminates all other (dry) waste, which in turn contaminates organic matter. As a result, compost produced from organic waste, which could be valuable organic fertilizer for agriculture and the reclamation of barren lands, with subsequent reuse for agricultural purposes, is contaminated with toxic and hazardous substances. It is suitable only for landfill reclamation (technical soil), road fill, and construction. The fractions that could have been recycled are contaminated with organic waste and become unsuitable for further use. Instead of being recycled, they are sent to an overflowing landfill. The solution to this problem is to separate wet waste from dry waste at the initial stage, when all items are in their original, clean, and non-deformable state.

[0008] A device is known for processing solid municipal waste, comprising containers for collecting waste, garbage trucks that move the collected waste to a sorting station, including a preliminary sorting unit consisting of a loading conveyor and a rotating drum screen, and a unit for the main sorting of waste into fractions, equipped with a magnetic separator, as well as processing units, characterized in that an auger with blades on which radially directed protrusions are mounted, placed in a drum screen made in the form of a perforated cylinder, is additionally introduced into it, wherein the auger blades are arranged in a spiral and attached to the inner surface of the cylinder, the axis of rotation of which is located horizontally, a transfer line for the fraction of non-recyclable waste, consisting of a storage bin and an unloading conveyor with a controlled drive, located under the storage bin, and a container for large-sized items,installed near the loading conveyor, while the main sorting unit is designed in the form of a sorting conveyor, along which the sorters' workstations are located with hatches for dumping certain fractions corresponding to each workstation (RU No. 2155108 C1, 27.08.2000).,

[0009] The disadvantage of such a system is the low sorting efficiency due to the fact that during preliminary sorting in a drum screen, individual fractions of waste become contaminated with foreign materials. In addition, the use of such equipment complicates and increases the cost of waste sorting and is intended for use at sorting stations, but not in areas with dense human populations.

[0010] The closest analogue is a plant for sorting solid municipal waste, including a manual sorting station, a device for separating ferrous metals, mobile containers and a press for briquetting waste, while it includes a non-permanent building equipped with a receiving window and an unloading opening, while the manual sorting station, a device for separating ferrous metals, mobile containers and a press for briquetting waste are located inside the building, which has compartments for placing sorted and briquetted waste (RU No. 66697 U1, 09 / 27 / 2007).

[0011] The disadvantage of such a plant is the use of expensive equipment, low quality of sorting and the unsuitability of the plant for use at a waste collection site.

[0012] The objective of this invention is to create a hardware and software system that ensures the deep sorting of solid municipal waste with a high quality and percentage of secondary raw materials. The proposed system is planned to be implemented within the shortest possible timeframe and does not require a long wait for results associated with radical changes in society, such as punishment, education, and training.

[0013] The technical result of solving the stated problem is the separation of organic waste from inorganic waste, ensuring the deep sorting of inorganic waste into metal, glass, waste paper, polymers, textiles, leather, rubber, and waste unsuitable for sorting, ensuring the ability to accurately record, analyze, and forecast the flows of various types of waste, creating a database of fractions for artificial intelligence, which allows for the competent management of the collection, sorting, and processing of solid municipal waste, as well as ensuring a rapid solution to the problems of solid municipal waste disposal, and a significant increase in the percentage of the yield of liquid high-quality secondary raw materials and, as a result, a significant reduction in the volume of waste removed to the landfill, reducing the harmful impact on the environment.

[0014] The proposed complex combines the collection of waste from the population and automated sorting of solid waste at the primary waste collection site.

[0015] Thus, the said technical result is achieved by the fact that a hardware and software complex for sorting MSW and selling secondary raw materials is proposed, which is a rectangular container including a receiving area with a receiving window located on the front side of the container for transferring waste into a receiving tank with a movable bottom, allowing to maintain an optimal level of MSW for convenient movement to a sorting table with trays located in a closed sorting area with windows for distributing waste manually by the operator into tanks for fractions, a household area with an operator's workplace, a pressing area in which pressing equipment is located for compacting large volumes of waste paper and polymers, a packaging area with packaging equipment for closing the tanks for fractions, a conveyor for moving sorted materials into the tanks, lifting and transport equipment for transferring the tanks for fractions to a temporary storage warehouse,an area for receiving empty tanks and unloading full tanks, an external loading and unloading manipulator for moving full tanks from the complex to vehicles and empty tanks from vehicles, a temporary storage warehouse for empty and full tanks, and a warehouse for oversized waste.

[0016] In one version, the container is equipped with a security system to prevent intrusion into the complex, an external video surveillance camera, and emergency buttons to call emergency services in the event of an emergency.

[0017] In one version, the receiving tank is equipped with lighting, a video and photo recording system, a fire extinguishing system, a cleaning and disinfection device, and a sewage system.

[0018] In one version, the sorting table is equipped with lighting, supply and exhaust ventilation, and a heated surface for use in cold weather.

[0019] In one embodiment, the sorting area contains at least five bulk bins for organics, waste, glass, metals, as well as textiles, leather and rubber.

[0020] In one embodiment, the press area contains at least two press tanks for waste paper and polymers.

[0021] In one embodiment, the packaging area is located on the same frame as the pressing equipment and includes a window for loading lids, guide chutes, a lid magazine, and a counting device.

[0022] In one embodiment, the handling equipment is equipped with three axes of movement: along the container, across the container, and up and down. In one embodiment, the handling equipment is equipped with a load cell for weighing the tanks.

[0023] Description of the complex with links to figures:

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a view of the complex from above.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the complex.

[0026] Further, embodiments of the claimed complex will be described in detail with reference to the attached figures.

[0027] Thus, according to Fig. 1-2, the proposed hardware and software complex for sorting MSW and secondary raw materials is a rectangular container (101) that includes a receiving area with a receiving window (1) located on the front side of the container (101) for transferring waste into a receiving tank (2) with a movable bottom (not shown) that allows maintaining an optimal level of MSW for convenient movement onto a sorting table (3) with trays (4) located in a closed sorting area with windows for manually distributing waste by the operator into fraction tanks, a utility area (17) with an operator's workstation (18), a pressing area in which pressing equipment (7) is located for compacting large volumes of waste paper and polymers, a packaging area with packaging equipment (8) for closing fraction tanks, a conveyor (5) for moving sorted materials into tanks, lifting and transport equipment (9) for transferring fraction tanks to a temporary storage warehouse (14),an area for receiving empty tanks (12) and unloading full tanks (13), an external loading and unloading manipulator (16) for moving full tanks from the complex to vehicles and empty tanks from vehicles, a temporary storage warehouse (14) for empty and full tanks, as well as a warehouse for oversized waste (15).

[0028] The container is equipped with a system for protecting against intrusion into the complex, an external video surveillance camera, and emergency buttons for calling emergency and rescue services in the event of an emergency (not shown).

[0029] The receiving tank (2) is equipped with lighting, a video and photo recording system, a fire extinguishing system, as well as a device for cleaning and disinfection, and a sewage system (not shown).

[0030] The sorting table (3) is equipped with lighting, supply and exhaust ventilation, and a heated surface for use in cold weather (not shown). In addition, the sorting area contains at least five bulk bins for organics (6), trash (10), glass (11), metals (19), and textiles, leather, and rubber (20).

[0031] Also, in the press zone there are at least two press tanks for waste paper (21) and polymers (22).

[0032] The packaging area is located on the same frame as the pressing equipment (7) and includes a window for loading lids, guide chutes, a lid magazine, and a counting device (not shown).

[0033] The lifting and transport equipment (9) is equipped with three axes of movement: along the container (101), across the container (101), and up and down. The lifting and transport equipment (9) also has a load cell (23) for weighing the tanks.

[0034] The operation of the proposed complex is carried out as follows.

[0035] As noted above, a sorting plant can only recover a small percentage of clean and inexpensive secondary raw materials. Automation and robotization of the process can increase the sorting percentage, but this increases the cost of production. Furthermore, the quality of the recovered raw materials is very low. As a result, the liquidity of such products decreases, and their market access becomes limited and unstable. The prospects for constructing processing facilities are not promising.

[0036] There's only one way to solve this problem: improving the quality of the source material. This will increase the volume and quality of sorted recyclables while reducing costs. Accounting, control, and planning will create favorable conditions for business.

[0037] The uniqueness of the proposed complex lies in the combination of equipment, technologies, and organizational solutions. The collection and advanced sorting of municipal solid waste takes place at primary collection points. During sorting, waste is separated into fractions: organic (6), trash (10), glass (11), metal (19), textile, rubber, and leather (20). These fractions are then transferred from the sorting table (3) to these bins via chutes (4). The complex accurately records, analyzes, and forecasts the flow of various waste types. This enables efficient management of the collection, sorting, and recycling of municipal solid waste.

[0038] The equipment for this complex is housed in a container-type building. The complex can be connected to central utilities such as electricity, water, sewerage, and heating. It can also be equipped with its own autonomous systems, including a solar power system (24 units), an electric generator, and batteries, as well as a clean water tank, a grey water tank, a composting toilet, a sink, and infrared heaters, making it completely self-sufficient (not shown).

[0039] The front side features a collection window (1) for household solid waste, as well as a waste bag vending machine (not shown). External CCTV cameras ensure security, and emergency buttons for calling emergency services provide quick access in case of emergency.

[0040] On the left side of the container is a service entrance (25) and a fire shield (26), as well as technical hatches (27) for repairs and equipment replacement. The right side of the container is reserved for bulky household waste, including furniture, appliances, construction debris, and tree trimmings.

[0041] The exterior of the building is insulated with PP boards and finished with various materials and stylistic solutions, depending on the external architectural requirements of the area. The complex is installed on a level, hard-surfaced area.

[0042] The complex is installed in densely populated areas, and the surrounding area is equipped with access roads, a barrier, a security and video surveillance system, and lighting. Maintenance of the complex is provided by specialized organizations, including operators, repairmen, logistics specialists, and management and supply specialists.

[0043] For solid waste collection, the front of the container features a receiving window (1), illuminated at night. Through this window, waste flows into the receiving bin (2), which has a movable bottom, maintaining an optimal level for easy transfer to the sorting table (3) in the sorting area. Furthermore, the receiving bin (2) is equipped with lighting, video and photo surveillance, a fire suppression system, cleaning and disinfection equipment, and a sewage system.

[0044] The sorting area features a sorting table (3) equipped with bright lighting, supply and exhaust ventilation, and surface heating during the cold season. Filtrate and cleaning solutions are discharged into a sewer drain. A range of hand-held and stationary tools and equipment is available to ensure successful sorting. Photo and video recordings are used to collect fraction data. Guide chutes and a conveyor (5) ensure the transfer of sorted materials to fraction bins. This area is an enclosed space, connected to other areas by windows.

[0045] The operator manually moves the MSW from the receiving bin (2) to the sorting table (3). A special device empties the contents of the bags onto the table surface. The operator then manually sorts and distributes the fractions into the appropriate slots, from where they fall into the appropriate fraction bin. As the bin fills, a signal is sent for packaging. Packaging equipment (8) closes the fraction bins with lids and, using lifting and transport equipment (9), transports the waste to the temporary storage warehouse (14). Empty fraction bins are placed in their places. All operations are automated and controlled by software.

[0046] The sorting area contains five bulk bins for various fractions: organics (6), waste (10), glass (11), metal (19), as well as textiles, leather, and rubber (20). The press area also contains at least two press bins for waste paper (21) and polymers (22).

[0047] The operator's workstation (18) is located in a comfortable utility area (17), which is securely insulated from the sorting table (3) and the rest of the complex and the street by a sealed partition. It provides all the necessary conditions for comfortable work: a separate heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system, as well as all necessary amenities—a toilet, sink, table, chair, and a closet for clean and work clothes. This area also houses the main electrical cabinet, a computer, a microwave, and a refrigerator. A flexible, mobile apron, gloves, and a transparent head covering are built into the partition for sorting operations. The gloves are equipped with heating, ventilation, and an armored coating that protects against cuts and punctures. The apron is also insulated. The head covering is ventilated, and the footrest is height-adjustable, ensuring comfortable work.

[0048] Specialized pressing equipment (7) is used for compact storage of large volumes of waste paper and polymers. It allows fractions to be reduced in size by 10-20 times. Each fraction is allocated a separate space in the pressing zone. Fractions enter the pressing zone via a conveyor (5), which delivers them directly from the sorting table (3). The pressing process is carried out using a hydraulic press. Fractions are placed in a special tank, above which a storage tank is installed to increase the initial volume. Once the tank is full, a signal is sent to begin pressing. The press automatically moves to the desired tank, where the working cycle begins. The press then returns to its starting position. This process continues until the required material density is achieved. The entire process is automated.After compaction is completed, the tank is closed with a lid and, also automatically and with the help of lifting and transport equipment (9), it is moved to a temporary storage warehouse (14), and an empty tank is installed in its place.

[0049] The packaging area is located on the same frame as the pressing equipment (7). It includes a lid loading window, guide chutes, a lid magazine, and a counting device. All of this is necessary for storing and counting lids. Depending on the specific task, the packaging function can be performed by either the pressing equipment (7) or the lifting and transport equipment (9), as mentioned earlier.

[0050] The lifting and transport equipment (9) has three axes of movement: along the container, across the container, and up and down. It is designed to move tanks within the container. It also serves as a bulk tank packer. Using a load cell, the equipment weighs the tanks. All functions are controlled automatically using specialized software.

[0051] A special receiving window is provided for refilling the complex with empty tanks. A tank delivery window is also available for unloading full tanks. This equipment operates in conjunction with an external manipulator (16), which picks up empty tanks and transfers them to a container (101), and from the container (101) picks up full tanks and transfers them to a vehicle. The manipulator (16) is operated by a driver-operator from the service organization handling the tank removal. All processes occurring within the complex are automated and controlled by specialized software.

[0052] The external manipulator is a rotating cantilever lift designed for transferring empty tanks from a vehicle to a container (101) and transferring full tanks from the complex to the vehicle. It has three axes: rotation around the axis, movement along the cantilever, and up-and-down movement. For precise tank positioning, the lift is equipped with a mechanical device, and is controlled manually.

[0053] The temporary storage facility (14) for empty and full bins serves as a transshipment base and temporary storage facility. The oversized waste facility (15) is designed for the collection and temporary storage of oversized waste: furniture, household appliances, construction debris, tree trimmings, etc.

[0054] Thus, using this system significantly increases the percentage of liquid and high-quality recyclable materials, reduces the volume of waste disposed of at landfills, and mitigates the environmental impact. Furthermore, the system provides accurate accounting, analysis, and forecasting of various waste streams, enabling efficient management of solid waste collection, sorting, and recycling, as well as the creation of new jobs.

Claims

CLAUSES OF THE INVENTION 1. A hardware and software system for sorting solid household waste and selling recyclable materials, which is a rectangular container that includes a receiving area with a receiving window, a sorting table and a utility area with an operator's workstation, characterized in that - a receiving area with a receiving window is located on the front side of the container for transferring waste into a receiving tank with a movable bottom, which allows maintaining an optimal level of solid waste for convenient movement to a sorting table with trays, located in a closed sorting area with windows for manual distribution of waste by the operator into fraction tanks; - the container also additionally includes a pressing zone, which contains pressing equipment for compacting large volumes of waste paper and polymers, a packaging zone with packaging equipment for closing fraction bins, a conveyor for moving sorted materials into bins, lifting and transport equipment for transferring fraction bins to a temporary storage warehouse, an area for receiving empty bins and unloading full bins, an external loading and unloading manipulator for moving full bins from the complex to motor vehicles and empty bins from motor vehicles, a temporary storage warehouse for empty and full bins, and a warehouse for oversized waste.

2. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling recyclable materials according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the container is equipped with a system for protecting against penetration into the complex, an external video surveillance camera, and emergency buttons for calling emergency and rescue services in the event of an emergency.

3. A hardware and software system for sorting solid municipal waste and selling secondary raw materials according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the receiving tank is equipped with lighting, a video and photo recording system, a fire extinguishing system, a device for cleaning and disinfection, and a sewage system.

4. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the sorting table is equipped with lighting, supply and exhaust ventilation, and a heated surface for use in the cold season.

5. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to paragraphs 1 and 4, characterized in that at least five bulk bins for organic matter, garbage, glass, metals, as well as textiles, leather and rubber are located in the sorting zone.

6. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to paragraph 1, characterized in that at least two press tanks for waste paper and polymers are located in the press zone.

7. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to I.1, characterized in that the packaging area is located on the same frame with the pressing equipment and includes a window for loading lids, guide chutes, a lid magazine, and a counting device.

8. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to I.1, characterized in that the lifting and transport equipment is equipped with three axes of movement: along the container, across the container, and up and down.

9. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the lifting and transport equipment has a strain gauge for weighing the tanks.

10. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to paragraph 1, characterized in that it additionally contains a solar power station, an electric generator and storage batteries, as well as a tank for clean water, a tank for grey water, a bio-toilet, a sink and infrared heaters.

11. A hardware and software complex for sorting solid household waste and selling secondary raw materials according to I.1, characterized in that on the left side of the container there is a service entrance and a fire shield, as well as technical hatches.

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