In-Situ Coffee Grounds Stabilization to Prevent Fermentation and Mold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current recycling systems for spent coffee grounds face issues such as fermentation and contamination due to time lag between brewing and collection, leading to mold and fungi growth, and lack of separation from process water, resulting in inefficient and contaminated waste management.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for in-situ stabilization of coffee grounds involving brewing, collecting, heating, and dehydrating the grounds within a coffee brewing device, using radiation, convection, or conduction heating, and a membrane vacuum pump to achieve a stable moisture content, preventing mold and allowing for efficient storage and recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If coffee grounds are collected and stored without immediate processing, then transportation and collection logistics are simplified, but fermentation and mold growth occur leading to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary drying of coffee grounds immediately after brewing within the coffee machine itself, before collection and transportation. This preliminary action removes moisture that would otherwise enable fermentation and mold growth during storage, allowing time lag without contamination
Solution Approach 2:
A drying agent or desiccant is introduced as an intermediary substance to absorb moisture from coffee grounds during storage. This intermediary prevents direct contact between moisture and coffee grounds, thereby preventing fermentation and mold growth while allowing extended storage time
2Ease of operation
If entire waste products including process water are collected together, then collection process is simplified, but transportation volume and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The waste stream is segmented into separate components: coffee grounds and process water. The system separates these components at the source, allowing coffee grounds to be collected dry for recycling while process water is handled separately, significantly reducing transportation weight and volume
Solution Approach 2:
Process water is extracted and removed from the coffee grounds waste stream. This extraction eliminates the bulk water component, reducing the weight and volume of material requiring transportation while maintaining collection simplicity through automated separation mechanisms
3Stability of the object's composition
If coffee grounds are dried to very low moisture content, then stability and storage time are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of drying coffee grounds to complete dryness, the system applies partial drying to achieve sufficient stability. The moisture content is reduced to a level that prevents fermentation and mold growth during storage, without removing all moisture, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining adequate stability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the moisture content parameter to an optimal range rather than minimizing it completely. By maintaining moisture content within a specific range (not too high to prevent growth, not too low to waste energy), the system achieves stability with reduced energy input compared to complete drying
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method and device effectively stabilize coffee grounds, preventing mold and contamination, enabling long-term storage and recycling, and allowing for their reuse in various applications, such as fuel, fillers, or extraction of organic compounds, while reducing waste disposal and producing a stable separated stream for further processing.
Implementation Method 1
heating the collected coffee grounds; preferably wherein the heating of the coffee grounds occurs through radiation, convection and/or conduction
Implementation Method 2
heating the collected coffee grounds; preferably wherein the heating of the coffee grounds occurs through radiation, convection and/or conduction
Implementation Method 3
heating the collected coffee grounds; preferably wherein the heating of the coffee grounds occurs through radiation, convection and/or conduction
Implementation Method 4
during step (c) and (d) a negative pressure is applied; the dehydrating step (d) moisture is extracted from the heated coffee grounds through a membrane vacuum pump configured to purge moist air
Implementation Method 5
moisture is extracted from the heated coffee grounds through a membrane vacuum pump
Data Source
AI summary
In general the various aspects of the technology of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and devices for the in-situ stabilizing and storing coffee grounds to be repurposed.