Abstract:
A system for the continuous production of a liquid fertilizer is provided. The system operates by feeding a compost material at a continuous rate to an extractor. The extractor uses a belt system to convey the compost along a path. Sprayers above the belt spray water or similar liquid water based substance onto the compost. The water absorbs nutrients and other components of the compost and is then drained through the belt to a receptacle to store the liquid fertilizer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a system for generating liquid fertilizer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a continuous process for production of liquid fertilizer. 
     Description of Related Art 
     It has been known to produce liquid compost as a liquid fertilizer, which is a suspension containing water and composted organic material, such as wood chips and/or animal waste. Liquid compost is typically dispensed through an irrigation system, or through some other spray device, so that the material can be spread over a large area of crops, turf, and/or ornamental plants. 
     In the prior art, liquid compost has been produced in a batch process. That is, a quantity of organic matter is placed in a vessel, and is then combined with water. The material may be stirred until the desired consistency is reached. The resulting suspension is liquid compost, which is removed from the vessel, at which point another batch can be made. The device used to make the liquid compost is known as an extractor, because the product is extracted from the organic material. 
     The compost extractors of the prior art are essentially batch processors. While attempts to automate the process have been proposed, the automation has been limited to the use of conveyors to deliver organic material to the extractor. The devices of the prior art cannot be used to produce liquid compost on a continuous basis. Moreover, the task of delivering organic material to the extractor, and removal of spent organic material, is a labor-intensive process which has not been automated in prior art devices. Also, the making of liquid compost is an inherently messy procedure, and creates a disposal problem. 
     The same problems are encountered in the making of “compost tea”, which is similar to liquid compost, except that the water used to make the product has an oxygen content sufficient to support the growth of microorganisms. A compost tea is typically made by supplying a kit which includes a “tea” bag containing compost, with the addition of other chemicals, and brewing the “tea” in liquid, in the presence of oxygen, for an extended period of time. The resulting compost tea may be used as a fertilizer, or as a composition for preventing plant diseases. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a system that may efficiently and effectively provide a continuous process to produce the desired liquid fertilizer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article. 
     In one aspect, a system for the continuous production of liquid fertilizer is provided. The system includes a compost feed source, an extractor to produce liquid fertilizer from compost of the compost feed source, and a discharge area. The compost is fed to the extractor by a conveyor. The extractor may have a continuous belt configured to revolve about a roller. The belt is driven by a drive source such as a motor. This belt has a plurality of apertures in its surface that allow water to pass through the belt. Water sources are positioned above the belt and are configured to provide water to the belt and any compost positioned on top of the belt. The water may then collect nutrients, biologics, and other materials from the compost, and pass through the belt. A collection area is positioned to collect the water (which is now a liquid fertilizer by virtue of its collection of components from the compost). A discharge receptacle is positioned at an end of the belt to receive the spent compost after it has been wetted and nutrients extracted. 
     In another aspect, an irrigation system having a liquid fertilizer input from a liquid fertilizer production system is provided. The irrigation system includes a liquid fertilizer production unit connected to the irrigation system to provide liquid fertilizer directly and continuously, as the liquid fertilizer is produced, to the irrigation system. The fertilizer production unit includes a compost feed source, an extractor to produce liquid fertilizer from compost of the compost feed source, and a discharge area. The compost is fed to the extractor by a conveyor. The extractor may have a continuous belt configured to revolve about a roller. The belt is driven by a drive source such as a motor. This belt has a plurality of apertures in its surface that allow water to pass through the belt. Water sources are positioned above the belt and are configured to provide water to the belt and any compost positioned on top of the belt. A collection area is positioned to collect the water (which is now a liquid fertilizer). This collection area is directly connected to the irrigation system by, for example, a pump, providing direct flow from the collection area for the liquid fertilizer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  provides a view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  provides an elevation view of an embodiment of a belt of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  provides a detail view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  provides a schematic view of still another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. 
     Generally, the present invention concerns a continuous process for extracting organisms, nutrients, and beneficial biological elements from a quantity of compost into a quantity of water, forming a liquid fertilizer. The process includes a number of components including a compost source, extraction system, and discharge. The extraction system includes a liquid permeable belt that is configured to move the compost from the compost source past a series of water sources that are poured/sprayed on the compost. As the belt continues on, the water passes through the compost, gathering the organisms, nutrients and biological elements within the compost source. The water may then pass through the belt in the form of a liquid fertilizer into a collection area. After sufficient water exposure, the compost is then spent and sent to a discharge area. 
     Computerized or other control systems may be coupled to motors controlling the belt, feeders, water feed to the pouring/spraying system, and the like, to control a rate of the feeding and extraction on the system. Further, a plurality of sensors may be deployed throughout the system and connected to the computerized control system to provide further specific control and allow for adjustment of the system. 
     The liquid fertilizer made by the present invention can be sprayed over crops, or over turf or ornamental plants, or used prior to planting, or it can be dispensed through an irrigation system. In a particular embodiment, the system may be present on site at a farm location, and the extraction system collector that receives the liquid fertilizer may be in direct connection to a local irrigation system such as an agricultural irrigation system. In another embodiment, the liquid fertilizer may be created, and then transported to another location for use. The present invention therefore has a primary object of providing a system and method for making liquid fertilizer in the form of liquid compost or compost tea. 
     The term “compost”, as used herein, may refer to any composted organic material. Organic material sources may include materials such as wood chips, leaves, grass clippings and other discarded organic material, animal waste, food waste, mixtures of these materials, and other organic composted sources. The term “composted” as used herein is defined as to decay or decompose to at least some extent. 
     The liquid permeable belt may be any planar belt capable of being rotated and driven in a continuous fashion along, for example, rollers or the like, that can allow a fluid to pass through. For example, the belt may be formed of a mesh material, such as plastic, metal, fiberglass, carbon fiber and other composites, and the like. In other embodiments, the belt may be a continuous membrane material having a plurality of apertures formed along its length. In some embodiments, two belts may be used, an upper belt and a lower belt that are facing each other. Both of these belts may be liquid permeable and may have a spacing between them wherein the compost may be deposited. The belts, when moving, thus both guide the quantity of compost between them. In a particular embodiment having two belts, a spacing between he two belts may decrease as the belts move toward an end of the extractor. The belts coming together in this embodiment may aid in squeezing the compost to extract more liquid fertilizer. 
     In a particular embodiment, structures or motions of the belt may aid in agitating the wetted compost to facilitate transfer of components to the water and to move the water out of the compost through the belt. For example, the belt may shake or otherwise move in an agitating fashion. In another embodiment, baffles or other protrusions on the belt may provide this agitation. 
     A water source may be positioned to provide water to the compost from the compost source as it moves along the path of the belt conveying the compost. The water source may be any system capable of providing a quantity of water to the compost on the belt. In one embodiment, the water source may be a sprayer or sprayers. In another embodiment, the water source may be a pouring source or sources such as a faucet or the like. In still another embodiment, the water source may be a water jet or jets, or other pressurized source. 
     A collector or collection area may be positioned below and/or around the belt to collect the water after it has collected the desirable contents of the compost. In many embodiments, the collector may be below the sprayers and belt to use gravity to bring the desirable liquid fertilizer out of the compost and downward to the collector, however this is not necessarily the case. The collector may be any structure or area capable of catching and/or diverting the liquid fertilizer after it leaves the compost. Examples of collectors may include troughs, basins, funnels, barrels, piping, and the like. 
     A filtration unit may be employed on an outlet of the collector. The filtration unit may be utilized to filter the liquid fertilizer to prevent clogging of downstream delivery applications. Such a filtration unit may be any filter capable of separating compost particles of a particular size from the liquid phase of the liquid fertilizer. 
     One or more conveyors may be used to bring the compost from a compost source, to the extractor and after the extractor, to the discharge area. The conveyors may be moved by any suitable motor, which may be hydraulic, electric, or gasoline-powered. The motors which drive the conveyors preferably have adjustable speeds, so that the speed of the conveyors can thereby be controlled. The motors are preferably designed so that they can be controlled, at least in part, by the output of a sensor monitoring any part of the system. Sensors may monitor one or more of, for example: water flow rate, conveyor rate, belt rate, spent compost production rate, compost feed rate, liquid fertilizer production rate, and the like. 
     In many embodiments, the compost source may be from a trailer or other similar bulk storage area. The trailer may be positioned near the conveyor and configured to feed compost to the conveyor and thus to the extractor. Similarly, the discharge area to send the spent compost may be a trailer, or other similar bulk storage area. In one embodiment, the trailer may serve as both the compost source and a discharge area. In this embodiment, the conveyors may both extract the compost from the trailer, and the discharge conveyor may send it back to a different area of the trailer after extraction. 
     As described above, the embodiment having the combination of the trailer as a source and discharge unit is especially advantageous, because organic matter can be automatically unloaded from the trailer, processed in the extraction unit, and residual organic matter can be automatically returned to the trailer for disposal. However, it is possible to use the extraction unit alone, without the trailer, in which case other means of supplying and removing organic matter must be provided. It is also possible to replace the trailer with some other structure. Furthermore, the residual organic material may be conveyed to a discharge area other than the trailer. 
     In a further embodiment, a second set of water sprayers or jets may be provided to clean off the belt by spraying the belt to remove the spent compost. This second set of water sprayers may be in a separate section from the main extractor area, to prevent excess cleaning water from diluting the liquid fertilizer. The jets may be oriented in any direction relative to the belt, and may be above, to the side, at an angle, below the belt, or in a region between two potions of the belt in an embodiment wherein the belt wraps around one or a plurality of rollers, among other options. 
     Instead of using water to remove residual compost from the belt, one could use a stream of air, or a stream which includes both water and air. A mechanical device (not shown) could also be added for assisting in the removal of the residual spent compost. 
     The invention thus automates the process of making liquid fertilizer, by providing a system in which compost or other organic material is automatically removed from a compost source, and in which liquid fertilizer is made continuously and automatically. Furthermore, the portion of spent compost is automatically returned to the trailer so that it can be carried away. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the continuous liquid fertilizer production system is provided. The extractor  40  of this embodiment is surrounded by a broken line. A compost feed source  10  is provided. A conveyor  11  moves compost  24  from within the feed source  10  to the extractor  40 , namely to belt  12  in the extractor  40 . Belt  12  is a continuous belt that revolves about rollers  23  and is powered by some motive force such as a motor. Compost can be seen disposed on a top of the belt  12 . As the compost moves along the extractor on the belt  12 , sprayers  14  (or other equivalent water source) spray a quantity of water downward towards the compost and belt  12 . This spraying causes the compost to become filled with water, collecting nutrients, organisms, and biological elements from the compost. Because the belt  12  is liquid permeable, after this collecting, the fluid passes through the belt, and is collected into collection area  20 , shown here as a basin. Near an end of the extractor is a belt cleaning area  15  which clears the belt  12  of spent compost  16 . This may be achieved by spraying, blowing air, and the like, as discussed above. A spent compost  16  leaves the extractor  40  and is received in a discharge receptacle  17 . In this particular embodiment shown, a piping  18  connects to the collection area  20 . This piping may collect additional fluid  19  that drains from the spent compost  16  and send this fluid  19  to the collection area  20 . However it should be understood that the invention can, of course, operate without this piping  18 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a detail view of an embodiment of the fluid permeable belt. Fluid permeable belt  12  is shown here as a mesh  22  in an elongate planar shape. The belt  12  wraps about at least two rollers allowing it to revolve continuously to allow for the system to operate in a continuous extraction process of producing liquid fertilizer. 
       FIG. 3  provides a view of another embodiment of a belt configuration of the extractor. In this embodiment, compost  24  is conveyed through the extractor  40  by two belts  12 ,  13 . Bottom belt  12  and top belt  13  operate to sandwich the compost  24  and both may carry the quantity of compost along the extractor. Belts  12 ,  13  can be operated at the same speed, or at different speeds to, for example, agitate the compost. In a particular embodiment, the belts  12 ,  13 , may be angled towards each other as they reach the end of the extractor to squeeze liquid fertilizer from the water-compost. Each belt  12 ,  13 , is liquid permeable. Water source is shown as sprayers  14 . Sprayers  14  provide water to the compost  24 , which drains through compost  24  and belts  12 ,  13 , to be collected as liquid fertilizer  21 . 
       FIG. 4  provides a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention where spent compost is returned to the compost source. In this view, compost source  10  is a trailer. The compost is extracted by conveyor  11 . Compost is then sent to the extractor  40  where liquid fertilizer is produced, exiting the extractor through piping  41 . Spent compost is then transferred back to trailer  10  via conveyor  25 . 
     While several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.