Combination sterilized hot-water producer and incineration system

The heat from garbage upon incineration and solar heat can be effectively used to make sterilized hot water economically. A sterilized hot-water generator is provided with upper, intermediate and lower tanks in communication with each other. The lower tank includes a combustion chamber which is in communication with heating chambers housed centrally within the upper and intermediate tanks. A solar heat hot-water maker is attached to the front side of the sterilized hot-water generator. A sterilizer is located through the heating chambers in the upper and intermediate tanks to introduce the hot water in the upper tank into an associated sterilizing chamber for sterilization by heating. A fume removing tank is provided to dissolve, in water, fumes generated during combustion. Exhaust gases leaving the fume removing tank are fed to a reducing tank where they are reduced to oxygen, by plants, for example. The oxygen is then released into the atmosphere.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a combination sterilized hot-water producer and 
incineration system capable of making effective use of the heat of burning 
garbage and solar heat. 
2. Prior Art 
In recent years, the amount of municipal garbage and waste has increased so 
much that they can no longer be disposed of by incineration systems now in 
operation, but instead must be buried in mountains or elsewhere. However, 
it is said that it is only a matter of time until it becomes no longer 
possible to continue such disposal practices. Garbage and waste, when 
buried in mountains or highlands, are carried through underground water to 
lowlands, forming toxic underground water which will remain for as long as 
several tens of years. So far, although garbage incinerators for domestic 
purposes have been commercially available, they can be used only for 
incineration of small garbage. In addition, the use of such commercial 
incinerators is now prohibited even in local towns because of the fumes 
such incinerators produce. Spewing fumes are also responsible for air 
pollution. 
So far, various hot-water generators have been sold for the purpose of 
preparing hot water. However, they must use precious energy resources such 
as petroleum, gas and electric power. For the purpose of energy saving, 
there have been available hot-water makers harnessing solar heat as well. 
However, they pose a problem in that various bacteria propagate in the 
course of absorbing heat, some forms impermissible even to livestock. 
In view of the foregoing, this invention seeks to provide a combination 
hot-water producer and incineration system which can prepare sterilized 
hot water by making effective use of both the heat of burning garbage and 
solar heat, dispose of garbage, whether large or small, and make that 
sterilized hot water drinkable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a combination 
sterilized hot-water producer and incineration system, comprising a 
hot-water generator provided with an upper tank including a heating 
chamber in its middle region in communication with a combustion chamber in 
a lower tank and a fume ducting pipe for guiding fumes from said heating 
chamber to the outside; an intermediate tank including a heating chamber 
in its middle region in communication with the combustion chamber in the 
lower tank; and a lower tank including said combustion chamber in its 
middle region and two garbage inlets, one for small garbage and the other 
for large garbage, said tanks being arranged such that they can 
communicate with one another through said heating chambers; and a 
sterilizer located within said heating chambers in said upper and 
intermediate tanks for introducing the water in said upper tank into a 
sterilizing chamber where it is heated to the predetermined temperature 
needed for sterilization. 
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a 
combination sterilized hot-water producer and incineration system, 
comprising a hot-water generator built up from an upper tank including a 
heating chamber in its middle region and a fume ducting pipe for guiding 
fumes from said heating chamber to the outside; an intermediate tank 
including a heating chamber in its middle region in communication with the 
combustion chamber in the lower tank; and a lower tank including a heating 
chamber in its middle region and two garbage inlets, one for small garbage 
and the other for large garbage, said tanks being arranged such that they 
can communicate with one another through said heating chambers; a solar 
heat hot-water maker connected with a water supply inlet in said lower 
tank and located on the front side of said hot-water generator; and a 
sterilizing tank located within said heating chambers in said upper and 
intermediate tanks for introducing the water in said upper tank into the 
sterilizing chamber where it is heated to the predetermined temperature 
needed for sterilization.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 stands for a sterilized hot-water Generator, 
which is built up from upper, intermediate and lower tanks to be explained 
later. The upper tank, shown at 2, includes in its middle region a heating 
chamber 3 in communication with a combustion chamber within the lower tank 
to be described later. The heating chamber 3 includes a heat exchanger 4. 
Reference numeral 5 represents a fume ducting pipe for ducting fumes from 
the heating chamber 3 to the outside. A float type of valve 6 for stopping 
water supply from a solar heat hot-water maker is provided to supply an 
additional amount of fresh water, when the water level in the body 1 is 
lower than a predetermined level. An expansion membrane 7 is provided with 
an associated safety valve 8 adapted to sense the expansion of the 
membrane 7, thereby preventing a breakdown by expansion. 
The intermediate tanks 9 include in their middle regions a heating chamber 
10 in communication with the combustion chamber in the lower tank, as is 
the case with the upper tank 2. The heating chamber 10 again includes an 
heat exchanger 11. While a stack of two intermediate tanks 9 is 
illustrated, their number may be one, or three or more. 
The lower tank 12 includes a combustion chamber 13 in its middle region, 
and is in operative communication with the intermediate tanks 9 and the 
the upper tank 2. 
Reference numeral 14 stands for an inlet for large garbage such as lumber 
with an openable door 15, while 16 represents an inlet for small garbage, 
with a tiltable garbage chute 17 attached. It is noted that making the 
garbage chute 17 thus tiltable at any desired angle is helpful for 
introducing garbage more easily. 
Within the garbage chute 17 there is a rotary shaft 19 which is hollow so 
that air can be jetted out of its extreme end, and which includes a spiral 
fin 18 driven by given driving means. With this arrangement, garbage can 
be well guided through the chute 17 to the inlet 16 by the fin 18, thereby 
preventing it from being clogged with small garbage and keeping air 
circulation such that the amount of oxygen can be increased for increased 
combustion. An additional fan for forced air circulation may be provided. 
In addition, the garbage chute 17 includes a double-layer wall structure 
having inner and outer water channels 20 and 21 through which water flow 
alternately, whereby the water is transferred from the inner channel 20 to 
the outer channel 21 during combustion to prevent any drop in combustion 
efficiency and to protect the operator from suffering burns. 
A water supply inlet 22 for supplying water to the lower tank 12 is 
connected with a solar heat hot-water maker, to be described later, by way 
of a pipe 23. An ignitor 24 is provided to cause the garbage to burn in 
the combustion chamber 13, and a rostle 25 is fixedly provided on an 
associated support 26 through which the water in the lower tank 12 flows. 
Dust and scale settling down on the bottom of the lower tank 12 are 
discharged from a port 27. The sterilized hot-water generator body 1 is 
supported, as shown at 28. 
Reference numeral 29 stands for a petroleum burner, which is used when the 
Garbage to be incinerated in the combustion chamber 13 runs short or is 
not available at all. 
Reference numeral 30 represents an electrical heater, which is used for the 
same purposes as stated in connection with the petroleum burner 29. 
Each of the upper tank 2, intermediate tank 9 and lower tank 12 is covered 
on its sides and backs with an insulating material 31 to prevent heat from 
escaping therefrom, and the sterilized hot-water generator body 1 is 
provided on its front side with a solar heat hot-water maker 32 designed 
to heat the water supplied to the water tank by the heat of the sun while 
the sun shines. When the present system is used in cold districts, it is 
additionally provided with a sensor for measuring the temperature of the 
water in the solar heat hot-water maker and the ambient temperature. This 
temperature sensor sounds a buzzer when there is no difference between the 
temperature of the water and the ambient temperature or the former is 
lower than the latter, and so enables the present system to be covered 
with the insulating material manually or automatically, just like a 
shutter. If freezing were to occur--that is considered quite unlikely on 
account of combustion to take place, the water may be drained off 
completely. 
A sterilizer 33 is provided to sterilize the hot water by heating before 
utilizing it. Since a temperature of 83c or higher is needed for 
sterilization, the hot water is guided from the upper tank 2 to the 
sterilizing chamber where it is sterilized and whence it is supplied for 
use. It is noted that a sterilizing time of 15 minutes is needed at 
83.degree. and the higher the temperature the shorter that time. The water 
in the sterilizing chamber is heated by the heat of combustion taking 
place in the combustion chamber 13. 
The sterilizing chamber, shown at 34, is centrally located through the 
heating chambers 3 and 10 of the upper tank 2 and intermediate tank 9 via 
the heat exchangers 4 and 11, and a water conductor 35 has one end 
connected with the bottom of the sterilizing chamber 34 and the other end 
extending from the top wall of the heating chamber 3 in the upper tank 2. 
The extension of the conductor 35 is connected at its extreme end with a 
flexible water conductor 38 with its water inlet 37 being constantly 
located on the water level by a float 36. 
A hot-water supply pipe 39 is connected at one end with the top of the 
sterilizing chamber 34 and extends at the other end from the top wall of 
the heating chamber 3 in the upper tank 2 to the outside thereof. An 
air-bubble discharge pipe 40 is connected with the hot-water supply pipe 
39 on its intermediate length, and a flow passage changeover valve 41 is 
located on the junction with the air-bubble discharge pipe 40, whereby air 
bubbles can be discharged from within the sterilizing chamber 34 through 
the air-bubble discharge pipe 40 except when hot water is being supplied. 
Water temperature sensors 42 and 42 are provided to detect the temperature 
of the hot water in the sterilizing chamber 34, thereby actuating the 
ignitor when the water temperature detected is lower than the 
predetermined temperature. As already mentioned, the sterilizing time 
should be 15 minutes at 83.degree. C. The higher the temperature, the 
shorter the sterilizing time, and the water temperature sensors 42 and 42 
serve to determine the sterilizing time. 
A fume removing tank 43 is provided to prevent fumes generated during 
combustion from being spewed directly to the atmosphere. A stirring fan 44 
is provided to stir a water 45 into which the fumes are discharged for 
dissolution. It is noted that the fume ducting pipe 5 has its open end 
terminating in the water in the fume removing tank 43. A union 46 is 
provided on the bottom of the fume removing tank 43 to remove soot 
settling down thereon. 
An oxygen reducing tank 47 having plants or trees 48 planted therein is 
provided to reduce exhaust gases leaving the fume removing tank 43 to 
oxygen, which is then released into the atmosphere through an oxygen 
release port 47a. The oxygen reducing tank 47 is connected with the fume 
removing tank 43 by way of a pipe 49. 
A deodorizer 50 is mounted intermediate the length of the connecting pipe 
49, and 51 represents a pump. 
A pipe 52 has one end connected with the pipe 49 intermediate its length 
and the other end connected with the combustion chamber 13, with their 
junction having a flow passage changeover valve 53. 
With garbage fed through the garbage inlet 14 or 16 and ignited, it burns 
in the combustion chamber 13 and generates heat with which the water in 
the upper, intermediate and lower tanks 2, 9 and 12 are heated. In 
addition, the water is heated by the solar heat hot-water maker 32. The 
hot-water in the upper tank 2 i s passed through the sterilizing chamber 
34, during which it is sterilized. 
On the other hand, fumes generated during combustion flow into the fume 
ducting pipe 5 through the heating chambers 10 and 3 in the intermediate 
and upper tanks 9 and 2, and released into the water in the fume removing 
tank 43, where the fumes are dissolved in the water for removing soot. 
Carbon dioxide leaving the fume removing tank 43 is reduced to oxygen in 
the oxygen reducing tank 47, which is then released into the atmosphere. 
While combustion is forcedly interrupted when the interior temperature of 
the combustion chamber reaches a predetermined temperature, the fumes 
generated at that time are guided by the flow passage changeover valve 53 
and repeatedly circulated in a closed loop defined by the heating chambers 
10, 3, fume removing tank 43 and pipe 52 for removal by pump 51, during 
which any fresh air is not fed into the combustion chambers. 
According to this invention constructed and operated as mentioned above, it 
is possible to make hot water by making effective use of both the heat of 
burning garbage by incineration and solar heat. Thus, the present system 
is much more economical than conventional hot-water making systems using 
petroleum, power, etc. and so contributes to energy saving. It is also 
possible to efficiently incinerate garbage, whether small or large, 
because the present system includes two inlets for large- and small-forms 
of garbage. In addition, it is possible to prevent sizes air pollution, 
because the present system is unlikely to spew fumes directly into the 
atmosphere. The hot water obtained by the present system, because of being 
sterilized, can be used as drinking water.