Patent Publication Number: US-2020283714-A1

Title: Aerobic organic solid material processor

Description:
FIELD 
     The present application relates to an organic material processor that uses oxygen to compost organic material aerobically. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Organic waste processing units that aerobically convert waste to compost are known. A problem common to all aerobic organic waste processors, as opposed to anaerobic organic waste processors, is the circulation of oxygen. Fluids, including oxygen, tend to “short circuit”, through the organic material following a path of least resistance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,219 (Terry) discloses one way of introducing oxygen into an aerobic organic waste processor. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is provided an aerobic organic material processor which includes a tank having an outer wall, a top, a bottom, a first end, a second end, and a horizontal axis. The tank is divided into compartments distributed along the horizontal axis of the tank between the first end of the tank and the second end of the tank. Each compartment is connected to other compartments by a fluid passageway toward the bottom of the tank. An organic material input is positioned toward the first end of the tank and an organic material output is positioned toward the second end of the tank. An agitator is provided for agitating the organic material within the tank. Fluid ports are positioned toward the top of the tank in communication with each of the compartments. The tank can be operated in either a suction mode or a pressurized mode as will hereafter be further described. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a first side elevation view, in section, of an aerobic organic material processor with arrows showing a path of air through the processor. 
         FIG. 2  is a second side elevation view, in section, of the aerobic organic material processor illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with arrows showing a path of organic material through the processor. 
         FIG. 3  is an end elevation view in section of the aerobic organic material processor illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An aerobic organic material processor, generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1 through 3 . 
     Structure and Relationship of Parts: 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , aerobic organic material processor  10  includes a tank  12  having an outer wall  14 , a top  16 , a bottom  18 , a first end  20 , a second end  22 , and a horizontal axis  24 . Tank is preferably a static and corrosion resistant, insulated, sealed, horizontally oriented, cylindrical vessel. Tank  12  is divided into individual, sealed compartments  26  by baffles  28  sealably connected to outer wall  14 , although other means of creating sealed compartments  26  will be recognized by those skilled in the art. Compartments  26 , preferably 3 or more, are distributed along horizontal axis  24  of tank  12  between first end  20  and second end  22 . Referring to  FIG. 1 through 3 , each compartment  26  is fluidly connected to other compartments  26  by a fluid passageway  30  toward bottom  18  of tank  12 . Passageway  30  is formed from openings  32  in baffles  28  toward bottom  18  of tank  12 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , an organic material input  33  is positioned toward first end  20  of tank  12 , and an organic material output  34  is positioned toward second end  22  of tank  12 . Organic material  35  enters tank  12  through input  33 , and is removed, after processing, from output  34 . The processing elements will be discussed below. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , agitators are provided in the form of arms  36  that depend from a rotatable shaft  38 . Arms  36  are positioned in each compartment  26  for agitating the organic material within tank  12 . Arms act to macerate, mix, aerate and move organic material  35 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , Shaft  38  extends substantially parallel to axis  24  of tank  12  through baffles  28 . Each baffle  28  has a sealed connection  40  for receiving shaft  38 . Sealed connection  40 , in addition to the sealed connection of baffles  28  to outer wall  14 , prevents the circulating gas from “short circuiting” fluid passageway  30 , while still permitting rotation of shaft  38 . The movement of shaft  38  is controlled by a motor (not shown) which can rotate shaft  38  in a variety of ways. Rotation may be continuous, intermittent, in one direction only, or it may change directions, to ensure that organic material  35  is well mixed. Organic material may be made up of biodegradable organic material and other amendments such as carbonaceous solids, such as wood chips, straw, peanut shells, etc, and other materials. The preferred state of the carbonaceous amendments is in a dried, pellet form. 
     While rotating arms  36  function adequately as agitators in most situations, it was discovered that under certain conditions organic material  35  turned with rotating arms  36 . When this occurred, the mixing was less than desired. To address this problem, fixed arms  37  were secured to outer wall  14  of tank  12  and interposed between rotating arms  36 . Fixed arms  37  resist rotation and disrupt organic material  35 , thereby improving the mixing. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the positioning of fixed arms  37  spaced from the bottom of tank  12  should be noted. If fixed arms  37  were centered on the bottom of tank  12 , they likely would interfere with material flow. Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , fixed arms  37  are preferably centered in compartments  26  between baffles  28 . 
     Fluid ports  42  toward top  16  of tank  12  are provided that are in communication with each compartment  26 . A gas cavity  44  is maintained about each fluid port  42  within tank  12  to prevent organic material  35  from blocking fluid ports  42 . Fluid ports  42  may be used to supply air or remove air. By conditioning the air that is supplied relative to the gas that is removed, the temperature, humidity, and aeration or oxygen content of organic material  35  can be controlled. 
     Operation: 
     The use of aerobic organic material processor  10 , as described above with reference to  FIG. 1 through 3 , will now be discussed. Organic material  35  is added to tank  12  through input  33 , and removed through output  34 , each of which may be done continuously or intermittently. As tank fills with organic material  35 , each compartment  26  will be filled, with a gas cavity  44  remaining toward top  16  of tank  12  in each compartment  26  that prevents material in tank  12  from blocking fluid ports  42 . Organic material  35  is agitated by rotating shaft  38  and thus arms  36 , to cause organic material  35  to be macerated, mixed, aerated, and moved through tank  12 . As described above, the addition of fixed arms  37  is recommended as it improves mixing of organic material  35 . The operation of shaft  38  may be timer and/or temperature controlled. Organic material  35  makes its way from input  33  toward output  34  by passing under baffles  28  through passageway  30 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , arrows  46  show a simplified path that organic material  35  takes as it passes through tank  12 . To aerate organic material  35 , it is also necessary to draw air through tank  12 , and thus through organic material  35  in tank  12 . To do so, a suction force is applied to one or more of the fluid ports  42  such that gas is extracted from the corresponding compartment  26 . This in turn causes air to be drawn through other fluid ports  42  into other compartments  26 . In this context, “air” includes oxygen, outside air, water vapour, or any combination thereof, or other additives that it may be desired to inject into tank  12 . The air migrates through fluid passageway  30 , as the rest of baffle  28  is sealed to prevent air from “short circuiting” passageway  30 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , arrows  48  show a possible path taken by the air in tank  12  as it passes through organic material  35 . By conditioning air that enters ports  42  relative to gas being drawn from ports  42 , it is possible to control the temperature, oxygen level and the moisture level in each compartment. The temperature, oxygen levels and moisture level are determined as is known in the art. In addition, applying a vacuum also has the effect of removing harmful gases to prevent any dangerous situations. Air is drawn into and out of different compartments  26  at different times based on the need to regulate temperature, oxygen and moisture of organic material  35 . Alternatively, other fluids besides air or oxygen, such as water may be injected directly through fluid ports  42 . 
     Variation on the Mode of Use 
     Tank  12  can also be operated in a pressurized mode, instead of the suction mode described above. In the pressurized mode, air under pressure is injected through one of more of the fluid ports. This causes gas to be expelled from the other fluid ports. The suction mode is the preferred operating mode. The reason for this is that it provides better control over noxious fluids that would otherwise be exiting from multiple ports. There will, however, be situations in which it is preferable to inject fluids under pressure. 
     In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
     It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope defined in the Claims.