Patent Abstract:
A system for composting-free disposal of organic waste and method thereof included a heating apparatus, a pretreatment apparatus, and a decomposition apparatus. The heating apparatus heats the pretreatment apparatus and the decomposition apparatus. The organic waste is separated into a slurry and a surface oil-water mixed liquid by the pretreatment apparatus. Microbial enzymes and raw material are added into the slurry to become a mixture. The mixture is then decomposed and sterilized by the decomposition apparatus to become a composting-free organic fertilizer product. All these procedures can be carried out within 3 to 24 hours. The system and the method thereof provides an efficiently fast, space-saving way to deal with organic waste and achieve environmental protection and sanitation.

Full Description:
This application is a Divisional patent application of application, Ser. No. 10/759,947, filed on 15 Jan. 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,215. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a system for composting-free disposal of organic wastes and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a system and technology that recycles organic wastes into a composting-free organic fertilizer product with high efficiency, less processing space, environmentally safe, and improved hygiene, without generating odors or propagating diseases. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Environmental protection is a focal point for every country of the world especially in dealing with various types of organic wastes generated from different activities, such as industrial (e.g. from food processing manufacturers, restaurants, or leather manufacturers), agriculture organic wastes (e.g. from gardens, farms, or cattle farms), and domestic (e.g. household waste). Thoughtful and fast disposal of organic wastes is a necessity for an area with a high population density, as the natural resources arc limited. 
     Conventional methods for disposing of organic waste, such as landfill, incineration, or compost, are associated with various problems, e.g. processing space, building and operating cost, time consumption, or air and water pollution. 
     Of all the organic wastes, the percentage of household waste is the highest. Because household waste contains a lot of waste water with oil content, when mixed with solid wastes, it generates odors and water content that make the garbage difficult to recycle. Meanwhile, the waste water contains organic matters that propagate bacteria and diseases. If the water content is directly drained without any pretreatment, it pollutes rivers, waterways and ground water. It is well known that household waste is an excellent organic fertilizer source, and hence can he efficiently reused as it can extend the lifetime of a landfill area or an incinerator, save money, and reduce social disputes caused by garbage problems. Use of swill to feed livestock with organic waste causes sanitation problems. High-speed fermentation involves a high energy consumption and degree of rottenness. Therefore, developed countries try to carry out highly efficient composting techniques to recycle the organic waste into organic fertilizer. Although chemical fertilizer is more efficient than organic fertilizer and greatly increases crop yield, but it also reduces the functionality of soil and destroys the ecological balance. As environmental consciousness has given rise to greater environmental protection, the organic manure and organic farming are becoming more popular. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a method for disposing of household waste. As illustrated, a household and food waste  90  is guided into a breaking apparatus to be broken into pieces  91 , and water  92  is added to separate them into a residue  93  and an oil and water mixed liquid  94 . The residue  93  is directly thrown away as  95  or sent to compost and ferment as  96 , and the oil and water mixed liquid  94  is directly drained as  97  or directed to sewage disposal as  98 . 
     According to the aforesaid method, a volume of the household waste can be reduced to ⅙ to ⅓ volume. However, a landfill area is needed for the residue. A high speed fermentation apparatus requires 48 to 72 hours to dry the residue and more than 15 days to reach a half-rotten form for organic matter. Subsequently when fertilizing, the residue generates a lot of toxins (e.g. methane, ammonia, and carbon monoxide) that pollute the environment. Also, chemical matters produced from the residue erode the high speed fermentation apparatus and thereby shortening its lifetime, increasing operating costs. The oil and water mixed liquid contains a lot of organic matter that propagate bacteria and diseases. If the oil and water mixed liquid is directly drained without any pretreatment, it pollutes the land and water systems. 
     Accordingly, as discussed above, the conventional method of disposing organic wastes still has some drawbacks that could be improved. The present technology/invention aims to resolve the drawbacks in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the invention is therefore to specify a system for composting-free disposal of organic wastes and a method for the same, which recycles organic waste into a composting-free organic fertilizer product with high efficiency, less processing space, greater environmental protection, and improved sanitation, without generating odors or propagating diseases. 
     According to the invention, the objective is achieved by a system for composting-free disposal of organic waste, comprising a heating apparatus, a pretreatment apparatus and a decomposition apparatus. The organic waste is guided into the pretreatment apparatus to become a slurry. The decomposition apparatus is placed downstream of the pretreatment apparatus. Microbial enzymes and raw materials are added into the slurry to make a mixture. The heating apparatus heats this mixture, and the decomposition apparatus decomposes and sterilizes the mixture into a composting-free organic fertilizer product. 
     The objective is achieved by a method for composting-free disposal of organic waste, comprising following steps: (a) shattering the organic waste into a slurry; (b) adding microbial enzymes and raw material into the slurry to make a mixture; and (c) decomposing and sterilizing the mixture into a composting-free organic fertilizer product. 
     To provide a clear understanding of the invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention. Examples of the more important features of the invention thus have been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contributions to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic flowchart of a method for disposing of a household waste according to the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a system for composting-free disposal of organic waste according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic flowchart of a method for composting-free disposal of organic waste according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a pretreatment apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic flowchart of pretreatment steps according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a system for producing a liquid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic flowchart of a method for producing a liquid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a system for producing a solid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic flowchart of a method for producing a solid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     With respect to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the present invention provides a system for composting-free disposal of organic waste  10  and method for the same. The system comprises of a heating apparatus  34 , a pretreatment apparatus  30 , and a decomposition apparatus  32 . 
     The heating apparatus  34  is a circulatory airtight heating system with kerosene therein or a circulatory airtight heating system with vapor therein. The kerosene or the vapor is heated by using a boiler or electric power. 
     The organic waste  10  is guided into the pretreatment apparatus  30  to become a slurry  11 . 
     The decomposition apparatus  32  is located downstream from the pretreatment apparatus  30 . Microbial enzymes and raw material are added into the slurry  11  to make a mixture  13 . The heating apparatus  34  heats the mixture  13 . The decomposition apparatus  32  decomposes and sterilizes the mixture  13  to make a composting-free organic fertilizer product  25 . 
     The system further includes an electrical circuit control unit (not shown). The heating apparatus  34 , the pretreatment apparatus  30 , and the decomposition apparatus  32  are electrically connected to the electrical circuit control unit, which is set up to control working requirements, such as temperature, time or velocity. 
     The method comprises:
             (a) shattering  60  of the organic waste  10  to make a slurry  11 ;   (b) addition of microbial enzymes and raw material  12  into the slurry  11  to make a mixture  13 ; and   (c) decomposing  61  and sterilizing  62  of the mixture  13  to make a composting-free organic fertilizer product  25 .           

     Reference is made to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , which respectively are the schematic diagram of a pretreatment apparatus  30  and a schematic flowchart of pretreatment steps thereof according to the present invention. The pretreatment apparatus  30  includes a storage tank  33 , a shattering device  31  and a oil-water separation device  35 . The storage tank  33  is located downstream from the shattering device  31 , and the oil-water separation device  35  is located downstream from the storage tank  33 . The organic waste  10  is guided into the shattering device  31 . The shattering device  31  shatters the organic waste  10  to make an oil-slurry  26  that is further guided into the storage tank  33 . The heating apparatus  34  carries kerosene or vapor through a check valve, a safety valve and a pressure gauge to the inner wall of the storage tank  33  of the pretreatment apparatus  30  to heat the oil-slurry  26  in the storage tank  33  and to separate the oil-slurry  26  into a slurry  11  and a surface oil-water mixed liquid  15 . The surface oil-water mixed liquid  15  is guided into the oil-water separation device  35  to separate the surface oil-water mixed liquid  15  into a recycled oil  16  and a recycled water  17  of the organic waste  10 . The oil-water separation device  35  includes an oil collection pipeline  36  for recycling the further of recycled oil  16  and a water collection pipeline  37  for recycling the recycled water  17 . The recycled oil  16  can be used to manufacture a cleaning soap. The water collection pipeline  37  connects to an upstream position of the storage tank  33  so that the recycled water  17  can be carried to the storage tank  33  for recycling. 
     The pretreatment apparatus  30  and pretreatment steps thereof can also include a pretreatment apparatus  30  including a storage tank  33 , a shattering device  31  and a oil-water separation device  35 . The storage tank  33  is placed upstream from both the shattering device  31  and the oil-water separation device  35 . The organic waste  10  is guided into the storage tank  33 . The heating apparatus  34  heats the organic waste  10  in the storage tank  33  of the pretreatment apparatus  30  to about 80° C. to separate the organic waste  10  into water, a residue, and a surface oil-water mixed liquid  15 . The storage tank  33  has a stirring device  39  to stir the organic waste  10  sufficiently therein, and the heating apparatus  34  helps the organic waste  10  to maintain a uniform working temperature. The water and the residue are further conveyed to the shattering device  31  to be shattered into a slurry  11 . A diaphragmatic pump and a spiral conveying device are displaced between the storage tank  33  of the pretreatment apparatus  30  and the shattering device  31 . The diaphragmatic pump conveys water to the shattering device  31 . The spiral conveying device forces the residue into the shattering device  31 . A rough-cut device can be disposed upstream from the storage tank  33  of the pretreatment apparatus  30  to cut organic waste  10  having a large size into small pieces. 
     Reference made here is to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 ) which show how to produce a liquid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product  23  according to the resent invention. The system further comprises a milling device  41  and an pen spare tank  42 . The milling device  41  is disposed between the storage tank  3  of the pretreatment apparatus  30  and the decomposition apparatus  32 , and he open spare tank  42  is disposed between the milling device  41  and the decomposition apparatus  32 . The milling device  41  mills the slurry  11  into a fine-slurry  19  with a size less than 200 meshes per square inch that is further conveyed into the spare tank  42 . The microbial enzymes and raw material  12  are added into the spare tank  42  to be mixed with the fine-slurry  19  to become the mixture  13 . Raw material, such as carbonized crops or by-gasses, is used to adjust a ratio between carbon and nitrogen of the fine-slurry  19  so as to maintain a suitable pH for the decomposition by the microbial enzymes. By changing the ratio of the composition of the raw material, different type of composting-free organic fertilizer product  25  can be obtained. The spare tank  42  has a diaphragmatic pump  45  to convey the mixture  13  into a decomposition tank of the decomposition apparatus  32 . The decomposition apparatus  32  has a feed valve and a regulating valve to avoid a positive pressure developed in the decomposition tank when the diaphragmatic pump  45  operates. The heating apparatus  34  as already explained carries kerosene or vapor through a check valve, a safety valve and a pressure gauge to an inside of a wall of the decomposition apparatus  32  to heat the mixture  13  in the decomposition tank of the decomposition apparatus  32  with a temperature of over 100° C. The decomposition tank has a stirring device  44  to stir the mixture  13  sufficiently at a speed of about 6-15 rpm to help the mixture  13  to reach a uniform working temperature for decomposition. The decomposition tank is an airtight, high-pressure reaction tank. The mixture  13  is decomposed  61 , which is then absorbed and purified for poisons, neutralized, and sterilized  62  in the decomposing tank. Thus the mixture  13  is decomposed to become a liquid, composting-free, organic fertilizer product  23 . A packer and a sealer are further disposed downstream from the decomposition apparatus  32  in sequence to pack the liquid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product  23 . 
     Reference is made here to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , which show how to produce a solid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product  24  according to the present invention. The system further comprises an open spare tank  42  disposed between the storage tank  33  of the pretreatment apparatus  30  and the decomposition apparatus  32 . The storage tank  33  conveys the slurry  11  into the spare tank  42 . The microbial enzymes and raw material  12  are added into the spare tank  42  to mix with the slurry  11  and form a mixture  13 . Raw material, such as carbonized crops or by-gasses, is used to adjust a ratio between carbon and nitrogen of the slurry  11  so as to maintain a suitable pH for decomposition by the microbial enzymes. By changing the ratio of the composition of the raw material, different type of composting-free organic fertilizer product  25  can be obtained. The spare tank  42  has a diaphragmatic pump  45  to convey the mixture  13  into a decomposition tank of the decomposition apparatus  32 . The decomposition apparatus  32  has a feed valve and a regulating valve to avoid a positive pressure generated in the decomposition tank when the diaphragmatic pump  45  operates. The mixture  13  can also be conveyed by a compressing and vacuum self-suction system. In other words, the decomposition apparatus  32  is held in a vacuum condition first, the spare tank  42  is sealed, and then the spare tank  42  is opened to communicate with the decomposition apparatus  32 , whereby, the mixture  13  is sucked into the decomposition apparatus  32  automatically. The heating apparatus  34  carries kerosene or vapor through a check valve, a safety valve and a pressure gauge to an inside of a wall of the decomposition apparatus  32  to heat the mixture  13  in the decomposition tank of the decomposition apparatus  32  to a temperature over 110° C., to reach a working temperature. The decomposition tank has a stirring device  44  therein to stir sufficiently the mixture  13  therein at about 6-15 rpm to help the mixture  13  to reach the uniform working temperature for decomposition. The decomposition tank is a vacuum tank. The mixture  13  is decomposed, absorbed, purified for poisons, neutralized, and sterilized  62  in the decomposing tank. The system further includes a compression exhaust device  46 , a heat exchanger  47 , a water storage device  49 , and a filter device  48 . The compression exhaust device  46  connects to the decomposition tank of the decomposition apparatus  32 . The heating apparatus  34  increases the temperature of the mixture  13  to about 150° C. to accelerate the separation of water in the mixture  13 . The compression exhaust device  46  draws out vapor  20  generated from the mixture  13  in a drying process. The heat exchanger  47  connects the compression exhaust device  46  to cool the vapor  20  into liquid water  21 , which is further guided into the water storage device  49  connected with the heat exchanger  47 . The filtering device  48  is connected to the water storage device  49  to filter the liquid water  21  to make safe drinking water  22 . The mixture  13  is therefore decomposed and dried to into a solid, composting-free, organic fertilizer product  24 . The decomposition tank can also be a general tank. Thus the system further including an exhaust fan device  50 , and the decomposition apparatus  32  does not need the regulating valve. The exhaust fan device  50  connects to the decomposition tank to draw directly out the vapor  20  generated from the mixture  13  in the drying process. The mixture  13  is therefore decomposed and dried to become a solid fertilized composting-free organic fertilizer product  24 . 
     As indicated above, the system for composting-free disposal of organic waste and method for the same of the present invention has the following advantages: 
     (1) The pretreatment apparatus separates the organic waste into the slurry and the surface oil-water mixed liquid to facilitate the disposal of the organic waste; and the oil-water separation device of the pretreatment apparatus separates the oil from the water to obtain the recycled oil and the recycled water. 
     (2) The shattering device of the pretreatment apparatus shatters the organic waste into slurry to minimize the organic waste and increase a total surface area for decomposition reactions to complete the work quickly, in 3 to 24 hours. 
     (3) Microbial enzymes and raw material are added into the slurry to make a mixture, and the mixture is decomposed and sterilized by the decomposition apparatus to form a recycled composting-free organic fertilizer product. 
     (4) The system conducts decomposition, absorption, poison removal, neutralization and nutrient adjustment simultaneously to increase the efficiency, minimize labor, reduce processing space, recycle oil, water, and residues respectively, and diminish waste water, odors and the propagation of bacteria and diseases. 
     (5) By the addition of different microbial enzymes and raw material, the organic waste becomes a unique composting-free organic fertilizer product, which can be used as a soil conditioner product, an animal feed, a feed additive, an organic fertilizer, or a bacterial raw material for composting, to recycle a whole resource of the organic waste, to enhance soil quality, improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, transform a void nutrient into a valid one, and promote growth quality of crops. 
     It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1