Patent Application
20050274035
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for handling and treating waste material. The invention is particularly advantageous for handling and treating food waste at a source where the waste is generated, for example, on marine vessels or in restaurants.
b 2. Discussion of the Background
Waste generated on marine vessels must be treated and disposed of in an efficient and environmentally optimal manner. The waste may include food waste which is “sloppy” because of a relatively high water content. The need to properly dispose of food waste can be particularly problematic for large vessels, such as Naval or commercial cruise ships, due to the large number of personnel or passengers, and/or the length of time that can elapse between suitable locations at which food waste can be disposed. Typical kitchens or galleys of such vessels can generate large quantities of food waste at each meal.
One manner of food waste treatment is to grind the food waste in a pulper, which uses water to transport the food through the grinder similar to a garbage disposal found in many commercial kitchens. The ground food waste is then disposed over the side of the ship into the ocean. However, environmental regulations prohibit this manner of disposing of food waste for cruise and Naval vessels within littoral waters that extend 12 nautical miles from the shoreline. Consequently, the food waste will either require storage until the ship is farther than 12 nautical miles where disposal is possible, or implementation of another appropriate manner of treating the waste for disposal. Moreover, even though food waste disposal is permitted outside of the twelve mile limit, such disposal is obviously less than optimal environmentally. Further, storage of the waste until a suitable disposal location is reached can be problematic from a standpoint of the volume of the waste and also problems associated with, e.g., decay, bacterial and/or fungal growth associated with the waste. Accordingly, an improved system and method for treating food waste generated on marine vessels (or at other sources) is needed. The present invention addresses this need. In one exemplary embodiment, the invention also reduces the load on the ships wastewater treatment system by treating waste in the galley that may otherwise be sent to the ship's wastewater treatment plant. The invention is not limited to the above-discussed embodiments, and can also be used for other waste disposal applications, some examples of which are discussed herein.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for handling and treating waste.
It is another object of this invention to provide a system and method that is very compact and suitable for “retro-fit” as well as new applications where floor space is at a premium.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method which can convert waste, for example food or organic waste, into a substantially sterile or inert and dry product, preferably in granular or pellet form. In this form, the volume of the waste is significantly reduced and problems associated with smell, bacterial and/or fungal growth are avoided or minimized. Optimally, the waste can be continuously dried to form pellets or granules by employing electric heat, steam or other heat sources.
One non-limiting embodiment includes, a treatment apparatus, including, an accumulator configured to accumulate waste and to deliver the accumulated waste in a continuous manner, and a conditioner configured to receive the accumulated waste and to heat the waste to remove liquid from the waste, the conditioner comprising a set of cooperating blades configured to convey the waste through the conditioner.
Another non-limiting embodiment includes a method of treating waste, including accumulating waste in a non-continuous (batch) manner, delivering the waste to a conditioner in a continuous manner, heating the waste in the conditioner to remove liquid from the waste, and conveying the waste through the conditioner with a set of cooperating blades.
Another non-limiting embodiment includes a treatment apparatus, including, an accumulator configured to accumulate waste and to deliver the accumulated waste in a continuous manner to a means for receiving the accumulated waste, a means for receiving the accumulated waste, and a means for heating the waste to remove liquid from the waste.
The heating and drying can optionally be augmented by microwave heating. Accordingly another object of the invention is to provide a waste treatment system that utilizes a microwave assisted drying process. Where microwave assisted drying is employed it offers the benefits of inhibiting the formation of highly viscous, tightly bound mass concentrations of waste material that can be difficult to granulize. This phenomenon plagues conventional dryers causing high motor torque demand and the formation of “cement like” layers of material that adhere to heat transfer surfaces and impede heat transfer. The use of microwave energy preferably pulsed with a peak to average power ratio of two or more, results in internal heat generation that liberates steam faster than it can migrate through the material being dried. The resulting internal pressure breaks up the material and inhibits the formation of tightly bound mass concentrations. The use of pulsed microwave energy also results in periodic thermal expansion and contraction of the material being dried that fatigues bonds at the boundaries between individual granules. This effect further inhibits the formation of tightly bound mass concentrations. Where microwave energy is employed to assist the drying process, the arrangement can include a microwave feed antenna with a microwave chamber formed in which the microwave heating acts in conjunction with other heating expedients.
The dried product can be stored for: (a) subsequent incineration at another location, (b) subsequent disposal without incineration, or (c) subsequent use, for example, as a fertilizer or soil enrichment product or as an animal food additive.
In accordance with one example of the invention, heat is introduced through a rotating auger or mixer that is oriented along the central axis of the dryer or conditioner apparatus. This approach provides advantageous energy efficiency, since the heat must pass through the material being dried. The relatively small diameter (heat transfer cross section) of the central auger(s) axis can also form a natural “heat-choke” that inhibits heat loss. The preferred heat transfer medium is a constant temperature heat transfer fluid such as steam or other suitable medium provided by a separate heat exchanger or an existing heat source, although where other sources are not readily available an electric heat source may be used.
In accordance with another advantageous aspect, a system and method is provided that employs one or more multi-function central axis augers to heat, mechanically condition and transport the material being dried through the dryer. The auger preferably has a multiplicity of fins arranged in one or more rows. For one exemplary embodiment, in each row, the fins have a uniform pitch and cross section, but both the pitch and cross section can vary from row to row for optimum heat transfer, mechanical conditioning and transport control. Fin length and cross sectional area are chosen to enhance heat transfer to the material being dried. The variable row to row pitch may be employed to control the amount of material dwell time within the various zones within the dryer. The row to row variable cross section of the fins may optionally be selected to mechanically slice or crush the material as it is encountered by the fins and passed through the drier.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system which can treat organic food waste at the point of generation, for example, located in the kitchen of a restaurant or galley of a marine vessel.
Another object of the invention is to allow for scalability of devices in order to accommodate increased waste disposal needs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system that can accommodate irregular or random waste input while achieving continuous processing of the waste.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system which produces by-products that comply with environmental regulations.
Yet another object of the invention is to employ energy conserving heat recovery to preheat air required to remove moisture liberated by the drying process. Preheating has the effect of lowering the relative humidity of the air and insuring, with the correct air flow, sufficient capacity to remove the moisture liberated by the drying process.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system which produces pellets, or in other words, granules from the waste with a low moisture content, with a water content less than about 50% and preferably less than about 15%. The terms granules or granularized and pellets or pelletized are used interchangeably herein and are intended to broadly mean particles or discrete portions, without being limited to a particular size or shape of the particles or discrete portions and without in and of itself (unless specifically noted in the disclosure and the appended claims) being limited to a specific process for forming the granules or pellets. Using apparatus as disclosed herein, an end product similar to dry, coarse coffee grounds is produced on the downstream side of the dryer/conditioner apparatus. This product can be conveniently stored for subsequent disposal or use.
The above and other objects and advantages are achieved by a system and method of the present invention. Waste, such as food matter, can be initially introduced into a collection device which directs the waste to a grinder. The grinder grinds the waste into particles of a smaller size, preferably without additional water (i.e., in contrast to conventional kitchen-type garbage disposals which require water to carry the waste through the unit). Ground waste is deposited into a retainer which serves as a surge volume and supply for waste, with the waste conveyed at a controlled rate to the dryer. In some applications the food waste arrives at the food waste dryer in a slurry form. In these cases grinding is not required.
The waste is then moved to a dryer or conditioner which decreases the water content of the waste. In some embodiments of this invention, the dryer raises the temperature sufficiently for a sufficiently period of time to achieve sterilization and convert the waste material into a non-hazardous state. The resulting product can be subsequently disposed of or used in various manners. For example, the resulting product can be incinerated where the waste is generated, if such facilities are readily available, such as in existing naval solid waste incinerators. The waste is also suitable for storage to be incinerated at a later time and/or place, or for other disposal or use. For example, as noted earlier, the resulting products could be utilized for agricultural purposes or as an additive for animal food products. Alternately, the waste could be discharged overboard, in a landfill, or other suitable disposal locations. The drying and conditioning is extremely beneficial where the waste is not subsequently incinerated or where the incineration is to occur at a later time. In the conditioner, the waste is heated and dried to significantly reduce the volume and mass of the waste, and to kill bacteria and viruses and/or render the waste sterile. As a result, even if the waste will not be incinerated or otherwise disposed of shortly after conditioning, it can be stored more safely and conveniently. The waste need not ultimately be incinerated. The drying and conditioning provides a resulting product which is substantially inert due to its dry and sterile or inert nature, and also due to the significantly reduced volume of the end product as compared with the incoming food waste.
As noted above, the waste could be disposed of without incineration, or could otherwise be used, e.g., as an agricultural product. By way of example, vineyards and other agricultural producers often have significant amounts of waste, e.g., skins remaining after crushing, e.g., grapes. Although this material can be useful in conditioning or amending the soil, there is often a reluctance to use this material for fear of fungus and other concerns. By conditioning the waste material, it can be safely returned to the soil to reduce handling/removal costs of the material and/or to provide an agricultural benefit to the soil. In a particularly preferred form, the conditioner which removes moisture and heats the waste also forms the waste into granules or pellets as the waste passes through the conditioner. This can be performed by, e.g., an auger or moving blade arrangement or another device provided to reduce or work the waste into a pelletized or granular form as it is conditioned.
As an alternative to forming the waste into pellets or granules as it is conveyed through the conditioner, or in order to further breakdown the waste after it has passed through the conditioner, additional cutting, grinding or milling expedients can be provided downstream from the conditioner. The provision of additional cutting or milling expedients will depend upon the form of the waste as it exits the conditioner. In the presently preferred form, the waste exits the conditioner sufficiently granularized such that further breaking down of the waste is not necessary. The conditioner as described herein can produce granules having sizes on the order of ⅛″ to 1/32″ in size, for example, with the resulting product thus quite convenient for storage and/or subsequent handling. However, it is to be understood that additional cutting or milling of the waste could be provided downstream of the conditioner in order to supplement the granularization/pelletization of the waste as it passes through the conditioner, or if the configuration of the conditioner with expedients is such that additional cutting or milling of the waste is desirable.
In accordance with an additional advantageous aspect of the invention, it has been recognized that the results of the conditioner are further improved by an alternating back and forth feeding or, in other words, forward and reverse conveyance. With this arrangement, the wetter material is held in the upstream side of the conditioner for a longer period of time, and moreover, the forward and backward movement causes mixing of waste being introduced with waste that was previously introduced, and also mixing of waste at various stages along the conditioner. In accordance with this feature, the conditioner can operate more efficiently, and can be more compact in size.
As noted earlier, after the waste is conditioned and formed into pellets or granules, it can be stored for subsequent use, e.g., for agricultural uses, or the waste could be stored for subsequent disposal or incineration.
Although the various components of the system and method of the present invention can be used in combination for treating food waste, it is to be understood that various components or subsystems have advantageous utility for a wide variety of applications, and all components of the system are not required for providing an improved food waste (or other waste) treatment system. In other words, various combinations of the components could be utilized in a given system depending upon, e.g., the needs of the system, cost constraints, etc. In addition, although the system is particularly desirable for marine applications, other moving or stationary sources could also advantageously utilize various aspects of the invention such as farms/agricultural facilities, rail systems, restaurants, hotels and institutions.
The invention will be further appreciated from the detailed description of examples herein. It is to be understood, however, that in practicing the invention, a given embodiment need not have each and every feature of an example or examples disclosed herein and/or might not achieve all of the potential advantages of the preferred example or examples described herein. For example, in practicing the invention, one might choose to utilize certain features of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein, but not others, and thus, an embodiment following the teachings of the present invention could be constructed by utilizing a subset or subsets of one or more of the preferred examples disclosed herein.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will become readily apparent with reference to the following detailed description, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or identical elements throughout the various drawings.
Referring to the example of
The collection device 20 can include a cover (not shown in
The food waste collected in the collection device 20 is preferably not mixed with water, but rather is simply scraped from the dinnerware and cookware. Typical food waste will have a “sloppy” consistency of about 90%-95% water. Preferably, no additional water is added when the waste is introduced into the system.
The food waste then moves to the grinder or reducing device 30 which grinds the food waste into smaller sized particles which are more easily moved through the system. The grinder 30 is preferably a waterless system (i.e., in contrast to a typical food disposal which uses water as a carrier) which operates by gravity or any other appropriate feed. The waterless system is beneficial because without the addition of more water to the system, it is more energy efficient and easier to process the waste into a form that can be readily handled. A non-limiting example of a grinder 30 can include a hammermill or a series of rotating wheels to cut the food waste. It should be appreciated, however, that the grinder 30 may include heavy duty grinders if, for example, the waste will include steak bones, lobster shells or other similarly hard to grind food waste. Alternately, a less heavy-duty grinder could be utilized if, for example, large bones and the like are to be removed from the waste before the waste is introduced into the system. Particularly for large scale operations where pre-separation of the waste is inconvenient, the system is preferably able to accommodate bones and other hard to grind waste.
The food waste then continues through the conditioner 40. The conditioner 40 includes a housing or chamber 140. The housing 140 has a conveying device 150, one non-limiting example of which is an auger. As discussed in further detail hereinafter, according to a particularly preferred form, the conditioner can advantageously include two (or more) rotating bladed shafts in order to reduce, stir/agitate/mix, heat, and convey the waste as it passes through the conditioner. The feed device or conditioner can also include a containment device 160. For example, a wire or grid formed into a cylindrical shape could be provided about an auger feed device 150, or a cylinder or curved surface or jacket could be provided to retain the waste during conveyance and having openings to allow drainage. A drain 170 can optionally be formed in the bottom of the conditioner 40 to allow some of the excess moisture to drain away from the food waste and out of the conditioner 40. A further example of a particularly advantageous arrangement is discussed hereinafter with reference to
The conditioner includes one or more expedients to dry the food waste as it is conveyed therethrough. The drying expedients include passing dry air over the waste to capture and remove water vapor liberated as the waste is dried, the provision of heating elements to heat the waste and the provision of a microwave power source to augment the heating of the waste. The air may be preheated by first passing it through the annulus formed between the drying chamber and the external dryer insulation whereupon it is then directed over the bed of material being dried in order to capture the moisture liberated by the drying process. The heating elements can include electrical heating devices or fluids (i.e., steam or other heat transfer fluid) which directly heat the surfaces (e.g., the jacket or containment structure 160 and/or housing 140) that the material being dried comes in contact with as it passes through the conditioner. These heating sources may be used to heat the outer wall of the chamber through which the material passes and the interior of the augers or stirrers employed to convey and condition the material. The dominant mode of heat transfer with these sources is conduction. Additionally, microwave energy may be introduced into the chamber to heat the material in depth directly (i.e., instantaneous, internal heat generation). A microwave power source is schematically represented at 70. It has been recognized that the use of microwave power to augment other heat sources is particularly advantageous at the downstream end of the conditioner as the waste is in the later stages of drying. The entire interior of the conditioner can be constructed as a microwave chamber, with suitable microwave traps to prevent undesired escape of microwave radiation. Alternatively, the interior of the conditioner can be divided with suitable microwave traps so that only a portion, for example, the downstream portion, is subjected to the supplemental heating/drying with microwave energy. This method of heating has the advantage of “puffing” the material which has the desired effect of reducing the tendency of the material to form undesirable highly viscous (stiff) clumps that are extremely difficult to shear. Additionally, the microwave energy may be pulsed (i.e., high peak power to average power ratio) in order to enhance the puffing and further speed the drying and help granularize the material. As should be apparent, various forms of heating and/or drying expedients can be utilized, alone or in combination.
In the arrangement schematically represented in
The increase in temperature of the food waste from thermal conduction, internal heat generation, and/or convection evaporates the water from the food waste. In addition to removal of the moisture, heating and drying of the food waste can have the additional benefit of killing bacteria or fungus that could be present in the waste. In addition, because the waste is substantially dry after processing, it is less susceptible to subsequent growth of bacteria or fungus. This benefit is particularly beneficial where the waste either is not subsequently incinerated or where the waste will be stored for a significant period of time for subsequent disposal by incineration or otherwise. Particularly where the waste is to be stored for a substantial period of time for subsequent disposal or incineration, or where the waste is to be otherwise used (e.g., for enhancing soil), the waste is typically heated to at least 212° F., more preferably to at least 220-250° F. in the conditioner to reduce or eliminate bacteria or fungus.
The food waste then moves to the storage tank 60. Optionally, a grinder or cutting device 50 can be provided at an inlet to the feed tank 60. For example, as represented schematically, the device 50 can include a screen 190 and a cutter 200. The screen 190 can be sized and shaped such that the food waste is pushed through openings in the screen, to form plural extrusions that are then cut by the cutter 200 into a desired length to form granules having a surface area which provides more optimal packing density. Depending upon the length of the passage between the conditioner 40 and the tank 60, additional feeding or conveying devices could optionally be provided along the passage. Other expedients such as a mill could also optionally be utilized to form granules. Such a mill could be provided at the inlet to the tank 60 or at another location between the outlet of the conditioner 40 and the inlet of the tank 60. Alternately, as mentioned earlier, if the waste exits the conditioner 40 in a form such that additional cutting/grinding is not needed, the waste can exit from the conditioner 40 into the storage tank 60 without further grinding/cutting. As discussed further herein, it is particularly preferable if the conditioner arrangement is configured such that further cutting, grinding or reducing of the waste downstream from the conditioner is not needed.
As noted earlier, after the conditioning, the waste can simply be stored for later disposal. For example, where the waste is generated on a marine vessel, the waste could be stored on the ship for subsequent disposal or use. Where the waste is to be stored, a removable container or liner represented at 62 in
Thus, as should be readily apparent, various system configurations are possible. The configuration of the system will depend upon a number of factors, including the waste handling demands and the type of waste being handled, and possibly the limitations of the facility where the waste is to be handled. In addition, the size and/or number of systems can vary. For example, for a large scale operation, the size of the system can be increased, or alternatively, a number of separate systems can be utilized. Further, for certain waste, it might be desirable to reuse the waste, for example, where the waste is agricultural waste (e.g., grape skins from a vineyard) in order to fertilize or enrich the soil. Significant benefits are achieved by the conditioning and drying in dramatically reducing the size of the waste. Preferably, the conditioning will reduce the volume of the waste by at least 70%. Reductions of up to 90% of the volume have been achieved in accordance with the invention, thereby dramatically reducing the storage requirements for the waste. Further, where the waste is to be stored for subsequent use or disposal, the conditioner beneficially will render the waste more inert to reduce odors and decay, and to reduce potential problems associated with bacteria or fungus.
An example of a process of the present invention will now be described.
In an alternative process performed in the system depicted in
In one non-limiting embodiment, designated the, “vacuum drying embodiment,” the waste enters the drying chamber through an airlock to minimize the amount of air introduced to the drying chamber. When the airlock is opened to the drying chamber, the small amount of air in the airlock with the waste will rapidly expand and help to force the waste out of the airlock and into the drying chamber. In this embodiment, the dried pellets are also removed through an airlock. It is to be understood that an airlock is a device configured with a first closable opening and at least a second closable opening such that material may be introduced into a space between the first and at least second closable openings via the first closable opening while the second closable opening is closed.
Performing the drying operation at lower temperatures may result in other advantages. For example, operating at lower temperatures reduces the risk of burns to persons near the system. The system may also be more energy efficient because heat loss to the environment may be reduced (while the amount of heat required to dry to food waste is about the same as with other temperatures). Additionally, operating at lower temperatures reduces tendency of the food waste to exist in a highly viscous state. Therefore, the rotors require less torque during the drying process.
Optional steps 530-560 of
As shown in
It has been found preferable to utilize a hammermill for the reducing device 800 with smaller sized perforated plate openings, for example, of approximately ⅛th of an inch, however the invention is not limited to a particular size of opening for the hammermill. Further, it is to be understood that other types of cutting or grinding arrangements could be utilized upstream from the conditioner. As noted earlier, the cutting, grinding or milling apparatus is preferably waterless.
The consistency of the material exiting the hammermill will be that of a paste or thick slurry. This material then enters the conditioner 803 which, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a pair of finned counter-rotating (rotating in opposite directions with respect to each other) stirring elements. The conditioner 803 is shown in further detail in
As shown in
As shown in
Further, two or more zones of heaters can be utilized. For example, a first zone of heaters can be provided near the wet end. An additional set of heaters can be provided closer toward the exit, and these heaters can be maintained at higher set point temperatures in order to ensure that the material is raised to a temperature suitable for ensuring the material exiting over the weir formed by plate 834 is sufficiently dry, and if desired, sufficient to kill or reduce bacteria or fungus or to sterilize the waste.
It is to be understood, that a different numbers of rotors or stirrers could be provided. For example, more than two rotors could be utilized for a larger capacity system. It would also be possible to utilize a single rotor.
A suitable drive arrangement is also provided as represented schematically by gears 812 in the end view of
The rotors extend in the bottom portion of a chamber or tray 822 having, as shown in
As indicated generally by the arrow (indicating waste flow) at the left of the conditioner in
As noted earlier, preferably a series of fixed blades 816 are provided to the left of the rotors, with an additional series of blades 820 provided to the right of the rotors. Further, blades are provided between the rotors as represented at 818 in
In order to increase the amount of time provided in the conditioner, the direction of rotation of the blades may be reversed. By way of example only, and not to be construed as limiting, the blades may be rotated in one direction for a minute, and then rotation may be reversed for 15 seconds. This reversing movement can increase the time provided in the conditioner for a given length of the conditioner, thereby allowing the conditioner to be more compact while nevertheless ensuring movement, heating and maceration of the waste. Also, as noted earlier, if the waste requirements are increased, the size of the equipment can be scaled up, or alternatively, additional rows of rotors could be provided. By way of example only, and not to be construed as limiting, an arrangement having rotors of approximately four feet in length, with an outlet opening of approximately one foot will be of a size sufficient to handle approximately 185-200 pounds of waste per day. Where larger amounts of waste are to be handled, multiple conditioners could also be utilized in additional to, or in lieu of, scaling up of the size of a given conditioner.
By way of example, according to one preferred form, one of the rotors can have a left-hand pitch and the other can have a right hand pitch. The arc of the tip of the stirrers intersect with one-another, but do not interfere. They also intersect but do not interfere with the three rows of stationary fins. The stationary fins can have several distinct functions, dependent upon the stage of drying taking place at the location of a given fin or series of fins. In the wet end, the stationary fins can also prevent the material, which is beginning to increase in viscosity as it heats, from co-rotating with the stirrers. In the center area of the dryer were the material can be extremely plastic (taffy-like), the stationary fins provide a shearing action which, in turn, begins the formation of wet granules. In the second zone of the dryer, where dry granulation occurs, the clearance between stationary and rotating fins is preferably deliberately reduced, resulting in further milling of the granules and increased drying efficiency.
The transition from the shearing stage to the wet granulation stage and the transition between wet granulation and dry granulation can be greatly enhanced by the periodic reversal in the rotational direction of the stirrers. The pitch of the counter rotating stirrers provides longitudinal blending of the waste between these stages when the stirrers are reversed for a period of time according to a predetermined schedule.
In the illustrated example, airflow through the conditioner is illustrated in
The spacing between the fixed and rotating blades can also vary. An arrangement in which the spacing is approximately one-half inch at the upstream side has been found satisfactory. As noted above, the spacing between the rotating and the fixed blades at the downstream side is preferably decreased, e.g., such that the spacing is decreased to about ⅛th of an inch at the downstream end. The fin to fin spacing of the adjacent rotors can be, for example, approximately 1.5 inches.
To ensure adequate thermal treatment of the waste, preferably the waste will be within the apparatus for approximately twelve hours, however, the amount of time could vary substantially. Further, temperature sensors are preferably provided at various locations along the length of the conditioner, for example, with temperature sensors provided in the center fins or blades 818 between the rotors. For example, in a current arrangement, a temperature sensor can be provided every third or fourth blade, however, as performance knowledge increases with experience, the number of temperature sensors could be reduced. These temperature sensors can be utilized to provide feedback as to the progress of the conditioning of the waste. Such feedback can be utilized to control the heating elements and/or rotation of the waste. For example, where the waste is extremely wet (e.g., in a restaurant where soup or meals with large amounts of sauce were served at a given meal), the water content may be significantly higher than another meal. Accordingly, additional heat energy might be needed, particularly at the inlet end of the conditioner. Alternatively, a greater amount of reverse rotation time could be provided so that the waste will progress more slowly through the apparatus so that it can be ensured that the moisture will be sufficiently eliminated and the waste will be sufficiently heated prior to exiting the conditioner. For example, where the temperature sensors sense the waste is maintained at temperature of, for example, 212° F., it will be apparent that a large amount of water is present in the waste such that the heat is being utilized to eliminate the moisture. Preferably, at least a portion of the conditioner will achieve temperatures exceeding 220° F., more preferably above 250° F., and even more preferably, a maximum temperature of 260° F. will be sensed in at least a portion of the conditioner.
According to another advantageous feature of the
By way of example, a device as shown in
It is to be understood that any of the above-discussed embodiments of the waste treatment system can be used in various locations, and are not limited to use in restaurants and ships. Rather, the various embodiments can be used in any setting in which waste treatment is desired, such as where a compact, self-contained, waste treatment system would be desirable. It is to be further understood that any of the embodiments of the waste treatment system can be designed so as to be compact and/or to have a relatively small footprint or height, such that the system can be installed underneath a countertop.
Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
This application is related to, and claims priority to, co-pending application Ser. No. 60/576,823 filed Jun. 4, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60576823 | Jun 2004 | US |
