Waste collection system and method for separating liquid waste from solid waste

Abstract

A waste separation system and a method of separating liquid waste from solid waste employ an animal waste conveyor comprising an endless conveyor belt extending around upper and lower conveyor rollers and having an upwardly concave longitudinally inclined upper run which, in transverse cross-section, has a lowermost portion forming a liquid drainage channel extending longitudinally of the upper run and lateral portions diverging laterally and upwardly from the liquid drainage channel. The solid and liquid waste is discharged onto the upper run, so that the liquid waste flows under gravity into and along the liquid drainage channel to be discharged and collected in the vicinity of the lower end of the conveyor, and the conveyor is intermittently driven to discharge the solid waste material from the conveyor to be separately collected.

1 . A waste collection system for separating liquid and solid waste, comprising: 
 an animal waste conveyor;    the animal waste conveyor comprising an upper conveyor roller, a lower conveyor roller and an endless conveyor belt extending around the upper conveyor roller and the lower conveyor rollers;    the conveyor belt having an upwardly concave upper run which is longitudinally inclined from the upper conveyor roller to the lower conveyor roller;    the upper run having, in cross-section, a lowermost portion forming a longitudinally inclined drainage channel extending along the upper run and lateral portions diverging laterally and upwardly from the liquid drainage channel;    a liquid waste collector located beneath the lower conveyor roller;    a solid waste collector located beneath one of the upper and lower conveyor rollers; and    a conveyor drive connected to the animal waste conveyor.    
     
     
         2 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , including a support underlying the upper run and defining the cross-sectional shape of the upper run.  
     
     
         3 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the support comprises support members extending longitudinally of the upper run.  
     
     
         4 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the support has a Vee-shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         5 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the upper run of the conveyor belt has a longitudinal slope of 0.1% to 2.0%.  
     
     
         6 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lateral portions of the upper run of the conveyor belt each have a slope, transversely of the upper run, of 2.0% to 6.0%.  
     
     
         7 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lateral portions of the upper run of the conveyor belt each have a slope, transversely of the upper run, of 4.0%.  
     
     
         8 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drive is intermittently operable to drive the upper run of the animal waste conveyor towards the upper conveyor roller.  
     
     
         9 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , including a floor extending above the animal waste conveyor, the floor having openings extending downwardly and through the floor to allow the liquid and solid waste to fall through the floor onto the upper run of the animal waste conveyor, and a portion of the floor being uninterrupted by the openings to form a waste deflector extending along and above the liquid drainage channel.  
     
     
         10 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the solid waste collector is located in the vicinity of the upper conveyor roller.  
     
     
         11 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquid and solid waste collectors are both located in the vicinity of the lower conveyor roller.  
     
     
         12 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , including a gutter containing the animal waste conveyor, the gutter having opposed walls and the animal waste conveyor being located between the opposed walls, and a sealing means for sealing opposite edges of the upper run against the opposed walls.  
     
     
         13 . A waste collection system as claimed in  claim 1 , including a flashing preventing the liquid and solid waste from being discharged downwardly past longitudinal edges of the upper run.  
     
     
         14 . A method of separating liquid waste from solid waste comprising the steps of: 
 forming an upper run of an animal waste conveyor into a longitudinally inclined liquid drainage channel extending along the upper run and lateral portions diverging laterally and upwardly from the liquid drainage channel;    discharging the liquid and solid animal waste onto the upper run so that the liquid waste is drained under gravity into and along the liquid drainage channel and discharged from the animal waste conveyor;    collecting liquid waste discharged from animal waste conveyor;    driving the animal waste conveyor to discharge the solid waste material from the animal waste conveyor; and    discharging and collecting the solid waste material from the animal waste conveyor separately from the liquid waste.    
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , which further includes the step of deflecting the solid waste from being discharged into the liquid drainage channel of the upper run.  
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , which further includes the step of supporting the underside of the upper run so as to define the cross-sectional shape of said upper run.  
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the step of supporting the underside of the upper run comprises slidingly supporting the upper run.  
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the step of supporting of the underside of the upper run includes providing the upper run of the conveyor belt with a longitudinal slope of 0.1% to 2.0%.  
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the step of supporting of the underside of the upper run includes providing the lateral portions of the upper run of the conveyor belt with a slope, transversely of the upper run, of 2.0% to 6.0%.  
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the step of supporting of the underside of the upper run includes providing the lateral portions of the upper run of the conveyor belt with a slope, transversely of the upper run, of 4.0%.  
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , in which the step of the driving of the animal waste conveyor is effected intermittently.  
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21 , further including the step of drying the solid material on the upper run while the animal waste conveyor is stationary.  
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , in which the step of collecting the solid waste comprises collecting the solid waste in the vicinity of a lower end of the animal waste conveyor.  
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , in which the step of collecting the solid waste comprises collecting the solid waste in the vicinity of an upper end of the animal waste conveyor.  
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , further including the step of drawing an air current along the upper run of the animal waste conveyor.