Title of Invention

"A BINDER COMPOSITION FOR USE IN FORMING BRIQUETTS FROM FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROCESS WASTE"

Abstract

Present invention provides of a binder composition for use in forming briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste comprising lime and urea in a proportion ranging from 1:1 to 5:4 and a process for preparation of briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste using the said composition . The process comprises the step of mixing lime and urea in a proportion ranging from 1:1 to 5:4 wherein C/N ratio ranges from 15:1 to 30:1 and mixing the said composition with fruit and vegetable processing waste wherein ratio of lime and said waste ranges from 1:10 to 1:50 followed by preparation of desired briquette from the obtained mixture.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a binder composition for use in forming briquettes of fruit and vegetable processing waste. The process relates to a novel aspect of using fruit and vegetable processing wastes for briquette formation, thereby solving the waste disposal problems in fruit and vegetable processing industries Briquetted wastes can easily be transported to other places where acute shortage of other fuels is a problem. The majority of wastes from the fruit and vegetable processing industries are seasonal. They get decomposed as the time passes. The mechanical drying or sun-drying of these wastes (mangopeel, citruspeel, pineapple and tomato processing wastes) and their storage and further milling to produce feedstock make the entire process uneconomical. A simple and inexpensive method for preserving these wastes is needed, so that these resources may be used for energy generation throughout the year. Briquetting of the fruit and vegetable processing wastes is highly economical. The main usage of the invention is that the waste from most commonly processed fruits like mango, orange, lime/lemon, pineapple, banana, and tomato can be used for making briquettes. Reference may be made to US Patent No. 3,898,076 (Ranke, 1975) wherein the use of paraffin wax and a vinyl copolymer as a binder to agglomerate briquette filler is described. Reference may be made to US Patent No. 4,659,374 (Alanko et al., 1987) wherein the use of asphalt or pitch as a primary binder, and alignosulfonate salts, carbohydrates or silicates as a secondary binder in a mixed binder system for use in forming agglomerates is described. Reference may be made to US Patent U.S. Patent No. 4,589,887 (Aunsholt, 1986) wherein solid organic biomass is used as a briquette filler and fly ash coke as a binder in fuel briquettes is described. Reference may be made to US Patent No.5,221,290 (Dell, 1993) wherein charcoal briquettes bound with an organic ,binder and a water-swellable smectite clay is described. Reference may be made to US Patent No.5,240,656 (Sheers, 1993) wherein a method and an apparatus for treating contaminated plastics waste, comprising densifying contaminated plastic waste by causing the waste to pass through a heating zone to produce molten contaminated plastics, and causing the molten contaminated plastics to flow continuously out of the hearing zone under the influence of gravity is described. Reference may be made to US Patent No.5,431,702 (Schulz, 1995) wherein a method for making fuel briquettes using dewatered sewage sludge, and cellulosic waste such as paper as briquette filler mixed with a conventional binder is described. Reference may be made to US Patent No.5,820,668 (Comrie, 1998) wherein the inorganic binder composition consisting of flyash, fumed silica, ground slag, hydrous aluminium silicate is described. Reference may be made to US Patent No.6,013,116 (Major et al., 2000) wherein the briquette binding composition consisting of sodium bicarbonate, peat moss, starch, cellulose derivatives, pulp, card board is described. But briquette formation using fruit and vegetable processing waste has not been attempted so far. The main object of the present invention is to produce a binder composition for use in forming briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste. Still another object of the present invention is to make it possible to produce valuable byproducts instead of generating wasteful residues like ash, smoke, etc. Yet another object of the present investigation is to make the briquette an alternate feed material for biogas production. Accordingly present invention provides a binder composition for use in forming briquettes from fruit and vegetable process waste comprising of lime and urea in the proportion ranging from 1:1 to 5:4 . Accordingly, present invention provides a process for preparation of briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste characterized in that: a. mixing of lime and urea in a proportion as defined above wherein C/N ratio ranges from 15:1 to 30:1, b. mixing the said mixture with fruit and vegetable processing waste such as herein described wherein ratio of lime and said waste ranges from 1:10 to 1:50, c. grinding the fruit and vegetable processing waste to coarse particle size using mechanical device, d. pressing the coarse material in a briquette form wherein weight of one briquette is 0.5 kg or more after drying, e. drying the above said briquette at a temperature ranging from 30 - 40°C for a period of 24 to 48 hrs to get a moisture content from 50 to 15%. Drawing accompanying this specification refers to the flow chart of the above process. In an embodiment of the present invention, mixing may be effected by double cone mixer. In another embodiment, the binding may be effected by mixing lime and urea in different proportions of 1:1-5:4. In yet another embodiment, the grinding of fruit and vegetable processing wastes may be effected by mechanical device to get a coarse particle size. In yet another embodiment, the briquettes may be dried either under sun or mechanically to obtain less than 25% moisture content. Fruits and vegetable waste from different industries and market areas are collected. Fruit and vegetable waste is stored in ensilaging pits to get better results. The digestibility of the waste also improves during the ensilaging process. The waste material is mixed in a double cone mixer. Sufficient quantity of water is calculated according to the moisture content in the waste material. Different concentrations of lime is added in the waste on dry weight basis to prepare briquettes. An appropriate quantity of urea is also added. The wet material obtained after mixing is subjected to grinding in a toothed roll crusher, A good amount of mixing also takes place during the step. The material after grinding will appear like a paste and further subjected to processing in a briquetting press. The material after grinding is pressed in briquetting press to get rectangular blocks. Either simple leg operated briquetting press or mechanical block making machines can be used. The weight of one briquette can be either 0.5 kg or above after the drying. The pressed blocks obtained from the briquetting press is sun dried to get the finished product. The final moisture content in briquette is about 15-50%. Electrical dryers can also be used to reduce the drying time. The process can be scaled up to handle more than 25 tonnes per day of waste. Mechanical briquetting press can be used to handle large quantities of waste. The correct formulation of the briquettes helps to get good dispersability in water, and also to maintain proper conditions in the digesters while usage. The novelty in the present invention relates to a process of making briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste. The following examples are given by way of illustration of the present invention and therefore should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention. EXAMPLE 1 This example illustrates the use of 50 kg of the ensilaged waste material, mixed with a 5 litre of lime solution of 50% concentration and mixed in a double cone mixer. The moisture content of the mixture is adjusted to 55%. 4 kg of urea is added and C/N ratio is brought to 30:1. The wet material obtained after mixing is passed through a tooth roll crusher to homogenise the mass. The paste collected from the crusher is filled in die of the briquetting press and formed to rectangular blocks. The pressed biomass is sundried till the final moisture level of 15% is obtained. EXAMPLE 2 This example illustrates the use of 50 kg of the ensilaged waste material, mixed with a 4 litre of lime solution of 50% concentration and mixed in a double cone mixer. The moisture content of the mixture is adjusted to 45%. 3 kg of urea is added and C/N ratio is brought to 25:1. The wet material obtained after mixing is passed through a tooth roll crusher to homogenise the mass. The paste collected from the crusher is filled in die of the briquetting press and formed to rectangular blocks. The pressed biomass is sundried till the final moisture level of 15% is obtained. EXAMPLE 3 This example illustrates the use of 50 kg of the ensilaged waste material, mixed with a 3 litre of lime solution of 50% concentration and mixed in a double cone mixer. The moisture content of the mixture is adjusted to 35%. 2 kg of urea is added and C/N ratio is brought to 20:1. The wet material obtained after mixing is passed through a tooth roll crusher to homogenise the mass. The paste collected from the crusher is filled in die of the briquetting press and formed to rectangular blocks. The pressed biomass is sundried till the final moisture level of 15% is obtained. EXAMPLE 4 This example illustrates the use of 50 kg of the ensilaged waste material, mixed with a 1 litre of lime solution of 50% concentration and mixed in a double cone mixer. The moisture content of the mixture is adjusted to 25%. 1 kg of urea is added and C/N ratio is brought to 15:1. The wet material obtained after mixing is passed through a tooth roll crusher to homogenise the mass. The paste collected from the crusher is filled in die of the briquetting press and formed to rectangular blocks. The pressed biomass is sundried till the final moisture level of 15% is obtained. The main advantages of the present invention are 1. The briquettes ca.n be stored easily and does not require packaging. It is easy to transport the briquettes and hence it is suitable to use for generating energy where other fuels are not available. 2. The briquettes can be used as an alternate feed materials for biogas digesters where conventional materials like animal/poultry excreta is used. 3. The waste disposal problem in fruit and vegetable processing industries, agricultural marketing and storage yard are solved with an added advantage of generating revenue from the briquettes. 4. The important feature of this idea is that the approach is environment friendly, and does not generate any wasteful residues. 5.. This process invites less investment for the waste disposal problems. We Claim: 1) A binder composition for use in forming briquettes from fruit and vegetable process waste comprising of lime and urea in the proportion ranging from 1:1 to 5:4. 2) A process for preparation of briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste using the composition as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a. mixing of lime and urea in a proportion as defined above wherein C/N ratio ranges from 15:1 to 30:1, b. mixing the said mixture with fruit and vegetable processing waste such as herein described wherein ratio of lime and said waste ranges from 1:10 to 1:50, c. grinding the fruit and vegetable processing waste to coarse particle size using mechanical device, d. pressing the coarse material in a briquette form wherein weight of one briquette is 0,5 kg or more after drying, e. drying the above said briquette at a temperature ranging from 30 - 40°C for a period of 24 to 48 hrs to get a moisture content from 50 to 15%. 3) A process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein mixing of fruit and vegetable processing waste is effected in a double cone mixer. 5) A process as claimed in claims 1-4, wherein the briquetting is effected by mechanical device. 6) A process as claimed in claims 1-4, wherein the briquettes are dried in known manner to obtain less than 25% moisture content. 7) A process for preparation of briquettes from fruit and vegetable processing waste as herein described with reference to examples accompanying the specifications.

Documents:

437-del-2001-abstract.pdf

437-del-2001-claims.pdf

437-del-2001-correspondence-others.pdf

437-del-2001-correspondence-po.pdf

437-del-2001-description (complete).pdf

437-del-2001-drawings.pdf

437-del-2001-form-1.pdf

437-del-2001-form-13.pdf

437-del-2001-form-18.pdf

437-del-2001-form-2.pdf

437-del-2001-form-3.pdf