JP7572288B2 - Reinforcement structure of belt-shaped carrier - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier supported in a methane fermentation tank.

Methane fermentation is a method of treating organic waste under anaerobic conditions using anaerobic microorganisms such as methanogens to convert it into methane gas.

The methane fermentation tank in which the above-mentioned methane fermentation process is carried out is known to have a structure in which a belt-like carrier is suspended and supported in order to increase the efficiency of methane fermentation. During normal methane fermentation processing, this carrier is submerged in the fermentation liquid in the methane fermentation tank, and buoyancy acts on it, so it is not easily pulled downward.

However, for example, during maintenance, if the level of the fermentation liquid in the methane fermentation tank drops, the carrier is less likely to generate buoyancy, and the force pulling it downward increases, making it more likely to break off. Furthermore, if the carrier breaks off, the broken pieces of the carrier will float inside the methane fermentation tank, causing problems such as blocking pipes for the fermentation liquid outlet and the organic waste inlet.

To solve the problem of the carrier breaking as described above, the applicant developed a methane fermentation tank in which the upper and lower ends of the carrier are supported between a lower support and an upper support, and the upper end of the carrier is connected to the upper support via an expansion joint that can expand due to the weight of the hydrated carrier in the absence of buoyancy (Patent Document 1 below).

The following Patent Document 2 describes a nonwoven fabric body that can also be used in methane fermentation tanks. This nonwoven fabric body has multiple sheets of nonwoven fabric, a joint formed by bonding the multiple sheets of nonwoven fabric together, and at least one opening formed in the joint.

JP 2010-136670 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-259562

In the case of the nonwoven fabric formed body of Patent Document 2, no measures are taken to prevent cutting. Therefore, if this is used in a methane fermentation tank, during maintenance, if the water level drops and the nonwoven fabric formed body no longer generates buoyancy, the nonwoven fabric formed body is likely to be cut.

In addition, in the methane fermentation tank of Patent Document 1, the expansion joint prevents the carrier from being cut, but the expansion joint is expensive and requires a lot of work to install and maintain.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier that is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and maintain, and difficult to cut.

In order to achieve the above object, the reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier according to the present invention is a strip-shaped carrier made of nonwoven fabric, with the upper and lower ends supported between an upper support arranged at the top of a methane fermentation tank and a lower support arranged at the bottom of the methane fermentation tank, the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier in the longitudinal direction being reinforced by a thin plate member attached over the entire width of the strip-shaped carrier, the thin plate member being arranged on one side of the strip-shaped carrier so that its upper edge extends beyond the upper edge of the strip-shaped carrier in the longitudinal direction, The upper end of the carrier, the surface opposite to the attachment surface of the thin plate member, is reinforced by a first reinforcing tape adhered across the entire width, the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier is disposed between the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape, the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier, the thin plate member, and the first reinforcing tape are fixed to each other so as to be sandwiched by a plurality of fixing devices disposed at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier, and the portion of the thin plate member extending from the upper edge of the strip-shaped carrier is supported by the upper support.

According to the above invention, the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier, which is the surface opposite to the surface to which the thin plate member is attached, is reinforced by the first reinforcing tape adhered across the entire width, so that the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier can be reinforced.

The upper end of the strip-shaped carrier is disposed between the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape, which are fixed to each other so as to be clamped by a plurality of fasteners arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier, and the extending portion of the thin plate member is supported on the upper support of the methane fermentation tank. Therefore, the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier can be firmly clamped in the width direction via the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape and supported on the upper support of the methane fermentation tank.

As a result, during maintenance, etc., when the liquid level in the methane fermentation tank drops and the strip carrier is pulled downward by the gravity of the water contained in the strip carrier, the tensile load is easily distributed over a wide range in the width direction of the upper end of the strip carrier, preventing the tensile load from concentrating at a specific point, making it difficult for the strip carrier to break.

In addition, the thin plate member used to clamp the upper end of the strip carrier is used to support the strip carrier on the upper support of the methane fermentation tank, so the strip carrier can be easily installed in the methane fermentation tank. Furthermore, the thin plate member is a plate material and does not expand or contract like the expansion joint in the methane fermentation tank of Patent Document 1, so maintenance of the thin plate member itself is almost unnecessary or only minimal, which can reduce costs.

In the reinforcing structure of the strip-shaped carrier according to the present invention, the strip-shaped carrier is stacked in a plurality of sheets, a second reinforcing tape extending along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier is arranged in the widthwise center of the strip-shaped carrier arranged on one side, and the plurality of strip-shaped carriers are welded to each other along the portion where the second reinforcing tape is arranged, and the thin plate member is arranged on the surface of the plurality of stacked strip-shaped carriers on which the second reinforcing tape is arranged so that its upper end edge extends from the upper end edge in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of stacked strip-shaped carriers, and the thin plate member is attached to the plurality of stacked strip-shaped carriers. The surface opposite to the surface on which the strip is installed is reinforced by a first reinforcing tape that is bonded across the entire width, and the upper ends of the multiple strip carriers are respectively arranged between the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape, and the upper ends of the strip carriers, the thin plate member, and the first reinforcing tape are fixed to each other and bound together so as to be sandwiched by the multiple fixing devices arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip carrier, and it is preferable that the multiple strip carriers are configured to open out like a chrysanthemum from their upper ends downward when immersed in the fermentation liquid in the methane fermentation tank.

According to the above aspect, the upper ends of the multiple strip-shaped carriers are each disposed between the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape, and the upper ends of the strip-shaped carriers, the thin plate member, and the first reinforcing tape are fixed to each other and bundled together so as to be clamped in the width direction by multiple fasteners arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier. Therefore, when the multiple strip-shaped carriers are pulled downward during maintenance of the methane fermentation tank, the tensile load is easily distributed over a wide range in the width direction of the upper ends of the strip-shaped carriers, and the tensile load is prevented from concentrating at a specific location, making it difficult for the strip-shaped carrier to be cut.

In addition, the multiple strip-shaped carriers are configured so that when immersed in the fermentation liquid in the methane fermentation tank, the lower part opens out like a chrysanthemum below the upper end, ensuring a large surface area for the strip-shaped carriers.

In this way, even when multiple strip-shaped carriers are supported in a methane fermentation tank, it is possible to achieve both the resistance to cutting of the strip-shaped carriers and the securing of the surface area of the strip-shaped carriers.

In the reinforcing structure for the belt-shaped carrier according to the present invention, it is preferable that the upper end of the belt-shaped carrier, the first reinforcing tape, and the thin plate member each have a through hole formed at a corresponding location, and the fastener is inserted into the through hole and crimped.

According to the above aspect, the fixing device is inserted into the through holes formed in the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier, the first reinforcing tape, and the thin plate member, and is crimped. This increases the fixing strength between the strip-shaped carrier, the first reinforcing tape, and the thin plate member, and prevents the strip-shaped carrier from falling off the upper support of the methane fermentation tank.

In the reinforcing structure for the belt-shaped carrier according to the present invention, it is preferable that the fixing devices are arranged in equal numbers in the left and right regions in the width direction of the upper end of the belt-shaped carrier, avoiding the width direction center portion, so that the total number of fixing devices is an even number.

According to the above embodiment, the fixing devices are arranged in equal numbers on both sides of the width of the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier, avoiding the width center, for a total of an even number. This increases the fixing strength between the strip-shaped carrier, the first reinforcing tape, and the thin plate member at the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier, and more reliably prevents the strip-shaped carrier from falling off the upper support of the methane fermentation tank.

According to the present invention, when the strip carrier is pulled downward during maintenance, etc., the tensile load is easily distributed over a wide range in the width direction of the upper end of the strip carrier, and the tensile load is prevented from concentrating at a specific location, making it difficult for the strip carrier to break. In addition, since the strip carrier is supported on the upper support of the methane fermentation tank using a thin plate member, the strip carrier can be easily installed in the methane fermentation tank. Furthermore, since the thin plate member is a plate material, little or no maintenance is required for the thin plate member itself, which allows costs to be reduced.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a reinforcement structure for a band-shaped carrier according to the present invention, and is a perspective view of a methane fermentation tank to which the reinforcement structure is applied. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carrier strip of FIG. 2 in a further opened state. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the reinforcing structure in the state of FIG. 3 as viewed from a planar direction. 13A and 13B show modified examples of the reinforcing structure of the belt-shaped carrier, in which FIG. 13A is an enlarged front view of a main portion showing a first modified example, and FIG. 13B is an enlarged front view of a main portion showing a second modified example. 1A is an enlarged front view of a main portion of Comparative Example 1, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged front view of a main portion of Comparative Example 2. FIG.

(One embodiment of the reinforcing structure of the belt-shaped carrier)
Hereinafter, one embodiment of a reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "carrier reinforcing structure") is applied to a methane fermentation tank 10. In this embodiment, the methane fermentation tank 10 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "fermentation tank 10") is substantially cylindrical. Inside the fermentation tank 10, multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 made of nonwoven fabric and extending in a strip shape are arranged.

An upper support 11 and a lower support 13 are disposed at the top and bottom of the fermentation tank 10, respectively. The supports 11, 13 are annular and disposed parallel to each other. A number of support columns 15 are disposed at equal intervals inside the fermentation tank 10. The upper and lower ends of each support column 15 are connected to the outer periphery of both supports 11, 13, respectively, so that both supports 11, 13 and the number of support columns 15 are integrated to form a cage-like frame. The lower ends of each support column 15 abut against the bottom wall 10a of the fermentation tank 10 to support the entire cage-like frame. A number of horizontal frames 11a, 13a are also installed on both supports 11, 13 so as to be parallel to each other.

Note that the shape and structure of the fermentation tank 10 are merely examples and are not limited to the above.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, this carrier reinforcement structure is a strip-shaped carrier 20 whose upper and lower ends are supported between an upper support 11 and a lower support 13, and whose upper end 21 in the longitudinal direction is reinforced by a thin plate member 30 attached across the entire width of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the strip-shaped carrier 20 in this embodiment extends in a strip shape with a constant width and a predetermined length, and is arranged in the fermentation tank 10 with its upper longitudinal end 21 facing the top of the fermentation tank 10 and its lower longitudinal end 23 (see Figure 2) facing the bottom of the fermentation tank 10.

As will be described in detail later, as shown in FIG. 5, a thin plate member 30 is attached to one surface 28 of the upper end portion 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and the other surface 29 of the upper end portion 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is reinforced by a first reinforcing tape 40. Furthermore, the upper end portion 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is disposed between the thin plate member 30 and the first reinforcing tape 40, and the upper end portion 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are fixed to each other by being clamped by a plurality of fixing devices 50 arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

The strip-shaped carrier 20 may be a single piece, or may be a structure in which multiple pieces are stacked together. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the strip-shaped carrier 20 is a structure in which multiple pieces (here, five pieces) are stacked together. The direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is defined as the width direction.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, a second reinforcing tape 60 is arranged over the entire longitudinal direction of the overlapping portion of the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 in the widthwise center portion 25 (see Figure 4), and the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are welded together along the portion where the second reinforcing tape 60 is arranged, so that both sides of the strip-shaped carrier 20 open out like a chrysanthemum.

In this embodiment, five strip-shaped carriers 20 are stacked, and a second reinforcing tape 60 is arranged in the widthwise center 25 of the overlapping portion over the entire longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the longitudinal upper end 61 of the second reinforcing tape 60 is overlapped with the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

The second reinforcing tape 60 is placed on a surface 28 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 that is different from the surface 29 to which the first reinforcing tape 40 is adhered. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the second reinforcing tape 60 is placed on the widthwise center 25 (see FIG. 4) of the outer surface of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 that is located on the outermost side (the rightmost side in FIG. 5) of the multiple overlapping strip-shaped carriers 20. Then, along the portion where the second reinforcing tape 60 is placed, the widthwise center 25 of the overlapping portions of the five strip-shaped carriers 20 are welded to each other (at this time, the second reinforcing tape 60 is also welded to the widthwise center 25 of the strip-shaped carrier 20), and the five strip-shaped carriers 20 are integrated via the widthwise center 25 to form a single carrier structure.

In other words, the second reinforcing tape 60 functions to reinforce the welding portion that unites the five strip-shaped carriers 20 together, thereby making it possible to effectively prevent the five strip-shaped carriers 20 from tearing apart from one another.

2 and 3, five strip-shaped carriers 20 are arranged on one side of the width direction through the width direction center 25 so that they can be opened from each other, and five strip-shaped carriers 20 are arranged on the other side of the width direction so that they can be opened from each other. That is, the carrier structure of this embodiment is structured such that five strip-shaped carriers 20 are arranged on each side of the width direction of the strip-shaped carriers 20, for a total of 10 openable strip-shaped carriers 20 on both the left and right sides of the width direction (it can also be said that there are five petals on one side and ten petals on both sides). As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, when the carrier structure is accommodated and supported in the fermentation tank 10 and the strip-shaped carriers 20 are immersed in the fermentation liquid, the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 open in a chrysanthemum shape from their upper end 21 downward through the width direction center 25. That is, the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 open radially from the width direction center 25 as they move downward from their upper end 21.

In this embodiment, the upper end 21, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 of the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are fixed to each other and bound together by being sandwiched between multiple fasteners 50 arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, so that when immersed in the fermentation liquid in the fermentation tank 10, the part below the upper end 21 opens out like a chrysanthemum.

In addition, multiple circular through holes 27 (see FIG. 5) are formed in the upper end 21 of each strip-shaped carrier 20 for inserting the fixing device 50 described later. In this embodiment, two through holes 27, 27 are formed in one region A (see FIG. 4, details will be described later) and two through holes 27, 27 are formed in the other region B (see FIG. 4, details will be described later) to avoid the widthwise center 25 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 where the second reinforcing tape 60 is arranged, for a total of four through holes 27.

In this embodiment, the strip-shaped carrier 20 extends at a constant width from the upper end 21 to the lower end 23, but for example, the upper end 21 side may be narrower and the lower end 23 side may be wider, the upper end 21 side may be wider and the lower end 23 side may be narrower, or the middle portion in the longitudinal direction may be wider or narrower than the other portions; the shape is not particularly limited.

The width of the belt-shaped carrier 20 is preferably 20 to 300 mm, and more preferably 50 to 150 mm. The thickness of the belt-shaped carrier 20 before it is impregnated with the fermentation liquid is preferably 1 to 30 mm, and more preferably 2 to 10 mm.

In this embodiment, the structure has ten strip-shaped carriers 20 arranged on each side, five on each side; however, for example, (1) four strip-shaped carriers arranged on each side, (2) eight strip-shaped carriers arranged on each side, four on each side, or (3) a different number of strip-shaped carriers arranged on each side (for example, four strip-shaped carriers arranged on one side and five on the other side) may also be used, and the number and arrangement of the strip-shaped carriers are not particularly limited.

The above-mentioned belt-shaped carrier 20 may be, for example, a nonwoven fabric made from a fiber material selected from polyester fiber, polyethylene fiber, polypropylene fiber, polystyrene fiber, vinylon fiber, polyvinylidene chloride fiber, acrylic fiber, carbon fiber, etc. A belt-shaped carrier 20 made from these materials can increase the attachment efficiency of microorganisms. In addition, the belt-shaped carrier 20 may be reinforced by embedding a string-shaped object, mesh, woven or knitted fabric, etc., in part or the entirety of the belt-shaped carrier 20.

The second reinforcing tape 60 is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic, nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, paper, cloth, rubber, etc., and extends in a strip of a constant width. For example, a product name such as "Forte" manufactured by Sekisui Seiki Kogyo Co., Ltd. can be used. The width of the second reinforcing tape 60 (the length along the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20) is preferably 5 to 50 mm, and more preferably 10 to 30 mm.

In this embodiment, the second reinforcing tape 60 is welded to the strip-shaped carrier 20 in conjunction with welding of the widthwise center portion 25 of the overlapping portion of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and is thereby adhered to the surface 29 of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

The second reinforcing tape 60 may be a tape that has adhesive properties and can be adhered to the strip-shaped carrier 20, but it may also be a tape that does not have adhesive properties. In the latter case, an adhesive (e.g., an adhesive made of ethylene and ethylene copolymer, polypropylene, acrylic resin, polyurethane, etc.) can be applied to one side of the second reinforcing tape to adhere it to the strip-shaped carrier 20.

In addition, for example, ultrasonic welding, high frequency welding, heat welding, etc. can be used as a means for welding the overlapping portions of the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 and the second adhesive tape 60.

Next, we will explain the thin plate member 30.

As shown in FIG. 5, the thin plate member 30 is disposed on one surface 28 (the attachment surface of the thin plate member 30) of the strip-shaped carrier 20 so that its upper edge 31a extends from the upper longitudinal edge 21a of the strip-shaped carrier 20. In other words, the thin plate member 30 is disposed on the surface 28 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, which is made up of multiple overlapping sheets, on which the second reinforcing tape 60 is provided (see FIG. 5).

In this embodiment, the thin plate member 30 is arranged on the outer surface of the upper end portion 21 of the outermost strip-shaped carrier 20 among the multiple overlapping strip-shaped carriers 20, with the second reinforcing tape 60 interposed therebetween (see FIG. 5). Note that FIG. 5 is not a cross section at the widthwise center portion 25 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, so the upper end portion 61 of the second reinforcing tape 60 is not drawn with a solid line, but in reality, the upper end portion 61 of the second reinforcing tape 60, which extends over the entire longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, is arranged between the upper end portion 21 of the outermost strip-shaped carrier 20 and the lower end portion 33 of the thin plate member 30, and is sandwiched therebetween (see the imaginary lines in FIG. 5).

The lower end 33 of the thin plate member 30 is provided with a number of insertion holes 37 (see FIG. 5) for inserting the fixing device 50. In this embodiment, four circular insertion holes 37 are formed to fit the insertion holes 27 formed in the strip-shaped carrier 20.

The thickness of the thin plate member 30 is preferably 1 to 5 mm, and more preferably 1 to 3 mm.

The thin plate member 30 can be made of, for example, stainless steel such as SUS304, 430, or metal materials other than stainless steel such as iron-based alloys, aluminum-based alloys, titanium-based alloys, and copper-based alloys, or inorganic materials such as synthetic resin materials and ceramics.

Next, we will explain the first reinforcing tape 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, which is the surface 29 opposite the surface to which the thin plate member 30 is attached (see FIG. 5), is reinforced by a first reinforcing tape 40 that is bonded across the entire width, with the upper edge of the first reinforcing tape 40 positioned at the upper edge of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

In this embodiment, the first reinforcing tape 40 is adhered to the surface 29 (the outer surface of the strip-shaped carrier 29 located at the leftmost side in FIG. 5 ) of the strip-shaped carrier 20, which is a plurality of overlapping strips, opposite in the thickness direction from the attachment surface (one surface 28) of the thin plate member 30, over the entire width direction, thereby reinforcing the strip-shaped carrier 20. That is, as shown in FIG. 5 , the surface 29 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 to which the first reinforcing tape 40 is adhered is different from the surface 28 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 on which the second reinforcing tape 60 is disposed. Note that the adhesive surface of the first reinforcing tape 40 and the arrangement surface of the second reinforcing tape 60 in the strip-shaped carrier 20 may be the same surface (for example, the second reinforcing tape 60 may be adhered to the surface 29 of the strip-shaped carrier 20), but it is preferable that they are different as described above.

The first reinforcing tape 40 also has multiple insertion holes 41 (see FIG. 5) for inserting the fixing device 50. In this embodiment, four circular insertion holes 41 are formed to fit the insertion holes 27 formed in the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the insertion holes 37 formed in the thin plate member 30.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the first reinforcing tape 40 is adhered to the other surface 29 of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20 across the entire width of the carrier, while the second reinforcing tape 60 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20 on one surface 28 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, so that when the strip-shaped carrier 20 is viewed from the front side, both tapes 40, 60 are arranged to form an approximately T-shape with an overlapping portion (the upper end 61 of the second reinforcing tape 60 and the central portion of the width of the first reinforcing tape 40).

The first reinforcing tape 40 may be the same as the second reinforcing tape 60 (see paragraph 0046). The width of the first reinforcing tape 40 (length along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20) is preferably 10 to 50 mm, and more preferably 15 to 30 mm. In this embodiment, the first reinforcing tape 40 is adhered to the surface 29 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 by welding to the surface 29 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 by, for example, ultrasonic welding, high-frequency welding, or heat welding.

The first reinforcing tape 40 may be a tape that has adhesive properties and can be adhered to the strip-shaped carrier 20, but it may also be a tape that does not have adhesive properties. In the latter case, an adhesive (e.g., an adhesive made of ethylene and ethylene copolymers, polypropylene, acrylic resin, polyurethane, etc.) is applied to one side of the second reinforcing tape, and the tape is adhered to the strip-shaped carrier 20.

Next, we will explain the fixing device 50.

This fixing device 50 clamps and fixes the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 between the thin plate member 30 and the first reinforcing tape 40. In this embodiment, it is inserted into the insertion hole 27 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the insertion hole 41 of the first reinforcing tape 40, and the insertion hole 37 of the thin plate member 30, and is crimped. Specifically, the fixing device 50 in this embodiment, before crimping, is a so-called eyelet that has a substantially cylindrical tube portion 51 and a flange-shaped head portion 53 at one end.

Then, the tubular portion 51 of the fixing device 50 is inserted into the through hole 41 of the first reinforcing tape 40, the through hole 27 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and the through hole 37 of the thin plate member 30, respectively, and the other end of the tubular portion 51 is crimped to form a crimped portion 55 that expands like a flange. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the head portion 53 engages with the front edge of the through hole 41 of the first reinforcing tape 40, and the crimped portion 55 engages with the front edge of the through hole 37 of the thin plate member 30, and the fixing device 50 clamps the upper end portion 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 between the first reinforcing tape 40 and the thin plate member 30, so that the strip-shaped carrier 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are fixed to each other.

At this time, the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are fixed to each other so as to be clamped by a plurality of fasteners 50 arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20. As a result, the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are configured to be clamped evenly in the width direction by the plurality of fasteners 50.

In such technical means, the arrangement and number of fasteners are preferably arranged in balanced positions and numbers from the viewpoint of material mechanics, and are preferably arranged in symmetrical positions and numbers with respect to the widthwise center line of the strip-shaped carrier 20. In this case, from the viewpoint of effectively avoiding a situation in which multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are torn apart without diminishing the function of the second reinforcing tape 60, it is preferable to arrange the fasteners 50 so as to avoid the widthwise center 25 of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is divided in half widthwise along the center line C1 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, providing two regions A and B on the left and right in the widthwise direction, at least one fixing device 50 is disposed in each of the regions A and B, and adjacent fixing devices 50 are disposed at equal intervals.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is configured with an equal number of fasteners 50 (here, two) arranged in the left and right regions A and B in the width direction, avoiding the width direction center 25, for a total of an even number of fasteners 50 (here, four).

When the distance between the centers C2, C2 of adjacent fixtures 50 in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is "T1," all of the distances T1 are the same, and four fixtures 50 are arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20.

Furthermore, when the distance between one widthwise end 20a of the strip-shaped carrier 20 in region A and the center C2 of the adjacent fixture 50, or the distance between the other widthwise end 20b of the strip-shaped carrier 20 in region B and the center C2 of the adjacent fixture 50, is "T2", "T2" in each region A and B is the same dimension. Note that each distance T2 is preferably smaller than the above-mentioned interval T1.

In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing the portions of the multiple fixing devices 50 relating to the distance T1 between adjacent fixing devices 50, 50, the portions relating to the distance T2 between the fixing device 50 and both ends 20a, 20b in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and the portions relating to the distance between the fixing device 50 and the upper edge of the strip-shaped carrier 20 from breaking due to stress concentration on the fixing devices 50, it is desirable that the distance T1 between adjacent fixing devices 50, 50, the distance T2 between the fixing device 50 and both ends 20a, 20b in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and the distance between the fixing device 50 and the upper edge of the strip-shaped carrier 20 be set to length dimensions that will prevent the fixing device 50 from breaking due to stress concentration on the fixing device 50. From the viewpoint of not diminishing the reinforcing function of the first reinforcing tape 40, it is desirable to position the fixing device 50 in the center of the width of the first reinforcing tape 40, and the width dimension of the first reinforcing tape 40 is set so that a length dimension large enough not to break due to stress concentration on the fixing device 50 is secured on both sides of the width centered on the fixing device 50.

The fixing device may be not only a grommet-shaped fixing device 50 having a cylindrical tube portion 51, a head portion 53, and a crimping portion 55, but also a so-called rivet having a columnar portion and a head at one end, and a fixing device that crimps the other end of the columnar portion (in this case, the fixing device is also inserted into the insertion hole 27 of the belt-shaped carrier 20, the insertion hole 41 of the first reinforcing tape 40, and the insertion hole 37 of the thin plate member 30 and crimped), or a fixing device consisting of a bolt and a nut, or a fixing device consisting of an axis member and a retaining ring (such as a C-ring or E-ring), and is not particularly limited.

The fixing devices 50 may be arranged as shown in Figs. 7(A) and 7(B). In the case of Fig. 7(A), one fixing device 50 is arranged in each of the two equal regions A and B of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20. In this case, the distance between the widthwise center line C1 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the center C2 of the fixing device 50 arranged in the region A, and the distance between the widthwise center line C1 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the center C2 of the fixing device 50 arranged in the region B are the same. In other words, when there are two fixing devices 50, the fixing devices 50 are "arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20" means that the intervals between the fixing devices 50, 50 arranged in the regions A and B are equal to the widthwise center line C1 of the strip-shaped carrier 20. In the case of Fig. 7(B), the fixing device 50 is arranged on the widthwise center line C1 of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and one fixing device 50 is arranged in each of the regions A and B. In this case, the three fixing devices 50 are spaced equally apart.

(Action and Effect)
Next, the function and effect of the carrier reinforcing structure having the above configuration will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, this carrier reinforcement structure is applied to a methane fermentation tank 10. When supporting a carrier structure consisting of multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 in the fermentation tank 10, the upper support 11b connected to the horizontal frame 11a of the upper support 11 is hooked onto the support hole 35 of the thin plate member 30 to suspend the carrier structure, and the lower support 13b arranged on the lower end side of the carrier structure is connected to the horizontal frame 13a of the lower support 13. As a result, multiple carrier structures are supported in the fermentation tank 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

Organic waste is then supplied into the fermentation tank 10 through an organic waste inlet pipe (not shown) or the like, and the organic waste supplied into the fermentation tank 10 is fermented into methane by anaerobic microorganisms supported in the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the fermentation liquid retained in the fermentation tank 10. The fermentation liquid in the fermentation tank 10 is withdrawn from a fermentation waste liquid withdrawal pipe (not shown) or the like in an amount equal to the amount of organic waste supplied, so that the fermentation tank 10 is always filled with a constant amount of fermentation liquid. Biogas obtained by methane fermentation of the organic waste is withdrawn from a biogas withdrawal pipe (not shown) or the like.

During steady-state operation, the liquid level of the fermentation liquid in the fermentation tank 10 is almost full to the height of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 or higher. Therefore, buoyancy acts on almost the entire strip-shaped carrier 20, and the force pulling it downward by gravity is weak, so the strip-shaped carrier 20 is not easily cut off. In addition, because the upper and lower ends of the strip-shaped carrier 20 are supported by the upper and lower supports 11, 13, the strip-shaped carrier 20 does not float in the fermentation liquid.

In this carrier reinforcement structure, the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, which is the surface opposite to the attachment surface of the thin plate member 30, is reinforced by the first reinforcing tape 40 adhered across the entire width, so that the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 can be reinforced.

The upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is disposed between the thin plate member 30 and the first reinforcing tape 40, which are fixed to each other so as to be clamped by fasteners 50 arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and the extended portion of the thin plate member 30 used to clamp the strip-shaped carrier 20 is supported by the upper support 11 of the fermentation tank 10, so that the strip-shaped carrier 20 can be supported on the upper support 11 of the fermentation tank 10 via the thin plate member 30.

As a result, for example, during maintenance of the fermentation tank 10, when the liquid level in the fermentation tank 10 drops and the strip-shaped carrier 20 is pulled downward by the gravity of the water contained in the strip-shaped carrier 20, the tensile load is easily distributed over a wide range in the width direction of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, preventing the tensile load from concentrating at a specific point, making it difficult for the strip-shaped carrier 20 to break.

In addition, the thin plate member 30 used to clamp the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 is used to support the strip-shaped carrier 20 on the upper support 11 of the fermentation tank 10, so the strip-shaped carrier 20 can be easily installed in the fermentation tank 10. Furthermore, the thin plate member 30 is a plate material and does not expand and contract like the expansion joint in the methane fermentation tank of Patent Document 1, so maintenance of the thin plate member 30 itself is almost unnecessary or only minimal, which can reduce costs.

Furthermore, when the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are clamped evenly in the width direction by the fixing device 50, when the liquid level in the methane fermentation tank 10 drops during maintenance or the like and the strip-shaped carrier 20 is pulled downward by the gravity of the water contained in the strip-shaped carrier 20, the tensile load is applied evenly in the width direction to the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, making it more difficult for the strip-shaped carrier 20 to break.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, a plurality of strip-shaped carriers 20 are stacked, a second reinforcing tape 60 is placed on the overlapping portion, and the plurality of strip-shaped carriers 20 are welded to each other along the portion where the second reinforcing tape 60 is placed, so that both sides of the strip-shaped carrier 20 open out like a chrysanthemum as they move downward. Furthermore, the upper end portions 21 of the plurality of strip-shaped carriers 20 are respectively placed between the thin plate member 30 and the first reinforcing tape 40, and the upper end portions 21 of the strip-shaped carriers 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are fixed to each other and bound together so as to be sandwiched by the fixing devices 50 arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20 (see Fig. 5), and the plurality of strip-shaped carriers 20 are configured so that the portion below the upper end opens out like a chrysanthemum when immersed in the fermentation liquid in the fermentation tank 10 (see Fig. 6).

According to the above embodiment, the upper end portions 21 of the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are each disposed between the thin plate member 30 and the first reinforcing tape 40, and the upper end portions 21 of the strip-shaped carriers 20, the thin plate member 30, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are fixed to each other and bundled together so as to be sandwiched by the fasteners 50 disposed at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20. Therefore, when the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are pulled downward during maintenance of the fermentation tank 10, the tensile load is easily distributed over a wide range in the width direction of the upper end portions 21 of the strip-shaped carriers 20, and the tensile load is prevented from concentrating at a specific location, making it difficult for the strip-shaped carriers 20 to be cut.

In this embodiment, the second reinforcing tape 60 extends over the entire longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and its upper end 61 is positioned between the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the lower end 33 of the thin plate member 30. When the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the thin plate member 60, and the first reinforcing tape 40 are clamped by a plurality of fixing devices 50 arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier 20, the upper end 61 of the second reinforcing tape 60 is configured to be clamped between the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the lower end 33 of the thin plate member 30 (see imaginary lines in Figure 5). Therefore, the upper end 61 of the second reinforcing tape 60 is sandwiched between the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 and the lower end 33 of the thin plate member 30, which prevents the second reinforcing tape 60 from peeling off from the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and makes it possible to stably reinforce the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, making it even more difficult to cut the strip-shaped carrier 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, the multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are configured to open out in a chrysanthemum shape from their upper end 21 downwards when immersed in the fermentation liquid in the fermenter 10, so that a large surface area of the strip-shaped carriers 20 can be secured.

In this way, in the carrier reinforcement structure of this embodiment, even when multiple strip-shaped carriers 20 are supported in the fermentation tank 10, it is possible to achieve both resistance to cutting of the strip-shaped carriers 20 and securing the surface area of the strip-shaped carriers 20.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the fixing device 50 is inserted into the through holes (insertion hole 27, insertion hole 41, insertion hole 37) formed in the upper end portion 21 of the belt-shaped carrier 20, the first reinforcing tape 40, and the thin plate member 30, respectively, and is crimped. Therefore, the fixing strength between the belt-shaped carrier 20, the first reinforcing tape 40, and the thin plate member 30 can be increased, and the belt-shaped carrier 20 can be prevented from falling off the upper support 11 of the fermentation tank 10.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the fixing devices 50 are arranged in equal numbers in the left and right regions A and B in the width direction of the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, avoiding the width direction central portion 25 of the upper end 21, for a total of an even number. This makes it possible to further increase the fixing strength between the strip-shaped carrier 20, the first reinforcing tape 40, and the thin plate member 30 at the upper end 21 of the strip-shaped carrier 20, and more reliably prevent the strip-shaped carrier 20 from falling off the upper support 11 of the fermentation tank 10.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the surface 29 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 to which the first reinforcing tape 40 is adhered is different from the surface 28 of the strip-shaped carrier 20 to which the second reinforcing tape 60 is disposed. This prevents the first reinforcing tape 40 and the second reinforcing tape 60 from overlapping, and prevents the occurrence of unwelded portions in the overlapping portions of multiple strip-shaped carriers 20.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modified embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention, and such embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

A drop test was conducted on a strip-shaped carrier suspended in a methane fermentation tank.

(Example)
A belt-shaped carrier structure of the embodiment was manufactured, which was composed of a plurality of belt-shaped carriers similar to the belt-shaped carrier 20 shown in Fig. 4. There were four fixing devices, and the number of petals (openable belt-shaped carriers) was five on one side of the width direction of the belt-shaped carrier, and ten in total on both the left and right sides in the width direction.

(Comparative Example 1)
A belt-shaped carrier structure of Comparative Example 1 was manufactured, which was composed of a plurality of belt-shaped carriers as shown in Fig. 8 (A). The number of petals was 5 on one side of the belt-shaped carrier in the width direction, and 10 on both sides in the width direction, as in the Example. A hanging tool was disposed on the back side of the belt-shaped carrier in the center of the width direction, extending along the length of the belt-shaped carrier, and the lower end of this hanging tool was fixed by two fixing tools.

(Comparative Example 2)
A belt-shaped carrier structure of Comparative Example 2 was manufactured, which is composed of a plurality of belt-shaped carriers as shown in Fig. 8 (B). A pair of hanging devices extending along the length of the belt-shaped carrier are arranged at the center of the width of the belt-shaped carrier on both sides of the belt-shaped carrier, and the plurality of belt-shaped carriers are sandwiched between the pair of hanging devices and fixed with two fixing devices. The number of petals is the same as that of the embodiment and Comparative Example 1.

(Comparative Example 3)
A belt-shaped carrier structure of Comparative Example 3 was produced in the same manner as Comparative Example 1, except that the hanging device was provided only on the back side and the number of petals was reduced from 10 to 4 (2 on each side).

(Test Method)
The above-mentioned Examples and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were operated while being suspended and supported on the upper support of the methane fermentation tank, and after a predetermined period of time, the fermented liquid was extracted from the methane fermentation tank. At that time, the number of tubes that had fallen off the upper support was counted. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

As shown in Table 1 above, in the examples, no material fell off, demonstrating that the strip-shaped carrier is not easily cut.

10 Methane fermentation tank (fermentation tank)
Reference Signs List 10a Bottom wall 11 Upper support 11a Horizontal frame 11b Upper support 13 Lower support 13a Horizontal frame 13b Lower support 15 Support column 20 Strip-shaped carrier 21 Upper end 21a Upper edge 23 Lower end 25 Width direction center 27 Insertion hole 28 Surface 29 Surface 30 Thin plate member 31 Upper end 31a Upper edge 33 Lower end 35 Support hole 37 Insertion hole 41 Insertion hole 50 Fixing device 51 Tube portion 53 Head 55 Crimping portion 60 Second reinforcing tape 61 Upper end

Claims (4)

A reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier, which is made of nonwoven fabric and has an elongated strip-like shape, and whose upper and lower ends are supported between an upper support arranged at the top of a methane fermentation tank and a lower support arranged at the bottom of the methane fermentation tank, the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier in the longitudinal direction being reinforced by a thin plate member attached over the entire width of the strip-shaped carrier,
the thin plate member is disposed on one surface of the strip-shaped carrier such that an upper edge of the thin plate member extends beyond an upper edge of the strip-shaped carrier in a longitudinal direction;
The upper end of the belt-shaped carrier is reinforced by a first reinforcing tape adhered to the entire width of the upper end of the belt-shaped carrier, the first reinforcing tape being ....
an upper end of the strip-shaped carrier is disposed between the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape, and the upper end of the strip-shaped carrier, the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape are fixed to each other by being clamped by a plurality of fixing devices arranged at equal intervals in a width direction of the strip-shaped carrier;
A reinforcing structure for a strip-shaped carrier, characterized in that a portion of the thin plate member extending from an upper end edge of the strip-shaped carrier is supported by the upper support body. The strip-shaped carrier is a plurality of sheets stacked together, a second reinforcing tape extending along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier is disposed in the widthwise center of the strip-shaped carrier disposed on one side thereof, and the strip-shaped carriers are welded to each other along the portion where the second reinforcing tape is disposed.
the thin plate member is disposed on a surface of the plurality of overlapping strip-shaped carriers on which the second reinforcing tape is provided, so that an upper end edge of the thin plate member extends from an upper end edge of the plurality of overlapping strip-shaped carriers in a longitudinal direction;
A surface of the belt-shaped carrier opposite to the surface to which the thin plate member is attached is reinforced by a first reinforcing tape adhered over the entire width direction,
the upper ends of the plurality of strip-shaped carriers are respectively disposed between the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape, and the upper ends of the strip-shaped carriers, the thin plate member and the first reinforcing tape are fixed to each other and bound together by being sandwiched between the plurality of fasteners disposed at equal intervals in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier;
2. A reinforcing structure for a belt-shaped carrier according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of belt-shaped carriers are configured to open out in a chrysanthemum shape from their upper ends downwards when immersed in the fermentation liquid in the methane fermentation tank. an insertion hole is formed at a corresponding portion of each of the upper end portion of the belt-shaped carrier, the first reinforcing tape, and the thin plate member;
3. The methane fermentation tank according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device is inserted into the insertion hole and crimped. The methane fermentation tank according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fixing devices are arranged in equal numbers on both sides of the width of the upper end of the belt-shaped carrier, avoiding the width-wise center portion, for a total of an even number of fixing devices.

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