APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING CATTLE EXCREMENT

摘要

Disclosed is an apparatus for separating from ruminant animal feces the undigested fibrous material that is preponderantly short pieces which consist of bundles of capillary tubes. The apparatus includes a supply tank to receive a slurry that contains ruminant animal feces and added liquids including urine with means in the supply tank for agitating the slurry to make it substantially homogeneous. A first stage separator separates the slurry into a filtrate consisting preponderantly of liquid and fine solids, and a filter mass consisting preponderantly of the short pieces of fibrous material. The first stage separator includes a first stage hopper, a foraminous separator drum which is rotatable on a horizontal axis at the bottom of the hopper, a squeeze roller surmounting the separator drum slightly downstream of the vertical diameter of the drum, and means urging the squeeze roller against the separator drum with heavy pressure to compress the capillary tubes and express the majority of the liquid therefrom. A filtrate discharge is provided for the separator drum with the filtrate discharge including a conduit for conducting the filtrate to a storage means for use as liquid fertilizer. Diverter means are provided for varying the flow to the conduit of the filtrate discharge between substantially zero and substantially 100% with the balance of the filtrate returning to the supply tank. A filter mass scraper blade bears on the separator drum downstream from the squeeze roller. Means are provided for pumping the slurry from the tank into the hopper and means rotate the separator drum to force the filter mass forwardly beneath the roller and onto the scraper.