Green tea lees drying, Low-temperature drying for upcycling of green tea lees with high moisture content / Test cases / Green tea lees dryer, Upcycling drying

Summary

Green Tea and Green Tea Lees
Most tea produced in Japan is green tea, with various types including sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, tencha, and matcha.
Consumption of green tea leaves is declining, while green tea beverages are increasing in popularity.

Issues with High Moisture Content
Green tea lees with high moisture content can rot due to microbial activity, leading to spoilage, foul odors, and pathogenic bacteria. Drying is an effective solution to these problems.

Nutritional Value and Uses
Green tea lees are rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, making them useful as fertilizer, compost, soil conditioner, and livestock feed.

KENKI DRYER Technology
KENKI DRYER uses a low-temperature indirect steam drying process, which minimizes compositional changes in the green tea lees, allowing for effective upcycling and recycling.
The dryer is powered by steam from a boiler, with the option to use an electric boiler for zero-emission drying.

Benefits of Drying
Drying reduces the weight and volume of waste, lowering industrial waste costs and reducing the environmental impact by minimizing CO2 emissions.
Dried lees can be used as fuel, biochar, or bio-coke, which can replace traditional fuels in industries like steel and foundry.

Unique Features of KENKI DRYER
The dryer has 11 patents in 8 countries and is designed to handle sticky and adhesive materials without clogging. It operates continuously, has low maintenance costs, and can run unattended 24 hours a day.
The slow rotation speed of the blades (5 RPM or less) minimizes wear on parts, making maintenance easy and inexpensive.

Environmental and Economic Impact
The KENKI DRYER reduces waste volume, industrial waste costs, and CO2 emissions. It also supports decarbonization and environmental protection by providing an environmentally friendly drying solution.

Most of the tea produced in Japan is green tea. There are several types of green tea, including sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, tencha, matcha, and gyokurocha. Tencha and matcha are different: matcha is made by grinding tencha into a fine powder in a tea mill or similar device. In addition, gyokuro, kabusecha and tencha are collectively referred to as “aoicha”.
Consumption of green tea (leaf tea) is declining, while consumption of green tea beverages is increasing.
The annual amount spent per household on green tea (leaf tea) and tea beverages is decreasing for leaf tea but increasing for tea beverages. The total amount is about 11,000 yen and has remained the same in recent years. Leaf tea is tea made from tea leaves, while green tea beverages are beverages made from green tea leaves, such as sencha, which are extracted or infused and then bottled.

If green tea lees are left in a state with a lot of moisture, they will begin to rot due to the activity of microorganisms (especially bacteria and mold) contained in them. These microorganisms use the moisture and nutrients contained in the green tea lees to multiply, producing gas and foul odors, causing the green tea lees to rot and giving rise to foul odors and pathogenic bacteria. Drying is an effective way to solve these problems.

Green tea waste is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and is used as fertilizer, compost and soil conditioner in tea gardens and fields. They are also used as feed for livestock such as cattle and pigs.

The upcycling and recycling of organic waste such as green tea lees is becoming more and more important from the perspective of environmental protection and decarbonization, and the demand for it will only increase.
The heat source for KENKI DRYER is steam from a boiler, and it is a low-temperature indirect drying process. Since it is a low-temperature drying process, there is little change in the composition of the green tea lees, so it can be effectively used for upcycling, and zero-emission drying is possible.

Drying green tea lees reduces their weight, which in turn reduces the amount of waste materials produced, which in turn reduces the cost of industrial waste, which is rising due to the recent trucking problem in 2024.

Wood is currently in short supply in Japan. The use of dried beverage lees such as barley tea lees as fuel instead of wood, or the use of dried beverage lees as biochar or bio-coke by carbonization, is attracting much attention. For example, bio-coke can be used as a reductant or deoxidizer to replace coke in the steel and foundry industries.
Biochar and bio-coke are carbonized materials made from biological resources that are effective in revitalizing organisms and improving the environment. We can provide carbonization services using our Biogreen pyrolysis equipment, which does not use fossil fuels and does not emit CO2, a greenhouse gas, from the equipment.

KENKI DRYER, with 11 patents in 8 countries, is an indirect steam dryer, but it is a completely unique product that is different in structure from other similar indirect steam dryers. The KENKI DEYER uses steam as a heat source, but its high drying heat efficiency means that less steam is used. The use of excess steam is not costly in terms of fuel, and the dryer does not emit carbon dioxide during drying, allowing for decarbonized drying. Alternatively, by installing an electric boiler, no greenhouse gases or CO2 emissions are generated during drying.
In addition, there have been no problems since it was put into operation, and because the dryer’s main body blades rotate at a very slow speed of 5 RPM or less, there is little wear on the parts, making maintenance easy and inexpensive. The KENKI DRYER is a continuous drying system that stores and dries the product to be dried and is not a batch system. Therefore, it is easy to manage and can operate unattended 24 hours a day.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. We will be happy to suggest the most suitable dryer for your company’s needs.
Our KENKI DRYER has been patented in 8 countries and is good at drying sticky substances that other dryers cannot dry. It has no problems after installation, is easy to maintain, and has low operating costs. Companies that have implemented it have received positive feedback for its high performance and durability, as well as its ability to improve productivity without uneven drying and without the need for manual labor.

KENKI DRYER can dry sticky and adhesive materials that others cannot dry. KENKI DRYER is a breakthrough drying device with a total of 11 patents (2 in Japan and 9 in 7 overseas countries). Please consider KENKI DRYER for your high moisture organic waste dryer, sludge dryer, slurry dryer, methane fermentation digestate dryer, and waste upcycling or recycling dryer.

KENKI DRYER has been granted 11 patents in 8 countries (Japan, Taiwan, USA, France, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Canada).

KENKI DRYER is specifically designed for drying sticky materials like green tea lees. Here’s why it’s chosen:

• Low-Temperature Drying: Prevents damage to the nutrients and composition of the green tea lees, making them suitable for upcycling.
• Unique Technology: Prevents clogging and ensures efficient drying even with sticky substances.
• High Drying Efficiency: Reduces steam consumption and carbon emissions, making it environmentally friendly.
• Ease of Maintenance: Low-speed operation and minimal wear on parts, reducing maintenance costs.
• Continuous Operation: Enables 24/7 unattended operation, increasing productivity.

Overall, KENKI DRYER offers a sustainable and efficient solution for drying green tea lees, contributing to waste reduction, resource utilization, and environmental benefits.

KENKI DRYER is an ideal choice for upcycling dryers due to its unique design and capabilities:

• Low-Temperature Drying: This preserves the valuable properties of the organic waste, making it suitable for various upcycling applications like fertilizer, compost, or bioplastic production.
• Effective Drying of Adhesive Materials: Its patented drying mechanism handles sticky substances without clogging, ensuring efficient and smooth processing.
• Environmental Benefits: Reduces carbon emissions and helps secure valuable resources like minerals and phosphorus.
• Easy Maintenance: Simple operation and minimal wear and tear on parts contribute to lower maintenance costs.
• Continuous Drying: Enables efficient and uninterrupted operation, maximizing productivity.

By addressing the challenges of drying organic waste, KENKI DRYER offers a sustainable and efficient solution for upcycling and recycling, contributing to environmental protection and resource conservation.

Drying green tea lees serves several purposes:

1. Prevents Spoilage: High moisture content in green tea lees encourages bacterial and mold growth, which can cause the lees to rot and produce foul odors.
2. Facilitates Upcycling: Drying maintains the nutrient content, allowing green tea lees to be repurposed as fertilizer, compost, or animal feed.
3. Reduces Waste Volume: Drying lowers the weight and volume of the lees, which decreases disposal costs and makes transportation easier.
4. Enables Use as Biochar/Bio-Coke: Dried green tea lees can be carbonized for use as biochar or bio-coke, supporting sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels in various industries.

These benefits support sustainable waste management, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to environmental protection efforts.

Source：ChatGPT

After drying, green tea lees have several uses:

1. Fertilizer and Compost: The nutrient-rich dried lees can be used to enrich soil in agriculture, providing essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
2. Animal Feed: Green tea lees are used as feed for livestock, such as cattle and pigs, due to their nutrient content.
3. Biochar and Bio-Coke Production: When carbonized, dried green tea lees serve as biochar or bio-coke, offering a renewable fuel source and a sustainable alternative to wood and fossil fuels.
4. Soil Conditioner: Dried lees improve soil structure and water retention, which is beneficial for gardening and crop growth.

These applications support recycling and upcycling, contributing to sustainable practices and environmental conservation.

Source：ChatGPT

• Material to be dry: Green tea lees
• Purpose of drying: Upcycling, Reducing industrial waste cost and amount
• Moisture content: 70.2％W.B. before drying, 4.9％W.B. after drying
• Requirements for dryer: To prevent clogging inside the dryer caused by the stickiness and adhesiveness. Automated continuous operation with no operator attended.
  Machine cost can be recovered in short term.
• Test result: OK

Waste drying

Competitive comparison

Upcycling drying refers to the process of drying materials in a way that preserves their original properties and allows them to be reused or repurposed in a higher-value application. This is in contrast to traditional drying methods that may degrade the quality of the materials.

Key characteristics of upcycling drying:

• Preservation of material properties: The drying process should minimize changes to the composition and physical properties of the material.
• Energy efficiency: Upcycling drying often involves using efficient methods to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.
• Versatility: Upcycling dryers should be able to handle a variety of materials and adapt to different applications.
• Sustainability: Upcycling drying aligns with sustainable practices by reducing waste and promoting resource conservation.

Examples of upcycling drying:

• Drying food waste for compost: Drying food scraps can reduce their volume and make them more suitable for composting.
• Drying coffee grounds for use as fertilizer: Dried coffee grounds can be used as a natural fertilizer for plants.
• Drying textile waste for recycling: Drying textile waste can make it easier to recycle and reuse the fibers.

Upcycling drying is a valuable approach for promoting sustainability and reducing waste in various industries.

Source：Gemini

Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and manure. The resulting mixture is rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and fungi. Compost improves soil fertility in gardens, landscaping, horticulture, urban agriculture, and organic farming, reducing dependency on commercial chemical fertilizers. The benefits of compost include providing nutrients to crops as fertilizer, acting as a soil conditioner, increasing the humus or humic acid contents of the soil, and introducing beneficial microbes that help to suppress pathogens in the soil and reduce soil-borne diseases.

Source：Wiki Compost

A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially produced. For most modern agricultural practices, fertilization focuses on three main macro nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) with occasional addition of supplements like rock flour for micronutrients. Farmers apply these fertilizers in a variety of ways: through dry or pelletized or liquid application processes, using large agricultural equipment or hand-tool methods.

Source：Wiki Fertilizer

The three primary elements of fertilizer, essential for plant growth and commonly referred to as macronutrients in the context of plant nutrition, are:

Nitrogen (N):
Function: Promotes leaf and stem growth, as it is a crucial component of chlorophyll, the compound that plants use in photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy. Nitrogen is also a key part of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
Deficiency Symptoms: Yellowing of leaves (chlorosis), stunted growth, and poor yield.

Phosphorus (P):
Function: Essential for energy transfer and storage in plants, as it is a component of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Phosphorus also plays a vital role in root development, flowering, and seed production.
Deficiency Symptoms: Dark green or purplish leaves, delayed maturity, and poor root development.

Potassium (K):
Function: Regulates various metabolic activities in plants, including photosynthesis, protein synthesis, and water regulation. Potassium is also important for improving disease resistance and overall plant health.
Deficiency Symptoms: Leaf edges may turn yellow or brown (scorching), weak stems, and reduced resistance to drought and diseases.
Fertilizers are often labeled with an N-P-K ratio, which indicates the relative proportions of these three essential nutrients. For example, a fertilizer labeled as 10-20-10 contains 10% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, and 10% potassium.

Source：ChatGPT

Biochar is a form of charcoal that is produced by heating organic material (biomass) such as wood, crop residues, or manure in a controlled environment with little or no oxygen through a process called pyrolysis. Here are some key aspects of biochar:

1. Production Process: Biochar is created through pyrolysis, which involves heating biomass in the absence of oxygen. This process thermally decomposes the organic material, producing a stable, carbon-rich product.

2. Soil Amendment: One of the primary uses of biochar is as a soil amendment. When added to soil, it can enhance soil fertility, improve water retention, increase microbial activity, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.

3. Carbon Sequestration: Biochar is highly stable and can remain in the soil for hundreds to thousands of years, effectively sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This makes it a valuable tool in mitigating climate change.

4. Environmental Benefits: Biochar can help reduce soil erosion, improve soil structure, and increase agricultural productivity. It also has the potential to filter and remove contaminants from soil and water, contributing to environmental remediation.

5. Energy Production: The pyrolysis process that produces biochar also generates syngas (a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and other gases) and bio-oil, which can be used as renewable energy sources.

6. Waste Management: By converting agricultural and forestry residues, animal manure, and other organic waste into biochar, it provides a sustainable method of managing waste materials.

7. Livestock and Composting: Biochar can be used in animal husbandry to improve feed efficiency and reduce methane emissions from livestock. It is also used in composting to enhance the composting process and reduce odors.

8. Water Purification: Due to its porous structure and high surface area, biochar can be used as a filtration medium to remove pollutants from water, including heavy metals, organic contaminants, and nutrients.

Overall, biochar represents a versatile and sustainable solution with multiple applications in agriculture, environmental management, and energy production, contributing to both soil health and climate change mitigation.

Source：ChatGPT

Bio-coke is an eco-friendly fuel source produced from biomass, which are organic materials like plants and animals. Unlike traditional coke, which is derived from coal, bio-coke is made from renewable resources and offers a more sustainable alternative.

Here’s a breakdown of bio-coke:

• Raw Materials: Bio-coke can be created from various forms of biomass, including:

  • Waste materials like used tea leaves, coffee grounds, fruit peels, and sawdust
  • Energy crops specifically grown for bio-fuel purposes

• Production Process: Biomass goes through a process called pyrolysis, which involves heating the material in the absence of oxygen. This process removes moisture and volatile compounds, leaving behind a solid carbonaceous material – bio-coke.

• Applications: Bio-coke is primarily used as a substitute for coal coke in industrial processes, particularly steelmaking. Steelmaking traditionally relies on coal coke as a source of carbon and heat. Bio-coke offers a more sustainable alternative by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and potentially lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Benefits of Bio-Coke:

• Renewable Source: Bio-coke is derived from renewable biomass, unlike coal coke which is a finite resource.
• Reduced Emissions: Bio-coke production can potentially lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional coke production.
• Waste Management: Bio-coke can utilize waste materials like used coffee grounds and sawdust, promoting waste management and diverting them from landfills.

Challenges of Bio-Coke:

• Production Scale: Bio-coke production is still under development, and large-scale production facilities are not yet widespread.
• Properties: Bio-coke may have slightly different properties compared to coal coke, potentially requiring adjustments in industrial processes.
• Cost: Currently, bio-coke production can be more expensive than traditional coke production.

Overall, bio-coke is a promising development in the pursuit of more sustainable industrial practices. As research and development progress, bio-coke has the potential to become a more viable and widely used alternative to coal coke.

Source：Gemini

Both biochar and bio-coke are products derived from organic materials, but they have some key differences:

Processing Temperature:

• Biochar: Produced at lower temperatures (typically around 300-700°C) through a process called pyrolysis. Limited oxygen is present during pyrolysis.
• Bio-coke: Produced at higher temperatures (around 700-1000°C) in an almost complete absence of oxygen. This higher temperature process is more similar to coal coking.

End Product:

• Biochar: A porous and lightweight material with a high surface area. It’s rich in carbon but can also retain some nutrients from the original biomass.
• Bio-coke: Denser and has a higher carbon content compared to biochar. It shares some similarities with traditional coke in terms of physical properties.

Applications:

• Biochar: Primarily used for soil amendment. Its porous structure helps retain water and nutrients, improving soil health. It can also be used for filtration, as a source of renewable energy, and for capturing pollutants.
• Bio-coke: Intended as a sustainable substitute for coal coke in industrial processes, particularly steelmaking. It provides carbon and heat, similar to coal coke, but with potentially lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Here’s a table summarizing the key differences:

Feature	Biochar	Bio-coke
Processing Temperature	Lower (300-700°C)	Higher (700-1000°C)
Oxygen Presence	Limited	Almost absent
End Product	Porous, lightweight	Dense, high carbon
Applications	Soil amendment, filtration	Industrial fuel (steel)

Source：Gemini

Uses of Biochar from Beverage Lees

1. Soil Amendment:
   • Improving Soil Fertility: Biochar enhances soil fertility by increasing nutrient retention and improving soil structure.
   • Water Retention: Its porous structure helps retain moisture in the soil, reducing the need for frequent watering.
   • Microbial Activity: Biochar provides a habitat for beneficial soil microorganisms, enhancing soil health and plant growth.
2. Environmental Applications:
   • Carbon Sequestration: Biochar is stable and can sequester carbon for hundreds to thousands of years, helping mitigate climate change.
   • Pollution Remediation: Biochar can adsorb heavy metals and organic pollutants, making it useful for soil and water remediation efforts.
3. Agricultural Uses:
   • Compost Enhancer: Adding biochar to compost can improve the composting process and enhance the nutrient content of the final product.
   • Animal Bedding: Biochar can be used as animal bedding to reduce odors and improve waste management.
4. Industrial Applications:
   • Filtration: Due to its high surface area and adsorptive properties, biochar can be used in water filtration systems.
   • Energy Production: The by-products of the pyrolysis process, such as syngas and bio-oil, can be used as renewable energy sources.
5. Horticulture:
   • Gardening: Biochar can be mixed with potting soil to improve plant growth and reduce the frequency of watering and fertilizing.
   • Greenhouse Media: It can be used as a growing medium in greenhouses, enhancing plant health and productivity.

Source：ChatGPT

Using biochar as a coke substitute in metallurgical processes, particularly in iron and steel production, is an emerging concept aimed at reducing the environmental impact of traditional coke usage. Here’s a detailed look at the potential of biochar as a coke substitute:

Background on Coke in Metallurgy

1. Role of Coke: Coke is used as both a fuel and a reducing agent in blast furnaces. It provides the high temperatures necessary for melting iron ore and the carbon required to reduce iron oxides to metallic iron.
2. Environmental Concerns: The production and use of coke result in significant carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and other pollutants.

Biochar as a Coke Substitute

1. Production of Biochar: Biochar is produced through the pyrolysis of organic materials (biomass) in a low-oxygen environment. Common feedstocks include agricultural residues, wood chips, and other organic waste.
2. Properties: Biochar is rich in carbon, highly porous, and has a high surface area. These properties make it potentially useful in metallurgical processes.

Advantages of Using Biochar

1. Reduced Emissions: Biochar is considered carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative, as it can sequester carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
2. Renewable Resource: Unlike coke, which is derived from coal, biochar comes from renewable biomass sources, making it more sustainable.
3. Waste Utilization: Producing biochar from agricultural and forestry waste materials adds value to these by-products and reduces waste.

Challenges

1. Consistency and Quality: The properties of biochar can vary depending on the feedstock and production conditions, which may affect its performance as a coke substitute.
2. Economic Feasibility: Producing biochar at the scale needed for industrial metallurgy can be expensive, and the economic viability needs to be assessed.
3. Technical Compatibility: Existing blast furnaces and metallurgical processes are optimized for coke. Adapting them to use biochar may require significant modifications.

Research and Development

1. Optimizing Production: Research is ongoing to optimize the production of biochar for metallurgical use, focusing on achieving the desired carbon content and physical properties.
2. Pilot Projects: Pilot projects and studies are being conducted to test the feasibility of using biochar in industrial settings, such as in steel mills.
3. Lifecycle Analysis: Comprehensive lifecycle analyses are being performed to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of substituting coke with biochar.

Potential Applications

1. Iron and Steel Production: Biochar can be used as a reducing agent and fuel in blast furnaces and electric arc furnaces, potentially reducing the carbon footprint of steel production.
2. Non-Ferrous Metallurgy: Biochar could be used in the production of non-ferrous metals, where reducing agents are required.
3. Other High-Temperature Processes: Biochar can be employed in various industrial processes that require high temperatures and reducing environments.

Conclusion

Using biochar as a coke substitute in metallurgical processes offers promising environmental benefits, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and utilizing renewable resources. However, several challenges need to be addressed, including ensuring consistent quality, economic feasibility, and compatibility with existing industrial processes. Continued research and development, along with pilot projects, will be crucial in determining the practicality and scalability of biochar as a coke substitute in the metallurgy industry.

Source：ChatGPT

One of the International Patented Technology that KENKI DRYER has is a self-cleaning structure called Steam Heated Twin Screw technology (SHTS technology). No matter how materials are sticky, adhesive and viscous is, they can be dried without clogging inside of the dryer because of this unique structure that no other products has.
For example, even materials stuck to the blades of one screw, blades of the other screw in the dryer’s body forcibly peels the materials off as they rotate. Since the blades rotate by peeling the material off each other, any sticky, adhesive and viscous material does not adhere to the blade, and the blades continue rotating, peeling, agitating and heating material without stopping while they carries material further. Also, since surface of blades are always renewed and kept clean, heat near the blades is not blocked and it is conducted directly into the materials.

Self-cleaning screw

KENKI DRYER has three main characteristics. They are 1) Any materials can be dried as expected including sticky, adhesive and viscous materials and raw material slurry that no other company can deal with, 2) dried material can by recycled or utilized as raw materials because of its low-temperature drying method, and 3) there is no need to assign operator since its continuous operating system makes 24 hours unattended operation possible.

Products

The unique and original drying mechanism of KENKI DRYER is also International Patented Technology. Because 4 drying mechanisms which are crashing drying, agitation drying, circulation drying and indirect drying work simultaneously and add heat to material being dried repeatedly and continuously, inner part of the material is dried thoroughly and quality of discharged material after drying is stable. This series of drying mechanisms prevents agglomeration which causes insufficient drying from feeding process of the material into the dryer until discharging process after drying completed. Various ingenuities to conduct heat surely into inner part of the materials are exercised and stable heating and drying are proceeded continuously.

Methods

Even KENKI DRYER uses only saturated steam as its heat source, it is outstanding in safety and hygiene point of view with its unique drying mechanism based on combined use of conductive heat transfer method and heated air method. Since steam is a stable heat source, quality of discharged material after drying is also stable and equable. Maximum allowed steam pressure is 0.7Mpa and adjustment of steam pressure, adjustment of drying temperature in other words, can be easily done. Saturated steam is commonly used in many factories so that it can be said as a familiar and handy heat source. In comparison with drying methods using burner or hot blasts, saturated steam method is an indirect drying applying heat exchange via pipes that steam is passing through, therefore, it hardly burns the materials and is outstanding in safety and hygiene point of view.

Heat source, Steam