Hatcher trays filled with egg shells, unhatched eggs and culled chicks are dumped into a stainless steel hopper. The waste is vacuumed out of the waste hopper through a 10 cm. (4") stainless steel tube to the system's waste storage tank via a vacuum created in the storage tank. 800 CFM of vacuum flow is created using a a 25 H.P. pump.
The storage tank is located outside the hatchery where it is convenient for emptying into a waste removal truck. The waste storage tank which measures 6' (183 cm) in diameter and 5' (153 cm), 10' (305 cm) or 15' (457 cm) in height, is mounted on a steel frame. Both tank and supporting frame are primed and painted with a durable "tough coat" epoxy.
With a truck located under the waste storage tank, a pneumatic lever is pulled to release the latch on the sealed tank lid. With the seal released, a second pneumatic lever is pulled which opens the lid of the waste storage tank, thus dumping the contents of the storage tank into the waste removal truck.
The sealed storage tank is equipped with a washdown sprinkler system mounted inside the top of the tank. |