216 results about "Biosolids" patented technology

In the processes for treating municipal sewage and storm water containing biosolids to discharge standards, biosolids, even after dewatering, contain typically about 80% water bound in the dead cells of the biosolids, which gives biosolids a negative heating value. It can be incinerated only at the expense of purchased fuel. Biosolids are heated to a temperature at which their cell structure is destroyed and, preferably, at which carbon dioxide is split off to lower the oxygen content of the biosolids. The resulting char is not hydrophilic, and it can be efficiently dewatered and / or dried and is a viable renewable fuel. This renewable fuel can be supplemented by also charging conventional biomass (yard and crop waste, etc.) in the same or in parallel facilities. Similarly, non-renewable hydrophilic fuels can be so processed in conjunction with the processing of biosolids to further augment the energy supply.

A unique apparatus unique apparatus and process that uses mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) for: (1) Destruction of: a) nearly all organic solid, liquid, and gases materials, except fluorinated hydrocarbons; b) all biological solid, liquid, and gases materials; c) and / or dissolution and decontamination (such as cleaning equipment and containers, etc.) of nearly all inorganic solid, liquid, or gas where higher oxidation states exist which includes, but is not limited to, halogenated inorganic compounds (except fluorinated), inorganic pesticides and herbicides, inorganic fertilizers, carbon residues, inorganic carbon compounds, mineral formations, mining tailings, inorganic salts, metals and metal compounds, etc.); and d) combined materials (e.g. a mixture of any of the foregoing with each other); henceforth collectively referred to as materials. (2) Sterilization / disinfection of equipment, glassware, etc., by destroying all existing infectious materials. (3) Dissolution of transuranic / actinide materials and / or destruction of the oxidizable components in the hazardous waste portion of mixed waste. (4) Generation of hydrogen and oxygen from MEO of materials. (5) Alteration of organic, biological, and inorganic materials by MEO to produce other compounds from these materials. The materials are introduced into an apparatus for contacting the materials with an electrolyte containing the oxidized form of one or more reversible redox couples, at least one of which is produced electrochemically by anodic oxidation at the anode of an electrochemical cell. The oxidized forms of any other redox couples present are produced either by similar anodic oxidation or reaction with the oxidized form of other redox couples present and capable of affecting the required redox reaction. The oxidized species of the redox couples oxidize the materials molecules and are themselves converted to their reduced form, whereupon they are reoxidized by either of the aforementioned mechanisms and the redox cycle continues until all oxidizable material species, including intermediate reaction products, have undergone the desired degree of oxidation. The entire process takes place at temperatures between ambient and approximately 100° C. The oxidation process may be enhanced by the addition of reaction enhancements, such as: ultrasonic energy and / or ultraviolet radiation.

The invention describes a new method for treating sludge, which can result in the production of high nitrogen organically-augmented inorganic fertilizer that incorporates municipal sludges or biosolids or organic sludges that can compete with traditional fertilizers such as ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate and urea on the commodity fertilizer marketplace. The method takes advantage of the thixotropic property of dewatered biosolids or organic sludge to create a pumpable paste-like material from the biosolids or organic sludge that is then treated with an oxidizer to reduce odorant effects and an acid. This mix is then interacted with concentrated sulfuric and or phosphoric acids and an ammonia source or alternatively a hot or molten melt or salt of ammonium sulfate / phosphate to form a fertilizer mix. The present invention controls the heat, atmospheric pressure and retention time of the fertilizer mix in the reaction vessel. When a fertilizer melt is formed ammoniation is subsequently completed by the specific use of vaporized ammonia. The invention can also be an add-on to commercial production of ammonium salts. The fertilizer produced by the present invention contains more than 8 wt. % nitrogen and preferably 15 wt. % nitrogen. The invention is oriented to be tailored to the biosolids production for individual municipal waste treatment plants in order to keep the fertilizer manufacturing plants of the present invention small with a minimization of logistics and liability.

In a vertical shaft bioreactor, improved devices and methods are provided for enhanced secondary and / or tertiary treatment of wastewater, including residential, municipal and industrial wastewater. The devices and methods of the invention are useful for enhanced secondary wastewater treatment, including BOD and TSS removal. Tertiary treatment can alternately or additionally be achieved in the bioreactor with nitrification of ammonia, with nitrification and denitrification, and with nitrification, denitrification, and chemical phosphorus removal. A vertical shaft bioreactor is also provided which achieves thermophilic aerobic digestion and pasteurization of sewage sludges, optionally to produce class A biosolids.

In a vertical shaft bioreactor, improved devices and methods are provided for enhanced secondary and / or tertiary treatment of wastewater, including residential, municipal and industrial wastewater. The devices and methods of the invention are useful for enhanced secondary wastewater treatment, including BOD and TSS removal. Tertiary treatment can alternately or additionally be achieved in the bioreactor with nitrification of ammonia, with nitrification and denitrification, and with nitrification, denitrification, and chemical phosphorus removal. A vertical shaft bioreactor is also provided which achieves thermophilic aerobic digestion and pasteurization of sewage sludges, optionally to produce class A biosolids.

This invention relates to the production and use of encapsulated and / or concentrically-constructed fertilizer or bioremediation granules such as, for example, granules of 0.5 mm to 10 mm in diameter constructed so that there are at least two components to the granule including a core with a surrounding capsule or a core with one or more concentric layers that are distinguishable from the core with respect to nutrient content, density, hardness, solubility, composition, microbial content and permeability, as in permeability to odors or the permeability of nutrients that might volatize to the atmosphere or leach into the soil. The basic idea was to create a method for manufacturing and using fertilizer granules, which incorporate multiple concentric layers or a core plus an encapsulating outer layer.

The subject invention provides methods for producing homogenous organic base fertilizer for plant nutrition and soil fertility. Also provided by the subject invention are value added fertilizer products for plant nutrition and soil fertility and concentrated liquid formulations / nutrient supplements that provide the value added nutrients to fertilizer products. Methods according to the invention involve the application of concentrated liquid(s) and / or dry formulation(s) comprising a mixture of one or more plant nutrient(s), one or more additional organic compound(s), one or more penetrate(s), and one or more optional supplement(s) into one or more organic base material(s). These organic base materials include, and are not limited to, biosolids, activated sludge, municipal compost, animal manures (e.g., horse, cow, chicken, pig, and sheep), and composted organic byproducts.

The invention describes a new method for the production of high nitrogen organically-augmented inorganic fertilizer that incorporates municipal biosolids or organic sludges that can compete with traditional fertilizers such as ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate and urea on the commodity fertilizer marketplace. The method creates a thixotropic paste-like material from the biosolids or organic sludge that is blended with hot or molten ammonium salts, especially a mixture of ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate. The invention can be an add-on to commercial production of ammonium salts or it can stand alone by manufacturing ammonium salts prior to their introduction to the conditioned biosolids. The invention is oriented to be tailored to production facilities for individual municipal waste treatment plants in order to keep manufacturing plants small with a minimization of logistics and liability.

The invention is directed to methods for producing a granular nitrogen fertilizer from an organic material comprising adding a metallic salt to said organic material to form a slurry. Preferably the organic material comprises dewatered biosolids and contains water from a scrubber. Metallic salts that can be used comprise a salt of iron, zinc, or a mixture thereof. Preferred iron salts comprises ferric sulfate or ferric oxide, and preferred zinc salts comprises zinc sulfate or zinc oxide. Preferably, the metallic salt is mixed with an acid such as sulfuric acid to form an acidified metal salt. Slurry pH ranges from approximately 2-2.5. The acidified metal salt is added to the organic material in sufficient quantity to lower viscosity of the slurry such that the resulting fluid does not hinder fluid flow during operation. When the metallic salt comprises acidified ferric sulfate or ferrous sulfate, sufficient iron can be present to produce a fertilizer product with 0.1 weight percent to 10 weight percent iron sulfate calculated on a dry weight basis. The invention is also directed to fertilizer products made by the methods of the invention. Preferred products are granules and the metallic salt increases product hardness. Fertilizer granules preferably contain metal that is bioavailable to a plant when used as a fertilizer. Solubility of the metal of the product in water is enhanced, and the product is low staining.

A particle is provided that includes 5 wt % to 90 wt % of agricultural biomass, combustion residues, biosolids, or a combination thereof. A binder intermixed with the agricultural biomass, combustion residues, biosolids, or a combination thereof retains the mixture in the form of a particle. The resultant particle creates a use for existing waste streams while also improving soil quality. A process of stabilizing agricultural biomass, combustion residues, biosolids, or a combination thereof particles is also provided that includes combining agricultural biomass, combustion residues, biosolids, or a combination thereof with mineral and / or synthetic chemical fragments having a bulk density of greater than about 40 pounds per cubic foot and a sizing of about 100% passing through a 30 mesh screen and about 50% or more passing through a 200 mesh screen. By adding binder, a particle is formed that is deodorized and / or stabilized. Through the choice of binder, the particle can be rendered dispersible to rapidly disintegrate into soil.

This invention is directed to a method of manufacturing a liquid agricultural fertilizer utilizing biosolids and high concentrations of nitrogen and other essential plant nutrients and the resulting products.

A gravity flow sludge load-out system for rapid and accurate loading-out of large volumes of treated biosolids from a wastewater dewatering plant, said system includes a plurality of hoppers 12, 14 supported by a main structure 16 having a plurality of vertical support members 20, each resting on a load cell 28, a sludge inlet at the tip of each hopper, and hydraulically controlled metering gates 40 at the bottom. A PLC 70 controls delivery of sludge from a dewatering facility, including e.g. a dewatering centrifuge 56, into the hoppers and then controls load-out of the sludge to a container truck by providing real-time monitoring of net sludge load-out and tight control of metering gates.

Slope surfaces of land can be eroded by rain and wind. It is necessary to vegetate a bared slope surface of land for the purpose of erosion control and environmental conservation. The present invention provides a vegetation base soil composition and a method of growing vegetation on a sloped surface for erosion control and vegetating on cut rock slope surface, such as weathered rock surface and barren soil surface. The vegetation base soil includes peat, bio-solids formed by the treatment of urban sewage, for example water treatment plant sediment, woodchip, bark, animal waste compost and clay or loam. The vegetation base soil with a microbes active material, a root activation fertilizer, an adhesive material and seeds are applied over a mesh that is secured over the sloped surface. Plants are grown in the layer of vegetation base soil.

This invention is directed to systems, devices and methods for modifying the process of producing dried biosolids pellets or granules into beneficiated inorganically-augmented bioorganic fertilizer. The present invention describes a method to beneficiate heat-dried biosolids or sludge pellets or granules as presently manufactured by municipalities or companies from a) dewatered municipal wastewater biosolids or sludges within the municipal wastewater treatment plant heat-dried biosolids production facility or from b) finished dry heat dried biosolids pellets or granules in a separate manufacturing facility from the municipal wastewater treatment plant to produce a fertilizer containing sufficient organic and inorganic plant nutrients to be valuable and saleable into the commercial agricultural industry. The present invention describes beneficiation methods to increase the plant nutrient content to a level which permits the finished beneficiated dried biosolids pellet or granule product to compete in the commercial agricultural fertilizer marketplace and also to reduce the odors associated with traditionally-produced heat dried biosolids.

The invention describes a new method for treating sludge, which can result in the production of high nitrogen organically-augmented inorganic fertilizer that incorporates municipal sludges or biosolids or organic sludges that can compete with traditional fertilizers such as ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate and urea on the commodity fertilizer marketplace. The method takes advantage of the thixotropic property of dewatered biosolids or organic sludge to create a pumpable paste-like material from the biosolids or organic sludge that is then treated with an oxidizer to reduce odorant effects and an acid. This mix is then interacted with concentrated sulfuric and or phosphoric acids and an ammonia source or alternatively a hot or molten melt or salt of ammonium sulfate / phosphate to form a fertilizer mix. The present invention controls the heat, atmospheric pressure and retention time of the fertilizer mix in the reaction vessel. When a fertilizer melt is formed ammoniation is subsequently completed by the specific use of vaporized ammonia. The invention can also be an add-on to commercial production of ammonium salts. The fertilizer produced by the present invention contains more than 8 wt. % nitrogen and preferably 15 wt. % nitrogen. The invention is oriented to be tailored to the biosolids production for individual municipal waste treatment plants in order to keep the fertilizer manufacturing plants of the present invention small with a minimization of logistics and liability.

A process is provided which can be used to clarify substantially aqueous streams and optionally separate biosolids, especially proteins, from food processing operations which comprises contacting an aqueous stream comprising biosolids with an anionic inorganic colloid and an organic polymer to flocculate the biosolids.

The invention discloses an integrated up-flow reactor and an advanced treatment method of fermentation industrial effluent, belonging to effluent treatment field. The upper part of the reactor is an aerobic fluidized bed system, the lower part is an anaerobic filter system, the intermediate transition zone is designed to be a connecting part which has a tri-phase separation function and organically combines the upper part and the lower part together. In the reactor, the concentration of biological solid is high and the retention time of biological solid is long, therefore the reactor is suitable for treating secondary biochemical treatment effluent of fermentation industrial effluent which has high salinity and is difficult to be biodegraded; sludge output of each system is low, and the residual sludge generated in the aerobic zone enters to the transition zone and the anaerobic zone to be further treated, the overall sludge output of the reactor is low, and simultaneously, the reactor contains rich biological species which act on organics difficult to be degraded jointly and promote the degradation thereof. The integrated reactor has low energy consumption, less land occupation, convenient operation, load impact resistance and high treatment efficiency, thereby being applicable to the advanced treatment of fermentation industrial effluent.

The invention is directed to processes for treating biosolids that result in high-value, nitrogen-containing, slow-release, organically-augmented inorganic fertilizer that are competitive with less valuable or more costly conventional commercially manufactured fertilizers. The process involves conditioning traditional waste-water biosolids and processing the conditioned biosolids continuously in a high throughput manufacturing facility. The exothermic design and closed loop control of the primary reaction vessel decreases significantly the amount of power necessary to run a manufacturing facility. The process utilizes green technologies to facilitate decreased waste and enhanced air quality standards over traditional processing plants. The fertilizer produced from recovered biosolid waste is safe and meets or exceeds the United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) Class A and Exceptional Quality standards and is not subject to restrictions or regulations.

The present invention provides an electroionic processing system having a high frequency alternating current (AC) power source for treating potable water, process water, wastewater, biosolids, sludge, primary effluent, secondary effluent, and other biochemical processing functions, including producing hydrogen peroxide and other useful chemicals. An electromagnetic field is generated and coupled to an electrolytic treatment apparatus by a direct coupling apparatus and method, a capacitive coupling apparatus and method, and an inductive coupling apparatus and method. The present invention further comprises a process controller and a plurality of analyzers for monitoring various treatment process variables to adjust and optimize the process as necessary.

The invention is directed to manufacture of fertilizer having commercial levels of nitrogen supplemented with organic substances. The process treats organic matter with acid causing hydrolysis of organic polymers after which the mix is injected with nitrogen. The resultant sterilized and liquefied organic matter is disbursed over recycled material for the production of granules. Because the process allows for the controlled addition of acids and ammonia, desired levels of components can be achieved. The process is scalable, odor controlled and safe thereby allowing for the location of biosolid processing facilities in most any location. Further, the fertilizer of the invention provides a dual nitrogen-release profile when applied to crops. After application to soil, fertilizer of the invention releases an immediate bolus of nitrogen, similar to traditional ammonium sulfate, followed by continued slow release of nitrogen typically over a season.

A process for liquefying microorganisms present in biosolids, such as waste activated sludge, generated by municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plants is disclosed. The process includes the step of passing a slurry of the sludge at a high pressure through a nozzle having a restricted flow area to cause liquefication of the microorganisms as they are discharged from the nozzle. The pressure drop across the nozzle preferably exceeds 5,000 psi. At least part of the liquefied microorganisms may be recirculated to the treatment facility to feed nutrients to the wastewater treatment process. Optionally, the liquefied microorganisms may be anaerobically converted to methane and carbon dioxide. For optimum results, the sludge is subjected to pH adjustment and / or maceration prior to being pumped through the high pressure nozzle.

The subject invention provides methods for producing homogenous organic base fertilizer for plant nutritoin and soil fertility. Also provided by the subject invention are value added fertilizer products for plant nutrition and soil fertility and concentrated liquid formulations / nutrient supplements that provide the value added nutrients to fertilizer products. Methods according to the invention involve the application of concentrated liquid(s) and / or dry formulation(s) comprising a mixture of one or more plant nutrient(s), one or more additional organic compound(s), one or more penetrant(s), and one or more optional supplement(s) into one or more organic base material(s). These organic base materials include, and are not limited to, biosolids, activated sludge, municipal compost, animal manures (e.g., horse, cow, chicken, pig, and sheep), and composted organic byproducts.

The invention describes a new method for the production of high nitrogen organically-augmented inorganic fertilizer that incorporates municipal biosolids or organic sludges that can compete with traditional fertilizers such as ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate and urea on the commodity fertilizer marketplace. The method creates a thixotropic paste-like material from the biosolids or organic sludge that is blended with hot or molten ammonium salts, especially a mixture of ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate. The invention can be an add-on to commercial production of ammonium salts or it can stand alone by manufacturing ammonium salts prior to their introduction to the conditioned biosolids. The invention is oriented to be tailored to production facilities for individual municipal waste treatment plants in order to keep manufacturing plants small with a minimization of logistics and liability.

In the field of water treatment, this invention relates to economical methods, processes and apparatus for preparing Class A bio-solids wherein: dewatering costs and energy costs are efficient, the solids product has reduced ammonia and sulfide odor, and the concentration of solids in the aqueous solids may vary from approximately 3 to approximately 90 percent. This instant invention presents messophilic and thermophilic digestion in concert, wherein messophilic digestion incorporates strains of thiobacillus with nitrifiers to remove sulfide(s) and ammonia from bio-solids. Chemical dewatering of thermophilic digested bio-solids is accomplished incorporating a cationic, quaternized or an anionic polyacrylamide with at least one selected from a list consisting of: an aluminum salt, an iron salt, an amine comprising a quaternized nitrogen moiety and any combination therein. A quaternized polyacrylamide is presented alone. The use of magnesium oxide and / or magnesium hydroxide as a disinfectant / preservative for said bio-solids is also presented.

Disclosed is a waste water disposal process in the biosolid method according to a line atomizing treatment in which a reactive gas containing oxygen or oxygen and ozone as hardly soluble gases is dissolved / stored in water as being converted into ultrafine bubbles. The characteristic feature is that, by forming a gas-dispersion liquid in which the reactive gas containing oxygen or oxygen and ozone is dispersed in the form of ultrafine bubbles in returned biosolid water or in clean water at outside of the vessels (pools) of the waste water treatment system and by introducing the aforementioned gas-dispersion liquid into a reaction vessel (aerobic or anaerobic), oxygen is supplied to the microorganisms. Alternatively, the aforementioned gas-dispersion liquid is introduced into a vessel in the step preceding the reaction vessel or succeeding the reaction vessel. Further, the kind, concentration and volume of the reactive gas, the vessel (pool) for returning and the duration of introduction are set in accordance with the proceeding conditions of the waste water treatment and unitarily controlled.

The system for fermentation using algae of the present invention includes a first reactor and a second reactor being in fluid communication with each other. A first valve placed between the first reactor and the second reactor controls the fluid connection between the reactors. A gas inlet, in fluid connection to the first reactor, is located at an end opposite the second reactor. A devolatization unit or cell lysis chamber is connected to the second reactor by a second valve. A biomass stream having gas, liquid and biosolids contents passes through the first reactor with gas. The biomass stream mixes and dissolves the gas in the reactors. The cellular structure of the biomass stream ruptures in the devolatization unit, allowing the processed materials, such as oil, gas, and biosolids, to be harvested for use.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for removing phosphorus from phosphorus containing waste. In one embodiment, the method is preferably carried out by contacting the phosphorus containing waste with a non-cellular membrane and precipitating phosphorus from the waste as struvite. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of removing phosphorus from phosphorus containing sewage comprising filtrates and biosolids. The removal of phosphorus as struvite occurs in two stages as primary and secondary removal. In the primary removal process, the sewage from a dewatering unit is contacted with a first polymeric membrane reactor and the phosphorus is removed as primary struvite. Subsequently Mg is added so as promote struvite formation and the secondary removal process of struvite. In the secondary removal process, the sewage from GBT Filtrate well or Centrifuge Liquor well is contacted with a second monomolecular membrane and the phosphorus is removed as secondary struvite.