Biochars for use in composting

• US 10,472,297 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Belcher, Richard W., Jarand, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Langel, Wayne A
• Application Number:
  US15/429,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20170217848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/10 Organic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 30/00 Processes specially adapted for preservation of materials in order to produce animal feeding-stuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/10 for ruminants
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/20 for horses
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/30 for swines
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/75 for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/80 for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/012 characterised by being in a special form, e.g. gels, emulsions A61L9/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/014 containing sorbent material, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/12 Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/24 Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28019 Spherical, ellipsoidal or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3007 Moulding, shaping or extruding
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3028 Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3042 Use of binding agents; addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the produced sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 17/00 Other phosphatic fertilisers, e.g. soft rock phosphates, bone meal
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 5/00 : Fertilisers containing other nitrates
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/00 : Other inorganic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/10 : Addition or removal of substances other than water or air to or from the material during the treatment for activating or stimulating the treatment C05F17/20
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/80 : Separation, elimination or disposal of harmful substances during the treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 9/04 : Biological compost
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/80 : Soil conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 : Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/40 : Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse

Abstract

A method and system is provided for using biochar in composting environments to control temperature, moisture, acid and pH levels, odors and bacterial cultures. The method further includes treating the biochar prior to combining it with the compost to further control such parameters.

Claims

1. A method for controlling composting parameters during the composting process, the method including the steps of providing composting material, adding treated biochar to the composting material to create a mixture and composting the mixture to create a compost.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the treated biochar is inoculated with a thermotolerant endospore forming bacteria before adding it to the composting material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein between 0.1-15% treated biochar on a volume basis is added to the composting material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein between and 1-3% treated biochar on a volume basis is added to the composting material.

5. The method of claim 1 where raw biochars are also added to the composting material to create the mixture.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of added treated biochar is 0.1-15% by volume.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the amount of raw and treated biochar added to the composting material together comprise 1-3% by volume of the mixture.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the thermotolerant endospore forming bacteria is a Bacillus ssp. selected from the group consisting of:

Bacillus licheniformis;

Bacillus szutsauensis;

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens;

Bacillus subtilis;

Bacillus velezensis; and

Bacillus pumilus.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the treated biochar is treated by infusing a liquid into the pores of the biochar using positive or negative pressure.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the treated biochar is treated by infusing liquid into the pores of the biochar using a surfactant.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the treated biochar is treated by infusing liquid into the pores of the biochar using an ultrasonic treatment.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the composting parameters are controlled by the addition of the treated biochar to the composting material and where the composting parameters controlled by the treated biochar are selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, moisture, acid levels, pH levels, odors, air emissions, and microbial profiles.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the air emissions are selected from the group consisting of:

ammonia, volatile organic compounds, and methane.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the treated biochar added to the composting material is biochar mixed with animal bedding.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the treated biochar added to the composting material is a biochar solution.

16. A compost created from a composting process, the compost including a mixture of treated biochar and composting material, wherein the treated biochar comprises between 0.1-15% by volume of the compost.

17. The compost of claim 16 wherein the treated biochar comprises between 1-3% by volume of the compost.

18. The compost of claim 16 wherein the treated biochar is inoculated with a thermotolerant endo spore forming bacteria.

19. The compost of claim 16 wherein raw biochar is added to the treated biochar and where the raw and treated biochar together comprise between 1-3% of the compost.

20. The compost of claim 18 wherein the thermotolerant endo spore forming bacteria is Bacillus sp. selected from the group consisting of:

Bacillus licheniformis;

Bacillus szutsauensis;

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens;

Bacillus subtilis;

Bacillus velezensis; and

Bacillus pumilus.

21. The compost of claim 16 wherein the treated biochar is treated by infusing a liquid into the pores of the biochar using positive or negative pressure.

22. The compost of claim 16 wherein the treated biochar is treated by infusing liquid into the pores of the biochar using a surfactant.

23. The compost of claim 16 wherein the treated biochar is treated by infusing liquid into the pores of the biochar using an ultrasonic treatment.

24. The compost of claim 16 wherein the composting material includes material selected from the group consisting of:

wood, green waste, manure, animal bedding, agricultural waste, and food.