Methods and systems for dewatering and gasification

• US 20050279711A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Ecology, Inc. (Loar Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Ecology, Inc. (Loar Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kleinke, Richard, Goettert, Keith Alan, Finestone, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US10/963,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/703
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/025 Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/02 by heating methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/24 by flotation C02F1/465 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/40 Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/10 by pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/121 by mechanical de-watering
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/20 from animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/03 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 5/00 Thomas phosphate; Other slag phosphates
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0903 Feed preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0923 Sludge, e.g. from water treatment plant
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/169 with water treatments treatment of water in general or water purification C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/06 : Continuous processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/463 : in stationary fluidised beds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/42 : on animal substances or products obtained therefrom , e.g. manure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing animal waste are disclosed. Effluent, including waste solids and water, is received. The effluent is at least partly separated into solids and water. The separated water is processed using a dissolved air flotation device and/or a reverse osmosis system to clarify the separated water. The separated solids are transferred to a gasifier, which processed the separated solids to form a least a first gas.

Claims

1. A method of processing animal waste, comprising:

receiving effluent, including waste solids and water;

using a press to at least partially separate the effluent into solids and water;

processing the separated water, including;

collecting the separated water;

processing the separated water using a dissolved air flotation device to remove solids from the separated water;

processing the separated water from the dissolved air flotation device using a reverse osmosis system to remove therefrom contaminants to provide purer water;

removing heat from the purer water and providing the purer water for use; and

processing the separated solids, including;

collecting the separated solids;

transferring the separated solids to a gasifier;

heating the separated solids to form at least a first gas via the gasifer.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the effluent includes manure from at least one of a bovine, a pig, a chicken, a sheep, or a human.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the press is at least one of a gravity belt filter press or a screw press.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising filtering the water from the dissolved air flotation device using a duplex media filter.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the water from the dissolved air flotation device using a filter;

flushing the filter to remove particles; and

providing the removed particles to the press.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising exposing at least a portion of the separated water using ultraviolet light as a germicide.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier heats the substantially separated solids to approximately 982 degrees Centigrade.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising using heat from the gasifier to raise the temperature of the separated water to be processed by the reverse osmosis system.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

using heat from the gasifier to raise the temperature of air drawn across a heat exchanger; and

using the heated air to remove solids from the press.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the purer water is at least 45% of the volume of the received effluent.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein dissolved solids in the purer water is reduced at least 97% as compared to that of the effluent.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising generating electricity using the first gas.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising removing tar from the first gas using at least one of a tar cracker, a quench system, or a wet scrubber system.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier is circulating fluid bed gasifier.

15. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier is a fluid bed gasifier.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier is a fixed bed gasifier.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier can process partially separated solids having up to 55% moisture content.

18. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier can process partially separated solids having up to 50% moisture content.

19. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gasifier can process partially separated solids having up to 40% moisture content.

20. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising mounting the gasifer and press onto a mobile vehicle for use at a plurality of locations.

21. A method of processing animal waste, comprising:

receiving effluent, including waste solids and water;

at least partially separating the effluent into solids and water;

processing the separated water using at least one of a dissolved air flotation device or a reverse osmosis system to clarify the separated water; and

processing the separated solids, including;

collecting the separated solids;

transferring the separated solids to a gasifier;

processing the separated solids to form at least a first gas.

22. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the effluent includes manure from at least one of a bovine, a pig, a chicken, a sheep, or a human.

23. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the act of at least partially separating the solids and water is performed using at least one of a gravity belt filter press or a screw press.

24. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising filtering the clarified water using a duplex media filter.

25. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising:

filtering the clarified water using a filter;

flushing the filter to remove particles; and

providing the removed particles to a gravity belt filter press.

26. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising exposing at least a portion of the clarified water using ultraviolet light as a germicide.

27. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier heats the substantially separated solids to approximately 982 degrees Centigrade.

28. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising using heat from the gasifier to raise the temperature of the separated water before being processed by the at least one of a dissolved air flotation device or a reverse osmosis system.

29. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising:

using heat from the gasifier to raise the temperature of air drawn across a heat exchanger; and

using the heater air to remove solids from a press used to separate the effluent into solids and water.

30. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the clarified water is at least 45% of the volume of the received effluent.

31. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising using a heat exchanger to remove heat from the clarified water.

32. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein dissolved solids in the clarified water is reduced at least 97% as compared to that of the effluent.

33. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising generating at least one of steam or electricity using the at least one gas.

34. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising removing tar from the first gas using at least one of a tar cracker, a quench system, or a wet scrubber system.

35. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising removing tar from the first gas using at least one of a tar cracker, a quench system, or a wet scrubber system.

36. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier is circulating fluid bed gasifier.

37. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier is a fluid bed gasifier.

38. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier is a fixed bed gasifier.

39. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier can process partially separated solids having up to 55% moisture content.

40. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier can process partially separated solids having up to 50% moisture content.

41. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the gasifier can process partially separated solids having up to 40% moisture content.

42. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising mounting the gasifer and a press, used to separate the effluent into solids and water, onto a mobile vehicle for use at a plurality of locations.

43. A waste effluent dewatering and gasification system, comprising:

a press that at least partially separates effluent into solids and water;

a clarification system, including at least one of a dissolved air flotation device or a reverse osmosis system, that clarifies the separated water; and

a gasifier that processes the separated solids to form a least a first gas.

44. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the effluent includes manure from at least one of a bovine, a pig, a chicken, a sheep, or a human.

45. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the press includes at least one of a gravity belt filter press or a screw press.

46. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising a duplex media filter used to filter the clarified water.

47. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising an ultraviolet light source used to kill organisms in at least a portion of the clarified water.

48. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the gasifier is configured to heat the substantially separated solids to approximately 982 degrees Centigrade.

49. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising a heat exchanger used to transfer heat from a gasifier exhaust to the separated water before being processed by the at least one of the dissolved air flotation device or the reverse osmosis system.

50. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising a heat exchanger used to transfer heat from the gasifier to raise the temperature of air drawn across the heat exchanger, wherein the heated air to used to remove solids from the press.

51. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the clarified water is at least 45% of the volume of the received effluent.

52. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein dissolved solids in the clarified water is reduced at least 97% as compared to that of the effluent.

53. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the system is packaged as a single unit for transportation.

54. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising at least a tar cracker system used to remove gas tar.

55. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising at least a quench system used to remove gas tar.

56. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the gasifier is a circulating fluid bubbling bed gasification unit.

57. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the gasifier is a circulating fluid bed gasification unit.

58. The system as defined in claim 43, wherein the gasifier is a fixed bed gasification unit.

59. The system as defined in claim 43, further comprising a motor vehicle used to move the system from location to location.