Organic containing sludge to fertilizer alkaline conversion process

• US 8,597,394 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Profile Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Vitag Corporation
• Inventors: Burnham, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LANGEL, WAYNE A
• Application Number:
  US13/472,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20120222462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 71/11, 71/12, 71/13, 71/14, 71/15, 71/17, 71/21, 71/22, 71/25, 71/640.3, 71/641.3
• US Class Current: 71/11
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/18 Flexible caps with provision for hot air supply
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/06 by oxidation incinerators for burning waste liquors, e.g. sulfite liquor from paper-making plant F23G7/04
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 17/00 Other phosphatic fertilisers, e.g. soft rock phosphates, bone meal
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 11/00 Other nitrogenous fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 3/00 Fertilisers containing other salts of ammonia or ammonia itself, e.g. gas liquor
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 7/00 Fertilisers containing calcium or other cyanamides
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 3/02 from limestone, calcium carbonate, calcium hydrate, slaked lime, calcium oxide, waste calcium products
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/00 Other organic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 3/00 Fertilisers from human or animal excrements, e.g. manure
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 5/008 Waste from biochemical processing of material, e.g. fermentation, breweries
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 7/00 Fertilisers from waste water, sewage sludge, sea slime, ooze or similar masses
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 9/00 Fertilisers from household or town refuse
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/20 for preventing the fertilisers being reduced to powder; Anti-dusting additives
• 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

This invention is directed to systems, devices and methods for treating organic-containing sludges and converting such sludges to high value fertilizers containing both inorganic and organic fertilizer components, which creates an inorganically-augmented bioorganic fertilizer. The invention describes methods to create a thixotrophic or paste-like material via the application of mixing energy to the organic sludge followed by an alkaline treatment and a subsequent ammoniation. The invention further describes a method to increase the plant nutrient content in the organic containing product to a level which permits the finished granular fertilizer product to compete in the commercial agricultural fertilizer marketplace. Further, the invention reduces odors associated with said organic-containing sludges.

Claims

1. A method of fertilizer manufacture comprising:

creating a thixotropic paste from a composition containing biosolids;

exposing the paste to aqueous ammonia;

adding an acid to the paste to produce an exothermic reaction and thereby reduce pH and ammonia concentration;

extruding or granulating the paste; and

drying the extruded or granulated paste to a dryness of 90% or more of solids.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biosolids are selected from the group consisting of municipal biosolids and sludges, manures and animal residuals, lagoon sludges, organic-containing sludges produced from food fermentation, sludge waste products, pharmaceutical fermentation waste industrial fermentation products, and mixture and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an oxidizing agent to the paste, wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, iron oxide, metal oxide, calcium ferrate, potassium ferrate, sodium ferrate, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, peroxide, ozone, chlorine dioxide, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an alkaline agent to the paste, wherein the alkaline agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, alkaline by products, cement kiln dust, lime kiln dust, Class C fly ash, Class F fly ash, lime injected fly ash, high alkaline materials, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, after addition of the alkaline agent, the paste is pH 10 or higher.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous ammonia raises the concentration of ammonia to at least 5,000 ppm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous ammonia raises the concentration of ammonia to at least 10,000 ppm.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous ammonia raises the concentration of ammonia to at least 20,000 ppm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the exposure is for at least 30 seconds.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the exposure is for at least 2 minutes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the exposure is for at least 5 minutes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonia provides a dry weight nitrogen concentration of 6%.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonia provides a dry weight nitrogen concentration of at least 10%.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the ammonia provides a dry weight nitrogen concentration of at least 14%.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the acid is phosphoric or sulfuric acid.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfamic acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein, after treating with the acid, the paste is pH 7.0 or less.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising blending a plant nutrient with the thixotropic paste to increase one or more members selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron content of the paste.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a granulating agent to the paste.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the aqueous ammonia raises the concentration of ammonia to at least 1,000 ppm.

21. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one member selected from the group consisting of the acid and the oxidizing agent reduces odors in the paste.