The present disclosure relates to environmentally-clean thermal drying systems and methods. In accordance with one aspect, a method for thermal drying includes receiving a grease-related waste, burning the grease-related waste in a furnace to generate heat energy, receiving a bio-waste in an indirect dryer at an adjustable feed rate, drying the bio-waste in the indirect dryer using at least some of the heat energy, and metering the bio-waste into the indirect dryer at the adjustable feed rate. The adjustable feed rate is adjusted based on a percentage of solids of the bio-waste before entering the indirect dryer and a temperature within the indirect dryer, where the indirect dryer and the adjustable feed rate are coordinated to achieve a predetermined percentage of solids in a dried bio-waste exiting the indirect dryer.

The present disclosure relates to environmentally-clean thermal drying systems and methods. In accordance with one aspect, a method for thermal drying includes receiving a grease-related waste, burning the grease-related waste in a furnace to generate heat energy, receiving a bio-waste in an indirect dryer at an adjustable feed rate, drying the bio-waste in the indirect dryer using at least some of the heat energy, and metering the bio-waste into the indirect dryer at the adjustable feed rate. The adjustable feed rate is adjusted based on a percentage of solids of the bio-waste before entering the indirect dryer and a temperature within the indirect dryer, where the indirect dryer and the adjustable feed rate are coordinated to achieve a predetermined percentage of solids in a dried bio-waste exiting the indirect dryer.

A biosolids cake treatment process comprising mixing a biosolids cake having more than 10% solids with an alkali to bring the mixture's pH to 11 or higher, heating the mixture to 80 C. or more and dewatering the heated mixture. The dewatered product can be used as a fertilizer and the separated liquid fraction can be fed back to digesters. The alkali can be one or more of or a mixture of calcium oxide (CaO), calcium hydroxide (CaOH), and lime.

Embodiments of the present invention may provide a soil amendment which can increase the soil permeability, increase a plant's ability to repel pests and even its antioxidant capabilities such as to provide anti-browning of its fruit, larger crop yields, larger fruit and vegetables, or the like.

Embodiments of the present invention may provide a soil amendment which can increase the soil permeability, increase a plant's ability to repel pests and even its antioxidant capabilities such as to provide anti-browning of its fruit, larger crop yields, larger fruit and vegetables, or the like.

The invention concerns a method for extracting valuable materials from organic compounds contained in waste or chemical elements contained therein.

The method comprises the following steps carried out in succession: a) mixing the waste (1) with a base so that a liquid medium is formed, b) heating the medium in a reactor (3) to a temperature of 100 C. to 140 C. in order to hydrolyse the organic compounds contained in the medium, and withdrawing (c) the vapour which is formed, b1) transferring (c) the vapour from the reactor (3) to a washing tower (4), b2) adding sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid (c) to the vapour in order to form ammonium sulphate(s) or ammonium phosphate(s), wherein a solution is obtained in the bottom of the washing tower (4) and the vapour is withdrawn from the head of the washing tower (4), b3) transferring (e) the solution obtained in step b2) to an electrochemical cell (6) with a cathode chamber and an anode chamber and electrolysing the solution, whereupon in the anode chamber, sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid is obtained for step b2), b4) recycling (c) the sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid obtained from the anode chamber to the washing tower and withdrawing (f) valuable materials formed in the cathode chamber, in particular an ammoniacal solution, c) transferring (d) the liquid medium remaining in the reactor (3) in step b) to a separating device (5) in order to separate any solid inorganic phase which is contained in the liquid medium.

The invention concerns a method for extracting valuable materials from organic compounds contained in waste or chemical elements contained therein.

The method comprises the following steps carried out in succession: a) mixing the waste (1) with a base so that a liquid medium is formed, b) heating the medium in a reactor (3) to a temperature of 100 C. to 140 C. in order to hydrolyse the organic compounds contained in the medium, and withdrawing (c) the vapour which is formed, b1) transferring (c) the vapour from the reactor (3) to a washing tower (4), b2) adding sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid (c) to the vapour in order to form ammonium sulphate(s) or ammonium phosphate(s), wherein a solution is obtained in the bottom of the washing tower (4) and the vapour is withdrawn from the head of the washing tower (4), b3) transferring (e) the solution obtained in step b2) to an electrochemical cell (6) with a cathode chamber and an anode chamber and electrolysing the solution, whereupon in the anode chamber, sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid is obtained for step b2), b4) recycling (c) the sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid obtained from the anode chamber to the washing tower and withdrawing (f) valuable materials formed in the cathode chamber, in particular an ammoniacal solution, c) transferring (d) the liquid medium remaining in the reactor (3) in step b) to a separating device (5) in order to separate any solid inorganic phase which is contained in the liquid medium.

A method for producing an odor-free HTC coal, at least comprising the following steps: a) providing a biomass; b) performing a hydrothermal carbonization in order to produce a carbon sludge, the carbon sludge comprising HTC coal and HTC process water; c) separating HTC coal and HTC process water by a mechanical dewatering process; d) heating the HTC coal to a temperature of at least 150 degrees Celsius in order to remove highly volatile carbon compounds.

A method for producing an odor-free HTC coal, at least comprising the following steps: a) providing a biomass; b) performing a hydrothermal carbonization in order to produce a carbon sludge, the carbon sludge comprising HTC coal and HTC process water; c) separating HTC coal and HTC process water by a mechanical dewatering process; d) heating the HTC coal to a temperature of at least 150 degrees Celsius in order to remove highly volatile carbon compounds.

Devices, systems, and methods for drying a bulk waste product, such as animal waste, having a moisture content of 95% or more water can include a trough configured to receive the bulk waste product and to dispense it in a form suitable for convective drying, one or more conveyors having an air-permeable conveyor belt, each conveyor receiving the waste product from the trough and transporting the waste product along a transport path; and one or more air moving devices (AMDs) that pass air through the air-permeable conveyor belt and across the waste product as it is transported along the transport path to transform the bulk waste product into a dried waste product having a moisture content of about 5% to about 20%, inclusive.