An apparatus and a method for composting organic material. The apparatus comprises a container (10) having a first end (11), a second end (12) in the form of a hemispherical wall, and a jacket (13) extending between said ends. The container operates in an inclined (al) position. A transporting and mixing device (30) in the container transports organic material in a transport direction (L1) from the first to the second end and simultaneously mixes the organic material. The transporting and mixing device directs the organic material towards the hemispheric wall, whereby the organic material is first directed upwards along the hemispheric wall and then turned back against the transport direction. A fluffing device (40) in the container comprises a shaft (41) being perpendicular to the transport direction (L1) and cutter blades (50) extending outwards from the shaft (41).

Systems and processes for producing ammonia products and/or calcium carbonate products, including but not limited to an organic high sulfur liquid ammonium product and an organic calcium carbonate product from an effluent derived from one or more organic feedstocks. Solids are removed from an organic feedstock that contains a nitrogen compound to produce an organic liquid effluent that contains ammonium and/or ammonia. Ammonia is stripped and concentrated from the organic liquid effluent to produce a gaseous mixture that contains ammonia, and the gaseous mixture is cooled to produce a condensed aqueous ammoniacal nitrogen solution of aqueous ammonia, ammonium bicarbonate, and/or ammonium carbonate. The condensed aqueous ammoniacal nitrogen solution is then contacted with a stabilizing agent to cause a reaction therebetween to produce at least a stabilized ammoniacal nitrogen product.

Systems and processes for producing ammonia products and/or calcium carbonate products, including but not limited to an organic high sulfur liquid ammonium product and an organic calcium carbonate product from an effluent derived from one or more organic feedstocks. Solids are removed from an organic feedstock that contains a nitrogen compound to produce an organic liquid effluent that contains ammonium and/or ammonia. Ammonia is stripped and concentrated from the organic liquid effluent to produce a gaseous mixture that contains ammonia, and the gaseous mixture is cooled to produce a condensed aqueous ammoniacal nitrogen solution of aqueous ammonia, ammonium bicarbonate, and/or ammonium carbonate. The condensed aqueous ammoniacal nitrogen solution is then contacted with a stabilizing agent to cause a reaction therebetween to produce at least a stabilized ammoniacal nitrogen product.

There is disclosed a method of producing a soil remediant from liquid organic waste material in which the liquid organic waste material is concurrently pasteurised and digested by thermophilic aerobic digestion in the liquid phase in a single digester vessel. The organic waste material in the digester is maintained continuously at a temperature of at least 70 C. for at least an hour and theliquid organic waste material comprises at least 70% water and can be pumped. After a period of at least an hour a small amount of pasteurised organic waste material is removed and a corresponding amount of fresh organic waste material is added to the single digester vessel such that the temperature is maintained in a comfort zone of the thermophilic bacteria. In a preferred embodiment the thermophilic aerobic digestion is facilitated by micro-organisms including crenarchaeota. The liquid organic waste material can be combined with a microporous adsorbent. Also disclosed is a soil remediant comprising a microporous adsorbent and liquid organic waste material from the novel method. The microporous adsorbent may be a volcaniclastic sedimentary rock or diatomite or of vegetable origin such as biochar. The microporous adsorbent may be a powder or a granular material and may have particle sizes up to 2000 microns.

There is disclosed a method of producing a soil remediant from liquid organic waste material in which the liquid organic waste material is concurrently pasteurised and digested by thermophilic aerobic digestion in the liquid phase in a single digester vessel. The organic waste material in the digester is maintained continuously at a temperature of at least 70 C. for at least an hour and theliquid organic waste material comprises at least 70% water and can be pumped. After a period of at least an hour a small amount of pasteurised organic waste material is removed and a corresponding amount of fresh organic waste material is added to the single digester vessel such that the temperature is maintained in a comfort zone of the thermophilic bacteria. In a preferred embodiment the thermophilic aerobic digestion is facilitated by micro-organisms including crenarchaeota. The liquid organic waste material can be combined with a microporous adsorbent. Also disclosed is a soil remediant comprising a microporous adsorbent and liquid organic waste material from the novel method. The microporous adsorbent may be a volcaniclastic sedimentary rock or diatomite or of vegetable origin such as biochar. The microporous adsorbent may be a powder or a granular material and may have particle sizes up to 2000 microns.

A rotary composter includes a rotatable composting drum, a motor for rotating the drum, an aeration system for supplying air to the drum and an open-loop computerized controller for controlling one or both of the motor and the aeration system based on animal growth data. The rotary composter may also have a wireless nitrogen gas sensor for sensing an amount of nitrogen gas in the drum and a load cell for measuring a mass inside the drum to enable the controller to further control one or both of the motor and the aeration system based on signals from the nitrogen gas sensor and the load cell.

To produce fertilizer, a system and method concentrates manure slurry in a mechanical vapor recompression evaporator (MVR) having a heat exchanger. The MVR receives the manure slurry within a first side to evaporate ammonia laden-water vapor from the slurry, leaving a nutrient concentrate. A compressor raises the evaporated ammonia-laden water vapor to a higher energy state. Within a second side of the heat exchanger, the compressed water vapor conveys heat to the slurry. Ammonia-laden water condenses in the second side at a process temperature to be conveyed to an ammonia stripping tower where the ammonia-laden water is dispersed into ammonia-laden water droplets. In the tower, a flow of air is directed across a surface of the ammonia-laden water droplets, the process temperature having been selected to promote the escape of ammonia gas from the ammonia-laden water droplets, the flow of air provided to entrain ammonia gas in the flow.

To produce fertilizer, a system and method concentrates manure slurry in a mechanical vapor recompression evaporator (MVR) having a heat exchanger. The MVR receives the manure slurry within a first side to evaporate ammonia laden-water vapor from the slurry, leaving a nutrient concentrate. A compressor raises the evaporated ammonia-laden water vapor to a higher energy state. Within a second side of the heat exchanger, the compressed water vapor conveys heat to the slurry. Ammonia-laden water condenses in the second side at a process temperature to be conveyed to an ammonia stripping tower where the ammonia-laden water is dispersed into ammonia-laden water droplets. In the tower, a flow of air is directed across a surface of the ammonia-laden water droplets, the process temperature having been selected to promote the escape of ammonia gas from the ammonia-laden water droplets, the flow of air provided to entrain ammonia gas in the flow.

Apparatus and method for converting organic waste into compost, having: a chamber, with an entry portal disposed near a top and one side of the chamber, and with an exit portal disposed at a bottom of the chamber; an auger extending at a level along a length of the chamber and adjacent to the top of the chamber; a collection chamber disposed under part of the chamber, aligning with the exit portal, and having a door for access therein; a bin fitting entirely within the collection chamber and removable therefrom; a blower for introducing controlled air; sensors to detect the level of organic waste in the chamber relative to the auger; a rotating gate between the exit portal and the collection chamber providing intermittent opening and closing of the chamber to the bin therebelow; and a feedback circuit for delivering a switching signal from the sensors.

Apparatus and method for converting organic waste into compost, having: a chamber, with an entry portal disposed near a top and one side of the chamber, and with an exit portal disposed at a bottom of the chamber; an auger extending at a level along a length of the chamber and adjacent to the top of the chamber; a collection chamber disposed under part of the chamber, aligning with the exit portal, and having a door for access therein; a bin fitting entirely within the collection chamber and removable therefrom; a blower for introducing controlled air; sensors to detect the level of organic waste in the chamber relative to the auger; a rotating gate between the exit portal and the collection chamber providing intermittent opening and closing of the chamber to the bin therebelow; and a feedback circuit for delivering a switching signal from the sensors.