A system and method for the production of microbial consortiums and by-product material is provided. A physical containment system comprising phase spaces arranged in a discrete order to favor specific biological reactions is also provided. Phase profiles and phase data sets include the pre-determined physical and biological parameters for the phase space transitions. Movement of material from one phase to the next is hydraulically balanced enabling working fluid to continuously move in a fixed direction and rate of flow. Continuous monitoring of phase profiles and phase data sets provide feedback to the system enabling alteration of the conditions in the system to control reactions therein.

An anaerobic digestion system may include a material grinding/pulping portion, a hydrolysis portion arranged downstream of the grinding portion, a multiple chamber anaerobic reactor arranged downstream from the hydrolysis portion and including a gas collection and reintroduction system, a collection system for collecting digestate and gas from the anaerobic reactor.

Disclosed herein is a process for the treatment of wastewater for biosolids reduction and biogas (i.e. methane) generation where a wastewater is provided to a first reactor which is operated under anaerobic conditions, a hydraulic/solids retention time of from 0.1 to 1 day, a temperature of from 30 to 70° C. and a pH of from 6.5 to 10, with the effluent of the first reactor passing to a second reactor which is operated under anaerobic conditions, a hydraulic/solids retention time of from 3 to 10 days and a temperature of from 30 to 70° C. The process may further comprise feeding an effluent produced from the second reactor to a third reactor operated under anaerobic conditions, a hydraulic/solids retention time of from 3 to 20 days and a temperature of from 30 to 70° C.

Methods are described for treating aqueous solutions, including wastewater, to remove nitrogen-containing compounds using electrochemical processes. The method may be conducted electrolytically under an applied voltage or using endogenous current in a fuel cell arrangement. In some embodiments, energy is reclaimed in the form of hydrogen, methane, and other hydrocarbons or organic molecules. Microorganisms may be used as the catalyst for oxidation of the nitrogen-containing compound and/or reduction of hydrogen ions, carbon dioxide, or bicarbonate. Anaerobic or low-oxygen conditions may be used in the zone.

According to one embodiment, a microcapsule for selective catalysis of gases, the microcapsule comprising: a polymeric shell permeable to one or more target gases; and at least one biocatalyst disposed in an interior of the polymeric shell. In more embodiments, methods of forming such microcapsules include: emulsifying at least one biocatalyst in a polymer precursor mixture; emulsifying the polymer precursor mixture in an aqueous carrier solution; crosslinking one or more polymer precursors of the polymer precursor mixture to form a plurality of microcapsules each independently comprising: a polymeric shell permeable to one or more target gases; and at least one biocatalyst disposed in an interior of the polymeric shell. In further embodiments, corresponding methods of using the inventive microcapsules for catalyzing one or more target gases using include: exposing a plurality of the biocatalytic microcapsules to the one or more target gases.

Provided is a novel carbonization treatment method for carbonizing a biomass material containing a large amount of water at an extremely low temperature, and a method for producing carbonized biomass. A water-containing biomass material is carbonized while maintaining the biomass material under treatment conditions including an oxygen-containing atmosphere and a temperature range of 70° C. or greater and less than 100° C., without a drying step for removing or reducing the water forcibly. At this time, preferably the water content (percentage) of the biomass material at the start of carbonization while maintained under the treatment conditions is within a range of 40 to 80% inclusive, and preferably the biomass material is thus maintained for two weeks or longer. Further, as the biomass material, one material or a mixture of two or more materials selected from waste biomass materials and plant (cultivated crop) biomass materials such as food waste, livestock excrement, agricultural waste, marine waste, and forest waste, can be applied.

An agitator rotor includes a shaft, rails, and a rod. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis. The rails extend radially from and are coupled to the shaft. The rails are separated from each other along a length of the shaft. Each rail includes a surface defining a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The rod includes a first end coupled to a first one of the rails. The rod includes a second end coupled to a second one of the rails. A projection of the first end and the second end of the rod in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft defines a minor arc about a portion of the shaft.

A method of using electricity to produce methane includes maintaining a culture comprising living methanogenic microorganisms at a temperature above 50° C. in a reactor having a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a proton permeable barrier, the first chamber comprising a passage between an inlet and an outlet containing at least a porous electrically conductive cathode, the culture, and water, and the second chamber comprising at least an anode. The method also includes coupling electricity to the anode and the cathode, supplying carbon dioxide to the culture in the first chamber, and collecting methane from the culture at the outlet of the first chamber.

The present invention relates to a process for forming a fuel pellet, based on using a particular formula for making the fuel pellets. The process for forming a fuel pellet comprising of the following steps:

providing a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size of <1 mm;

admixing the particulate carbonaceous material with a polysaccharide or a polyvinyl alcohol binder, and a crosslinker;

shaping the so-formed mixture to provide the fuel pellet.

The methane production plant (10) comprises: an electric energy source (11) suitable for supplying electrical energy, an electrolyser (14) fed with the electrical energy supplied by the electric energy source, suitable for supplying hydrogen in gas form, an atmospheric carbon dioxide capture device (16) suitable for supplying carbon dioxide and water, a methanation reactor (15) suitable for receiving the hydrogen supplied by the electrolyser, water and the carbon dioxide that are supplied by the atmospheric carbon dioxide capture device, and suitable for producing methane, and solar collectors (19) and a means for heat transfer from the solar collectors to the carbon dioxide capture device (16).