A method for the treatment of waste by plasma treating the waste to destroy the hazardous organic components and to yield a slag and an off-gas by plasma treating the waste in the presence of added oxygen gas in a transferred-arc plasma treatment unit, followed by directing off-gas from the plasma treatment unit to a thermal oxidizer combustion chamber.

A hierarchical catalyst composition comprising a continuous or particulate macroporous scaffold in which is incorporated mesoporous aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles, wherein an enzyme is embedded in mesopores of the mesoporous aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles. Methods for synthesizing the hierarchical catalyst composition are also described. Also described are processes that use the recoverable hierarchical catalyst composition for depolymerizing lignin, remediation of water contaminated with aromatic substances, polymerizing monomers by a free-radical mechanism, epoxidation of alkenes, halogenation of phenols, inhibiting growth and function of microorganisms in a solution, and carbon dioxide conversion to methanol. Further described are methods for increasing the space time yield and/or total turnover number of a liquid-phase chemical reaction that includes magnetic particles to facilitate the chemical reaction, the method comprising subjecting the chemical reaction to a plurality of magnetic fields of selected magnetic strength, relative position in the chemical reaction, and relative motion.

A method and facility for the hydrothermal carbonization of pasty products or waste, or sewage sludge, in a pressurized reactor heated to carbonization temperature T0. Before entering the reactor, the products undergo: pressurization, and preheating in an exchanger, by a thermal fluid flowing in a closed loop, and receiving heat from products exiting the reactor; the thermal fluid is heated in the loop by an external heat source, downstream from the exchange with the products exiting the reactor, and upstream from the preheating of the products entering the reactor, and the temperature of the product to be treated, preheated by the thermal fluid, when it enters the reactor, is between the carbonization temperature T0 and T0-100° C. The product to be treated flows in at least one tube, where in at least one location therein, liquid is injected to create a liquid ring against the inner wall, and reduce pressure drops.

A fluidized bed biogasifier is provided for gasifying biosolids. The biogasifier includes a reactor vessel and a feeder for feeding biosolids into the reactor vessel at a desired feed rate during steady-state operation of the biogasifier. A fluidized bed in the base of the reactor vessel has a cross-sectional area that is proportional to at least the fuel feed rate such that the superficial velocity of gas is in the range of 0.1 m/s (0.33 ft/s) to 3 m/s (9.84 ft/s). In a method for gasifying biosolids, biosolids are fed into a fluidized bed reactor. Oxidant gases are applied to the fluidized bed reactor to produce a superficial velocity of producer gas in the range of 0.1 m/s (0.33 ft/s) to 3 m/s (9.84 ft/s). The biosolids are heated inside the fluidized bed reactor to a temperature range between 900° F. (482.2° C.) and 1700° F. (926.7° C.) in an oxygen-starved environment having a sub-stoichiometric oxygen level, whereby the biosolids are gasified.

A hierarchical catalyst composition comprising a continuous or particulate macroporous scaffold in which is incorporated mesoporous aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles, wherein an enzyme is embedded in mesopores of the mesoporous aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles. Methods for synthesizing the hierarchical catalyst composition are also described. Also described are processes that use the recoverable hierarchical catalyst composition for depolymerizing lignin, remediation of water contaminated with aromatic substances, polymerizing monomers by a free-radical mechanism, epoxidation of alkenes, halogenation of phenols, inhibiting growth and function of microorganisms in a solution, and carbon dioxide conversion to methanol. Further described are methods for increasing the space time yield and/or total turnover number of a liquid-phase chemical reaction that includes magnetic particles to facilitate the chemical reaction, the method comprising subjecting the chemical reaction to a plurality of magnetic fields of selected magnetic strength, relative position in the chemical reaction, and relative motion.

A bio-derived polymer matrix composite originating from a single wastewater stream and a method for the production of such bio-derived polymer matrix composites from a single wastewater stream are herein disclosed. The process disclosed allows production of both the bio-derived polymer matrix and the additive, the main constituents of the composite, at the same time from a unique wastewater stream source. In a preferred embodiment, this invention is applied but not limited to the production of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) composite from a single olive mill wastewater (OMW) stream. An application of such composites is represented by but not limited to the use as materials to make agricultural items.

A method for the manufacture of a high alumina hydraulic binder comprising hydrating a source of aluminium ions with a source of calcium ions in the presence of water to form mineral hydrates and subsequently heating said mineral hydrates to form said high alumina hydraulic binder.

Exemplary apparatus or method implementations for a universal feeder system configured with a transfer screw feeder within a multi-section clamshell pipe permitting access to the feed screw and pipe interior for inspection, maintenance and/or cleaning during production, without disassembly or screw removal. The clamshell screw feeder pipe provides access to the screw by opening or removing the multi-section top portion of the clamshell pipe. The top pipe section is bolted and or hinges to the bottom portion of the clamshell pipe. The number of segmented multiple clamshell top sections depends on the length of the screw. One or more clamshell top sections may be configured with an inspection port. The universal feeder system configured with a transfer screw feeder within a multi-section clamshell pipe transfers feedstock feed from one or more feed vessels to one or more reactor vessel.

The disclosure relates to a treatment method for sludge utilization in a sewage treatment plant, in particular to a method for reducing heavy metal content of sludge-based biocoke. The disclosure includes following steps (1) to (5): step (1): concentrating a residual sludge produced by a municipal sewage treatment plant to be with a moisture content of 95-98%; step (2): conditioning the concentrated sludge in a sludge bioleaching tank for 48 hours, with a pH value of the sludge being reduced to below 4.5; step (3): pumping the conditioned sludge into a high-pressure diaphragm plate and frame for a press filter dewatering to obtain a dewatered cake with a moisture content less than or equal to 50%; step (4): delivering the dewatered cake into a sludge dryer for crushing, heating and drying to obtain the dried sludge with a moisture content of 15-22%; and step (5): carbonizing the dried sludge into sludge-based biocoke at a high temperature in a pyrolytic carbonization device with a carbonization temperature of 500-650.

Systems and methods associated with biomass decomposition are generally described. Certain embodiments are related to adjusting a flow rate of a fluid comprising oxygen into a reactor in which biomass is decomposed. The adjustment may be made, at least in part, based upon a measurement of a characteristic of the reactor and/or a characteristic of the biomass. Certain embodiments are related to cooling at least partially decomposed biomass. The biomass may be cooled by flowing a gas over an outlet conduit in which the biomass is cooled, and then directing the gas to a reactor after it has flowed over the outlet conduit. Certain embodiments are related to systems comprising a reactor and an outlet conduit configured such that greater than or equal to 75% of its axially projected cross-sectional area is occupied by a conveyor. Certain embodiments are related to systems comprising a reactor comprising an elongated compartment having a longitudinal axis arranged substantially vertically and an outlet conduit comprising a conveyor.