In a method for physical and thermochemical treatment of biomass, the biomass moisture content is reduced in a dryer and ammonia (NH.sub.3) is also released from the biomass during drying. The dried biomass is then either pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis reactor and the pyrolysis gas is forwarded to and combusted in a combustion device to form flue gas, or is combusted in a combustion facility unit to form flue gas. In either case the flue gas is fed to a mixer. Oxygen (O.sub.2) is metered to the flue gas in the mixer and is fed directly to the dryer as drying gas. As the drying gas passes through the dryer, the sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) contained in the drying gas and/or the sulfur trioxide (SO.sub.3) chemically reacts with the ammonia (NH.sub.3) to form ammonium sulfite ((NH.sub.4).sub.2SO.sub.3) and/or ammonium sulfate ((NH.sub.4).sub.2SO.sub.4). Also a treatment facility physically and thermochemically treats the biomass.

Methods are provided for treating intimately dispersed mixtures of water, bitumen, and fine clay particles, such as oil sands mature fine tailings (MFT). Select methods use dissolved silicate ions and a base (alkali), optionally in combination with a biopolymer, to flocculate a slurry. A mixing regime is disclosed involving the addition to MFT of silicate ions in solution and alkali, to initiate aggregation/destabilization of clay particles. Methods are exemplified that provide distinct sediment layers in conjunction with the release of residual bitumen (for example 40-50% of the initial bitumen content). In these exemplified embodiments, a densely packed bottom layer containing ˜75 wt. % solids showed high yield stress values (3.5-5.5 kPa) and entrapped little residual bitumen (0.2-0.3 wt. %). The methods accordingly segregate a material suitable for reclamation.

At least one aspect of the technology provides a self-contained processing facility configured to convert organic, high water-content waste, such as fecal sludge and garbage, into electricity while also generating and collecting potable water.

A method of preparing and separating biopolymers and biopolymer fractions is useful for wastewater treatment applications from sewage sludge. The method comprising the steps of disrupting the bacterial cell walls of bacteria present in the sewage sludge by at least 75% to release the intracellular contents of the bacterial cells and separating the biopolymers from any contaminants present.

The invention relates to a method of producing a binder comprising the steps of preparing (20) a residual material comprising amorphous alumina-rich and/or aluminium hydroxide-rich constituents, heating (30) the residual material to produce a fired material, the heating (30) of the residual material being at a temperature of >800° C.

An oil sludge pyrolysis device, including an outer cylinder body and an inner cylinder body, a spiral conveyor belt being provided on an inner wall of the inner cylinder body, and thermally conductive pipes being provided on the spiral conveyor belt. The device enlarges the heat exchange area during oil sludge pyrolysis, improves the heat exchange efficiency and the heat utilization rate, and increases the pyrolysis speed of oil sludge at a low temperature.

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.

The invention relates to the use of a hydraulic binder containing calcium aluminate, obtainable by a method in which a) prepared amorphous residual material rich in aluminium oxide and/or aluminium hydroxide is heated after the addition of a b) calcium ion-containing binder component and c) water, for the production of a constructing material.

A method for processing water treatment residuals, or other amorphous aluminium oxide or aluminium hydroxide rich waste residuals, for use in the manufacture of hydraulic binders, comprising heating the residuals to remove water and oxidise organic material contained therein, comprising controlling the temperature of the residuals during heating such that they are heated to a temperature no higher than 800° C., more preferably no higher than 650° C., to ensure that aluminium compounds in the WTR, in particular aluminium oxide and aluminium hydroxide, remain in an amorphous state. The method may comprise controlling the temperature of the water treatment residuals such that they are heated to a temperature between 350° C. and 650° C., more preferably between 400° C. and 500° C.

There is described a system and a process for optimizing and controlling upstream fluid treatment processes using information on fluid characteristics obtained from response variables of a separation device (such as the belt speed or water level of an RBF). This system and process allow for the upstream or downstream treatment processes to be adjusted and optimized against the instantaneous operating conditions of the separation device such that both the pre-treatment and post-treatment processes and the separation system always run at an optimal efficiency. Additionally, since the information obtained from the response variables of the separation device truly reflect the fluid characteristics at the point where the separation system is installed, the same can be used to control a downstream process (for example, the amount of oxygen required in the biological oxidation stage or the sludge retention time in an side stream sludge treatment process such as fermentation or anaerobic digestion).