The invention is directed to a process to prepare a char product and a syngas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a solid torrefied biomass feed comprising the following steps: (i) subjecting the solid biomass feed to a pyrolysis reaction thereby obtaining a gaseous fraction comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a mixture of gaseous organic compounds and a solid fraction comprising of char particles; (ii) separating the char particles as the char product from the gaseous fraction; (iii) subjecting the gaseous fraction obtained in step (ii) to a continuously operated partial oxidation to obtain a syngas mixture further comprising water and having an elevated temperature and (iv) contacting the syngas mixture with a carbonaceous compound to chemically quench the syngas mixture. The temperature of the syngas is reduced in step (iv) from between 1000 and 1600° C. to a temperature of between 800 and 1200° C.

A liquid fertilizer is produced from off-gassed ammonia resulting from the processing of animal waste materials, particular animal manure. The vaporized ammonia is generated primarily by heating the animal waste materials and capturing the resulting vapors and particulate materials. The ammonia vapors and particles are removed from the gas stream through a scrubbing operation, which creates an ammonium-enriched liquid stream that can be concentrated into an organic fertilizer having a high-nitrogen content.

An assemblable appliance and method of recycling organic waste into biogas and liquid fertilizer, implementing essentially anaerobic digestion processes, is described. The assemblable appliance includes: a pliant structured exoskeletal envelope, pliable collapsible anaerobic digester and gas tank. A compact kit-of-parts for assembling the aforementioned appliance and respective method using the aforementioned appliance for recycling organic waste into biogas and liquid fertilizer are described.

An apparatus for recovering nutrients or water from digestate comprises one or more solid-liquid separation units, an ammonia stripping device, and a gas scrubbing unit. In a process, digestate is separated into a solids portion and a liquid portion. Ammonia is stripped from the liquid portion and converted into an ammonium salt solution which may be sold or used as, or blended with, a fertilizer product. Optionally, at least part of the remaining liquid portion may be concentrated to produce brine. The brine is mixed with the solids portion. The mixture may be dried and used as, or blended with, a fertilizer product. Optionally, a least part of the remaining liquid portion may be re-used as dilution water in a digester. A solids portion of the digestate, and one or both of an ammonium salt solution and a brine, may be used as fertilizer without thermal drying.

The disclosure provides for the separation and combustion of at least one hydrocarbon, oxygenate, sulfur compound, and or nitrogen compound, from industrial gas or gasification derived syngas to generate steam. A gasification process and a gas fermentation process may be integrated using tail gas from the fermentation process for the flame to combust tar and other compounds from the syngas generated by a gasification process. Integration may be achieved by removing tar and other compounds from industrial gas or gasification derived syngas using an adsorbent and regenerating the adsorbent using tail gas from the gas fermentation process. Tail gas enriched with the desorbed tar and other compounds may be used to generate steam in a steam boiler and the steam may be used for a variety of purposes including power generation to power, for example, a compressor of the gas fermentation process.

The invention is directed to a process to prepare a char product by pyrolysis or mild gasification of a solid biomass feed thereby obtaining a gaseous fraction comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a mixture of gaseous organic compounds and a solid fraction comprising of char particles having a reduced atomic hydrogen over carbon ratio and a reduced oxygen over carbon ratio relative to the solid biomass feed. The solid biomass feed are pellets of a solid torrefied biomass feed. The pyrolysis or mild gasification is performed at a temperature of between 500 and 800° C. and at a solid residence time of between 10 and 60 minutes.

A two-reactor catalytic system including a catalytic membrane gasification reactor and a catalytic membrane water gas shift reactor. The catalytic system, for converting biomass to hydrogen gas, features a novel gasification reactor containing both hollow fiber membranes that selectively allow O.sub.2 to permeate therethrough and a catalyst that facilitates tar reformation. Also disclosed is a process of converting biomass to H2. The process includes the steps of, among others, introducing air into a hollow fiber membrane; mixing the O.sub.2 permeating through the hollow fiber membrane and steam to react with biomass to produce syngas and tar; and reforming the tar in the presence of a catalyst to produce more syngas.

A composting bin for breaking down organic material includes a container having an interior and an opening. The interior includes a plurality of regions, including a first region and a second region. The first region and the second region are configured to support decomposable organic material. In operation, a user positions decomposable organic material in, for example, the first region. The user then provides a composting animal in the first region. The user covers the composting bin to inhibit light from entering the composting bin. Upon completion of the composting process, the user causes the composting animal to move from the first region to the second region. The user causes the composting animal to move from the first region to the second region by allowing light to enter the first region, and/or providing food in the second region while denying food in the first region.

A digester system comprising a primary digester tank containing a primary feed material portion, a secondary digester tank containing a secondary feed material portion, a first conduit connected between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank to define a primary tank lower opening within the primary digester tank and a secondary digester tank lower opening within the secondary digester tank, and a flow control valve configured to allow or prevent flow of fluid through the first conduit. When the flow control valve is configured to allow flow of fluid through the first conduit, a portion of the primary feed material portion flows from the primary digester tank to the secondary digester tank to form the secondary feed material portion.

A process is disclosed for creating biologically active soil or horticulture media for growing plants, wherein a fibrous carbon source such as coconut coir in a predetermined particulate form is mixed with fertilizers and other biological nutrients, inoculated with a biologically active substance such as worm castings and then aged or cured in an oxygen rich aerobic process. After which additional nutrients can be added to tailor the aged media for a specific sue. Various apparatus with which to conduct the aging process are also described. In a variation of the process used soil or horticulture media is recharged by first composting at a high temperature to remove harmful and unwanted items, its contents are evaluated, nutrients are added, and it is then aged in an aerobic process.