Process for treating solid waste containing an organic fraction, comprising an initial step of extrusion pressing the waste with production of a solid fraction and a liquor. The solid fraction is subjected to a milling treatment at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure in a rotary mill that produces a sanitized dry solid and water. The liquor is subjected to a treatment of anaerobic digestion in three subsequent steps, with production of biogas and of a digestate that is subjected to evaporation under vacuum to obtain a concentrated compost and steam, re-used in other steps of the process. The sanitized dry solid and the biogas can be used as fuel to produce thermal and electric energy to be used in the process, which also allows surplus energy to be obtained.

A bin for containing an apple mash within a cider press, the bin including a multiple of staves interconnected and held together by a cable threaded through each stave. Preferably, an upper cable and a lower cable hold the staves together, with each cable received into a first terminal stave and threaded through a multiple of staves in sequence, to a second terminal stave. The cabled bin resists bending, to maintain tension and to form a full circle when bent, while rebounding flat when released. To secure the bin in the curved, cylindrical or tubular form, the bin includes a bin latch to lock the first terminal stave to the second terminal stave. When the bin is not in use in the cider press, it can be stored and easily cleaned by lying-out flat, requiring much less storage space compared to traditional bins in fruit presses.

Methods and systems for processing incineration byproduct from waste incinerators, ash purification and recovery of materials and metals. High levels of aggregate and metals recovery and ash purification are achieved for residual ash with reduced environmental contaminants.

Methods and systems for processing incineration byproduct from waste incinerators, ash purification and recovery of materials and metals. High levels of aggregate and metals recovery and ash purification are achieved for residual ash with reduced environmental contaminants.

Organic waste is polished to remove floatable contaminants prior to being biologically treated. In one application, pressed organic waste is polished before being sent to a wet anaerobic digester, optionally to be co-digested with wastewater treatment plant sludge. The organic waste is polished by flinging globs of the organic waste against a screen (3,4) while flowing air across the flinging globs. The polishing can be performed in a device having a rotor (6) with discrete paddles (9,10) inside of a cylindrical screen (2,3,4).

A process for the preparation of a concentrated filter cake from an admixture of partially-decomposed organic material and a polar liquid using a filter press without the input of thermal heat or superheated steam or other pressurized gas or liquid is provided by this invention. The admixture is mixed with an additional amount of the polar liquid to produce a feed slurry of the admixture having a moisture content of about 90-99% wt. The resulting slurry admixture is then introduced into the filter press having a plurality of filter plates with porous membranes secured along their outlet. The pressure condition introduced inside the filter plate chambers is increased by a pressurized gas or liquid to force the polar liquid from the admixture slurry though apertures contained in the membrane, thereby leaving a filter cake of the partially-decomposed organic material having a moisture content that is lower than the moisture content of the initial partially-decomposed organic material feed. The process and its equipment may be used to treat a variety of partially-decomposed organic material/polar liquid slurry admixtures, including high moisture peat containing water, and reduce the moisture content of the resulting peat filter cake to as low as 60% wt.

A process for the preparation of a concentrated filter cake from an admixture of partially-decomposed organic material and a polar liquid using a filter press without the input of thermal heat or superheated steam or other pressurized gas or liquid is provided by this invention. The admixture is mixed with an additional amount of the polar liquid to produce a feed slurry of the admixture having a moisture content of about 90-99% wt. The resulting slurry admixture is then introduced into the filter press having a plurality of filter plates with porous membranes secured along their outlet. The pressure condition introduced inside the filter plate chambers is increased by a pressurized gas or liquid to force the polar liquid from the admixture slurry though apertures contained in the membrane, thereby leaving a filter cake of the partially-decomposed organic material having a moisture content that is lower than the moisture content of the initial partially-decomposed organic material feed. The process and its equipment may be used to treat a variety of partially-decomposed organic material/polar liquid slurry admixtures, including high moisture peat containing water, and reduce the moisture content of the resulting peat filter cake to as low as 60% wt.

A method for the forced dewatering, by pressing, of saline residues produced by drinking water production, or by the treatment of municipal or industrial wastewaters, in which method the saline residues are introduced into the cylinder (12a) of a piston press (12) comprising flexible drains (12e) formed by flexible sheaths from a material that is permeable to liquid but impermeable to solids, each drain (12e) comprising an inner passage that opens into an associated opening (12g), the press operating in batches, and characterized in that during pressing, the piston carries out reciprocal movements and applies alternating and variable pressures to the sludge, while the flexible drains are deformed, the liquid pressed out from the product passing through the wall of the drains and being discharged as a filtrate, while the dewatered sludge remains outside the drains and is discharged by opening the press.

An apparatus for extracting juice from food matter. The apparatus includes a liquid impermeable compartment having an outer perimeter and a food matter region contained within the outer perimeter. A deployable outlet may be formed in the liquid impermeable compartment outside of the food matter region. A corresponding system and method are also disclosed and claimed herein.

A dual function garlic press comprises an upper handle having a plunger, a lower handle having a receiving chamber and a cutter grid. The cutter grid is pivotally connected to the first side of plunger. The upper handle is rotatable in relation to the lower handle about a vertical axis between a first position where the first side of the plunger faces towards the receiving chamber when the upper handle and the lower handle are at the close position, and a second position where the second side of the plunger is juxtaposed to the bottom of the receiving chamber when the upper handle and the lower handle are at the close position to crush the item in the receiving chamber.