The description describes the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The one or more effluents which can be recycled include a stream comprising microbial biomass, a product stream comprising at least a portion of the at least one fermentation product, a by-product stream comprising fusel oil, and a waste water stream comprising microbial biomass. The stream comprising biomass can be dried before it is passed to the gasification zone. At least a portion of the waste water stream can be passed to the gasification process where one use is to replace at least a portion of the process water. The waste water stream can be further processed to produce a clarified water stream and a biogas stream comprising methane either or both of which can be passed to the gasification process.

A multi-functional slurry processing system (“VARCOR”) and associated methods is disclosed. The present examples provide a multi-functional slurry processing system incorporating systems and methods for separating liquid and solid components in slurries. In particular the systems and methods described herein produce clean water, dried solids, and potential concentration of desirable constituents with a boiling point lower than water. At least one example of the multi-functional slurry processing system provides a self-contained processing facility configured to efficiently convert high water-content slurries into its constituent solid and liquid fractions and subsequently generating and collecting clean water and concentrating desirable constituents with a boiling point lower than water. The multi-functional slurry processing system advantageously applies thermodynamic principles in a system which may include various combinations of a preheater, a degassing unit, a dryer, a steam filter, a compressor, a concentrating tower, and a condensation unit.

Disclosed are partial nitritation using a sequencing batch reaction tank with media inputted thereinto, and an apparatus and system for shortcut nitrogen removal using the same. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, a sequencing batch reaction tank operating apparatus and method capable of smoothly performing partial nitritation by adjusting the concentrations of free ammonia and free nitrous acid are provided.

A system includes: an intake tube operably connected to a power plant, the intake tube configured to transport exhaust from the power plant; a drill configured to create a hole in the side of the plant usable to receive exhaust generated by the plant, the drill configured to remain in place and function as the intake tube, the system further comprising a cooling tube operably connected to the intake tube, the cooling tube configured to receive the exhaust from the intake tube; a U-shaped tube operably connected to the cooling tube, the U-shaped tube comprising a mister configured to generate a mist; and a vacuum tube fan operably connected to the U-shaped tube, the mister configured to cause the cooled exhaust and the heated liquid to bond so as to create a sludge, the sludge falling to a bottom of the system, the sludge being removed from the system.

The present invention relates to a method for treating an aqueous liquid effluent containing calcium and carbonate ions and containing precipitation-inhibiting products, said process comprising the following successive steps: a) providing an aqueous liquid effluent supersaturated with CaCO.sub.3 and containing precipitation-inhibiting products; b) having the effluent obtained in step a) pass into a reactor with high solid content with a solid content maintained between 20 and 800 g/l and integrated solid-liquid separation, at a pH comprised between 8 and 9.2 allowing in a single step precipitation in situ of the aragonite polymorph of calcium carbonate and removal of the precipitation-inhibiting products; c) recovering an aqueous liquid supernatant containing a suspended solids content of less than or equal to 0.1% by mass of the solid content in the reactor, advantageously a suspended solids content of less than 50 mg/l, the precipitation-inhibiting products being phosphonates.

The present invention relates to a method for treating an aqueous liquid effluent containing calcium and carbonate ions and containing precipitation-inhibiting products, said process comprising the following successive steps: a) providing an aqueous liquid effluent supersaturated with CaCO.sub.3 and containing precipitation-inhibiting products; b) having the effluent obtained in step a) pass into a reactor with high solid content with a solid content maintained between 20 and 800 g/l and integrated solid-liquid separation, at a pH comprised between 8 and 9.2 allowing in a single step precipitation in situ of the aragonite polymorph of calcium carbonate and removal of the precipitation-inhibiting products; c) recovering an aqueous liquid supernatant containing a suspended solids content of less than or equal to 0.1% by mass of the solid content in the reactor, advantageously a suspended solids content of less than 50 mg/l, the precipitation-inhibiting products being phosphonates.

A method of removing phosphates from water in a continuous process, the method comprising the steps of: (a) passing the water through a first zone in which the pH is adjusted; and (b) passing the water through a second zone in which the water is contacted with magnesium ions; wherein the water is contacted with ammonia in the first zone and/or in the second zone.

Methods and systems for treating tailings at an elevated pH using lime are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises (i) providing a tailings stream comprising bicarbonates and a pH less than 9.0, (ii) adding a coagulant comprising calcium hydroxide to the tailings stream to form a mixture having a pH of at least 11.5 and a soluble calcium level no more than 800 mg/L, and (iii) dewatering the mixture to produce a product having a solids content of at least 40% by weight. In some embodiments, the pH and soluble calcium level of the mixture cause chemical modification of clay materials of the mixture via pozzolanic reactions. In some embodiments, the undrained shear strength of the product increases over a period of time of at least two days.

Methods and systems for treating tailings at an elevated pH using lime are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises (i) providing a tailings stream comprising bicarbonates and a pH less than 9.0, (ii) adding a coagulant comprising calcium hydroxide to the tailings stream to form a mixture having a pH of at least 11.5 and a soluble calcium level no more than 800 mg/L, and (iii) dewatering the mixture to produce a product having a solids content of at least 40% by weight. In some embodiments, the pH and soluble calcium level of the mixture cause chemical modification of clay materials of the mixture via pozzolanic reactions. In some embodiments, the undrained shear strength of the product increases over a period of time of at least two days.

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.