Disclosed are methods and machines for removing volatile compounds from sludge. Additionally, disclosed are methods and machines for removing pathogens from sludge.

A system and method for cracking sludge, comprising first and second decant vessels for receiving and continuous processing, which decant vessels include an outlet for decanting selectively separated watery residue to a drain and cracked decanted SPN solids to a transport, with graduated heat matrix processing of the sludge at sensor-monitored temperature and dwell time for cracking the sludge, and a programmable controller responsive to temperature and level sensors for adjusting the heat media communicated through the heat matrix and for determining completion of a sludge cracking process, with a heat member providing pre-process agitation of the sludge as an influent filing the decant vessel and elevating the temperature to a pre-process temperature over ambient.

System and method for volume reduction solids treatment for fecal waste are described. The system can include a pasteurizer (102) configured to receive a slurry batch and heat the slurry batch at an elevated temperature for a time period to produce a pathogen free slurry. The system can also include a mechanical dewatering press (104) configured to compress the pathogen free slurry to separate a liquid phase from a volume reduced solid waste. The volume reduced solid waste being formed into a feces cake. The system can also include a means to remove the liquid phase and a drying tunnel (106) comprising a conveyor housed and an air duct system. The air duct system configured to propel forced air over the feces cake.

System (100) and method for processing biomass. The system comprises a combined heat and power plant (102), an interface (114) for feeding biogas to a traffic fuel production unit, interfaces (114) to a district heating system (106a) and an electrical grid (106b), and a hydrolysis device (108), a digestion device (110), a dryer (116) and a heat recovery unit (112), which are operatively coupled for transferring heat, intermediate products and final products of the process, wherein raw biomass is received into the hydrolysis device (108), biomass processed by the hydrolysis device (108) is fed to the digestion device (110), biogas obtained in the digestion device (110) is fed to the traffic fuel production unit (104), heat is recovered from the hydrolysis device (108), biomass processed by the digestion device (110) is dried by the heat recovered from the hydrolysis device (108), heat is recovered from the dryer (116), heat recovered from the dryer (116) is fed to the hydrolysis device (108) to be used in pre-heating of the received raw biomass, heat recovered from the dryer (116) is fed to the district heating (106a), and production of electricity is fueled by the dried biomass from the dryer (116).

A product, including digestate, that has been pasteurized through thermal hydrolysis, thermal alkaline hydrolysis, or thermal carbonization is cured to enhance its marketability. Variations of this disclosure include embodiments where pasteurized material is inoculated to further enhance marketability where the inoculation is performed by injecting a fungicide, other means of inoculation by injecting beneficial microorganisms to produce characteristics in digestate that are anti-fungal or produce suitable enzyme cofactors or nutrients to stabilize digestate, injections of vitamins to enhance the ability of plants grown using select digestate to thrive in adverse conditions, injection of chemicals to enhance the ability of digestate to retain heat and prevent freezing during wintry conditions, or any combination thereof. Other embodiments include using recycled waste heat generated from wastewater treatment or another process or solar energy for accelerating the drying process which occurs before, during or after curing.

Disclosed is a waste processing plant and method of processing waste biomass. The plant includes a waste receiving apparatus for receiving biomass waste and processing it into a liquid stream before passing it to, anaerobic hydrolysis tanks for hydrolysis, acidification and acetylation of the stream, before passing it to, a heat exchanger for raising the temperature of the stream to a pasteurization temperature, pasteurization tanks for holding the stream at the pasteurization temperature to ensure adequate pasteurization before passing it to, and anaerobic methanogenesis tanks for anaerobic digestion of a portion of the stream into biogas. Also included is a centrifugation apparatus to separate oil from the stream, wherein at least a portion of the stream which is downstream of the hydrolysis tank(s) and upstream of the methanogenesis tank(s), and which has a temperature of above 68 C., is centrifuged by the centrifugation apparatus to remove a portion of the oil.

A system and methods comprising a greenhouse for predrying a biosolids to reduce volume and weight; a conveyer belt operably connected to the greenhouse for conveying the biosolids from the greenhouse to a pasteurization system; the pasteurization system comprising a burner-fan to introduce hot air to the biosolids; the pasteurization system comprising a heat up belt to accept the biosolids from the greenhouse and a burner-fan for raising the biosolids temperature from ambient to at least 70 C.; the pasteurization system further comprising a pasteurization belt to hold the biosolids at 70 C. for at least thirty minutes; a biofilter system operably connected with the greenhouse and the pasteurization system for reducing odors; and bagging area to collect a final product.

An apparatus, method and system is provided for treating sewage sludge by dewatering the sewage sludge, heating the sewage sludge being treated to destroy pathogens, and then reducing volatile solids in the sewage sludge being treated through biochemical decomposition to produce a treated biosolids product that meets government regulations for pathogen reduction and vector attraction reduction.

This invention proposes the use of Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) at different temperatures and pressures in alternate waste streams to achieve an optimal mix of high digestion rates and pasteurization rates while still achieving large viscosity reduction. In the disclosed embodiments means of combining Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) and Pasteurization including but not limited to placing the waste streams in parallel, placing them in series, utilizing heat input in parallel and heat exchangers in series are explored to optimize hydrolysis rates, minimize the use of high pressure tanks, optimize energy used, and manage viscosity characteristics of the solids.

Methods and systems for manipulating varied biological recyclable streams to produce agricultural admixtures are herein described. The resulting agricultural admixtures can be used to enhance crop yield, or as an animal provender. Managing the sources of varied biological recyclable streams can afford agricultural admixtures with controlled properties.