Abstract: A procedure for producing a liquid fertilizing product from a biosolids cake that has been de-watered to a biosolids content of 18% or more. The procedure includes positioning a process amount of the biosolids cake in a reactor vessel, heating the biosolids cake process amount, and adding a quantity of an alkali and mixing it into the process amount of the biosolids cake to form a reactor mixture. The reactor mixture incubated for a period, and then cooled. The alkali includes pH-raising and hydrolysis-procuring components. The quantity of alkali in relating to the biosolids process amount is sufficient that a residual amount of the alkali remains in the cooled reactor mixture, the pH of the reactor mixture remains at a saturation level during and after the incubation period, and the cooled reaction mixture is pumpable.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the drying and re-hydration of high solids Biosolids cake to be converted into a pumpable organic liquid fertilizer. This process may be carried out at ambient pressure without aggressive shearing of the mixture of added process water and the high solids Biosolids cake. The drying step removes the bound water, while the re-hydration step includes mixing which breaks down the particulate matter to produce a fairly homogeneous suspension.

Abstract: A biosolids cake treatment process comprising mixing a biosolids cake having more than 10% solids with an alkali to bring the mixture's pH to 11 or higher, heating the mixture to 80° C. or more and dewatering the heated mixture. The dewatered product can be used as a fertilizer and the separated liquid fraction can be fed back to digesters. The alkali can be one or more of or a mixture of calcium oxide (CaO), calcium hydroxide (CaOH), and lime.

Abstract: A procedure for producing a liquid fertilizing product from a biosolids cake that has been de-watered to a biosolids content of 18% or more. The procedure includes positioning a process amount of the biosolids cake in a reactor vessel, heating the biosolids cake process amount, and adding a quantity of an alkali and mixing it into the process amount of the biosolids cake to form a reactor mixture. The reactor mixture incubated for a period, and then cooled. The alkali includes pH-raising and hydrolysis-procuring components. The quantity of alkali in relating to the biosolids process amount is sufficient that a residual amount of the alkali remains in the cooled reactor mixture, the pH of the reactor mixture remains at a saturation level during and after the incubation period, and the cooled reaction mixture is pumpable.

Abstract: A method of forming a fertilizer product having a preselected viscosity. The method includes forming a mixture including a biosolids cake having biosolids defining a biosolids content thereof, and alkali in a predetermined amount based on the biosolids content of the biosolids cake. Sufficient process liquid is included in the mixture to result in the fertilizer product having a product biosolids content of up to approximately 16% by weight of the fertilizer product. With a mixing element, the mixture is mixed for a predetermined time period. The mixing element rotates at a predetermined tip speed during the predetermined time period, to produce the fertilizer product.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the invention a testing procedure, a processing procedure and a resulting product are provided whereby sewage sludge is primarily or firstly pre-hydrolyzed in whole or in part by means other than alkali. The alkali is then added to the pre-hydrolyzed product. The pre-hydrolyzed product from step one has a reduced potential for further hydrolysis and is more effectively stabilized in step 2 as a liquid biosolids-containing product or BSP. As a result, in accordance with the invention less of the alkali is used up in the step 2 further alkali-based hydrolysis of the pre-hydrolyzed product. The pH of the BSP product after the step 2 alkali treatment drops less over the period of storage and the BSP product will be better preserved against microbial regrowth.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the invention a testing procedure, a processing procedure and a resulting product are provided whereby sewage sludge is primarily or firstly pre-hydrolysed in whole or in part by means other than alkali. The alkali is then added to the pre-hydrolysed product. The pre-hydrolysed product from step one has a reduced potential for further hydrolysis and is more effectively stabilized in step 2 as a liquid biosolids-containing product or BSP. As a result, in accordance with the invention less of the alkali is used up in the step 2 further alkali-based hydrolysis of the pre-hydrolysed product. The pH of the BSP product after the step 2 alkali treatment drops less over the period of storage and the BSP product will be better preserved against microbial regrowth.

Abstract: Paunch-sludge from an abattoir is mixed with the fatty DAF-float from an abattoir, and placed in a shearing vessel. The mixture of the two material thickens the medium in which the matted strands are contained, enabling shearing to be more effective; so much so that paunch-sludge can now be sheared to a homogeneous liquid. The technique can be used with other sludges and other fatty waste materials.

Abstract: When liquefying sludge, e.g as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,636, the combination of temperature, pH, and shearing, is synergistic. Described here is a system that provides for collating test sampling and full-scale data inputs, recording achieved results and the engineering parameters that achieved those particular results. The data is presented in e.g a table format, which assists design engineers to zero-in on the combinations of parameters that will likely give the desired results.

Abstract: Hydrophobic contaminants are removed from sludge that has been liquidized by violent shearing, by stirring a hydrophobic sorbent substance material into the sludge. After a period of time in which the contaminants are sorbed into the sorbent, the sorbent substance is separated from the sludge by gravity-settling, centrifuging, etc, where the sorbent is a liquid, or by filtration etc where the sorbent is a solid. Some sorbents have a melting point such that the sorbent can be liquid for good dispersal in heated sludge, and then can be solid when the sludge has cooled, whereby the sorbent can be removed e.g by filtration. Liquefaction by violent shearing causes the biosolids in the sludge to go into solution, which leaves the hydrophobic contaminants more available to be sorbed.

Abstract: Hydrophobic contaminants are removed from sludge that has been liquidized by violent shearing, by stirring a hydrophobic sorbent substance material into the sludge. After a period of time in which the contaminants are sorbed into the sorbent, the sorbent substance is separated from the sludge by gravity-settling, centrifuging, etc, where the sorbent is a liquid, or by filtration etc where the sorbent is a solid. Some sorbents have a melting point such that the sorbent can be liquid for good dispersal in heated sludge, and then can be solid when the sludge has cooled, whereby the sorbent can be removed e.g by filtration. Liquefaction by violent shearing causes the biosolids in the sludge to go into solution, which leaves the hydrophobic contaminants more available to be sorbed.

Abstract: Paunch-sludge from an abattoir is mixed with the fatty DAF-float from an abattoir, and placed in a shearing vessel. The mixture of the two material thickens the medium in which the matted strands are contained, enabling shearing to be more effective; so much so that paunch-sludge can now be sheared to a homogeneous liquid. The technique can be used with other sludges and other fatty waste materials.

Abstract: Sewage sludge that has been de-watered to 25% solids is subjected to a combination of shearing and heating that liquefies the sludge, and drops its viscosity to below 12,000 cP. The fact of liquefaction prepares the sludge such that subsequent drying can be done more cost-effectively than hitherto. After drying, the dried sludge can be incinerated.

Abstract: Already-treated sludge is fed back into incoming sewage, and is effective to supply nutrients needed for the microbiological breakdown of the sludge. The feedback sludge has a solids content of 10% or more, and has been sheared and heated to drive its viscosity down to 10,000 cP or less. In sludge done that way, nutrients are preserved and presented to the sewage to be treated in highly liquidized and solubilized form, whereby the nutrients are very bio-available to the microbes in the sewage. Large improvements in the elimination of biomass can result.

Abstract: Already-treated sludge is fed back into incoming sewage, and is effective to supply nutrients needed for the microbiological breakdown of the sludge. The feedback sludge has a solids content of 10% or more, and has been sheared and heated to drive its viscosity down to 10,000 cP or less. In sludge done that way, nutrients are preserved and presented to the sewage to be treated in highly liquidised and solubilised form, whereby the nutrients are very bio-available to the microbes in the sewage. Large improvements in the elimination of biomass can result.

Abstract: When liquefying sludge, e.g as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,636, the combination of temperature, pH, and shearing, is synergistic. Described here is a system that provides for collating test sampling and full-scale data inputs, recording achieved results and the engineering parameters that achieved those particular results. The data is presented in e.g a table format, which assists design engineers to zero-in on the combinations of parameters that will likely give the desired results.

Abstract: Sewage sludge that has been de-watered to 25% solids is subjected to a combination of shearing and heating that liquefies the sludge, and drops its viscosity to below 12,000 cP. The fact of liquefaction prepares the sludge such that subsequent drying can be done more cost-effectively than hitherto. After drying, the dried sludge can be incinerated.