Abstract: A method and plant for recovering phosphate from a biomass material, the biomass material suitably being a waste activated sludge from an upstream wastewater treatment process including a biological P removal process. The method includes an anaerobic digestion stage and steps for recovering independent streams rich in PO4 and Mg, or rich in PO4 and NH4, thereby increasing the amount of P recovered and avoiding struvite formation in the anaerobic digester and accessory equipment thereof, such as pipes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for generating steam and recovering salts during a lignocellulosic conversion process. The process comprises de-salting a still bottoms stream; incinerating a stream comprising lignin and the de-salted still bottoms stream in an incinerator; and utilizing the heat generated from said incinerating to produce steam. Further provided is a process that comprises feeding a concentrated still bottoms stream to a crystallizer and forming insoluble solids therein comprising salts. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for recovering salts from a lignocellulosic conversion process, which process comprises the addition of solvent to a still bottoms stream to precipitate salts therefrom. Also provided is a still bottoms composition, a fertilizer product and a composition for incineration.

Abstract: A method for producing phosphates and/or compounds containing phosphates is provided, in particular alkaline-earth phosphates, alkaline-earth silicophosphates, and alkaline-earth oxides, comprising the following steps: (a) heating bones and/or fish bones or a composition of said components in a pyrolysis process in the absence of oxygen and under reductive conditions at temperatures between 500 and 1100° C., wherein among other things high-energy gases, vapors, and carbon are produced, (b) subsequently combusting the carbon produced in step (a) under oxidative conditions in an oxidation step, wherein an inorganic radical of alkaline-earth carbonates, alkaline-earth oxides, and alkaline-earth phosphates is produced.

Abstract: A method of treating a mixture of microorganisms with readily biodegradable carbon compounds (RBCs) in the form of one or more volatile fatty acids (VFAs), by first inducing the mixture microorganisms to release phosphorus and magnesium which is then tapped o as the mixture is thickened, to produce a phosphorus/magnesium-nch liquid and a phosphorus/magnesium-reduced treated mixture This treated mixture is placed in an anaerobic digester where ammonia is formed, but combines very little with phosphorus or magnesium Next the high-ammonia mixture is dewatered to produce an ammonia-rich liquid, which is combined with the phosphorus and magnesium-rich liquid and reacted to form struvite In one preferred embodiment, VFAs are formed in situ via an upstream unified fermentation and thickening (UFAT) process and added to the waste sidestream to strip phosphorus and magnesium found therein In another preferred embodiment a usable struvite product is harvested.