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US 12,545,611 B2Granted
Sludge processing and treatment methods
OwnerBuford Harold Denton Summers, IIIinventor
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Abstract
Methods of treating sludge to remove solid waste are disclosed. The methods can include one or more of agitation, atomization, chemical treatment, and biological treatment. Particularly advantageous methods of treating sludge can be achieved with agitation and atomization alone. Articles and devices for treating the sludge are further disclosed. The methods of treating sludge can be used for agricultural, industrial, or municipal sludge.
Claims17
A sludge treatment method comprising the steps of:
- a) degrading the sludge to form a degraded sludge using high shear processing, wherein the high shear processing comprises the steps of attaching a removable shear inducing structure to an output of a pump external to the removable shear inducing structure, and pumping the sludge through the shear inducing structure to reduce the mass of solid waste within the sludge by about 35% or more through physical and chemical degradation of the sludge from shear forces generated by the removable shear inducing structure;
- and
- b) optionally adding to the degraded sludge one or more of a chemical oxidant to chemically oxidize solids in the degraded sludge;
- and aerobic bacteria, facultative bacteria and combinations thereof to biologically metabolize solids in the degraded sludge;
- and
- wherein the removable shear inducing structure comprises a fluid opening, a planar flow interruption structure, and a fluid output;
- and
- wherein the planar flow interruption structure comprises a planar obstruction to the fluid opening and forms the fluid output.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.