Systems and methods for environmentally undisruptive disposal of food waste

A system for converting food waste into bio-energy, the system comprising:

• a receiving module that directs a food waste stream based on relative levels of fats and carbohydrates of food waste within the food waste stream, wherein the receiving module directs at least a portion of the food waste stream into a first feedstock that comprises food waste having a fats content that exceeds a fats threshold value and a second feedstock that comprises food waste having a carbohydrates content that exceeds a carbohydrates threshold value;
• a fats processing module configured to receive and alter the first feedstock;
• a carbohydrates processing module configured to receive and alter the second feedstock;
• and
• a fluidized bed combustion module configured to combust feedstock delivered thereto,
• wherein at least a portion of the first feedstock is delivered to the fats processing module and is converted to one or more of bio-diesel and glycerin and at least a portion of the first feedstock is delivered to the fluidized bed combustion module and is combusted, and
• wherein at least a portion of the second feedstock is delivered to the carbohydrates processing module and is converted to ethanol and at least a portion of the second feedstock is delivered to the fluidized bed combustion module and is combusted.

A system for converting food waste into bio-energy, the system comprising:

• a food waste stream comprising a first feedstock that comprises food waste having a fats content above a fats threshold value and a second feedstock that comprises food waste having a carbohydrates content above a carbohydrates threshold value;
• a fats processing module configured to produce bio-diesel from a portion of the first feedstock;
• a carbohydrates processing module configured to produce ethanol from a portion of the second feedstock;
• and
• a fluidized bed combustion module configured to combust feedstock delivered thereto,
• wherein when the fluidized bed combustion module is operational to combust materials received therein, a rate of delivery of portions of the first and second feedstocks into the fluidized bed combustion module is controlled such that the fluidized bed combustion module remains operational to combust materials received therein and such that electricity produced using heat generated by the fluidized bed combustion module is sufficient to maintain operation of the system substantially without input of energy sources other than the food waste stream into the system.

A method of converting food waste into bio-energy, the method comprising:

• providing a system that comprises a fats processing module, a carbohydrates processing module, a fluidized bed combustion module, and a steam processing module;
• separating fats from a first feedstock that comprises food waste having a fats content that exceeds a fats threshold value;
• producing bio-diesel from the fats via the fats processing module;
• producing ethanol from a second feedstock that comprises food waste having a carbohydrates content that exceeds a carbohydrates threshold value via the carbohydrates processing module;
• combusting an input feedstock via the fluidized bed combustion module, wherein the input feedstock comprises at least a portion of the first feedstock that is not converted to bio-diesel and at least a portion of the second feedstock that is not converted to ethanol;
• generating electricity and low-pressure steam via the steam processing module;
• and
• regulating the content and feed rate of the input feedstock into the fluidized bed combustion module so as to maintain substantially continuous operation of the fluidized bed combustion module and so as to generate sufficient electricity and process steam to operate the system substantially without using energy sources other than the input feedstock.

A method of converting food waste into bio-energy, the method comprising:

• providing a system that comprises a rendering module, a fats processing module, a carbohydrates processing module, and a fluidized bed combustion module;
• channeling a food waste stream into a first feedstock that comprises food waste having a fats content above a fats threshold value, a second feedstock that comprises food waste having a carbohydrates content above a carbohydrates threshold value, and a third feedstock that comprises food waste having both a fats content above the fats threshold value and a carbohydrates content above the carbohydrates threshold value;
• separating fats from the first feedstock and from the third feedstock via the rendering module;
• producing bio-diesel via the fats processing module from the fats separated from the first feedstock and from the fats separated from the third feedstock via the rendering module;
• producing ethanol via the carbohydrates processing module from the second feedstock and from a defatted portion of the third feedstock;
• combusting an input feedstock via the fluidized bed combustion module to generate electricity, wherein the input feedstock comprises at least a portion of the first and third feedstocks that is not converted to bio-diesel and at least a portion of the second and third feedstocks that is not converted to ethanol;
• and
• regulating the content and feed rate of the input feedstock into the fluidized bed combustion module so as to maintain substantially continuous operation of the fluidized bed combustion module and so as to generate sufficient electricity to power the system substantially without using outside sources of electricity.

A method of converting food waste into bio-energy, the method comprising:

• providing a system that comprises a fats processing module, a carbohydrates processing module, and a fluidized bed combustion module;
• channeling a food waste stream into a first feedstock that comprises food waste having a fats content above a fats threshold value and a second feedstock that comprises food waste having a carbohydrates content above a carbohydrates threshold value;
• producing bio-diesel from the first feedstock via the fats processing module;
• selectively delivering the second feedstock either to the carbohydrates processing module for production of ethanol and distiller coproduct or to the fluidized bed combustion module based at least partially on the carbohydrates content of the second feedstock;
• and
• combusting an input feedstock via the fluidized bed combustion module to generate electricity, wherein the input feedstock comprises at least a portion of the first feedstock that is not used in producing bio-diesel and either the second feedstock or at least a portion of the distiller coproduct produced from the second feedstock.

A method for converting food waste into bio-energy, the method comprising:

• providing a system that comprises a fats processing module and a fluidized bed combustion module;
• segregating a first feedstock from a food waste stream, wherein the first feedstock comprises food waste having a fats content that exceeds a fats threshold value;
• separating fats from the first feedstock;
• producing bio-diesel from the fats via the fats processing module;
• combusting an input feedstock via the fluidized bed combustion module to generate electricity, wherein the input feedstock comprises at least a portion of the first feedstock that is not converted to bio-diesel;
• and
• altering the fats threshold value to thereby alter the relative amounts of bio-diesel and electricity produced by the system.

A method for converting food waste into bio-energy, the method comprising:

• providing a system that comprises a carbohydrates processing module and a fluidized bed combustion module;
• segregating a first feedstock from a food waste stream, wherein the first feedstock comprises food waste having a carbohydrates content that exceeds a carbohydrates threshold value;
• producing ethanol from the first feedstock via the carbohydrates processing module;
• combusting an input feedstock via the fluidized bed combustion module to generate electricity, wherein the input feedstock comprises at least a portion of the first feedstock that is not converted to ethanol;
• and
• altering the carbohydrates threshold value to thereby alter the relative amounts of ethanol and electricity produced by the system.

A method for environmentally undisruptive disposal of food waste, the method comprising:

• providing a food waste stream;
• converting a portion of the food waste stream into bio-diesel via a fats processing module;
• converting a portion of the food waste stream into ethanol via a carbohydrates processing module;
• combusting a portion of the food waste stream via a fluidized bed combustion module to generate electricity;
• delivering process wastewater from each of the fats processing module and the carbohydrates module to an anaerobic digestion module to produce clean graywater;
• and
• delivering at least a portion of the clean graywater to the carbohydrates processing module as process water.

A method for environmentally undisruptive disposal of food waste, the method comprising:

• providing a system that comprises a carbohydrates processing module, an anaerobic digestion module, and a fluidized bed combustion module;
• receiving food waste into the system from a source outside of the system;
• converting at least a portion of the food waste into ethanol via the carbohydrates processing module;
• combusting at least a portion of the food waste via the fluidized bed combustion module to thereby produce electricity for powering the system;
• cleaning water via the anaerobic digestion module from process wastewater delivered to the anaerobic digestion module from one or more modules within the system;
• and
• providing water that has been cleaned by the anaerobic digestion module to the carbohydrates processing module such that the cleaned water constitutes a majority of make-up water used in operation of the carbohydrates processing module.