Systems and Methods for Converting and Processing Organic Sludges for Multi-Nutrient Single Accreted Granule Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer Production

A sludge conversion system for converting a heterogeneous sludge containing organic waste materials into a homogeneous extract of carbon and amino acids to be used in a pipe-reactor granulator fertilizer production system, the conversion system comprising:

• a positive displacement pump configured to pump a dewatered sludge including from about 13% to about 45% solids;
• at least one in-line static blending mixer configured to receive the sludge from the pump and to mix the sludge with sulfuric acid to reduce the pH of the resultant mixture to less than about 1 and the viscosity of the resultant mixture to less than about 5,000 centipoise;
• at least one in-line static shearing mixer configured to receive the mixture from the static blending mixer and to mix the mixture with conditioning chemicals, to substantially sterilize the mixture of pathogens, and to substantially eliminate lumps in the mixture;
• an aging tank configured to receive the mixture from the in-line static shearing mixer and agitating the mixture to maintain homogeneity of the mixture while the mixture is aged to become the extract;
• and
• a transfer pump configured to deliver the extract from the aging tank to a fertilizer production system.

A process for converting a dewatered homogeneous sludge containing organic waste materials into a granular fertilizer, the process comprising:

• pumping a heterogeneous dewatered sludge including from about 13% to about 45% solids;
• adding sulfuric acid to the sludge in an amount sufficient to cause the pH of the resultant mixture to be less than about 1;
• pumping the mixture through at least one in-line static blending mixer to mix the sludge with the sulfuric acid to reduce the viscosity of the mixture to less than about 5,000 centipoise;
• adding conditioning chemicals to the mixture;
• pumping the mixture through at least one in-line static shearing mixer to mix the conditioning chemicals into the mixture, to substantially sterilize the mixture of pathogens, and to substantially eliminate lumps in the mixture;
• mechanically agitating the mixture for an aging time to create a homogeneous extract of carbon and amino acids;
• pumping the extract into a pipe-cross reactor for reaction with an acid and a base to form a melt;
• flashing off water from the melt as steam;
• rolling the melt onto recycled fine particles to form accreted granules;
• and
• drying the accreted granules to form a granular fertilizer.

A system for converting a dewatered homogeneous sludge containing organic waste materials into a granular fertilizer, the system comprising:

• a positive displacement pump configured to pump a dewatered sludge including from about 13% to about 45% solids;
• at least one in-line static blending mixer configured to receive the sludge from the pump and to mix the sludge with sulfuric acid to reduce the pH of the resultant mixture to less than about 1 and the viscosity of the resultant mixture to less than about 5,000 centipoise;
• at least one in-line static shearing mixer configured to receive the mixture from the static blending mixer and to mix the mixture with conditioning chemicals, to substantially sterilize the mixture of pathogens, and to substantially eliminate lumps in the mixture;
• an aging tank configured to receive the mixture from the in-line static shearing mixer and agitating the mixture to maintain homogeneity of the mixture while the mixture is aged to become the extract;
• a transfer pump configured to pump the extract from the aging tank;
• a pipe reactor configured to receive the extract from the transfer pump and to mix the extract with an acid and a base to form a melt;
• a granulator configured to flash off water from the melt and to roll the melt onto fine particles to form accreted granules;
• and
• a dryer to dry the accreted granules to form a granular fertilizer.

An organically-enhanced granular nitrogen-phosphorous-sulfur fertilizer comprising:

• at least about 0.5% by weight of total carbon and amino acids;
• and
• an accreted granule size greater than or equal to about 1.7 mm;
• wherein the fertilizer is noncombustible in a dust cloud combustibility test conducted in accordance with ASTM Standard Test Method E1226.