US 2015/0308679 A1Published application

Integrated sludge drying and energy recuperator transformer

AssigneeGate 5 Energy Partners, Inc.

InventorsSteven DELSON, Lawrence E. DEES, JR.

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Abstract

Integrated systems and processes are provided for drying and milling sludge and other natural waste using waste heat extracted from reheated gas through an air-air heat exchanger process. In one example, the sludge or natural waste may be dried into a powder using high-temperature gas to absorb moisture from the sludge, causing the high-temperature gas to become an at least partially saturated gas. The at least partially saturated gas may pass through a separator- scrubber cycle before a first portion is heated in an air-heater and then used to heat a second portion of the at least partially saturated gas in an air-air heat exchanger. The heat for the air-heater may be provided by a burner operable to burn the dried powder obtained from the sludge. The heated second portion of gas may be used to dry and mill the sludge and other natural waste.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A system for processing dewatered sludge, the system comprising:

at least one of a dryer, grinder, or mill operable to:
receive high-temperature gas;
receive sludge;
and
reduce a moisture content of the sludge by breaking the sludge into a dried powder in the presence of the high-temperature gas, wherein the high-temperature gas absorbs at least a portion of the moisture content of the sludge to form at least partially saturated gas;
a first separator operable to separate the dried powder from the at least partially saturated gas;
a first condenser operable to reduce a moisture content of the at least partially saturated gas by reducing a temperature of the at least partially saturated gas to form a reduced-moisture gas;
a heater operable to heat a first portion of the reduced-moisture gas to form a heated first portion of gas;
a heat exchanger operable to heat a second portion of the reduced-moisture gas using the heated first portion of gas to form a heated second portion of gas;
a first fan operable to direct the heated second portion of gas to the at least one of the dryer, grinder, or mill to be used as the high-temperature gas for reducing the moisture content of the sludge;
and
an output system operable to discharge at least a portion of the heated first portion of gas from the system.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.