Infrared drying system for wet organic solids

A process for treating wet organic solids from a wastewater stream comprising the steps of:

• a. providing an infrared drying system, the infrared drying system comprising:
• i. at least one infrared heating element;
• ii. a heated airflow stream;
• b. providing wet organic solids having a moisture content of about 80 percent by weight and a fecal coliform density of between about 1,000 MPN/g TS and about 2×106 MPN/g TS;
• c. determining a metering rate for feeding the wet organic solids into the treatment system;
• d. determining an exposure intensity output for the waste matter treatment system;
• e. determining an exposure period for simultaneously exposing the wet organic solids to the heating element and the airflow stream of the treatment system;
• f. feeding the wet organic solids at the metering rate into the waste treatment system;
• and
• g. exposing the wet organic solids within the waste treatment system to the at least one infrared heating element and the heated airflow stream for the exposure period at the exposure intensity output;
• h. the metering rate, the exposure intensity output, and the exposure period being sufficient to reduce the moisture content of the solids to less than 10 percent by weight, and to reduce the fecal coliform density of the solids to less than 1,000 MPN/g TS to result in dried solids.

An infrared drying system comprising:

• a. a rotatable drum having a first end, a second end, and an interior volume, the first end being configured to receive solids, the second end being configured to discharge the solids;
• b. a first support structure for supporting the rotatable drum;
• c. at least one spiral flight within the interior volume of the drum extending between the first end and the second end of the drum, the spiral flight being attached to an interior side of the drum, the spiral flight being configured to convey solids from the first end to the second end when the drum is rotated;
• d. at least one infrared heater within the interior volume of the drum, the infrared heater being configured to direct infrared heat at solids present within the drum;
• and
• e. an exhaust system configured to remove air from the interior volume of the rotatable drum.