Organic sludge dewatering process
AssigneeWRC Processing Company
InventorsPaul E. Barrick, George L. Zarur
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for achieving the partial dewatering of an organic sludge by isolating a batch of the sludge, acid adjusting its pH into a range from 3 to 5, and adding an oxidizing reagent in the presence of the acid in sufficient quantity so that within one-half hour the cellular structure of the sludge has been partially broken down and enough occluded water released therefrom to increase the pH by at least one, while at the same time changing the color of the sludge to a light tan and deodorizing it and killing the pathogens therein, the sludge and other solids settling down below the supernatant liquid with a clear line of demarcation therebetween.
Claims19
A process for dewatering an activated-bacteria organic sludge initially containing in its organic cellular structure 70 to 90% water by weight and containing metal values and calcium, by rupturing the cellular structure to release water therefrom with minimal degradation of the organic structure and minimal loss of fuel value while retaining most of the metal values entrained in the dewatered sludge, the process consisting of:
- (a) isolating the sludge into a batch whose volume is known;
- (b) adding acidifying and oxidizing reagents to the batch so that they are simultaneously present therein, and mixing the reagents with the batch;
- (c) the acidifying reagent comprising mineral acids added in such quantity as would in the absence of the oxidizing reagent adjust the pH of the batch into a range between 3 and 5;
- (d) the oxidizing reagent being added to the batch in such quantity as would in the presence of the acidifying reagent within half an hour result in sufficient release of water from the cellular structure to increase by at least one the adjusted pH;
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- (e) separating the supernatant water released out of the cellular structure from the remaining organic matter and solid matter including most of said metal values.
A process for dewatering an activated-bacteria organic sludge having initially occluded in its organic cellular structure 70 to 90% water by weight and containing metal values and calcium, by rupturing the cellular structure to release water therefrom with minimal degradation of the organic structure and minimal loss of fuel value while retaining most of the metal values entrained in the dewatered sludge, the process consisting of:
- (a) isolating a batch of sludge by separating it from bulk water;
- (b) adding to the batch acidifying and oxidizing reagents so that they are simultaneously present therein, and mixing the reagents with the batch;
- (c) the acidifying reagent comprising mineral acids added in such quantity as would in the absence of the oxidizing reagent adjust the pH of the batch into a range between 3 and 5;
- (d) the oxidizing reagent being added to the batch in such quantity as would in the presence of the acidifying reagent cause within one-half hour separation of the batch into a clear supernatant liquid including about 70-90% of the said occluded water over the remaining organic and solid matter, with a clear line of demarcation therebetween;
- and
- (e) separating the supernatant liquid from the organic and solid matter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.