Apparatus and method for pasteurizing and drying sludge
OwnerAlva D. Barnesinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for applying heat to sludge, including a rotating tubular chamber having a hollow-centered helical auger on its interior to move the sludge longitudinally through the chamber, and a gas distribution tube extending through the center of the chamber. Hot gas is injected into the chamber through outlets in the wall of the distribution tube, and sludge, which has been raised by lifters on the interior of the rotating chamber, falls through the hot gas streams from the outlets to dry and pasteurize the sludge. Chambers may be used in series, with the discharge from one chamber feeding the inlet of the next.
Claims21
An apparatus for the application of heat to sludge for reduction of the pathogen content thereof, comprising:
- at least one substantially tubular chamber having a central longitudinal axis;
- means for supporting said at least one chamber for rotation about said longitudinal axis;
- means for driving said at least one chamber rotationally in primarily one direction about said central longitudinal axis;
- means located within said at least one chamber throughout substantially the entire longitudinal extent thereof for transporting said sludge longitudinally through said at least one chamber responsive to rotation of said at least one chamber;
- means located within said at least one chamber throughout substantially the entire longitudinal extent thereof for lifting said sludge upwardly responsive to rotation of said at least one chamber and for releasing said sludge to fall in said at least one chamber proximate said longitudinal axis responsive to gravity;
- a source of hot gas for introduction into said at least one chamber;
- and
- means in communication with said hot gas source for distributing said hot gas substantially axially through substantially the entire longitudinal extent of said at least one chamber for contacting said falling sludge with said hot gas throughout substantially the entire longitudinal extent of said at least one chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.