Apparatus for catalytically processing slurry

#This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2007 011 763.0, filed Mar. 10, 2007, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

#The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for catalytically processing slurry.

#Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.

#Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the sole FIGURE shows a schematic illustration of one embodiment of an apparatus for catalytically processing of slurry in accordance with the present invention.

#The depicted embodiment is to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be understood that the FIGURE is not necessarily to scale. Details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

#This is one of two applications both filed on the same day. Both applications deal with related inventions. They are commonly owned and have the same inventive entity. Both applications are unique, but incorporate the other by reference. Accordingly, the following U.S. patent application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference: “Method and Apparatus for Thermal Processing of Slurry”.

#Turning now to the sole FIGURE, there is shown, by way of example, a schematic illustration of one embodiment of an apparatus for catalytically processing of slurry in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus includes a first reservoir A1 having a closeable inlet a1 for accepting slurry S1, e.g. finely particulate, partly dried sewage sludge having a water content of at most 10%. Arranged at the lower end of the reservoir A1 is a metering valve d1, e.g. a controllable supply unit, which may cooperate with or may be connected to a transport unit in the form of a worm b1 for moving the slurry S1 from the reservoir A1 along a conduit 3. Inside the reservoir A1 above the slurry level is a nitrogen cushion p1. A further reservoir A2 receives finely particulate or fine-grained bio-mass S2 via a closeable inlet a2. The bio-mass S2 may involve agricultural waste products or any of the products mentioned above. Discharge of bio-mass S2 from the reservoir A2 is controlled by a metering valve d2 by which the amount of outgoing bio-mass S2 into a conduit 5 can be regulated, with the assistance of a transport unit having a worm b2. A nitrogen cushion p2 may also be formed above the bio-mass level in the reservoir A2.