A treatment system provides treated or softened water to a point of use by removing at least a portion of any undesirable species contained in water from a water source. The treatment system can be operated to reduce the likelihood of formation of any scale that can be generated during normal operation of an electrochemical device. The formation of scale in the treatment system, including its wetted components, may be inhibited by reversing or substituting the flowing liquid having hardness-causing species with another liquid having a low tendency to produce scale, such as a low LSI water. Various arrangements of components in the treatment system can be flushed by directing the valves and the pumps of the system to displace liquid having hardness-causing species with a liquid that has little or no tendency to form scale.

Water treatment system and method

This invention discloses systems and methods for conversion of high moisture waste materials to dry or low moisture products for recycle or reuse. The equipment systems comprise a gas turbine generator unit (preferred heat source), a dryer vessel and a processing unit, wherein the connection between the gas turbine and the dryer vessel directs substantially all the gas turbine exhaust into the dryer vessel and substantially precludes the introduction of air into the dryer vessel and wherein the processing unit forms the dried material from the dryer vessel into granules, pellets or other desired form for the final product. Optionally, the systems and methods further provide for processing ventilation air from manufacturing facilities to reduce emissions therefrom.

Process and system for drying and heat treating materials

A process and apparatus for producing a synthesis gas for use as a gaseous fuel or as feed into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor to produce a liquid fuel in a substantially self-sustaining process. A slurry of particles of carbonaceous material in water, and hydrogen from an internal source, are fed into a hydro-gasification reactor under conditions whereby methane rich producer gases are generated and fed into a steam pyrolytic reformer under conditions whereby synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide are generated. A portion of the hydrogen generated by the steam pyrolytic reformer is fed through a hydrogen purification filter into the hydro-gasification reactor, the hydrogen therefrom constituting the hydrogen from an internal source. The remaining synthesis gas generated by the steam pyrolytic reformer is either used as fuel for a gaseous fueled engine to produce electricity and/or process heat or is fed into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor under conditions whereby a liquid fuel is produced. Molten salt loops are used to transfer heat from the hydro-gasification reactor, and Fischer-Tropsch reactor if liquid fuel is produced, to the steam generator and the steam pyrolytic reformer.

Production of synthetic transportation fuels from carbonaceous materials using self-sustained hydro-gasification

In the processes for treating municipal sewage and storm water containing biosolids to discharge standards, biosolids, even after dewatering, contain typically about 80% water bound in the dead cells of the biosolids, which gives biosolids a negative heating value. It can be incinerated only at the expense of purchased fuel. Biosolids are heated to a temperature at which their cell structure is destroyed and, preferably, at which carbon dioxide is split off to lower the oxygen content of the biosolids. The resulting char is not hydrophilic, and it can be efficiently dewatered and/or dried and is a viable renewable fuel. This renewable fuel can be supplemented by also charging conventional biomass (yard and crop waste, etc.) in the same or in parallel facilities. Similarly, non-renewable hydrophilic fuels can be so processed in conjunction with the processing of biosolids to further augment the energy supply.

Slurry dewatering and conversion of biosolids to a renewable fuel

A process for disposing of sewage sludge comprising the steps of, (1) dewatering the sewage sludge to produce an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge having a solids content of about 10 to 30 wt. %; (2) simultaneously heating and shearing said dewatered sewage sludge at about 150° F. to 210° F. in the absence of air for 0.5 seconds to 60 minutes while being continuously passed through a tubular-shaped processing means containing a plurality of rotating agitators, thereby producing a pumpable slurry having a viscosity of less than about 2000 centipoise; (3) dewatering the sewage sludge if necessary; (4) mixing at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 180° F. in a ribbon or in-line static mixer the slurry of sewage sludge from (2) and/or (3) with a supplemental solid carbonaceous fuel e.g. coal and/or petroleum-coke to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge and supplemental fuel having a solids content in the range of about 50 to 60 wt. %; (5) mixing the slurry of sewage sludge and supplemental fuel from (4) in a steam jacketed continuous rotary disc mixer at about 180° F. to 250° F. while removing steam to produce a pumpable slurry of dewatered sewage sludge and solid fuel having a solids content of 50 to 65 wt. % and a HHV of 6,000 to 18,000 BTU/LB; and (6) burning said pumpable slurry from (5) in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce an effluent gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the effluent gas stream is cleaned and purified and non-contaminating ash and slag are separated. By this process, noxious sewage sludge may be disposed of without contaminating the environment. By-product synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas may be produced.

Process for disposing of sewage sludge

Municipal sanitary sewage sludge is disposed of by an improved partial oxidation process without polluting the environment. Aqueous slurries of sewage sludge are upgraded by hydrothermal treatment, preferably while being sheared, concentrated, and then mixed with a supplemental fuel, preferably coal. A pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge-coal and/or petroleum coke is thereby produced having a greater total solids and heat content (HHV) as well as containing an increased amount of sewage sludge for reacting with free-oxygen containing gas in a free-flow partial oxidation gas generator. Hot quench water or steam produced by cooling the hot raw effluent stream of synthesis gas, reducing gas or fuel gas from the gasifier may provide heat for the hydrothermal step.

Partial oxidation of sewage sludge

A petroleum derived oil is subjected to propane deasphalting to yield a solid asphaltene residue. The residue is crushed to 425 micron diameter particle or less at a crushing temperature in the range of 77° F. to 122° F. The asphaltene particles are suspended in a residual petroleum oil emulsion. The resulting suspension comprises 5 wt % to 40 wt % asphaltene particles. The 40 wt % asphaltene suspensions are boiler fuel. The 5 wt % asphaltene suspensions are gasified with a deficit of oxygen to produce synthesis gas. The suspensions are stable and transportable by pumping through a pipeline.

Process for stable aqueous asphaltene suspensions

Aqueous slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel that include a novel highly converted sulfonated surfactant derived from a suspension of low rank coal and coal derived creosote oil for reducing the viscosity and increasing the solids content of the aqueous slurry.

Aqueous slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel

A coal-water slurry having a high solids content and improved pumpability containing a viscosity improving amine additive from the group consisting of substituted 3-amino carboxylic acids, dialkanol alkyl amines or diamines is provided as well as a method of preparation.

Ronald J. McKeon

Papers

Partial oxidation of sewage sludge

Process for disposing of sewage sludge

Process for stable aqueous asphaltene suspensions

Aqueous slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel

Process for making and composition of low viscosity coal-water slurries