Method and apparatus for separation of chemical materials from feces

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treatment of feces is present in which usable organic and inorganic chemical compounds and substances are extracted from the fecal material for reuse. The process and apparatus includes receiving a mixture of fecal material from various sources, separating the liquid from the solids for further processing or disposal, mixing the solids with an acid and/or solvent solution to break down the solids into components to be extracted, filtering solids from the mixture, distilling the filtrate to remove remaining solvents, reacting the remaining solids with a metal hydroxide solution to yield fats, fatty acids, oils, alcohols, sugars, and other minerals, and further processing these materials to produce lubricants, grease, emulsifiers, biodiesel, fuels and/or fertilizers.

1 . A method for treating feces comprising: 
 a. receiving dehydrated solid fecal material,    b. mixing said dehydrated solid fecal material with an acid and/or solvent solution,    c. removing solids from the mixture to yield a filtrate,    d. distilling the solvent from the filtrate to yield a solid material,    e. mixing the solid material with a metal hydroxide solution to yield fats and/or fatty acids and a liquid, and    f. separating the fats and/or fatty acids from the liquid.    
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein step b includes mixing said dehydrated solid with an acid solvent blend wherein said blend is between one part acid to one hundred parts solvent and one hundred parts acid to one part solvent.  
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein step b includes a solvent solution selected from the group consisting of aromatic, aliphatic, ketone, ether and alcohol.  
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein step b includes mixing said dehydrated solid and an acid solvent blend for a period of up to about 24 hours.  
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein step b includes heating said mixture.  
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein step b includes mixing said dehydrated solid and said acid and/or solvent solution one to four times allowing the mixture to rest between mixing.  
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the final pH of the liquid solution from step e is between 7.0 and 13.5.  
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 g. separating oils from said liquid.    
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 g. separating alcohols from said liquid.    
     
     
         10 . A method for treating feces comprising: 
 a. receiving a mixture of a liquid and fecal material;    b. removing the liquid in step a from said fecal material;    c. dehydrating said fecal material to yield a dehydrated solid fecal material;    d. mixing said dehydrated solid fecal material with an acid and/or solvent solution,    e. removing solids from the mixture to yield a filtrate,    f. distilling the solvent from the filtrate to yield a solid material,    g. mixing the solid material with a metal hydroxide solution to yield fats and/or fatty acids and a liquid, and    h. separating the fats and/or fatty acids from the liquid in step g.    
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein step b further includes separating the liquid into a sugar containing solution and a nonsugar containing solution.  
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said step b further includes fermenting said sugar containing solution to yield ethyl alcohol.  
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein step d includes mixing said dehydrated solid with an acid solvent blend wherein said blend is between one part acid to one hundred parts solvent and one hundred parts acid to one part solvent.  
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein step d includes a solvent solution selected from the group consisting of aromatic, aliphatic, ketone, ether and alcohol.  
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein step d includes mixing said dehydrated solid and an acid solvent blend for a period of up to about 24 hours.  
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein step d includes heating said mixture.  
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein step d includes mixing said dehydrated solid and said acid and/or solvent solution one to four times allowing the mixture to rest between mixing.  
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the final pH of the liquid solution from step g is between 7.0 and 13.5.  
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 i. separating oils from said liquid.    
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  further comprising: 
 j. reacting said oil with sodium hydroxide and methanol to yield a biodiesel.    
     
     
         21 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 i. separating alcohols from said liquid in step h.    
     
     
         22 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 i. reacting said fat and/or fatty acids with potassium to yield a lubricant.    
     
     
         23 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 i. reacting said fats and/or fatty acids with magnesium or calcium to yield a grease.    
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for treating feces comprising: 
 a solids holding tank for storing solid fecal material;    a first mix tank in communication with said solids holding tank for mixing said solid fecal material with an acid and/or solvent solution,    a pump in communication with said first mix tank for transferring a mixture from said first mix tank through a filter to remove solids from the mixture and transfer a remaining liquid solution to a distillation unit,    said distillation unit for distilling solvent from said liquid solution to yield a washed solid material,    a second mix tank in communication with said distillation unit for mixing said washed solid material with a metal hydroxide solution to yield fats, fatty acids, oils, and/or alcohols.    
     
     
         25 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 24  further comprising: 
 a feces holding tank for receiving fecal material,    a first filter screen in communication with said feces holding tank for removing debris from said fecal material,    an inline mixer in communication with said first screen filter for blending said fecal material,    a pressurized filter in communication with said inline mixer for removing liquid from said blended fecal material to yield a solid fecal material, and    an augur for transferring said solid fecal material to said solids holding tank.    
     
     
         26 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 25  further comprising a dehydrator for removing substantially all remaining water from said solid fecal material before transfer to said solids holding tank.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 25  further comprising a filtrate holding tank for receiving said liquid removed from said blended fecal material by said pressurized filter.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 24  further comprising a solvent holding tank for receiving solvent from said distillation unit.