Biomass treatment of organic waste materials in fuel production processes to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

A method, system, apparatus and program extracts energy from organic residual materials produced by the manufacturing of biofuels. Energy is extracted from the biofuels residuals using anaerobic bioconversion to produce a fuel for use in the manufacturing process for producing synthetic biofuel or as an additional energy product for sale comprises: providing at least one bioconversion tank for conversion of organic waste material, the bioconversion tank containing an active biomass comprising at least one bacteria that decomposes organic material; providing at least one inlet to the bioconversion for organic material; a processor that receives and stores information on: the status of chemical oxygen demand of the active biomass; and the oxygen provision capability of any organic material that can be fed into the bioconversion tank through an inlet; a mass flow control system controlled by the processor which feeds at least one organic material through an inlet at a rate based at least in part upon the status of chemical oxygen demand in the bioconversion tank as recognized by the processor.

1 . A method of bioconversion of organic waste material from a synthetic fuel manufacturing process that requires energy input in the performance of the synthetic fuel manufacturing process, the method comprising: 
 providing a tank for bioconversion of organic waste material, at least some of which organic waste material is derived from a synthetic fuel manufacturing process, the tank containing an active biomass comprising at least one bacteria that decomposes organic material;    providing one or more inlets to the bioconversion tank, comprising an inlet for organic material from the synthetic fuel manufacturing process    a processor receiving and storing information automatically or manually input to the processor on: 
 the status of chemical oxygen demand and/or biological oxygen demand of the active biomass; and  
 the oxygen provision capability of an organic material that can be fed into the bioconversion tank through any inlet;  
   the processor exercising control over a mass flow control system which feeds the at least one organic material through an inlet, the processor directing mass flow at a rate based at least in part upon the status of chemical oxygen demand in the bioconversion tank as recognized by the processor from received information;    a stream carrying combustible gases from the biomass; and    the stream providing at least some of the energy input in the performance of the synthetic fuel manufacturing process.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein there are at least two storage tanks for organic material, a first storage tank for the first organic material and a second storage tank for a second organic material, the first and second organic materials having different chemical oxygen provision capabilities from each other; 
 the processor receiving and storing information on the respective chemical oxygen provision capabilities of the first organic material and the second organic material; and    the processor feeding feeds the first organic material and the second organic material into the bioconversion tank at a rate based at least in part upon the status of chemical oxygen demand in the bioconversion tank, the chemical oxygen provision capability of the first organic material, and the chemical oxygen provision capability of the second organic material as recognized by the processor and a filter may be present between the active biomass in the bioconversion tank and the treated aqueous outlet; or wherein an energy depleted aqueous stream is removed from the bioconversion tank through an aqueous stream outlet and a biogas stream is removed from the bioconversion tank through a gas venting outlet, the biogas stream comprising primarily methane and carbon dioxide is removed from the bioconversion tank.    
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the active biomass and energy depleted aqueous stream are automatically tested for active biomass nutrient content and testing information is provided to the processor or wherein when testing for pH indicates that the pH level in the treatment tank is not within a desired range stored in the processor, the processor directs a feed system for a pH active material selected from the class consisting of at least one of a base, an acid or a buffer to input pH active material into the bioconversion tank to bring the pH level in the tank within the desired range.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein when testing for active biomass nutrient content indicates that the nutrient level in the bioconversion tank is not within a desired range stored in the processor, the processor directs a nutrient feed system to input nutrient material into the bioconversion tank to bring nutrient level in the tank within the desired range and wherein testing may be performed for at least one of available nitrogen and available phosphorous, and the results of such testing are used by the processor to determine how much nutrient is to be added to the bioconversion tank to specifically adjust at least one of nitrogen and phosphorous content in the treatment tank.  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . An organic bioconversion system for providing energy to a synthetic biofuel manufacturing process comprising: 
 a) at least a first organic material storage tank for a first organic material;    b) an aqueous stream input source;    c) a bioconversion tank having a controlled input connection from a) and a controlled input connection from b), and containing an active biomass that comprises bacteria capable of decomposing the first organic material from the first organic material storage tank;    d) a processor that controls the input connections from a) and from b);    e) a sensing system that determines the chemical oxygen demand of the active biomass in the bioconversion tank and controls flow of at least the first organic material through the input connection from a) to provide oxygen from the first organic material is provided to the active biomass in the bioconversion tank at a rate sufficient to support health of the bacteria in the bioconversion tank;    f) an aqueous stream outlet from the bioconversion tank; and    g) a gaseous stream outlet from the bioconversion tank that is stored and then fed or directly fed to an oxidizing system that produces energy for the synthetic biofuel manufacturing process having a nutrient sensing system that detects levels of nutrients in at least one of the biomass in the bioconversion tank and an aqueous stream passing into or through the aqueous stream output and information from the nutrient sensing system to the processor, and the processor determines levels of nutrients that should be provided to the active biomass in the bioconversion tank, and wherein the processor may contain software that determines levels of nutrients that should be provided to the active biomass in the bioconversion tank from sensed data from the nutrient sensing system and controls flow of nutrients into the bioconversion tank to provide nutrients in a quantity determined by the software, and wherein nutrients sensed may comprise at least one nutrient selected from the class consisting of available nitrogen and available phosphorous and wherein the gaseous stream outlet may be connected to a gas stream separation system that can increase the concentration of methane in a first concentrated stream and can increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in a second concentrated stream.    
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . The bioconversion system of  claim 12  wherein there are at least two storage tanks for organic material, a first storage tank for the first organic material and a second storage tank for a second organic material, the first and second organic materials having different chemical oxygen provision capabilities from each other and wherein the processor may control feed rates for the first organic material and the second organic material into the bioconversion tank, and directs feed of the first organic material and the second organic material at a rate based at least in part upon the status of chemical oxygen demand in the bioconversion tank, the chemical oxygen provision capability of the first organic material and the chemical oxygen provision capability of the second organic material as recognized by the processor and wherein there are sensing systems for at least one other sensible condition may be selected from the group consisting of pH of the biomass in the bioconversion tank, pH of the aqueous stream from the bioconversion tank, concentration of a specific gas component in the gaseous stream from the bioconversion tank and gas pressure within the bioconversion tank, and the processor may contain software that controls rate flows of materials into the bioconversion tank in response to an indication from sensed data that the rate flows of specific materials into the bioconversion tank, and the software may be responsive to the sensed data in controlling mass input into the bioconversion tank.  
   
   
       17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . The bioconversion system of  claim 16  wherein the processor contains software that determines levels of nutrients that should be provided to the active biomass in the bioconversion tank from sensed data from the nutrient sensing system and controls flow of nutrients into the bioconversion tank to provide nutrient in a quantity determined by the software and at least one nutrient is selected from the class consisting of available nitrogen and available phosphorous and wherein the waste material may be selected from the group consisting of waste material comprising at least one of whole stillage, thin stillage and glycerin.  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein mass flow through the system is at least in part automatically controlled by sensing at least one of a) Weight/Volume/Density/Flow; b) Viscosity/Moisture content/FOG (Fats, Oils, and Greases); c) pH and alkalinity monitoring; d) Temperature; e) BOD/COD/Volatile Acid concentration/Protein concentration/FOG concentration/Carbohydrate concentration/Sugar concentration/Methane potential; f) Particle Size; g) Detection of contaminants and alarm; and h) General water quality parameters such as conductivity and ORP, and 
 automatically providing a presumed appropriate response to the sensing according to at least one of a lookup table, hardware response and software response, or wherein the bioconverter system is sensed and automatically responded to by sensing at least one of a) Contaminant alarm, b) Solids concentration monitoring and control, c) BOD and COD monitoring and control; d) surface tension/foam detection monitoring and alarm; e) Fats, Oils and Grease monitoring and alarm; f) Dissolved gas monitoring and alarm; g) Volatile acids monitoring and alarm; h) Detection and control of specific bacteria concentration/activity; and    automatically responding thereto    
   
   
       22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A method of reducing total external energy requirements input into the operation of a system requiring energy input comprising: 
 providing organic materials to a bioconversion process;    performing a bioconversion process on the organic materials;    producing combustible volatile organic material from the bioconversion process; and    providing input energy to the operation of the system by oxidizing the combustible volatile organic material from the bioconversion process, and wherein the organic material may comprise at least 10% by weight water during the bioconversion process and at least some water is added with the organic materials provided to provide a total water content during the bioconversion, and wherein water may be added with the organic material at an average rate over time and wherein over periods of time the average rate water added with the organic material may be decreased by recirculation of residual water from the bioconversion process.    
   
   
       26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . (canceled)  
   
   
       29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 25  comprising at least one process selected from the group consisting of: 
 A) performing a process for the manufacture of the synthetic biofuel and inputting energy to perform the process;    collecting organic waste material from the process for manufacture of the synthetic biofuel;    providing collected waste material to a bioconversion process;    providing combustible volatile organic material from the bioconversion process; and    providing input energy to the process for the manufacture of the synthetic biofuel by oxidizing the combustible volatile organic material from the bioconversion process; and    B) i) at least a first organic material storage tank for a first organic material; 
 ii) an aqueous stream input source;  
 iii) a bioconversion tank having a controlled input connection from a) and a controlled input connection from b), and containing an active biomass that comprises bacteria capable of decomposing the first organic material from the first organic material storage tank;  
 iv) a processor that controls the input connections from a) and from b);  
 v) a sensing system that determines the chemical oxygen demand of the active biomass in the bioconversion tank and controls flow of at least the first organic material through the input connection from a) to provide oxygen from the first organic material is provided to the active biomass in the bioconversion tank at a rate sufficient to support health of the bacteria in the bioconversion tank;  
 vi) an aqueous stream outlet from the bioconversion tank; and  
 vii) a gaseous stream outlet from the bioconversion tank that is stored and then fed or directly fed to an oxidizing system that produces energy for the synthetic biofuel manufacturing process