Method of and apparatus for converting biological materials into energy resources

Abstract

A method of converting biological material into energy resources includes transmitting biological material to a pulsed electric field (PEF) station, and applying a PEF to the biological material within a treatment zone in the PEF station to generate treated biological material. The method also includes transmitting the treated biological material to a biogenerator, and processing the treated biological material in the biogenerator to produce an energy resource. A converter may carry out this process, and may include the PEF station and the biogenerator.

1 . A method of converting biological material into energy resources, the method comprising:
 transmitting biological material to a pulsed electric field station;   applying a pulsed electric field to the biological material within a treatment zone in the pulse electric field station to generate treated biological material;   transmitting the treated biological material to a biogenerator;   processing the treated biological material in the biogenerator to produce an energy resource.   
   
   
       2 . A converter that converts biological material into energy resources, the converter comprising:
 a pulsed electric field station, the pulsed electric field station comprising an inlet adapted to receive biological material, a treatment chamber through which biological material received via the inlet passes and including at least two spaced electrodes between which is generated a pulsed electric field and which define at least one treatment zone therebetween, and an outlet adapted to pass treated biological material; and   a biogenerator, the biogenerator comprising an inlet coupled to the outlet of the pulsed electric field station, at least one chamber in which the treated biological material is processed into an energy resource, a first outlet adapted to pass the energy resource and a second outlet adapted to pass processed treated biological material.   
   
   
       3 . A wastewater treatment system, comprising:
 a primary treatment station that receives a wastewater stream and separates the wastewater stream into primary sludge and a first liquid fraction;   a secondary treatment station coupled to the primary treatment station, the secondary treatment station receiving the first liquid fraction and digesting the solids in the liquid fraction to produce activated sludge and a second liquid fraction;   a bioreactor that receives the primary sludge and at least part of the activated sludge and digests the primary sludge and activated sludge to produce a digested product; and   a converter which receives at least part of at least one of the wastewater stream, the primary sludge, the activated sludge, the first liquid fraction, the second liquid fraction and the digested product, the converter including:
 a pulsed electric field station, the pulsed electric field station comprising an inlet adapted to receive biological material, a treatment chamber through which biological material received via the inlet passes and including at least two spaced electrodes between which is generated a pulsed electric field and which define at least one treatment zone therebetween, and an outlet adapted to pass treated biological material; and 
 a biogenerator, the biogenerator comprising an inlet coupled to the outlet of the pulsed electric field station, at least one chamber in which the treated biological material is processed into an energy resource, a first outlet adapted to pass the energy resource and a second outlet adapted to pass processed treated biological material.