Process and apparatus for manufacture of fertilizer products from manure and sewage

Abstract

This invention discloses systems and methods for conversion of manure to novel fertilizer and/or soil builder products useful as input for organic farming operations. 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. The dryer vessel receives the manure for contact with the turbine exhaust gases to convert the manure to a dry material, which is passed to the processing unit where it is formed into granules, pellets or other desired form for the final dry fertilizer product. The method comprises drying, heating and converting the manure to form novel self binding fertilizer and soil builder type products for organic farming and other uses.

1 . A method of making a fertilizer material from manure feedstock comprising:
 operating a gas turbine generator to produce electricity and exhaust gases having a temperature greater than 1,000° F.;   contacting the exhaust gases having a temperature greater than 1,000° F. with manure feedstock having a moisture content of at least about 30% by weight in a dryer vessel for a contact time sufficient to produce without significant oxidation of the manure feedstock a dried fertilizer material having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the exhaust gas contacting the manure feedstock is at an initial temperature between about 1,100° F. and about 1,600° F. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the manure feedstock comprises at least about 50% by weight moisture. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  further comprising the steps of granulating, pelletizing or prilling the fertilizer material to produce a fertilizer product suitable for conventional dry fertilizer application in a crop growing operation. 
     
     
         5 . A method of making a fertilizer product from manure feedstock comprising:
 operating a gas turbine generator to produce electricity and exhaust gases;   contacting the exhaust gases with the manure feedstock having a moisture content of at least about 30% by weight, in a dryer vessel for a contact time sufficient to produce, without significant oxidation of the manure feedstock, a dried fertilizer material having a moisture content less than about 20% by weight; and   processing and forming the fertilizer material into a granular, pellet or prill form of fertilizer product suitable for conventional dry fertilizer application in a crop growing operation.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the manure feedstock comprises a moisture content of at least about 50% by weight. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein the moisture content is at least about 70% by weight. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the fertilizer material comprises a moisture content less than about 15% by weight. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the fertilizer product comprises a moisture content less than about 10% by weight. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the feedstock comprises agricultural animal waste. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the feedstock comprises municipal sewage. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus for treating manure feedstock comprising:
 a gas turbine; and   a dryer vessel adapted for receiving the exhaust gases from the gas turbine through a connection and adapted for receiving manure feedstock;   wherein the connection between the gas turbine and the dryer vessel is adapted to substantially preclude the introduction of air into the dryer vessel.   
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the connection between the turbine and the dryer vessel is further adapted to direct essentially 100% of the gas turbine exhaust into the dryer vessel. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the dryer vessel is adapted for drying or thermally treating a manure feedstock by direct contact of the exhaust gases and the manure feedstock to produce a fertilizer material or soil builder material. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  further comprising a processing unit adapted for receiving the material from the dryer vessel and forming same into granular, pellet or prill form. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the gas turbine comprises a gas turbine generator. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the gas turbine comprises a gas turbine generator. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the dryer vessel is adapted for indirect heating of the manure feedstock by heat from the exhaust gases. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the gas turbine comprises a gas turbine electric generator. 
     
     
         20 . An organic fertilizer material or soil builder material comprising a manure feedstock thermally treated at sufficient temperatures, without significant oxidation and for a sufficient period of time to destroy or convert to harmless forms substantially all undesired components present in the manure feedstock comprising undesired organisms, microorganisms, viable seeds, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, prions or viruses. 
     
     
         21 . An organic fertilizer material or soil builder material according to  claim 20  comprising less than a detectable amount of each such undesired component. 
     
     
         22 . An organic fertilizer product or soil builder product comprising the fertilizer material or soil binder material of  claim 20  in the form of granules, pellets or prills suitable for conventional dry application in a crop growing operation. 
     
     
         23 . An organic fertilizer product or soil builder product comprising the fertilizer material or soil builder material of  claim 21  in the form of granules, pellets or prills suitable for conventional dry application in a crop growing operation. 
     
     
         24 . A fertilizer material or soil builder material comprising a manure feedstock thermally treated at sufficient temperatures, without significant oxidation and for a sufficient period of time to provide a self-binding manure material suitable for forming into granules, pellets or prills suitable for conventional dry application in a crop growing operation. 
     
     
         25 . A fertilizer material or soil builder material according to  claim 24  comprising less than about 15% by weight moisture. 
     
     
         26 . A fertilizer product or soil builder product comprising a manure feedstock thermally treated at sufficient temperatures, without significant oxidation and for a sufficient period of time to render the manure self-binding and formed into granules, pellets or prills suitable for conventional dry application in a crop growing operation. 
     
     
         27 . An organic fertilizer material or soil builder material according to  claim 26  comprising less than about 15% by weight moisture. 
     
     
         28 . A portable system for processing manure feedstock to produce a fertilizer product or soil builder product comprising:
 at least one portable dryer unit adapted for drying a manure feedstock to produce a fertilizer or soil builder material; and   at least one portable processing unit adapted for converting the fertilizer or soil builder material from the dryer unit into a fertilizer product or a soil builder product having a form suitable for conventional application to the soil in a crop growing operation.   
     
     
         29 . A portable system according to  claim 28  wherein the dryer unit comprises a gas turbine and a dryer vessel. 
     
     
         30 . A portable system according to  claim 29  wherein the gas turbine and dryer vessel are connected by an arrangement adapted to pass the gas turbine exhaust gases into the dryer vessel and adapted to preclude the introduction of air into the dryer vessel. 
     
     
         31 . A portable system according to  claim 28  wherein the processing unit is adapted to produce the fertilizer product or soil builder product in the form of pellets, granules or prills. 
     
     
         32 . A portable system according to  claim 30  comprising:
 a first skid-mounted unit comprising the gas turbine which comprises a generator adapted for producing electricity; 
 a second skid-mounted unit comprising the dryer vessel adapted for connection to the gas turbine generator to receive the gas turbine exhaust gases and to preclude the introduction of air into the dryer vessel; and 
 a third skid-mounted unit comprising the processing unit. 
 
     
     
         33 . A portable system according to  claim 30  wherein the portable system is truck mounted. 
     
     
         34 . A portable system according to  claim 30  wherein the portable system is rail car mounted. 
     
     
         35 . A portable system according to  claim 33  wherein the portable system comprises units adapted to be configured to have a maximum width suitable for transport by truck on conventional roadways. 
     
     
         36 . A portable system according to  claim 35  wherein the maximum width of the units is between about 8 feet and about 11 feet. 
     
     
         37 . A method for producing a soil builder material from an at least partially bioconverted manure feedstock comprising:
 operating a gas turbine generator to produce electricity and exhaust gases having a temperature greater than 1,000° F.;   contacting the exhaust gases having a temperature greater than 1,000° F. with manure feedstock having a moisture content of at least about 30% by weight in a dryer vessel for a contact time sufficient to produce without significant oxidation of the manure feedstock a dried soil builder material having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.   
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein the exhaust gas contacting the manure feedstock is at an initial temperature between about 1,100° F. and about 1,600° F. 
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein the manure feedstock comprises at least about 50% by weight moisture. 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 37  further comprising the steps of granulating, pelletizing or prilling the soil builder material to produce a soil builder product suitable for conventional dry application to the soil. 
     
     
         41 . A method for producing a soil builder product from an at least partially bioconverted manure feedstock comprising:
 operating a gas turbine generator to produce electricity and exhaust gases;   contacting the exhaust gases with the manure feedstock having a moisture content of at least about 30% by weight, in a dryer vessel for a contact time sufficient to produce, without significant oxidation of the manure feedstock, a dried soil builder material having a moisture content less than about 20% by weight; and   processing and forming the soil builder material into a granular, pellet or prill form of soil builder product suitable for conventional dry application to the soil.   
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41  wherein the manure feedstock comprises a moisture content of at least about 50% by weight. 
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 42  wherein the moisture content is at least about 70% by weight. 
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 41  wherein the soil builder material comprises a moisture content less than about 15% by weight. 
     
     
         45 . A method according to  claim 41  wherein the soil builder product comprises a moisture content less than about 10% by weight. 
     
     
         46 . A fertilizer or soil builder material comprising a thermally treated manure feedstock which contains NO x , SO x , or CO x , components absorbed or complexed therein from contact of the manure feedstock with gas turbine exhaust gases in a confined space in the absence of significant oxidation of the manure feedstock. 
     
     
         47 . A fertilizer or soil builder product comprising the fertilizer or soil builder material of  claim 46  in the form of granules, pellets or prills suitable for conventional dry application in a crop growing operation. 
     
     
         48 . Apparatus for processing animal gases comprising:
 a gas turbine having a combustion air intake; and   an animal shelter having ventilation air exhausted from the shelter,   wherein the combustion air intake is adapted to receive at least a portion of the ventilation air exhausted from the shelter.   
     
     
         49 . Apparatus according to  claim 48  wherein the combustion air intake is connected to the animal shelter by a connector adapted to direct at least a portion of the exhausted ventilation air into the combustion air intake. 
     
     
         50 . Apparatus according to  claim 49  wherein the gas turbine comprises a gas turbine generator. 
     
     
         51 . Apparatus according to  claim 50  wherein the exhaust of the gas turbine is connected to a dryer vessel adapted for receiving manure feedstock. 
     
     
         52 . Apparatus for treating manure feedstock comprising:
 a gas turbine having a combustion air intake adapted for connection to and for receiving air from an animal shelter vent adapted for exhausting air from the shelter; and   a dryer vessel having a connection adapted for receiving exhaust gases from the gas turbine and having an inlet for receiving manure feedstock.   
     
     
         53 . Apparatus according to  claim 52  wherein the connection between the combustion air intake and the shelter vent is adapted to receive substantially all the air exhausted through the vent. 
     
     
         54 . Apparatus according to  claim 52  wherein the connection between the dryer vessel and the gas turbine is adapted to substantially preclude the introduction of air into the dryer vessel. 
     
     
         55 . Apparatus according to  claim 52  wherein the gas turbine comprises a gas turbine generator. 
     
     
         56 . Apparatus according to  claim 52  comprising the gas turbine air intake connected to an animal shelter vent. 
     
     
         57 . A method for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from an animal feeding, municipal sewage or manure bioconversion operation comprising:
 enclosing at least a portion of the operation that produces greenhouse gases to contain the gases;   directing at least a portion of the gases to a combustion air intake of a gas turbine, oil or gas burner or a reciprocating engine;   directing at least a portion of the exhaust gases from the turbine, burner or engine to a dryer vessel for drying or treating a manure feedstock.   
     
     
         58 . A method according to  claim 57  wherein the gas turbine comprises a gas turbine generator. 
     
     
         59 . A method according to  claim 57  wherein the operation enclosed is an animal feeding barn. 
     
     
         60 . A method of making a fertilizer or soil builder product comprising:
 producing hot combustion exhaust gases from a gas turbine, oil or gas burner or reciprocating engine;   directing ventilation air from an animal shelter into the combustion air intake of the turbine, burner or engine; and   contacting the hot combustion exhaust gases with a manure feedstock.   
     
     
         61 . A method according to  claim 60  comprising contacting the exhaust gases with the manure feedstock in an enclosed system adapted to substantially prevent significant oxidation of the manure feedstock.