Soil Mediums and Alternative Fuel Mediums, Apparatus and Methods of Their Production and Uses Thereof

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for converting sludges, wastes or a combination thereof to biosolids, including a) at least one heated air system, b) at least one trough arrangement, c) at least one auger system, wherein the at least one auger system is situated in the at least one trough arrangement to form a conveyor system, and d) at least one heat box enclosing at least part of the conveyor system. These apparatus can a) efficiently convert organic wastes and sludges into soil mediums or alternative fuel mediums; b) ensure that the soil mediums and alternative fuel mediums are non-odoriferous, non-pathogenic and/or virus-free; c) mass reduce large quantities of organic sludges and wastes; d) mass reduce organic wastes and sludges by a 5 to 1 ratio; e) produce soil mediums or alternative fuel mediums that are or approach Class A or “exceptional quality” rating making them safe to recycle, f) convert both solids and liquids to soil mediums or alternative fuel mediums, where the treated solids can be safely recycled to agriculture markets and liquids can be recycled as wash-down water, beneficially recycled for reuse in the manufacturing of the original product or recycled for irrigation, and/or g) reduce or significantly reduce the “footprint” of other conventional waste recycling apparatus by reducing the space/area these devices occupy.

1 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus for converting sludges, wastes or a combination thereof to a biosolid, comprising:
 at least one heated air system,   at least one trough arrangement,   at least one auger system, wherein the at least one auger system is situated in the at least one trough arrangement to form a conveyor system, and   at least one heater box enclosing at least part of the conveyor system.   
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one heated air system comprises a burner and a hot air blower. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein hot air from the at least one heated air system is transferred into the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one auger system is coupled to a rotational system. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the rotational system comprises a hydraulic pump system, an electronic motor or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one auger system comprises a single auger system, a plurality auger system or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one sludge, waste or combination thereof originates from a municipality, an animal or poultry facility, a paper mill or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the heated air system comprises at least one rotary drum. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the heated air system heats air to at least about 150° F. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising an exhaust system. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the exhaust system comprises at least one wet scrubber, at least one plasma system, at least one carbon bed or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         50 . A soil medium produced by using the apparatus of  claim 39 . 
     
     
         51 . An alternative fuel medium produced by using the apparatus of  claim 39 . 
     
     
         52 . A process of producing an alternative soil medium from organic wastes or sludges, comprising:
 providing at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges;   providing a heated air system;   providing an exhaust system coupled to the heated air system;   introducing the at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges to the heated air system;   operating the heated air system in order to convert the at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges to an alternative fuel medium, wherein the at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges is mass reduced by a ratio of 5 to 1 to form the soil medium; and   exhausting any dust particles or undesirable gases by utilizing the exhaust system.   
     
     
         53 . The process of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges comprises at least one liquid, at least one slurry, at least one solid or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         54 . The process of  claim 52 , wherein the heated air system comprises at least one rotary drum. 
     
     
         55 . The process of  claim 52 , wherein the heated air system heats air to at least about 150° F. 
     
     
         56 . The process of  claim 52 , wherein mass reducing the at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges to form the alternative fuel medium comprises removing moisture from the at least one collection of organic wastes or sludges. 
     
     
         57 . An alternative fuel medium produced by the method of  claim 52 . 
     
     
         58 . The alternative fuel medium of  claim 57 , wherein the medium has a Class A rating according to US EPA 40 CFR Part 503.