System and Method for Converting Organic Waste Into Methane and Other Useful Products

Abstract

An organic waste processing system and method for producing an organic waste slurry for the production of bio-gas, transportation fuels or chemical products, wherein the system and method produces an organic waste slurry having substantially ten to fifteen percent in total solids and high levels of COD.

1 . An organic waste processing system to produce a slurry for the production of bio-gas, transportation fuels or chemical products, and a residual solid, comprising:
 a hopper configured to receive organic waste having contaminants from one or more sources;   a separator system in communication with the hopper and configured to receive the organic waste from the hopper and to remove at least a portion of the contaminants in the organic waste, wherein the separator system comprises a primary separator;   a wash water liquid tank in communication with the separator system and containing wash water, wherein at least a portion of the wash water from the wash water tank is periodically injected into the separator system upon request;   a product tank in communication with the separator system and configured to receive organic waste from the separator system, which has been processed by the separator system; and   a make-up product tank in communication with the separator system and configured to receive the organic waste from the separator system having low COD, wherein at least a portion of the organic waste from the make-up product tank is periodically injected into the product tank upon request.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , including a complimentary liquid tank in communication with the separator system and containing complimentary liquids, wherein at least a portion of the complimentary liquids from the complimentary liquid tank is periodically injected into the separator system upon request. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , including an anaerobic digestor system configured to receive the organic waste from the product tank, wherein the anaerobic digestor system comprises a flow meter, a control valve and an anaerobic digestor tank, wherein the control valve has an open and closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , including a programmable logic controller, wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to periodically inject organic waste into the anaerobic digestor tank to enhance anaerobic digestion, wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to monitor a flow meter and to open and close a control valve to inject the organic waste into the anaerobic digestor tank. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary separator is a centrifugal separator. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , the separator system further comprising a secondary separator in communication with the primary separator and configured to receive the organic waste from the primary centrifugal separator and to remove at least a portion of the contaminants in the organic waste. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the secondary separator is a centrifugal separator. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a FOG tank in communication with the separator system and containing FOG, wherein at least a portion of the FOG from the FOG tank is periodically injected into the product tank upon request. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a phase separated FOG tank in communication with the separator system and containing phase separated FOG, wherein at least a portion of the phase separated FOG from the phase separated FOG tank is periodically injected into the product tank upon request. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , the primary separator is configured to remove contaminants greater than 15 millimeters from the organic waste. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , the secondary separator is configured to remove contaminants greater than 8 millimeters from the organic waste. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein complimentary liquids comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of grease trap material, decased consumer products, off-spec consumer products, and beverage industry industrial process waste waters. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a supervisory control and data acquisition interface configured to control at least a portion of the organic waste processing system remotely over the internet. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to control at least one selected from the group consisting of a pump cycle start, a pump cycle stop, a feed cycle start, a feed cycle stop, a feed cycle reset. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to close a control valve, associated with an anaerobic digestor system, after a predetermined setpoint is reached. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to monitor at least one selected from the group consisting of a cumulative amount of the organic waste fed into an anaerobic digestor tank, associated with an anaerobic digestor system, and a current cycle amount of the organic waste fed into the anaerobic digestor tank. 
     
     
         17 . A method for producing, from organic wastes having contaminants, solids, and levels of COD, an organic waste slurry for the production of bio-gas, transportation fuels or chemical products, comprising:
 removing at least a portion of the contaminants from the organic waste to make a first slurry;   removing at least a portion of the contaminants from the organic waste to make a second slurry;   providing a supply of FOG liquids; and   blending into the first slurry some of the second slurry and some of the FOG liquids to produce an organic waste slurry having substantially ten to fifteen percent in total solids and high levels of COD.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , including utilizing a separator system to remove contaminants from the organic wastes to make the first and second slurries, the separator system including a primary separator. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the primary separator is a centrifugal separator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the separator system further includes a secondary separator in communication with the primary separator. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the secondary separator is a centrifugal separator. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , including providing a supply of wash water, and injecting some of the wash water into the separator system. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , including providing a supply of wash water, and injecting some of the wash water into the first slurry. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , including providing a supply of complementary liquids, and injecting some of the complementary liquids into the separator system. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , including providing a supply of complementary liquids, and injecting some of the complementary liquids into the first slurry. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the supply of FOG liquids is a supply of raw FOG liquids. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the supply of FOG liquids is a supply of phase separated FOG liquids.