Process for separating and converting waste into useable products

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING THE BIODEGRADEABLE AND NONBIODEGRADEABLE MATERIAL FROM WASTE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: GRINDING UNSORTED WASTE INTO PARTICULATE FORM; ANAEROBICALLY TREATING THE UNSORTED WASTE PARTICLES; STERILIZING THE ANAEROBICALLY TREATED PARTICLES; MIXING THE STERILIZED PARTICLES WITH AN AEROBIC AND ENZYME ACTIVATED LIQUID TO FORM A SLURRY; INDUCING THE SLURRY TO FLOW; CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE AND PH OF THE MOVING SLURRY TO CAUSE FERMENTATION: PERMEATING THE MOVING SLURRY WITH OXYGENATING GASES TO SAID IN FERMENTATION AND IN CAUSING THE BIODEGRADEABLE MATERIAL TO RISE TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOVING SLURRY AND FORM A FORTH; REMOVING THE BIODEGRADEABLE FROTH FROM THE TOP OF THE SLURRY; AND COLLECTING THE NON-BIODERGRADEABLE FROTH FROM THE TOP OF THE OUT.

Claim 3

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the steps of: adding sewage solids to the ground unsorted waste prior to anaerobic treatment; dewatering the anaerobically treated waste prior to sterilization.

Claim 4

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the step of: further grinding the unsorted waste, after the first grinding step, to fine particulate form.

Claim 5

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the step of: delumping the particulate waste after sterilization.

Claim 6

The process as claimed in claim 4 including the step of: aerating simultaneously with delumping.

Claim 7

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the step of: spraying the unsorted waste with an aerobic mist prior to grinding.

Claim 8

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the anaerobic treatment is conducted for approximately three days.

Claim 9

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the steps of: dewatering the collected non-biodegradeables; recirculating the effluent liquor resulting from dewatering of the non-biodegradeables for mixture with the slurry.

Claim 10

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the step of: recirculating the filtered effluent liquor after removal of the biodegradeable froth and non-biodegradeable material from the slurry for mixing with the sterilized waste particles.

Claim 11

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the oxygenating gases are introduced at approximately micron size.

Claim 12

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the temperature of the moving aerobic slurry is initially controlled to remain below approximately 103* F. until the decomposition of the lignins and celluloses is completed.

Claim 13

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the step of: retarding the movement of the slurry to extend the eaction period of the enzymes and aerobic bacteria.

Claim 14

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the step of: stimulating thE growth of the aerobic bacteria by applying ultrasonic sound waves to the slurry.

Claim 15

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein: sterilization is accomplished by superheated steam.

Claim 16

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein: sterilization is accomplished by ultrasonic waves.

Claim 17

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein: sterilization is accomplished by infrasonic waves.

Claim 18

The process as claimed in claim 1 including the steps of: placing the particulate waste under vacuum during sterilization; adding ozone during sterilization.

Claim 19

A process for converting raw sewage into pure water, comprising the steps of: adding enzymes to the raw sewage; controlling the temperature and pH to stimulate the growth of the enzymes and aerobic bacteria; removing solids from the raw sewage leaving a colloidal raw sewage liquor; dewatering the sewage solids; aerobically treating the effluent liquor resulting from dewatering the sewage solids in captive batches; controlling the environment of a batch of the effluent sewage liquor resulting from the solids removal to maximize the count of the aerobic bacteria; oxygenating the batch of effluent sewage liquor with micron size gas bubbles; combining at least a portion of the batch of aerobically treated effluent sewage liquor with the colloidal raw sewage liquor in a purifying tank; inducing the combined liquors to rotate in the purifying tank; controlling the environment in the purifying tank to optimize the growth of aerobic bacteria; withdrawing substantially pure water from the purifying tank; and adding the required amount of ozone to the pure water.

Claim 20

A process for converting raw sewage into pure water, comprising the steps of: adding enzymes to the raw sewage; controlling the temperature and pH to stimulate the growth of the enzymes and aerobic bacteria; removing solids from the raw sewage leaving a colloidal raw sewage liquor; dewatering the sewage solids; aerobically treating the effluent liquor resulting from dewatering the sewage solids in captive batches; controlling the environment of a batch of the effluent sewage liquor resulting from the solids removal to maximize the count of the aerobic bacteria; oxygenating the batch of effluent sewage liquor with micron size gas bubbles; combining at least a portion of the batch of aerobically treated effluent sewage liquor with the colloidal raw sewage liquor in a purifying tank; inducing the combined liquors to rotate in the purifying tank; controlling the environment in the purifying tank to optimize the growth of aerobic bacteria; withdrawing substantially pure water from the purifying tank; and adding the required amount of ozone to the pure water.

Claim 21

The process as claimed in claim 18 including the step of: ultrasonically treating the effluent sewage liquor to simulate the growth of aerobic bacteria.

Claim 22

The process as claimed in claim 18 including the step of: injecting the combined liquors into the purifying tank to induce vortical action.

Claim 23

The process as claimed in claim 20 including the step of: injecting oxygenating gas into the purifying tank in a direction which tends to reinforce the vortical action caused by the combined liquors.

Claim 24

The process as claimed in claim 18 including the step of: collecting any impure water exiting from the purifying tank for further aerobic treatment in a secondary purifying tank.