Method for treating waste-activated sludge using elecroporation
A method of treating of municipal sludge, paper-pulp sludge, animal and plant waste, and the like, whereby the treatment thereof via electroporation causes the breakdown of waste activated sludge, which is then recycled back to a bioreactor, or to one or more additional bioreactors such as aerobic, facultative, anoxic, or strictly anaerobic.
1. A method of treating sludge containing cellular units including intercellular water, intracellular water and organic solids, comprising:
(a) directing the sludge to an electroporating system;
(b) electroporating the sludge for destroying at least most of the cellular units contained therein by incorporating a nonarcing voltage and pulse width; and
said (b) causing disruption of the cellular units, allowing for the release of intercellular water, intracellular water and organic solids; and
(c) directing the electroporated sludge to a bioreactor for performing biological digestion thereon whereby the electroporated sludge is used as food.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein (c) comprises delivering the electroporated sludge to at least one of: an aerobic, anoxic, facultative, or anaerobic bioreactor.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before (a):
(d) transporting the sludge from a primary treatment apparatus to at least one bioreactor of a secondary treatment apparatus; and
(e) said (c) comprising recycling the electroporated sludge back to said at least one bioreactor of (d).
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein (e) comprises delivering the destroyed cellular units of (b) to one of: an aerobic, anoxic, facultative, or anaerobic bioreactor.
5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said secondary treatment apparatus further comprises a sludge dewatering apparatus; said (c) further comprising:
(f) delivering the destroyed cellular units of (b) to another bioreactor downstream from said at least one bioreactor and upstream of said sludge dewatering apparatus.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein (c) comprises delivering the destroyed cellular units of (b) to one of: an aerobic, anoxic, facultative, or anaerobic bioreactor.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before said (a):
(f) transporting the sludge from a primary treatment apparatus to a secondary treatment apparatus;
said secondary treatment apparatus comprising a sludge dewatering apparatus; said (c) comprising delivering the destroyed cellular units of (b) to a bioreactor upstream of said sludge dewatering apparatus.
8. A method of treating sludge containing cellular units including intercellular water, intracellular water and organic solids, comprising:
(a) delivering sludge to an electroporation system;
(b) electroporating said sludge in said electroporation system by exposing said sludge to a pulsed electric field with a nonarcing voltage and pulse width to disrupt said cellular units and to release intercellular water, intracellular water and organic solids; and
(c) delivering said electroporated sludge to at least one bioreactor for reaction therewith;
said (c) comprising supplying said electroporated sludge as food for said at least one bioreactor.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein (c) comprises delivering said electroporated sludge to at least one of: an aerobic, anoxic, facultative, or anaerobic bioreactor.
10. A method of treating sludge containing cellular units including intercellular water, intracellular water and organic solids, comprising:
(a) delivering sludge to an electroporation system;
(b) electroporating said sludge in said electroporation system by exposing said sludge to a pulsed electric field with a nonarcing voltage and pulse width to disrupt said cellular units and to release organic solids; and
(c) supplying said released organic solids as food to a means for biologically digesting organic solids.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein (c) comprises delivering the released organic solids to at least one of: an aerobic, anoxic, facultative, or anaerobic bioreactor.
12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising, before (a):
(d) transporting said sludge from a primary treatment apparatus to at least one bioreactor of a secondary treatment apparatus; and
(e) said (c) comprising recycling the released solids back to said at least one bioreactor of (d).
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein (e) comprises delivering the disrupted cellular units of (b) to one of: an aerobic, anoxic, facultative, or anaerobic bioreactor.