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An apparatus, method and system is provided for treating sewage sludge by heating the same in a container to drive off pathogens and/or pasteurize the sewage sludge while the material is tumbled in the container and with moisture gases being evaporated therefrom and drawn off from the container. Aft

An apparatus, method and system is provided for treating sewage sludge by heating the same in a container to drive off pathogens and/or pasteurize the sewage sludge while the material is tumbled in the container and with moisture gases being evaporated therefrom and drawn off from the container. After treatment the treated sludge is discharged from the container. There is provided at least one weight-responsive member on which the container is mounted, and a control is provided connected to the one or more weight-responsive member whereby the solids content of the treated material can be determined by measuring the difference in weight of material in the container, before and after moisture is drawn off from the material and prior to its discharge from the drum. The control is preferably effected by means of a computer.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for treating sewage sludge having a moisture content by drying and/or pasteurizing and/or otherwise chemically treating material comprising sludge and any added ingredients comprising: (a) a drum; (b) sewage sludge delivery means connected to the drum for delivering

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for treating sewage sludge having a moisture content by drying and/or pasteurizing and/or otherwise chemically treating material comprising sludge and any added ingredients comprising: (a) a drum; (b) sewage sludge delivery means connected to the drum for delivering sewage sludge with a moisture content to the drum; (c) means for tumbling the material within the drum; (d) means for heating the material in the drum; (e) exhaust means for drawing off moisture gases being evaporated from the material in the drum; (f) discharge means for discharging the treated material from the drum; (g) at least one weight-responsive member on which the drum is mounted; (h) control means connected to said weight-responsive member(s), whereby the solids content of the treated material can be determined by measuring the difference in weight of the drum with the material in the drum, before and after moisture is drawn off from the material, prior to discharge of treated material from the drum. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, including programmed computer means as part of said control means connected to said delivery means and said discharge means, for treating sewage sludge in a batch operation. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, including programmed computer means as part of said control means connected to said delivery means and said discharge for treating sewage sludge in a pulsed operation. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, including programmed computer means as part of said control means connected to said delivery means and said discharge means, for treating sewage sludge in a continuous operation. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drum is stationary, and has a rotatable shaft therein, with a plurality of rotatable plates therein carried by the shaft for engaging material in the drum and facilitating the tumbling of the material, including means for rotating the shaft. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means for heating the material in the drum includes means for heating the plates. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stationary drum has a generally cylindrical inner wall. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plates are generally disk-like. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plates comprise segments of a disk. 10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the shaft and plates are generally hollow, with means for applying heat thereto. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for applying heat comprises duct means for delivering heated fluid thereto. 12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plates have peripheries that are spaced from the cylindrical inner wall of the drum. 13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein there are provided material pusher means disposed between adjacent plates for mixing material in the drum by pushing material as the plates and shaft rotate in the drum. 14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein there are provided material pusher means disposed between adjacent plates for mixing material in the drum by pushing material as the plates and shaft rotate in the drum, wherein the pusher means comprise generally planar ribs between adjacent plates for rotation therewith in close proximity to the cylindrical inner wall of the drum, for scraping material from the cylindrical inner wall of the drum. 15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein there are provided material pusher means disposed between adjacent plates for mixing material in the drum by pushing material as the plates and shaft rotate in the drum, wherein the pusher means comprise rods disposed between adjacent plates, for rotation therewith. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, including lime delivery means for optionally delivering lime as an added ingredient to the drum for optionally pasteurizing the sludge, and wherein the sludge delivery means and the lime delivery means are independently operated by said control means. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, including means for delivering chemicals for chemical treatment of sludge in the drum, and wherein the sludge delivery means and the means for delivering chemicals are independently operated by said control means. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said exhaust means includes a scrubber for treating gases drawn off the material being treated. 19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge means includes a plurality of discharge gates and means for operating the discharge gates. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the discharge means include a discharge conveyor disposed for receiving material discharged via the discharge gates. 21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one weight-responsive member includes a plurality of load cells supporting said drum. 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control means includes a computer for controlling said delivery means and said discharge means, as a function of the determination of solids content of the treated material via said at least one weight-responsive member. 23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means includes manual means for controlling said delivery means and said discharge means as a function of the determination of solids content of the treated material via said at least one weight-responsive member. 24. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the drum has a generally cylindrical inner wall, wherein the plates arc generally disk-like, wherein the shaft and plates are generally hollow, with means for applying heat thereto, wherein there are provided material pusher means disposed between adjacent plates for mixing material in the drum by pushing material as the plates and shaft rotate in the drum, wherein the discharge means includes a plurality of discharge gates and means for operating the discharge gates, wherein the discharge means include a discharge conveyor disposed for receiving material discharged via the discharge gates and wherein said at least one weight-responsive member includes a plurality of load cells supporting said drum. 25. A method of treating sewage sludge having a moisture content by drying and/or pasteurizing and/or otherwise chemically treating material comprising sludge and any added ingredients comprising: (a) providing a drum; (b) delivering sludge with a moisture content to the drum; (c) tumbling the material within the drum; (d) heating the material in the drum; (e) drawing off moisture gases being evaporated from the material in the drum; (f) discharging the treated material from the drum; (g) providing at least one weight-responsive member on which the drum is mounted; (h) measuring the difference in weight of the drum with the material in the drum via the at least one weight responsive member, before and after moisture is drawn off from the material, prior to discharge of treated material from the drum, whereby the solids content of the treated material can be determined. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein said delivering and discharging steps include treating sewage sludge in a batch operation. 27. The method of claim 25, wherein said delivering and discharging steps include treating sewage sludge in a pulsed operation. 28. The method of claim 25, wherein said delivering and discharging steps include treating sewage sludge in a continuous operation. 29. The method of claim 25, wherein the drum is maintained stationary, and rotating a rotatable shaft therein, with a plurality of rotatable plates therein carried by the shaft and engaging material in the drum and facilitating the tumbling of the material. 30. The method of claim 29, and heating the material in the drum by heating the plates. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the heating of the plates comprises delivering heated fluid through ducts in the plates. 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the tumbling step includes mixing the material in the drum by pushing material as the plates and shaft rotate in the drum. 33. The method of claim 32, including the step of scraping material from a cylindrical inner wall of the drum. 34. The method of claim 25, including optionally delivering lime as an added ingredient to the drum for optionally pasteurizing the sludge. 35. The method of claim 25, including delivering chemicals for chemical treatment of sludge in the drum. 36. The method of clam 25, wherein the drawing off step includes scrubbing gases drawn off the material being treated. 37. The method of claim 25, wherein the discharging step includes opening a plurality of discharge gates. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the discharging step includes providing a discharge conveyor disposed for receiving material discharged via the discharge gates. 39. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of providing at least one weight-responsive member includes providing a plurality of load cells supporting said drum. 40. The method of claim 25, including the step of controlling said delivering and discharging steps as a function of the determination of solids content of the treated material via said at least one weight-responsive member, through a computer. 41. The method of claim 25, including the step of manually controlling said delivering and discharging steps as a function of the determination of solids content of the treated material via said at least one weight-responsive member. 42. A system for treating sewage sludge having a moisture content, comprising a sludge storage silo, means for conveying sewage sludge with a moisture content from the silo into a treatment drum, means for tumbling the sludge within the drum, means for heating the sludge in the drum to evaporate moisture from the sludge, means for drawing off moisture gases from the sludge in the drum, means for discharging sludge from the drum into a take-off conveyor, means for conveying treated sludge through the discharge conveyor into a hopper, a hopper for receiving sludge from the discharge conveyor, at least one weight-responsive member on which the drum is mounted, and control means connected to the weight-responsive member(s), whereby the solids content of the treated material can be determined by measuring the difference in weight of the drum and the material in the drum, before and after moisture is drawn off from the material, prior to discharge of treated material from the drum. 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the control means includes a programmed computer. 44. The system of claim 42, including a gas scrubber for treating moisture drawn off from the drum, connected to the drum for receiving moisture therefrom. 45. The system of claim 42, including a thermal fluid heater, for heating a medium that in turn supplies heat to the drum for heating components thereof for evaporating moisture from sludge in the drum. 46. The system of claim 42, including means associated with said take-off conveyor for cooling sewage sludge in the take-off conveyor that has been delivered thereto from the drum. 47. The system of claim 42, including a lime storage silo and means for delivering lime from the silo, into the drum. 48. The system of claim 42, including means for storing chemicals, and delivery means for delivering chemicals from the storage means, into the drum, for assisting in the treatment of sewage sludge in the drum. 49. The system of claim 42, wherein the control means includes a programmed computer, including a gas scrubber for treating moisture drawn off from the drum, connected to the drum for receiving moisture therefrom, including a thermal fluid heater, for heating a medium that in turn supplies heat to the drum for heating components thereof for evaporating moisture from sludge in the drum, including means associated with said take-off conveyor for cooling sewage sludge in the take-off conveyor that has been delivered thereto from the drum, including means for storing chemicals, and delivery means for delivering chemicals from the storage means, into the drum, for assisting in the treatment of sewage sludge in the drum.