U.S. patent application number 11/592511 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for environmentally compatible integrated food and energy production system.
Invention is credited to Dominic T. Bassani, George W. Bloom, Jeffery H. Kapell, James W. Morris, Jere Northrop, Stephen J. Pagano.
Application Number | 20080035036 11/592511 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38624385 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080035036 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bassani; Dominic T. ; et
al. |
February 14, 2008 |
Environmentally compatible integrated food and energy production
system
Abstract
The present invention relates to the collection of food and
energy production units with attendant processing units into an
integrated system capable of substantially boosting the efficiency
and economics of food and energy production while greatly reducing
the impact on the environment. In a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the system and process further includes sufficient land
area for crop production and uptake of nutrients and water.
Inventors: |
Bassani; Dominic T.; (Dix
Hills, NY) ; Morris; James W.; (Standish, ME)
; Northrop; Jere; (Amherst, NY) ; Bloom; George
W.; (Falmouth, ME) ; Kapell; Jeffery H.;
(Plymouth, MA) ; Pagano; Stephen J.; (Pine Level,
NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KENYON & KENYON LLP
ONE BROADWAY
NEW YORK
NY
10004
US
|
Family ID: |
38624385 |
Appl. No.: |
11/592511 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60811150 |
Jun 5, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
110/224 ;
110/219; 110/229 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02P 20/136 20151101;
Y02P 30/20 20151101; C10G 2300/1011 20130101; Y02E 50/17 20130101;
Y02E 50/30 20130101; Y02P 20/133 20151101; C10L 5/42 20130101; Y02E
50/10 20130101; Y02E 50/343 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
110/224 ;
110/219; 110/229 |
International
Class: |
F23G 5/02 20060101
F23G005/02; F23G 5/04 20060101 F23G005/04; F23G 5/12 20060101
F23G005/12 |
Claims
1. An energy production system for the production of biofuel
utilizing separated biological solids from an animal production
facility as an energy source for biofuel production.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said separated biological solids
are dried prior to utilization in said biofuel production
system.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said processed biological solids
are dried to greater than about 20 percent solids.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said separated biological solids
are processed prior to utilization in said biofuel production
system.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein said separation comprises
segregating said biological solids into at least one component
containing a preponderance of one of cellulosic solids,
hemicellulosic solids, and lignin materials, and at least one other
component.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
8. An integrated food and energy production system comprising: a
biofuel production facility producing energy products from
fermentable materials through a fermentation process; an animal
production facility comprising animals from the group consisting of
dairy cows, beef cattle, poultry, and pigs; an environmental
management facility comprising a means to process waste from at
least one of said animal production facility and said biofuel
production facility; and an energy conversion facility, wherein at
least one from the group consisting of biological solids from said
environmental management facility and biogas containing methane
from said environmental management facility are converted into
usable forms of heat energy; wherein said heat energy is utilized
in said biofuel facility.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of said
fermentation byproducts from said biofuel production facility are
utilized in said animal production facility.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein said biofuel production facility
produces a spirit through distillation of fermentation liquor
creating wet distillers grains.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein said spirit is one from the
group consisting of ethanol, butanol and biodiesel.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains is fed to said animals as rations.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein all of said wet distillers
grains is fed to said animals as rations.
14. The system of claim 8, wherein said heat energy is in the form
of one from the group consisting of high grade heat energy and low
grade heat energy.
15. The system of claim 10; wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said distillation process, the drying of biological solids, and
heating said biofuel production facility's fermentation liquid and
process.
16. The system of claim 8, further comprising the utilization of
said heat energy in said animal production facility.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said drying of biological solids, heating said animal production
facility during cold weather, and heating of biological processing
components.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein said dried solids are utilized
as bedding in said animal production facility for said animals.
19. The system of claim 8, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
21. The system of claim 8, further comprising a soil crop facility,
wherein output from said environmental management facility is
applied for uptake of water and processing of nutrients on
agriculturally productive land.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of said
fermentation byproducts from said biofuel production facility are
utilized in said animal production facility.
23. The system of claim 21, wherein said biofuel production
facility produces a spirit through distillation of fermentation
liquor creating wet distillers grains.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein said spirit is one from the
group consisting of ethanol, butanol and biodiesel.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains is fed to said animals as rations.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein all of said wet distillers
grains is fed to said animals as rations.
27. The system of claim 21, wherein said heat energy is in the form
of one from the group consisting of high grade heat energy and low
grade heat energy.
28. The system of claim 23; wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said distillation process, the drying of biological solids, and
heating said biofuel production facility's fermentation liquid and
process.
29. The system of claim 21, further comprising the utilization of
said heat energy in said animal production facility.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said drying of biological solids, heating said animal production
facility during cold weather, and heating of biological processing
components.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein said dried solids are utilized
as bedding in said animal production facility for said animals.
32. The system of claim 21, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
34. The system of claim 21, further comprising a food and
commercial products facility producing at least one of a food and a
commercial product.
35. The system of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of said
fermentation byproducts from said biofuel production facility are
utilized in said animal production facility.
36. The system of claim 34, wherein said biofuel production
facility produces a spirit through distillation of fermentation
liquor creating wet distillers grains.
37. The system of claim 36, wherein said spirit is one from the
group consisting of ethanol, butanol and biodiesel.
38. The system of claim 36, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains is fed to said animals as rations.
39. The system of claim 38, wherein all of said wet distillers
grains is fed to said animals as rations.
40. The system of claim 34, wherein said heat energy is in the form
of one from the group consisting of high grade heat energy and low
grade heat energy.
41. The system of claim 36; wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said distillation process, the drying of biological solids, and
heating said biofuel production facility's fermentation liquid and
process.
42. The system of claim 34, further comprising the utilization of
said heat energy in said animal production facility.
43. The system of claim 42, wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said drying of biological solids, heating said animal production
facility during cold weather, and heating of biological processing
components.
44. The system of claim 43, wherein said dried solids are utilized
as bedding in said animal production facility for said animals.
45. The system of claim 34, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
46. The system of claim 45, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
47. The system of claim 34, wherein said at least one of food and
commercial product is from the group consisting of milk, cheese,
ice cream, vegetable canning, vegetable freezing, fruit juice,
wine, soft drinks, eggs, and meat.
48. The system of claim 34, wherein said at least one of food and
commercial product is from the group consisting of saw mills and
paper.
49. An integrated food and energy production system comprising: a
biofuel production facility producing energy products from
fermentable substrates through a fermentation process; at least two
animal production facilities each comprising animals from the group
consisting of dairy cows, beef cattle, poultry, and pigs; at least
two environmental management facilities each comprising a means to
process waste from at least one of said at least two animal
production facilities and said biofuel production facility; and at
least two energy conversion facilities, wherein at least one from
the group consisting of biological solids from at least one of said
at least two environmental management facilities and biogas
containing methane from at least one of said at least two
environmental management facilities are converted into usable forms
of heat energy; and wherein said heat energy is utilized in said
biofuel facility.
50. The system of claim 49, wherein at least a portion of said
fermentation byproducts from said biofuel production facility are
utilized in said animal production facility.
51. The system of claim 49, wherein said biofuel production
facility produces a spirit through distillation of fermentation
liquor creating wet distillers grains.
52. The system of claim 51, wherein said spirit is one from the
group consisting of ethanol, butanol and biodiesel.
53. The system of claim 51, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains is fed to said animals as rations.
54. The system of claim 53, wherein all of said wet distillers
grains is fed to said animals as rations.
55. The system of claim 49, wherein said heat energy is in the form
of one from the group consisting of high grade heat energy and low
grade heat energy.
56. The system of claim 51; wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said distillation process, the drying of biological solids, and
heating said biofuel production facility's fermentation liquid and
process.
57. The system of claim 49, further comprising the utilization of
said heat energy in said animal production facility.
58. The system of claim 57, wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said drying of biological solids, heating said animal production
facility during cold weather, and heating of biological processing
components.
59. The system of claim 58, wherein said dried solids are utilized
as bedding in said animal production facility for said animals.
60. The system of claim 49, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
61. The system of claim 60, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
62. (The system of claim 49, further comprising at least one soil
crop facility, wherein effluent from said environmental management
facility is applied for uptake of water and processing of nutrients
on agriculturally productive land.
63. The system of claim 62, wherein at least a portion of said
fermentation byproducts from said biofuel production facility are
utilized in said animal production facility.
64. The system of claim 62, wherein said biofuel production
facility produces a spirit through distillation of fermentation
liquor creating wet distillers grains.
65. The system of claim 64, wherein said spirit is one from the
group consisting of ethanol, butanol and biodiesel.
66. The system of claim 64, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains is fed to said animals as rations.
67. The system of claim 66, wherein all of said wet distillers
grains is fed to said animals as rations.
68. The system of claim 62, wherein said heat energy is in the form
of one from the group consisting of high grade heat energy and low
grade heat energy.
69. The system of claim 64; wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said distillation process, the drying of biological solids, and
heating said biofuel production facility's fermentation liquid and
process.
70. The system of claim 62, further comprising the utilization of
said heat energy in said animal production facility.
71. The system of claim 70, wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said drying of biological solids, heating said animal production
facility during cold weather, and heating of biological processing
components.
72. The system of claim 71, wherein said dried solids are utilized
as bedding in said animal production facility for said animals.
73. The system of claim 62, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
74. The system of claim 73, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
75. The system of claim 62, further comprising at least one food
and commercial products facility producing at least one of a food
and a commercial product.
76. The system of claim 75, wherein at least a portion of said
fermentation byproducts from said biofuel production facility are
utilized in said animal production facility.
77. The system of claim 75, wherein said biofuel production
facility produces a spirit through distillation of fermentation
liquor creating wet distillers grains.
78. The system of claim 77, wherein said spirit is one from the
group consisting of ethanol, butanol and biodiesel.
79. The system of claim 77, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains is fed to said animals as rations.
80. The system of claim 79, wherein all of said wet distillers
grains is fed to said animals as rations.
81. The system of claim 75, wherein said heat energy is in the form
of one from the group consisting of high grade heat energy and low
grade heat energy.
82. The system of claim 77; wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said distillation process, the drying of biological solids, and
heating said biofuel production facility's fermentation liquid and
process.
83. The system of claim 75, further comprising the utilization of
said heat energy in said animal production facility.
84. The system of claim 83, wherein said utilization comprises use
of said heat energy for at least one from the group consisting of
said drying of biological solids, heating said animal production
facility during cold weather, and heating of biological processing
components.
85. The system of claim 84, wherein said dried solids are utilized
as bedding in said animal production facility for said animals.
86. The system of claim 75, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 3
cows per acre of land.
87. The system of claim 86, wherein said animal production facility
comprises a CAFO with a herd concentration greater than about 20
cows per acre of land.
88. The system of claim 75, wherein said at least one of food and
commercial product is from the group consisting of milk, cheese,
ice cream, vegetable canning, vegetable freezing, fruit juice,
wine, soft drinks, eggs, and meat.
89. The system of claim 75, wherein said at least one of food and
commercial product is from the group consisting of saw mills and
paper.
90. A method to produce transportable high energy content
biological solids comprising: collecting organic waste at an animal
production; separating said organic wastes by various means to
separate cellulosic, hemicellulosic, and lignin materials from
other materials; drying said separated organic wastes to create
dried organic solids greater than about 20 percent solids; and
converting said dried organic wastes into usable forms of heat
energy.
91. The method of claim 90, further comprising transporting said
dried organic solids to a biofuel production facility.
92. The method of claim 90, further comprising utilizing said heat
energy in at least one of a biofuel production facility, an animal
production facility, and an environmental management facility.
93. The method of claim 90, wherein said converting of said dried
organic wastes comprises combustion of said organic waste.
94. The method of claim 92, wherein said drying of said separated
organic waste comprises use of heat from said combustion.
95. The method of claim 92, further comprising production of
spirits through a dry milling fermentation process utilizing corn
grains and heat from said combustion.
96. The method of claim 95, wherein said production of spirits
comprises the production of wet distillers grains.
97. The method of claim 96, wherein at least a portion of said wet
distillers grains are fed to animals as rations.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/811,150, filed on Jun. 5, 2006,
which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference
thereto. U.S. application Ser. No. 10/600,936, filed on Jun. 20,
2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,495 and U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 09/709,171 filed on Nov. 10, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,274,
and U.S. Application No. [not yet known]entitled Low Oxygen
Biologically Mediated Nutrient Removal filed on Nov. 3, 2006, are
each expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference
thereto.
[0002] The present invention relates to a novel process for the
environmentally compatible production of food, particularly milk
and meat, and energy, particularly ethanol, in a functionally
integrated system which realizes significant economic advantages
through the efficient use and reuse of resources, products,
byproducts, waste products and energy which are often wasted or
underutilized in non integrated systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The single largest segment of U.S. agriculture has recently
emerged as that dealing with Confined Animal Feeding Operations
(CAFOs). CAFOs include any operation in which large numbers of
dairy cows, beef cattle, swine or poultry are raised in contained
structures and in large concentrations. While straining
environmental management goals, these facilities contribute to the
readily available, high quality, low priced food products enjoyed
by US citizens. CAFOs represent a substantial beneficial
agricultural production sector.
[0004] CAFOs typically generate significant quantities of solid
wastes (manures), wastewaters, and atmospheric emissions and these
materials are increasingly creating an environmental barrier for
continued expansion of the CAFO industry. In typical CAFO waste
treatment systems, waste is spread over large tracts of land for
its fertilizer value allowing for its slow decomposition and uptake
by plants. Because the agronomic rate for efficient plant uptake is
low, large areas are required for this to be accomplished in an
environmentally compliant manner. Even when waste is treated
on-site using large treatment basins and/or other processes that
treat and settle the waste for eventual disposal of the resultant
solids and liquids, very large tracts of land are still required
for application of the resultant solids and liquids to prevent
undesired concentrations of contaminants and thus pollution of
surrounding surface water bodies and/or ground water. Irrespective
of the conventional treatment alternatives selected, CAFOs and
their associated treatment systems thus require significant amounts
of land to operate.
[0005] Agricultural runoff is the primary water pollution problem
in the United States. Over-application of animal waste to cropland
has resulted in manure nutrients polluting surface and ground water
systems, adversely impacting water quality throughout the country.
For example, the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes clean-up
initiatives are spending billions of dollars to reduce excess
nutrient pollution. In both cases, agriculture in general, and
CAFOs in particular, have been identified among the main
contributors of pollution. CAFOs are also significant emitters of
pollutants to air, with dairies having been identified as the
largest contributor to airborne ammonia and other polluting gases
in the critically impaired region of the San Joaquin Valley in
California.
[0006] Recent technological developments have made it possible to
resolve these geographical and environmental problems so that there
now exists a comprehensive environmental solution for CAFOs. Some
of these proprietary technological developments are described in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,689,274 and 6,908,495, in U.S. application Ser.
No. 10/106,751 Low Oxygen Biologically Mediated Nutrient Removal,
in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/106,751 filed on Apr. 15, 2005, and
in U.S. Application Serial No. [unknown] entitled Low Oxygen
Biologically Mediated Nutrient Removal filed on Nov. 3, 2006
(collectively, the "Bion Technology"). The Bion Technology enables
CAFO treatment facilities to surpass current (as well as
anticipated) treatment objectives and environmental regulations for
both nutrient releases to receiving waters and lands as well as
associated air emissions. The Bion Technology effectively removes
nutrients from effluent discharges, including those applied to
local lands and waters, while dramatically reducing atmospheric
emissions. Use of the Bion Technology enables existing CAFOs to
continue operation at a time when new regulations and compliance
standards would otherwise prohibit their existence. Nuisance odors
and emissions associated with CAFOs are dramatically reduced,
thereby addressing complaints from local residents and public
advocates normally associated with CAFO facilities. More
significantly, reduced nutrients in the effluent discharges enables
CAFOs to operate and discharge treatment effluents on smaller land
areas without violating environmental constraints. As a result of
the ecological efficiencies and environmental benefits achieved by
the Bion Technology, less land and thus increased herd
concentrations (usually a minimum of 3 to as much as 10 or more
times current herd number per acre of property) can be achieved,
thereby allowing integration of CAFOs with other food and energy
production units on a scale which was impossible up to now. Put
differently, significantly larger sized CAFOs can operate on the
same amount of land, and more significantly for the present
invention, often times smaller sized tracts of land, than
conventional sized CAFOs, and this presents integration
opportunities not previously available.
[0007] Applicants acknowledge that alternative treatment
processes/systems, such as those applying, for example, the use of
deep well injection (Robin, George, BIOSLURRYFRAC, A Class V
Experimental UIC Permit, EPA 2005) and/or membrane filtration,
might possibly achieve the attributes of the Bion Technology (i.e.,
reduced air emissions and effluent discharges). Accordingly, those
alternative treatment process/systems are contemplated in the
process of the current invention so long as they can achieve
comparable (or better) reduced land requirements for CAFOs.
[0008] The possibility of reduced land requirements (increased herd
concentration) is the catalyst that drives a significant
opportunity to address the continuing crisis involving energy
supplies and the resultant focus on renewable energy production. As
gasoline and related energy prices climb and sources of supply are
diminished or become unreliable there is a need for alternative
fuels. This has led to an interest in ethanol and butanol
production as an additive to, or a replacement for, conventionally
produced gasoline. Production of these spirits (ethanol and
butanol, and others) entails the fermentation of corn grain or
other appropriate fermentable materials using microorganisms and
then separating the ethanol from the fermentation liquor via
distillation.
Weigel, Jerry C., Loy, Dan, and Kilmer, Lee, Feed Co-Products of
the Dry Corn Milling Process, Featuring Distillers Dry Grains,
1997.
[0009] As shown in the above process flow diagram for ethanol
products, ethanol production facilities need to dry the resultant
byproducts of the process, the wet distillers grains and solubles,
before removing them from the production site. Wet distillers
grains and solubles are denser and more costly to transport than
dry distillers grains and dried solubles due to water content.
Also, the wet distillers grains rapidly spoil during storage or
transport. It is necessary to dry the distillers grains in order to
stop this spoilage. Ultimately, the dried distillers grains from an
ethanol production facility are disposed of by transporting them
off site, usually to dairies or beef feedlots for incorporation as
a component of cow feed.
[0010] To prevent this spoilage, the distillers grains have to be
dried, which requires energy, and then transported to the cows,
which requires even more energy, and often storage facilities. The
consequence is that there is a significant cost associated with the
disposal or reuse of the distillers grains.
[0011] Conventional ethanol production requires a continuous inflow
of corn grain, which requires transportation often times from
distant locations via train or truck, storage, and handling.
Conventional ethanol production also requires a great deal of
energy for the distillation process, for the drying of the wet
distillers grain, for the drying of solubles, for evaporators,
presses and dryers, and heating the fermenter and its biologically
active contents. Further, convention ethanol production requires
the handling, storage, and transportation of the dry distillers
grains and dry solubles.
[0012] The two most significant requirements for the economical
production of ethanol on an environmentally compliant large scale
basis are 1. a source of heat for the distillation process, and 2.
a means of economically handling the distillers grains from the
fermentation process. Up until the present invention, the drying
process has been a major cost component because the wet distillers
grains spoil if not used for feed within a few hours after their
production.
[0013] Locating a sufficiently large CAFO next to an ethanol plant
would eliminate several disadvantages and inefficiencies associated
with ethanol production, but this concept has not been successfully
implemented because of environmental and land constraints which
prevent such very large CAFOs from being built in the proper
locations.
[0014] Because the size of the CAFO that would be required to
balance even the smallest economical ethanol plant is so large, up
until the conception of the current invention, no one has yet
conceived of a way to fully integrate a CAFO facility with an
ethanol production facility so that the two can operate
continuously and interdependently without adverse impact to the
environment and without losing the benefits of eliminating the
drying required by current practice. The energy requirements can be
dramatically reduced and the environmental treatment objectives can
be met if an ethanol plant can be coupled to a very large CAFO
facility operating in an economically and environmentally practical
manner, such as, for example, if the CAFO facility utilizes the
Bion Technology.
[0015] Operating very large CAFOs in an environmentally compliant
manner and on smaller land areas means that CAFOs can be sited very
close to renewable energy, food, and other agricultural product
production facilities and that CAFOs can be successfully integrated
with them. New possibilities are created for the location(s) of
CAFOs that would otherwise have been unavailable. The integration
of CAFO treatment systems with food and energy production
facilities generates significant economic advantages and savings by
minimizing energy, transportation and distribution costs,
maximizing waste heat utilization at CAFO treatment facilities and
energy production facilities, and optimizing renewable energy
application by locating energy users next to renewable energy
producers. Applicants have discovered a process that integrates
CAFOs, treatment processes that reduce land requirements for CAFOs'
waste treatment systems (e.g., the Bion Technology), food
production facilities, and energy production facilities in an
environmentally safe and economical manner. The integrated process
produces energy products, such as ethanol, butanol, and biodiesel,
and food products, such as milk, meat, and cheese, at substantially
reduced cost.
[0016] Thus, Applicants have discovered a means for integrating
food and energy production facilities with large CAFO facilities to
take advantage of the previously described integration efficiencies
while reducing the environmental impact of producing these
products.
[0017] Applicants have also discovered that the integration of a
CAFO with a biofuel production facility creates new possibilities
for utilization of energy sources. Accordingly, Applicants have
discovered a process to create a renewable energy source comprising
separating coarse solids from a CAFO's waste stream, drying some or
all of these coarse solids by utilizing waste heat from other
operations in an integrated system, and then using such dried
coarse solids to produce biofuel. This process may also comprise
satellite CAFO facilities located close to the biofuel facility,
which can separate their coarse solids, dry these coarse solids
using combusted coarse solids at the satellite site or methane
produced by the anaerobic digestion of CAFO wastes at the satellite
site, and then efficiently transporting such dried solids to the
nearby biofuel production facility.
[0018] Applicants have also discovered a novel process to produce
biofuel utilizing dried coarse solids as an energy source in the
biofuel production process.
[0019] Applicants have also discovered a novel process for the
distillation of spirits using renewable energy sources, namely,
separated organic, mostly cellulosic, solids and/or methane
produced by the anaerobic degradation of the manure from a
CAFO.
[0020] Applicants have furthermore discovered an integrated system
comprising biofuel production, food and animal production, and
organic waste treatment in an ecologically efficient and
environmentally safe manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The present invention is a system and a process comprised of
a number of matched or balanced processing units that, when
integrated, generate food and energy products economically and
treat resulting organic wastes in an environmentally sustainable
and benign fashion.
[0022] The invention is made possible by utilizing treatment
technologies (such as the Bion Technology) which allow large CAFOs
to be sited on a small footprint without creating environmental
problems. This in turn allows CAFO production units and associated
organic waste treatment processes to be synergistically combined
with other food and energy production units (facilities such as
cheese or milk processing plants and ethanol plants) to form an
interrelated and integrated system.
[0023] In this integrated system, a given unit's products,
by-products, and waste products, or excess or waste energy can be
used by other physically adjacent units, thereby substantially
lowering production costs and eliminating many distribution,
handling and storage costs while recovering additional benefits
from the wastes (e.g., waste heat) usually lost in physically
isolated facilities.
[0024] For example: in such an integrated system, a given unit
may:
[0025] 1. deliver its main product directly to an adjacent unit
that uses the product. For example, a CAFO dairy can pipe its milk
directly to an adjacent cheese plant, thereby eliminating
distribution costs such as trucking, cooling, storing, etc.
[0026] 2. deliver wastes and byproducts directly to a physically
adjacent unit which can beneficially reuse such wastes and
byproducts in an optimum manner. This would avoid costs associated
with transportation and storage, and the processing costs of the
materials which the transporting and storage would require. For
example, the wet distillers grains from an ethanol plant could be
fed directly to cows in an adjacent CAFO dairy without drying or
storing the wet distillers grains, thereby minimizing
transportation costs and avoiding the major energy and capital cost
required to dry these solids to avoid spoilage.
[0027] 3. take high and low grade heat which results from one
production process and transfer it directly to an adjacent unit
which can use such high and low grade heat in its own production
process. For example, use the waste heat from an ethanol facility
to heat the biological process and dry the solids in a waste
treatment system or use the dried coarse solids from a waste
treatment system as a fuel supply for the ethanol plant.
[0028] The invention efficiently moves organic solid materials
between the livestock portion of the integrated process and the
food and energy production portion of the integrated process to
take full advantage of their value and thereby minimize the net
amount of energy utilized while significantly lowering the amount
of energy that is wasted. For example, dried coarse solids
generated at the livestock waste treatment portion of the process
can be burned and used as a heat supply in the distillation of
ethanol in the energy portion of the process. The process of the
invention similarly takes advantage of internal recirculation of
materials such as, for example, use of wet distillers grains as the
livestock feed for dairy cows, which is practical because the cows
are located physically close to the ethanol plant and the cows can
be fed the wet distillers grains for a substantial component of
their ration as they are produced--no drying or storage would be
required.
[0029] One important aspect to obtaining the efficiencies (without
the need for significant external energy sources, transportation
costs and disposal costs) of the invention is obtaining proximity
in a limited geographic area of large numbers of livestock (CAFOs)
with other energy and food production units. Large livestock
numbers (e.g., concentrations of dairy cows, beef feeders, pigs,
and the like on relatively small units of land) are required so
that enough energy sources can be generated by the livestock
portion of the process and subsequently transferred to/utilized by
the food and energy production portion of the process. Having a
food and energy products facility located close to a large CAFO
also enables multiple uses at the CAFO for low grade energy sources
which result from the food and energy production processes--energy
sources that would be wasted or used less efficiently if not for
the integration contemplated by the invention. For example, waste
heat from ethanol distillation can be used to dry coarse solids at
the CAFO's environmental management treatment process. These coarse
solids themselves are a novel product with high energy content that
can be utilized in the process of the invention or elsewhere.
Similarly, waste heat from a milk pasteurization process could heat
a portion (biological reactor) of the CAFO treatment process in the
winter. Also, in the process of the invention, large livestock
quantities are required to consume the resultant by-product
generated by the energy production portion of the process (usually
wet distillers grains), thereby avoiding the need for additional
treatment and/or disposal which require energy, transportation and
money. The Bion Technology is one known technology that enables the
requisite reduced land requirements.
[0030] Described briefly, the Bion Technology is a biologically
mediated organic waste treatment system that simultaneously
nitrifies and denitrifies the waste, thereby removing nitrogen and
providing increased biologically mediated removal of phosphorus
from the waste. The Bion Technology is also a largely odorless
process that operates at a higher treatment rate than other
technologies used in the industry and requires less land to treat
and dispose of the waste process effluents. In addition to odor,
the Bion process substantially lowers (in some cases nearly
eliminating) the atmospheric emissions of compounds responsible for
air pollution, human and animal health concerns, nuisance odors
complaints and greenhouse effects. Without the Bion Technology, or
equivalent technologies or combinations thereof that can achieve
the described environmental treatment and land attributes, the
number of livestock required for the process of the present
invention and the required land area for environmental management
render the concept impractical. Using current waste treatment
technologies that require larger amounts of land, the size of the
livestock waste treatment facility's land required for appropriate
nutrient uptake and water disposal would be so big that it would
cost too much money to own and operate, and prohibit the proximity
required for the food and energy production portion of the process
of the invention in order to take advantage of the integration.
[0031] The Bion Technology provides an effective method of handling
the effluent discharges from the livestock waste treatment in
compliance with environmental regulations, especially for the
quantities involved. The nutrients generated by the number of
livestock required by the process of the current invention (notably
nitrogen and phosphorus) are regulated (or will soon be regulated)
according to total load discharged per acre of property.
Accordingly, if not for the Bion Technology, huge amounts of land
would be required for the number of livestock required for the
process of the present invention. Using the Bion Technology,
nutrients are converted and removed from effluents discharged to
surrounding cropland so that the land area needed for disposal of
treated wastewater as crop irrigation is greatly reduced from that
currently required and practiced in the industry, thereby creating
new opportunities for the locations of CAFOs, especially CAFOs
integrated with food and energy production facilities. Nutrients
are typically removed from a system in solids form that can be
beneficially used/sold as a fertilizer product on-site or off-site,
or processed into a protein source for animal ration such as fish
or poultry.
[0032] The Bion Technology also prevents substantial atmospheric
pollution, avoids the release of excessive greenhouse gases and
odors, and prevents nuisance and health complaints, by
substantially reducing the release of troublesome gasses such as
ammonia, methane, oxides of nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and volatile
organic compounds as compared to current practice. The improved
aesthetics allowed by reducing the releases of nuisance odorous
compounds also allows the location of CAFOs and the food and energy
systems closer to population centers, thus increasing the
distribution efficiencies and lowering costs to the consumer.
[0033] As a result of reduced land requirements for systems
utilizing the Bion Technology or other equivalent technologies, it
is possible to obtain the larger livestock quantities on a single
property, and it is also possible to operate multiple CAFOs and
associated waste treatment facilities in close proximity to each
other, which also has significant benefits. Materials and
substances can be removed from individual CAFOs and their
associated waste treatment facilities and combined in a larger,
likely central treatment facility, with significantly less
pre-shipment treatment and transportation requirements than
facilities spread further apart. Several large dairies, beef
feedlots, or other animal production units can operate in concert
with a centralized agricultural production center, which itself
treats its waste according to the Bion Technology. Thus, all of the
wastes from such a centralized agricultural production center, as
well as the wastes from the local associated livestock operations,
are treated with appropriate control of nutrients and atmospheric
emissions with the Bion Technology.
[0034] The proximity of multiple treatment systems utilizing the
Bion Technology also allows for many waste products, or low value
by-products and energy sources that would otherwise be wasted or
undervalued, to be profitably exploited, greatly increasing the
overall efficiency and economics of the treatment portion of the
process of the invention combined with the food and energy
production portion of the process. An overall balancing of process
flows and system unit sizes and specifications for multiple units
maximizes by-product and waste utilization, thereby reducing the
need for and reliance upon external energy supplies.
[0035] Utilization of the Bion Technology also makes new uses of
products as energy sources that are otherwise underutilized and/or
discarded. For example, in a dairy waste treatment system utilizing
the Bion Technology, a centrifuge, a screw press or other solids
separation device(s) or combination thereof is used for removal of
solids, the resulting coarse solids being composed mostly of
undigested cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin from the cow's
ration. This undigested material can be further processed (e.g.,
pressed and dried) to create dried solids with significant energy
properties. These solids contain enough net energy so that they can
be combusted to produce steam in a boiler at an energy production
facility. The key aspect is producing these solids at a dryness and
density which makes transportation to the energy facility
economical, while still allowing final drying with waste heat from
the boiler or burner. This process optimally uses all or most of
the waste heat available at both the satellite and centralized
facilities.
[0036] Another example would be a dairy waste treatment system
utilizing the Bion Technology with an anaerobic digester and a
centrifuge, screw press, or other solids separation device for
treatment of solids which remain after anaerobic digestion, the
resulting coarse solids again being composed mostly of undigested
cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin from the cow's ration, but
these materials will be in different relative proportions than in
the previous example (a lower cellulose to lignin ratio). This
undigested material can be further processed (e.g., pressed and
dried) to create dried solids with significant energy properties.
These solids still contain enough net energy so that they can be
combusted to produce steam in a boiler at an energy production
facility. Again, the key aspect is producing these solids at a
dryness and density which makes transportation to the energy
facility economical while still allowing final drying with waste
heat from the boiler or burner. This process optimally uses all or
most of the waste heat available at both the satellite and
centralized facilities.
[0037] The food and energy portion of the process of the invention
comprises many possible combinations of fuel (ethanol, butanol,
biodiesel, etc.), biogas (containing methane), food (cheese, milk,
ice cream, etc), waste combustion energy, organic fertilizer, feed
rations, or many other biological or agricultural products. Major
advantages in the production and processing of these varied forms
of energy, food, and other agricultural products can be achieved,
both economically and environmentally, by locating these facilities
close to large CAFOs. For example, since the wastestream from a
CAFO can produce materials such as methane or coarse solids which
can be combusted to provide both high and low grade heat energy,
the proximity of the users of such energy (the production and
processing facilities) to the CAFO minimizes or eliminates storage,
handling and transporting of these materials and the resultant
costs associated with such storage, handling, and transporting.
[0038] Thus, the process of the present invention includes a
combination of the treatment process for livestock according to the
Bion Technology integrated with food and energy production
processes resulting in an effective and efficient integrated system
to produce livestock, food, and usable energy and to control
nutrients and waste. The resulting biofuels are typically sold.
Solid byproducts, such as distillers grains from ethanol
production, are used in the livestock rations, and the amount of
distillers grains produced is used to balance the number of
livestock used in the process. A food production facility, such as
a cheese or fluid milk bottling plant, may then be sized according
to the number of milking cows at an associated dairy CAFO. Organic
solids generated by the organic waste treatment portion of the
process are processed further to create fuel and/or potential
ration components for fish, shrimp, cattle, or other livestock,
either within or outside the food and energy portion of the
process. The correct processing goals for these solids (percent
dryness, compressed density, etc,) will be unique to each system
practicing the process of the invention, and as will a system's
overall final products mix.
[0039] By way of example, without limitation, the integrated system
of facilities according to the present invention could include:
[0040] An ethanol plant whose size is balanced to meet the feed
requirements of an associated CAFO herd. Beyond the production of
ethanol, the ethanol plant functions as: [0041] A feed mill for the
CAFO herd which utilizes the spent grain from ethanol production in
its feed ration component, materially reducing operating expenses
(energy and transportation) and capital requirements (dryers);
[0042] An end user of renewable energy in the forms generated on
site--cellulosic solids, methane and steam--without the
inefficiencies and energy loss from conversion to electricity and
sale to the local utility; [0043] A source of waste heat (which, if
not utilized, increases ethanol production costs for required
disposal) that is used to pre-heat the CAFO waste stream prior to
biological processing in the CAFO treatment process facility and to
maintain temperatures throughout the CAFO treatment process system.
In colder climates, additional uses of this waste heat can include
heating the CAFO animal or processing areas and treatment process
plant [0044] A CAFO production unit whose size is balanced to
consume all wet distillers grains produced by the ethanol plant.
Beyond serving as a system for the beneficial use of a major
byproduct of the ethanol plant (often considered as a low value
nuisance residual), the CAFO and its associated treatment process
generates and captures the value of large amounts of renewable
energy through: [0045] Production of largely cellulosic solids a
portion of which may be used to produce energy to dry: i) the
cellulosic portion of the manure waste stream in preparation for
combustion, and ii) the fine solids portion of the waste stream,
and in other manners [0046] Production of methane from livestock
manure by anaerobic digestion which can be used directly as an
energy source by the ethanol distillery, and /or to maintain the
Bion Technology's biological process temperature in cold climates,
and/or other direct fuel replacement uses throughout the integrated
system. Waste heat from the combustion of this methane can also be
used to dry the cellulosic portion of the manure waste stream in
preparation for combustion, and/or the fine solids portion of the
waste stream, and/or other drying functions throughout the system
[0047] Combustion of the dried, highly cellulosic solids portion of
the processed manure stream to generate energy which, together with
the methane, supports the ethanol production process; [0048]
Combustion that transforms the `solubles` by-product (and even
portions of the spent grain) from ethanol production into energy as
an alternative. (Inclusion of distillers grains in dairy rations
may be significantly increased when `solubles` with high fat
content are excluded, thereby further improving the balance between
ethanol plant and herd size); [0049] The processing of the
fine-solids portion of the treated stream into a value-added,
marketable, organic fertilizer and/or animal ration protein feed
component product. [0050] A Food Production Facility such as a milk
bottling plant or a cheese production plant which would be sized to
use all of the raw milk produced by the centralized CAFO facility
and any associated satellite CAFO facilities. In addition to
serving as a direct consumer of all of the milk produced by the
CAFO(s), such a production unit would also serve as: [0051] A user
of waste heat from the ethanol plant. [0052] A source of waste heat
which could be used in the CAFO waste treatment process to heat the
biological components such as bioreactors or anaerobic digesters,
or to pre-dry solids, or the like. [0053] A source of additional
nutrients for the CAFO treatment process which would be contained
in the processing wastewaters from the food production unit. The
food production unit could thus become a customer of the CAFO
treatment facility in that it could use the treatment process for
processing wastewater treatment
[0054] The benefits of the invention could include but are not
limited to:
[0055] 1--Biofuel (ethanol, butanol, biodiesel, and the like)
production with a competitive advantage in unit production cost due
to: a) lower capital cost and operating costs (no dryers, grain
drying or grain shipping over long distances), and b) an agreement
for the consumption of the spent grain and other byproducts by the
on-site CAFO livestock; CAFO livestock could consume the distiller
grains by-product (the spent grain from ethanol production with
corn as its feedstock) without the need for drying (or driers).
[0056] 2--An improved dairy CAFO due to a) greatly reduced ration
costs which occurs because wet distillers grains can be used as
they are produced, thereby eliminating drying, storing, or
trucking, b) proximity to end-user (cheese or bottling plant) which
allows milk to be piped directly to the end user, thereby
eliminating cooling, storage, and trucking costs, and c)
availability of shared energy sources for use in barns (and related
facilities) in the dairy.
[0057] 3--Environmentally safe waste processing that may: a)
generate revenue from sharing resources with integrated CAFO
operations, and b) generate revenue from the sale of unique end
products--fine solids marketable as fertilizer and/or feed; c)
generate revenue through the sale of nutrient, greenhouse gas, or
other credits.
[0058] 4--End-users (bottling or cheese plant) with competitive
advantages due to `single sourcing` and/or proximity to CAFO
herd.
[0059] 5--Utilization of nutrients and water from the environmental
system on soil crops; and
[0060] 6--Energy benefits of net on-site production and utilization
of renewable energy and substantial avoided use of off site energy
sources. Most of the renewable energy generated onsite using the
process of the invention is at an "avoided cost" for natural gas or
other energy sources at local retail rates. This unique renewable
energy generation--utilization strategy enables the process to
capture not just the "wellhead" or `as produced` value of the
renewable energy BTU's produced but the full "burner tip" or `as
utilized` value which is the utility's delivered price to the end
user.
[0061] Combustion of dried coarse solids or the methane generated
from anaerobic digestion of the manure waste stream could generate
sufficient heat to dry additional coarse, high cellulosic, low
nutrient solids for the purpose of combustion to offset natural gas
use in the biofuel (e.g., ethanol) production and other areas of
the integrated complex. Evaporators utilizing the waste heat from
the coarse solids dryers in turn could enable drying high-protein
fine solids (up to 40%-45% crude protein) into a marketable,
value-added feed supplement and/or organic fertilizer. Thus, the
integrated facility's renewable energy capability enables it to
economically produce a series of energy surrogates--i.e., renewable
ethanol, renewable nitrogen, phosphorus and renewable protein.
[0062] As a result, a facility or system utilizing the process of
the invention creates a far more energy efficient, and
substantially more profitable, business enterprise while meeting
rigorous environmental standards. None of these integration
advantages are realizable without the animal numbers
(concentrations) with strict pollution control which are possible
because of the Bion Technology or other equivalent environmental
control technologies.
[0063] A system model for the process will be subjected to network
optimization algorithms to obtain a maximized economical system
operating mode for all units.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0064] FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of one embodiment of
the invention showing the highest echelon of interrelationships
according to the invention (the third level or echelon of
interrelationships).
[0065] FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of one embodiment of
the invention comprised of; an agricultural-industrial complex of
production units for biofuel and animal products production, along
with the closely associated units for environmental management,
energy conversion and production, food and commercial products
production, and land to receive residual nutrients and water and in
some instances residual solids; contained within a single
contiguous area; along with the main interrelationships between
these units.
[0066] FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the biofuels unit and other units,
comprising (middle echelon) one embodiment of the invention showing
the movement of feed and waste materials, energy, and
by-products.
[0067] FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the animal production unit and other
units (middle echelon), comprising one embodiment of the invention
showing the movement of feed and waste materials, energy, and
by-products.
[0068] FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the environmental management unit and
other units (middle echelon), as well as relationships between the
main components within the environmental management unit (lowest
echelon) for one embodiment of the invention showing the movement
of feed and waste materials, energy, and by-products.
[0069] FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the food and commercial products unit
and other units (middle echelon), comprising one embodiment of the
invention showing the movement of feed and waste materials, energy,
and by-products.
[0070] FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the soil crop unit and other units
(middle echelon), comprising one embodiment of the invention
showing the movement of feed and waste materials, energy, and
by-products.
[0071] FIG. 8 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the energy conversion unit and other
units (middle echelon) when the energy conversion unit is located
within a centralized agricultural-industrial complex, comprising
one embodiment of the invention showing the movement of feed and
waste materials, energy, and by-products.
[0072] FIG. 9 is a graphical representation of the main
interrelationships between the energy conversion unit and other
units (middle echelon) when the energy conversion unit is located
within a satellite facility separate from the centralized
agricultural-industrial complex, comprising one embodiment of the
invention showing the movement of feed and waste materials, energy,
and by-products.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0073] The present invention relates to the collection of food and
energy production units with attendant processing units into an
integrated system capable of substantially boosting the efficiency
and economics of food and energy production while greatly reducing
the impact on the environment. In a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the system and process further includes sufficient land
area for crop production and uptake of nutrients and water.
[0074] The definitions and nomenclature provided below are used to
help describe the invention.
DEFINITIONS
IFEPS--Integrated Food and Energy Production System
[0075] A collection of processing and production units integrated
to take advantage of shared resources of products and energy in and
between units, typically where the units are within a limited
geographical location (perhaps, for example, about a five to ten
mile radius).
Unit--Functional Unit
[0076] A major component of the IFEPS, whose operation contributes
a principle processing and production function of the IFEPS.
CAPP--Central Agricultural Production Park
[0077] An agricultural-industrial complex within and/or part of the
IFEPS comprising up to six Units for biofuel production, for food
and commercial product production, for environmental management of
wastes, for energy conversion and production, for animal
production, and land to receive residual nutrients and water and in
some instances residual solids. All six Units are not required for
a CAPP. For example, a CAPP need not include a food and commercial
product Unit. In the preferred configuration, the CAPP comprises an
ethanol biofuels unit (Unit 1 as defined below), a fluid milk
bottling or cheese production food and commercial products unit
(Unit 4 as defined below), a contiguous, adjacent or very nearby
dairy animal production unit (dairy animal housing, feeding, milk
parlor and associated operations or Unit 2 below) (such that
materials can be transported between Units without substantial
processing and transportation), a renewable energy conversion unit
(Unit 6 as defined below) to convert energy and supply heat, steam
and potentially other energy forms to the other Units in the CAPP
through the combustion of biological solids (and in some cases
biogas containing methane), an environmental management unit
utilizing the Bion Technology or some equivalent, with or without
various other processes to address environmental control
requirements (Unit 3 as defined below), and nearby land in
agricultural production receiving residual nutrients and water as a
soil crop unit (Unit 5 as defined below), which may in turn produce
forage for input into the dairy's cattle ration.
[0078] Other embodiments of the invention could potentially include
a CAPP without a fluid milk bottling or cheese production food and
commercial products unit (Unit 4 as defined below), a CAPP without
a soil crop unit (Unit 5 defined below), and a CAPP without either
a Unit 4 or a Unit 5.
SAF--Satellite Associated Facilities
[0079] Facilities preferably with the primary function being animal
production (thus including an animal production unit), such as a
dairy. A SAF also includes the attendant environmental management
Unit for the animal production unit to handle wastes and for
environmental controls, an energy conversion unit, and perhaps a
soil crop unit. The primary difference between a SAF and a CAPP is
that a SAF does not contain a biofuel unit whereas a CAPP does.
SAFs may be integrated into the IFEPS and share resources with the
CAPP, sending materials and energy to and receiving materials (and
in some cases also energy) from the CAPP. Thus, a SAF is a separate
complex of units geographically distinct from the CAPP but in close
association therewith.
Definition of Specific Units
[0080] Six processing and production functions (or functional
units) within an IFEPS, include, but are not limited to:
[0081] 1) Fluid Biofuel Unit--facility for the production of
biofuels, e.g., ethanol, butanol, biodiesel, etc.
[0082] 2) Animal Production Unit--livestock facilities such as
dairy, beef feeders, friers, broilers, and swine feeders, shrimp,
catfish, for the production of food and products therefrom, such
as, milk, eggs, animals, etc.
[0083] 3) Environmental Management Unit--a waste treatment
system/process utilizing the Bion Technology or other technologies
capable of achieving comparable environmental treatment results and
reduced land requirements. Possible alternative technologies may
include deep well injection of slurried wastes or treated
wastewater effluents and/or membrane separation of waste
streams.
[0084] 4) Food and Commercial Products Unit--production facility or
entity generating milk, cheese, or non-food products (e.g., paper),
or non-biological products, such as, for example, organic chemicals
or organic plastics.
[0085] 5) Soil Crop Unit--land and surrounding air and soil for
remaining or residual nutrient utilization, the primary purpose
being the uptake of water and processing of nutrients on
agriculturally productive land.
[0086] 6) Energy Conversion Unit--facility converting gas and/or
solids to various forms of energy, such as, for example, steam,
heat energy for use to heat materials, streams, flows, etc. through
transfer in exchangers, etc.
[0087] The current invention is a group of production and
processing units (as defined above) collected into an Integrated
Food and Energy Production System. In a system according to the
invention, an IFEPS has a minimum of four Units, but could include
as many as all six of the Units defined above. The Units are
configured within a Central Agricultural Production Park (CAPP) and
could also include a number of Satellite Associated Facilities
(SAF) with additional Units. Preferably, all Units of an IFEPS
exist on one piece of property with no SAFs. However, the amount of
land required to enable an IFEPS to operate on a single piece of
available land may render such a system impractical, thus
engendering the use of SAFs to obtain the needed land.
[0088] By collecting Units (usually all six of them, but the
invention is not limited to all six) in an IFEPS, the Units are
able to share and utilize resources that would otherwise require
either costly, relatively inefficient, further processing or be
lost as waste products and waste heat. Applicants have found that
because these Units can be functionally interrelated and their
ability to share resources (by-products, wastes and energy) can be
quantitatively related to the amounts processed in each Unit and
useable by all Units able to share resources, if the amount to be
produced in either of the Fluid Biofuel Unit (Unit 1) or the Animal
Production Unit (Unit 2) is set, then the size of all the attendant
units (e.g., Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5 and Unit 6) collected into an
IFEPS can and will be determined by the interrelationships, and a
series of external boundary conditions or constraints (prices of
corn, prices of energy, transportation costs, climate conditions,
etc.). Thus, the Units of an IFEPS form a defined system.
[0089] It may also be possible for an IFEPS to have more than one
of a specific unit type. For example, in the case where the first
Animal Production Unit 2 is not large enough (because insufficient
contiguous land is available) in a CAPP to appropriately balance
the resources of the CAPP, then a second, unconnected Animal
Production Unit 2 can be added within the CAPP. So long as the
distance of the additional Animal Production Unit 2 is close enough
to the other Units within the CAPP to allow sharing of resources
without significant processing for storage and transport, a CAPP
could include a second Animal Production Unit 2.
[0090] A second Animal Production Unit 2 could also be added to an
IFEPS in a SAF. If in a SAF, the second Animal Production Unit 2
will primarily share resources with other Units within the SAF,
specifically the Environmental Management Unit 3 and the Energy
Conversion Unit 6, as opposed to the Units within the CAPP.
Accordingly, in such an embodiment of the invention with multiple
Animal Production Units 2's, additional functional units may be
included in the SAF, such as, for example, the Environmental
Management Unit 3. The production size of additional Animal
Production Units (Unit 2) or Energy Conversion Unit(s) (Unit 6) in
one or more SAFs can be determined by balancing resources and the
interrelationships.
[0091] The interrelationships considered when balancing the units
in an IFEPS include, but are not limited to: a) liquid or slurry
streams produced; b) separated solid materials (usually organics)
generated; c) high grade heat value generated in the form of steam
or high temperature heat transfer medium; d) biogas containing
methane generated that may be used as a source for high grade heat;
and e) low grade heat value as exchangeable stack gas heat, fluid
streams discharged, and hot solid materials.
[0092] A system network model could be constructed and utilized to
help determine the amounts produced within each unit, the amounts
shared between units, the amounts shared between a CAPP and one or
more SAFS (if present), and ultimately, balance the IFEPS. The
interrelationships between units become component branches in the
system network model of the CAPP which is incorporated into a
network model of the IFEPS which contains the network models of all
SAFs. The system network model may then be subjected to standard
optimization techniques to determine optimal economic and
functional design for the system and all component units.
[0093] FIGS. 1 through 9 provide a graphical representation of a
system network model for one example IFEPS with two SAFs. A system
network model for such an IFEPS would account for all units and
flows shown in the figures, including the subcomponents within
specific Units even if not shown in the figures. All models
constructed for an IFEPS according to the invention will be similar
in that they are based on the interrelationships, but each model
will also be unique in that for a specific IFEPS the animal types,
type of fuel produced, the specific method of fuel production, the
climate, the geography, etc., can influence the configuration of
the model and/or the need for specific components, hence the
interrelationships. A model of interrelationships for any specific
IFEPS will have three echelons. Intra-unit relationships,
inter-unit relationships, and inter-complex.
[0094] Intra-unit relationships, the first echelon, occur within
the boundaries of each functional unit. Since these inner workings
of functional units can change for different IFEPS principle
products and resulting component unit configurations due to the
resulting different resources and by-products available for sharing
within units generating different products, these details are not
directly addressed here or in the figures. Furthermore, operation
of each of these functional units individually, outside the IFEPS,
is within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art. For
example, the operational requirements of CAFO dairies, CAFO
feedlots, milk bottling plants, cheese production plants, ethanol
production plants, and forage production fields are well known to
those in each of these established commercial businesses.
[0095] With regard to the Environmental Management Unit 3,
preferably, an IFEPS would utilize the Bion Technology as presented
in FIG. 5 and discussed in detail below.
[0096] The second echelon of IFEPS interrelationships for system
network modeling is Inter-unit or between functional units. These
relationships are those within the CAPP complex and/or within the
SAF(s) complex(es) portraying the exchange or sharing of resources
from one Unit to another. FIG. 2 presents those interrelationships
for a general CAPP complex as detailed above. The functional units
of SAF(s) complex(es) incorporated into the IFEPS are also at this
Inter-unit level or echelon. SAF complexes operate similar to a
CAPP complex without the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 and perhaps
without the Food and Commercial Products Unit 4 65 or a Soil Crop
Unit 5 70. The Inter-unit relationship lacking from a SAF due to
the absence of a Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 and/or a Food and
Commercial Products Unit 4 65 is instead shared across the third
echelon of interrelationships, whereas the absence of a Soil Crop
Unit 5 70 could be the result of additional features, for example
deep well injection, of an Environmental Management Unit 3 60,
which would be a first echelon interrelationship.
[0097] The broadest, highest or third echelon of system network
modeling for an IFEPS is that between the CAPP complex and any
integrated SAF complex(es) as illustrated by FIG. 1. FIG. 1
presents those interrelationships for a CAPP with two SAFs.
[0098] Together these three echelons or levels of
interrelationships comprise the IFEPS system network model. Once
the boundaries of an IFEPS and its interrelationships are
established for a specific system, the system network model can be
appropriately used for system design. By way of example, without
limitation, the materials included with the provisional patent
application to which this application claims priority, U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/811,150, filed on Jun.
5, 2006, were used to size a 40,000 dairy cow integrated ethanol
production facility using the Bion Technology.
[0099] Typically, model runs set the Unit 1 production size as the
primary independent variable. In the case of the ethanol example,
the number gallons of fuel ethanol to be produced annually could be
set as the primary independent variable. The model then solves for
the size of an Animal Production Unit 2 required to use the Fluid
Biofuel Unit 1 key by-products and energy. This would usually be
the number of dairy animals needed to consume all distillers grains
produced by the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1. The model could then be used
to determine the size of all other units to balance shared
resources and product, byproduct, and waste product use and reuse.
Knowing the magnitude of order for these principle relationships,
the model may be then run with Unit 2 size as the independent
variable and Unit 1 and all others as dependent. Repeated heuristic
use of the model allows optimal system unit configurations to be
determined. For example, the number of cows, animal bedding and
main operating parameter for the Animal Production Unit 2 could be
set such that a set low percentage of excess energy will be
available to the entire IFEPS during the coldest time period of the
year. This approach allows the system to be continually refined for
dependable operation and optimal economics.
[0100] Once designed, an IFEPS can also be operated using the
system network model.
[0101] Applicants have discovered that the best way to achieve a
practical balance occurs only when the area required for residual
nutrient management is greatly decreased from current practice,
atmospheric releases are controlled and appropriate byproduct
dryness and density for transport and energy recovery are achieved
through the optimized application of the Bion Technology as the key
component of the subject Environmental Management Unit.
[0102] The example configuration and drawings presented here are
not exhaustive. Rather, they are intended to illustrate the many
opportunities presented when potentially six units of an IFEPS are
integrated into a single operating system according to the
invention. It is not intended to illustrate all the possible
configurations, interactions, interdependencies and advantages to
be realized by a full IFEPS. Although each IFEPS is uniquely
designed, three criteria of the invention are preferable to
practice the invention, namely,
[0103] 1) utilization of the Bion Technology to remove practical
and economic available land area and environmental control
constraints for the installation of an IFEPS or utilization or
alternative technologies with comparable attributes,
[0104] 2) sharing of energy for drying and processing solids,
and
[0105] 3) obtaining solids of the appropriate moisture content and
density such that the impact of logistics and logistical distances
are reduced, while increasing the net energy available and ration
value of those solids after transport, and utilizing energy
sharing.
[0106] The embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 9
could be utilized for a system (the IFEPS) comprised of a dairy for
the production of milk, a cheese processing facility, a forage
cropping and fuel ethanol facility, a waste treatment facility
using the Bion Technology, an energy conversion unit, and a soil
crop unit (land).
[0107] In FIG. 1, an example IFEPS 5 with a CAPP complex 10 and two
component SAF complexes 15 & 20 are shown. The principle
transfer from the CAPP complex to any or all SAF complex(es) will
be in the form of by-product solids 25 & 30 that are
incorporated into the animal production facility's livestock ration
and fed to the animals. When ethanol is the product of the Fluid
Biofuel Unit 1 50, the solids 25 & 30 will be separated wet
distillers grains from the fermentation process in Fluid Biofuel
Unit 1 50. Depending upon specific IFEPS geography, it is also
possible for energy in the form of heat or gas to be shared between
the IFEPS and SAF complexes, but this is not shown in FIG. 1 for
simplicity.
[0108] Preferably, Applicants invention would only contain a single
(by definition only) CAPP complex 10 and no SAF complexes 15 &
20 in the IFEPS 5. However, using current biofuel production
technologies (ethanol, for example) the amount of land required for
consumption of the resulting distillers grain is so large that it
is nearly impractical to have a single CAPP complex without any SAF
complexes. As an example, the smallest practical fuel ethanol unit
applying optimum technologies currently available may be a unit
producing on the order of about 40 million gallons of ethanol per
year. The by-product solids (distillers grains produced) 25 &
30 from such a Unit 1 50 will require a dairy (Unit 2 55) of about
40,000 milk cows (or more) to consume the distillers grains in
balance with the about 40 million gallons annual ethanol
production. Even with all IFEPS efficiencies realized by the
present invention though application of the Bion Technology, this
IFEPS comprised of a single CAPP complex would require a 40,000
head dairy and as much as approximately about 4,000 to 8,000 acres
of property in a Soil Crop Unit 5 70 to land apply the treated
wastewater effluent (as opposed to 40,000 to 80,000 acres for a
conventional land application). This requires very nearly 100% of
the available land in about a 1.4 to about 2 mile radius using the
industry (CAFO) standards for the agronomic uptake of nutrients and
water (depending upon specific crops, the climate, soil, cropping
practices and geography). Therefore, it is more likely that most,
if not nearly all, IFEPS envisioned by Applicants will be comprised
of a CAPP complex with one or more SAF complex(es). The more likely
CAPP with SAF(s) configuration may economically serve a five to ten
mile radius.
[0109] The Environmental Management Unit 3 in each SAF complex (61
& 62) and in the CAPP complex (60) will each produce by-product
organic solids 35 & 40. All of the total solids generated in
the CAPP's Environmental Management Unit 3 60, will be used within
the CAPP complex 10 (discussed below). A portion of the total
solids generated in the Environmental Management Unit 3 within a
SAF complex as indicated in FIG. 1 by 61 & 62 (discussed below)
can also be used in the SAF where they are generated. However, the
best use of a significant portion of these solids is typically as
either an energy source or valuable by-product to be returned to
the CAPP 10 via 35 & 40. In the preferred embodiment of the
invention, a portion of the solids from the SAF Environmental
Management Unit(s) 3 (61 & 62), usually the coarse solids, will
be partially dried and compacted, then transported to the CAPP 10
through 35 & 40 for further drying and use in the CAPP's 10
Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 as fuel for energy production and use,
with the dryness and density determined by system network
optimization. Another portion of the solids generated by the SAF(s)
Environmental Management Unit 3 (61 & 62), usually the fine
solids, will be partially dried and compacted and transported 35
& 40 to the CAPP 10 where, depending on the operation of
Environmental Management Unit 3 60, 61 & 62, they may be
further processed to produce marketable organic fertilizer or
ration components for other livestock species such as fish.
[0110] The six component functional Units (Unit 1 50, Unit 2 55,
Unit 3 60, Unit 4 65, Unit 5 70, and Unit 6 75) in the CAPP complex
10, are graphically shown in FIG. 1. More detail of those
interrelationships within the CAPP complex 10 is graphically shown
in FIG. 2. There are other significant but less important
interrelationships not illustrated in FIG. 2 that may be
advantageously exploited to realize the efficiency and increased
profitability as a whole of business components incorporated into
an IFEPS, but those details have been left out of FIG. 2 for
simplicity.
Description of Functional Unit Relationships
Unit 1--Fluid Biofuel
[0111] The Fluid Biofuel Production Unit, Unit 1, converts raw
materials into biofuel products. Unit 1 therefore contains all raw
input processing, biological and physical chemical conversion
processes, distillation and/or other liquid product sequestering
and/or purifying operations, and the handling and processing of
final solids and liquid streams which could include mass
evaporators for biofuels units having near zero wastewater
discharge, necessary for the biofuel production process. In the
case of typical current fuel ethanol units, Intra-unit (internal)
processes usually include corn milling, fermentation, distillation,
stillage treatment resulting in distillers grains usable in dairy
rations, and other distillation by-products.
[0112] The main Inter-unit relationships between Unit 1 and the
other functional units of the IFEPS are illustrated in FIG. 3 where
the example biofuel is ethanol. Major inputs to the Fluid Biofuel
Unit 1 50 are corn, sugar cane, or other fermentable feed stocks 80
and water 85. The major output is the ethanol or other biofuel 90.
As discussed above, the production capacity of this unit is tied to
the production capacity of the Animal Production Unit 2 55 in order
to allow optimum utilization in Unit 2 55 of the distillers grains
produced in Unit 1 50. In most cases these distillers grains 105
will be transported to Unit 2 55 as produced but there will
inevitably be some circumstances or case specific systems that may
result in alternative handling of the distillers grains. For
example, an unexpected decrease in herd numbers could result in
disposal of wet distillers grains in wet or in dry form. Similarly,
a portion of the distillers grain may be desired outside an IFEPS
by another facility for their dairy or for some other unforeseen
purpose. Temperature changes could also affect the utilization of
wet distillers grain in an IFEPS with further processing
potentially being required to facilitate transport of distillers
grains.
[0113] Low grade heat 100 may also be shared between Unit 1 50 and
Unit 2 55 in the form of spent steam or exhaust gas. Possible uses
of the low grade heat 100 in Unit 2 55 include use through heat
exchangers to supply warmth for the animal housing units or other
areas within the dairy operating unit.
[0114] In a similar fashion, low grade heat 115 from Unit 1 50 may
be used in the Environmental Management Unit 3 60 to warm process
wastewater for more efficient treatment within the Environmental
Management Unit 3 60, or perhaps to assist drying or other
processes. Depending on the nature of the goods produced by the
Food & Commercial Products Unit 4 65, opportunities may also
exist to use low grade heat 135 from Unit 1 50 in Unit 4 65. For
example, spent steam, condensate or warm distillation water may be
used to preheat or otherwise provide energy to any number of food
processing components, such as, for example, warmth for cheese
production, heat for sanitizing or wash water, etc. Wastestreams
and solids 120, and/or fluids and slurries 125 produced by Unit 1
50 will also be transported to Unit 3 60 for processing.
[0115] Although all of the distillers grains produced by Unit 1 50
is preferably transferred to the Animal Production Unit 2 55 for
consumption by livestock in the preferred embodiment, it may be
possible that the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 will produce more
biological solids (distillers grains and condensed solubles) than
can be used by the Animal Production Unit 2 55 for rations 105. In
that case, excess biological solids (distillers grains and
condensed solubles) 145 can be transferred directly to the Energy
Conversion Unit 6 75 for combustion or other energy extraction
processing. The predominant form of these solids is most likely to
be excess distillers grains and condensed solubles. In turn, the
Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 will convert these solids along with
solids from the Environmental Management Unit 3 60 or other sources
into high grade heat from direct fire for boilers, steam
production, or heat exchanged to other heat exchange media 150 for
use by the Fluid Biofuels Unit 1 50. It may also be feasible for a
portion of the fluid fuel production 332 from the Fluid Biofuel
Unit 1 50 to be used in the Energy Conversion Unit 6 75. Product
from the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 in the form of ethanol, butanol or
other fermentation products or processed biofuel 136 could
potentially be inputs to the Food and Commercial Processing Unit 4
65 processes as needed for the specific product being produced, for
example into beverage grade ethanol, organic chemicals or organic
plastics.
Unit 2--Animal Production
[0116] While production of animal products, such as animals for
slaughter and fluid milk is the core function of the Animal
Production Unit 2, its use of the by-product organics from Fluid
Biofuel Unit 1 in an IFEPS is a significant benefit of the
invention. Animal production in Unit 2 includes all housing, animal
feeding and nutrition, cleaning, animal health, animal moving and
waste handling functions. In a dairy unit, this would also include
the harvesting of fluid milk and all handling and cleaning
appurtenances thereto, and for a poultry egg laying unit the
appurtenances needed to gather and handle eggs produced.
[0117] The main Inter-unit relationships between Unit 2 and the
other IFEPS functional units are graphically shown in FIG. 4. FIG.
4 illustrates the major inputs of bedding materials and animal
ration constituents 155 required to provide a complete diet along
with the key input from Unit 1 50 of the distillers grains 105 and
water 160 for animal intake and cleaning. Products are fluid milk
165 and animals for slaughter 170 in the dairy instance, animals
for slaughter 170 for beef feeding operations, and eggs and animals
for slaughter 170 in the case of a layer facility.
[0118] As detailed previously, the number of animals used in the
Animal Production Unit 2 55 is dependent on the capacity and thus
quantity of distillers grains output from the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1
50 in order to allow optimum utilization of the distillers grains
produced. In most cases, these distillers grains 105 will be
transported to the Animal Production Unit 2 105 as produced, but in
some cases further processing may be required to facilitate
transport. Low grade heat from Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 may also be
shared with the Animal Production Unit 2 55 in the form of spent
steam or exhaust gas 100 that may be used through heat exchangers
to supply warmth for the animal housing units or other areas within
the dairy operating unit. When a Food and Commercial Products Unit
4 65 is present, opportunities may exist for incorporating
byproducts into the animal ration 175. In the example of cheese
processing, whey, whey proteins or other whey solids may become a
valuable component of the animal ration 175. Forage or other ration
constituents 180 may be grown and harvested from the Soil Crop Unit
5 70 and supplied to Unit 2 55. Bedding solids and other wastes
185, and manure and cleaning waste slurries 190 are transported to
the Environmental Management Unit 3 60 for processing with some of
these solids returned in the form of renewed or recycled bedding
materials 195. The description above details the interrelationships
in general. However, when an Animal Production Unit 2 56/57 is
located in one or more SAF(s) 15/20 complexes as shown in FIG. 1,
similar interrelationships exist between it and the SAF(s)' Unit 3
61/62, Unit 5 71/72 and Unit 6 76/77 as detailed above. The SAF(s)'
Animal Production Unit 2 56/57 also receives a portion of the CAPP
Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 primary by-product 105, distillers grains,
as well. Depending primarily upon distance, the SAF(s)' Animal
Production Unit 2 56/57 may or may not receive heat energy 100 from
the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50.
Unit 3--Environmental Management
[0119] The Environmental Management Unit 3 provides important
functions that help enable the present invention, making an entire
IFEPS practical and economic. More specifically, the Environmental
Management Unit 3 prevents substantial atmospheric pollution,
avoids the release of excessive greenhouse gases and odors, and
prevents nuisance and health complaints, by substantially reducing
the release of troublesome gasses such as ammonia, methane, oxides
of nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds as
compared to conventional practice. Preferably, the Environmental
Management Unit 3 utilizes the Bion Technology to treat waste
streams in an environmentally safe and compliant manner. The
Environmental Management Unit 3 also allows for reduced land
requirements for livestock facilities. For example, without
limitation, for Environmental Management Unit 3's utilized for
CAFOs, herd concentrations are preferably greater than about 3 cows
per acre of land, and more preferably, greater than about 20 cows
per acre of land.
[0120] In the embodiment graphically shown in FIG. 5, the details
of the Bion Technology have been simplified into four main
components within the Environmental Management Unit 3 60, namely, a
coarse solids separation component 1, a biological process
component 2, a fine solids separation component 3, and a solids
drying process component 4. Each of these four components exist in
the Bion Technology. Those components of the Bion Technology with
no direct interrelationships with the IFEPS units (such as, for
example, internal recycle, reactor volume configurations or
sub-volumes, specific mechanisms and/or technologies applied
internally, etc.) are still required and present in Environmental
Management Unit 3 60 of the present invention, but are not detailed
herein. Those portions of the Bion Technology not expressly
described herein are incorporated by reference to the patent
applications and patents identified above.
[0121] The Environmental Management Unit 3 60 has substantial
relationships with all other IFEPS units. Referring to FIG. 2, it
can be seen that Unit 3 60 potentially has seventeen
interrelationship pathways to other units compared with the Fluid
Biofuel Unit 1 50 which has eleven, Unit 2 55 which has none, and
Unit 4 65 which has twelve, Unit 6 75 which has thirteen and Unit 5
70 which has four. The Environmental Management Unit 3 60 is thus
seen to be very important to an IFEPS and the present invention.
The coarse solids 240, 245, and 250 are utilized by the process of
the invention as an energy source, and those solids can also be
dried for transportation and further utilization as an energy
source outside of an IFEPS.
[0122] As shown in FIG. 5, wastewater or waste slurries from Unit 1
50 in the form of residual wastestreams or blow-down water from the
production of biofuel are transferred through 125 to the
Environmental Management Unit 3 60. If a Unit 4 65 is present,
various wastestreams needing environmental management (e.g., for
cheese making waste whey and cleaning/sanitizing wastewater) may
likewise be transferred via 200 to 209 to the Environmental
Management Unit 3 60. In most cases, the majority of waste (liquid
and solids) transferred to Unit 3 60 will be from the Animal
Production Unit 2 55 through 190. For the dairy installation
example, stream 190 may include manure and manure slurries, animal
area wash-down or flush water, and sanitizing cleaning waters from
milk harvesting, handling and storage. Streams 125, 200 and 190,
are combined either prior to or within the Environmental Management
Unit 3 60 to form 209 and the flow is equalized prior to
introduction into the Coarse Solids Separation Compartment I within
the Environmental Management Unit 3 60. At this point, the flow may
pass through heat exchangers using low grade heat 115 from Unit 1
50 to raise the temperature for processing in the Environmental
Management Unit 3 60. Heat from Unit 1 50 may also be introduced
via exchangers at other points within Unit 3 60 to preheat or warm
but are not shown in FIG. 5. Depending on the unique energy
requirements of a specific embodiment of the present invention,
heat energy 405 from Unit 6 76/77 at the SAF complex and heat
energy 400 from Unit 6 75 at the CAPP may be used in a similar
fashion either as flow entering 209 to Unit 3 60 or at other
locations not shown.
[0123] In some instances, the Environmental Management Unit 3 60
may include an Anaerobic Process Component 11 before the Coarse
Solids Separation Component 1. Inclusion of anaerobic processing
creates biogas containing methane that can be extracted
advantageously and economically for valuable energy production. A
portion of the biogas produced will be used to maintain the
Anaerobic Process Component's 11 reactor temperature. Excess gas
available 205 can be distributed via 215, 220 and/or 225 to the
Solids Drying and Processing Component 4 within Unit 3 60, to an
Energy Conversion Unit 6 76/77 located within a SAF complex 15/20,
or to Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 located at a CAPP complex 10. For
an Environmental Management Unit 3 60 with an Anaerobic Process
Component 11 the warm stream is directed via 210 to the Coarse
Solids Separation Component 1 and, depending on the energy
requirements of a specific embodiment, the stream may receive low
grade heat 230 from the Solids Drying and Processing Component 4 to
boost or maintain process stream temperature. For any specific
installation, the low grade heat exchangers capturing energy from
the Solids Drying and Processing Component 4 (as shown by 230 in
FIG. 5) and from Unit 1 50 via 115 may both occur before or after
an Anaerobic Process Component 11, if present, or after the Coarse
Solids Separation Component 1, or within the Biological Process
Component 2, so that the energy available may be used to optimum
advantage for the maintenance of process stream temperature, thus
enhancing biological activity and processing efficiency.
[0124] The Biological Process Component 2 within Unit 3 60 is
preferably a biological treatment process described in detail in
U.S. application Ser. No. 10/600,936, filed on Jun. 20, 2003, now
U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,495 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/709,171 filed on Nov. 10, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,274,
and/or U.S. Ser. No. 11,106,751 filed on Apr. 15, 2005, and/or U.S.
Application No. [not yet known]entitled Low Oxygen Biologically
Mediated Nutrient Removal filed on Nov. 3, 2006, a low oxygen
biologically mediated conversion process that is an effective
processing approach for rapid, substantially odorless, biologically
mediated conversion of the wastes (including nutrients). When the
influent oxygen loading and the dissolved oxygen concentration in a
biological treatment process are suitably regulated to maintain a
dissolved oxygen concentration of less than about 2.0 mg/L,
preferably less than about 0.1 mg/L in the process, a series of
compatible, and overlapping and simultaneously occurring,
ecological niches are formed. These niches so formed promote the
growth and coexistence of desirable major populations of
facultative heterotrophic fermentors, autotrophic nitrifiers,
facultative heterotrophic denitrifiers, and autotrophic ammonium
denitrifiers to the growth inhibition of other microbial
populations such as heterotrophic aerobes, which usually dominate
the bacteria present in conventional wastewater treatment
processes.
[0125] The Coarse Solids Separation Component 1 of Unit 3 60
captures larger, mostly organic materials present in stream 210
composed mostly of cellulosics from the animal ration, and recycled
bedding in some embodiments. The effluent stream from this
separation process is conveyed via 235 to the Biological Process
Component 2. The separated coarse largely cellulosic solids 240
have value for the energy they contain and potentially, once they
are dried appropriately, as bedding for the animals 195. Distillers
grains in excess of animal ration needs 120 from Unit 1 50 are also
high in energy containing cellulosics, fats and oils. As discussed
above, the proper moisture content and density required to
optimally use these solids will be determined by the unique
configuration of each IFEPS' network model. Nevertheless,
Applicants invention includes the process to obtain these solids
and the resulting high energy solids resulting from that
process.
[0126] In addition, solids to be used as bedding must be processed
to the correct dryness and to reduce bacterial levels. These
functions are performed by the Solids Drying and Processing
Component 4. Paper or other largely dry cellulosic or compatible
solids from Unit 2 55, via 185, the coarse separated solids via 240
and excess solids from Unit 1 50, via 120, are processed in
component 4 for transport via 245 to nearby SAF Unit 6 76/77 or via
250 to the CAPP Unit 6 75 or returned via 195 to Unit 2 55 for use
as recycled animal bedding. In turn, a portion of the energy
obtained from the combustion of these solids 254 in the SAF Unit
6's 76/77 is used as high grade heat in the Solids Drying and
Processing Component 4 to treat coarse solids via 255 and fine
solids via 260. In a similar fashion, SAF Unit 6 76/77 low grade
heat energy 258 from stack gas or other exchangers may also be
captured and utilized in the Solids Drying and Processing Component
4 as shown by 256 and 257.
[0127] After the Biological Process Component 2 the treated stream
flows via 265 to a Fine Solids Separation Component 3 of Unit 3 60.
The fine solids separated contain a high proportion of microbial
solids and are thus high in nitrogen and crude protein. The Fine
Solids Separation Component 3 also captures particulate phosphorus
from the stream, thus the fine solids also contain significant
levels of phosphorus. Typically these fine solids are generated at
a high moisture content and are directed via 270 to the Solids
Drying and Processing Component 4 for drying and perhaps further
processing (granulation, pelletizing, etc.) for eventual high value
uses 275, such as organic fertilizer or animal rations 280. Further
processing of the solids, such as, for example, compaction or
compressing, may be preferred to optimize transport for further
processing at the CAPP 285. The final fate of the fine solids
intermediates processed at the CAPP is use off-site as organic
fertilizer or animal rations as shown 290. The final treated
wastestream with the majority of the nitrogen, phosphorus and other
troublesome materials removed is then directed via 295 to furnish
irrigation water and fertilizer value for plant nourishment and
growth to the Soil Crop Unit 5 70. Depending upon the specific
technologies applied in each unique IFEPS situation, nitrogen and
phosphorus removals from about 70% to 90% and even higher are
achieved. Air emissions are controlled by up to about 98% reduction
depending on the comparison's basis.
[0128] Actual implementation of an IFEPS requires the ability to
transport materials between the CAPP and the SAFs (when present).
Wet distillers grains are continuously trucked from the CAPP to the
SAFs. Accordingly, the benefit and viability of a CAPP is affected
by the transportability of the dried coarse solids and the wet
distillers grain. The efficiency of an IFEPS is enhanced by the
balancing of the transportation and handling
capability/requirements of the coarse solids and the wet distillers
grain. The transportation and handling of the coarse solids is
enhanced by the ability to increase solids density through
mechanisms such as, for example, compaction, pressing, etc.
Ideally, the density and transportation and handling requirements
of the dried coarse solids from the SAFs can be tailored to meet
the requirements (e.g., the same number of trucks per day or, use
same transport mechanism) for back hauling of wet distillers grain
to the CAPP.
[0129] In its simplest form, an Environmental Management Unit 3
comprising only a means to separate the biological solids that come
from an Animal Production Unit 2. The separated solids could then
be utilized as an energy source in the Energy Conversion Unit 6.
Alternatively, and perhaps equally simple, is an Environmental
Management Unit 3 that dries separate biological solids from an
Animal Production Unit 2. The dried solids could then be utilized
as an energy source in the Energy Conversion Unit 6. Preferably,
the biological solids are dried to at least 20 percent solids prior
to transport to the Energy Conversion Unit 6.
Unit 4--Food and Commercial Products
[0130] There are many food and commercial production facilities and
businesses that can be advantageously incorporated into an IFEPS.
In particular, food processing enterprises such as, for example,
fluid milk bottling, cheese production, ice cream production,
vegetable canning, vegetable freezing, fruit juice production,
wine, soft drink bottling, egg breaking, egg processing, meat
packing, etc. are possibilities. Many commercial entities may also
be candidates. A saw mill, paper or specialty products facility may
add to the solids energy conversion inputs to Unit 6, or bedding
for animals. Ideal candidates can utilize one or more products or
by-products from the Fluid Biofuel Units 1 50 and/or the Animal
Production Unit 2 55 and potentially contribute products or
by-products to the Fluid Biofuel Units 1 50 and/or the Animal
Production Unit 2 55 as well. FIG. 6 graphically shows the
Inter-unit relationships between a Food and Commercial Processing
Unit 4 65 and other units in an IFEPS 5.
[0131] The Food and Commercial Processing Unit 4 65 could receive
inputs directly from the Animal Production Unit 2 55 via 176, such
as fluid milk from a dairy to a cheese processing unit, or biofuel
from the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 via 136, which could be ethanol,
butanol or other fermentation products or processed biofuel. The
Food and Commercial Processing Unit 4 65 processes inputs as needed
for the specific product being produced, for example, ethanol or
other biofuels 310 into beverage grade ethanol, organic chemicals
or organic plastics, see FIG. 6.
[0132] There will often be other inputs to the Food and Commercial
Processing Unit 4 65 such as other organic chemicals 295, fruit
juices, etc., and/or raw or partially in liquid form or solid
partially processed input materials 300 such as tree logs, animal
carcasses or meat, eggs, other grains, flour, etc. In most cases
some significant water 305 will also be required for the process at
the Food and Commercial Processing Unit 4 65. Heat energy may be
used in the form of low grade spent steam or exhaust gas 321 from
the Solids Drying Components 4 of the Environmental Management Unit
3 60. In many potential Food and Commercial Processing Unit 4 65
facilities, low grade heat may also be shared from processes 321
with Unit 3 60. Many Food and Commercial Processing Unit 4 65
facilities will produce wash-down, sanitizing and other fluid spent
process residues 200 and waste solids 320 as well, which will all
be managed by the Environmental Management Unit 3 60. By its
proximity to the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50, Unit 4 65 may also take
advantage of low grade heat energy 135 from Unit 1.
[0133] Depending upon the type of products made in Unit 4 65, there
may be substantial solid residue by-products that could be used
directly in the Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 via 342. This could be
sawdust for direct input via 342 or moist cellulosics requiring
drying via 320 in Unit 3 60 before being sent to Unit 6 75 from
Unit 3 60 via 250 (see FIG. 5). As a prime energy source for the
entire IFEPS 5, the Energy Production Unit 6 75 may also export
either low grade heat 330 or high grade heat 325 energy to the Food
and Commercial Energy Unit 4 65. The Food and Commercial Energy
Unit 4 65 could transport solids via 175 to the Animal Production
Unit 2 55, such as whey from cheese production for incorporation
into animal rations. Production from the Animal Production Unit 2
55 could be sent directly, via 176, to the Food and Commercial
Energy Unit 4 65 as milk to a cheese plant, as live animals to a
slaughter facility, or as eggs from an egg production unit.
Unit 5--Soil Crop
[0134] As is the case for many agricultural endeavors, uptake of
water and processing of nutrients on agriculturally productive land
is the preferred method for utilizing the major by-products of an
IFEPS. As shown graphically in FIG. 7, the principle inputs to the
Soil Crop Unit 5 70 are the liquid discharge 295 and solids 290
from the Environmental Management Unit 3 60. Sufficient crops must
be grown and harvested in the Soil Crop Unit 5 70 to remove the
nitrogen and phosphorus remaining after treatment in Unit 3 60. In
some instances, the total combined nutrients remaining in the
discharged solids 290 and liquid 295 from the Environmental
Management Unit 3 60 after treatment will not have the required
ratio of nutrients to meet the unique nutritional need of the
specific crop being grown in the Soil Crop Unit 5 70 and will thus
require supplemental nutrients in the form of fertilizer inputs 333
to achieve the needed balance. Also depending on the climate, soil
and crop at a Soil Crop Unit 5 70, additional water 335 may be
needed to optimize crop growth and nutrient uptake.
[0135] A Soil Crop Unit 5 70 produces forage or other valuable
crops 180 that are the prime route of resource recovery and reuse
of nutrients by the Animal Production Unit 2 55. Relatively minor
but significant nutrient and mineral inputs to the soil in the Soil
Crop Unit 5 70, comes in the form of ash 350 remaining after the
combustion of organic solids or other materials in the Energy
Conversion Unit 6 75. The treated water 295 from the Environmental
Management Unit 3 60 and any additional water 335 needed by the
actively growing crop in a Soil Crop Unit 5 70 moves onto and
through the soil and the plant's rooted zone. The rate at which
these liquids 295 and 335 are applied and the nutrients carried by
the Environmental Management Unit 3 60 discharge 295, along with
any supplemental nutrients added 333 is matched to the crops needs
in Soil Crop Unit 5 70. Thus, the amount of nutrient passing
through and out of the crop's rooted zone is insignificant and any
water in excess of the crops needs enters the groundwater 340 (in
some instances this water may be collected by under drains and
returned to surface waters). The balance of the water applied to
the Soil Crop Unit 5 70 is either incorporated into the crop
harvested 180 or returns to the atmosphere by surface evaporation
or plant evapotranspiration 345.
Unit 6--Energy Conversion
[0136] The Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 serves as the supplier of
renewable energy to the IFEPS. FIGS. 8 and 9 graphically illustrate
the major interrelationships that typically occur between Unit 6
75, 76/77 and other IFEPS Units. The Energy Conversion Unit 6 75
converts biological solids, biogas containing methane, or other
combustible materials (including high energy content solid waste)
generated by other IFEPS Units into usable forms of high grade and
low grade heat energy. As for other Units within the IFEPS, there
are typically additional, less significant, interrelationships
between Unit 6 and other Units not shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The
Energy Conversion Unit 6's 75 energy conversion functions will
typically occur in the CAPP 10, and they can also occur 76/77
within one or more SAFs (15 and 20). Due to their proximity, a CAPP
complex Unit 6 75 may have significant interrelationships and
resource sharing with the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 and the Food and
Commercial Products Unit 4 65, if present, located within the CAPP,
as shown in FIG. 8. A Unit 6 76/77 located in a SAF complex will
typically not have that opportunity due to its distance of
separation from the CAPP (but not in all cases) as shown in FIG.
9.
[0137] FIG. 8 depicts an Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 operating at
or within the CAPP 10. In most cases the majority of energy
entering Unit 6 75 will come from the Environmental Management Unit
3 60 in two renewable energy forms, namely, biological solids 250
and, when an anaerobic process is used in the Environmental
Management Unit, biogas containing methane 225. These two renewable
forms will be combusted in a manner in which environmental
emissions to atmosphere are controlled. The generated high grade
heat and low grade heat will then be used in other units. A portion
of the converted energy is returned to the Environmental Management
Unit 3 60 to assist in solids drying and solids processing, and to
maintain process temperatures 400 for the entire Environmental
Management Unit 3's 60 component operations and processes in the
form of both low grade heat 256 and 257 (stack gases) and high
grade heat 254 (usually steam or direct heat transfer). After
combustion within the Energy Conversion Unit 6 75, residual solids
containing minerals and some nutrients from the organic solids
feed-stream or residual ash after combustion are transported via
350 to the Soil Crop Unit 5 70 for incorporation into the soil and
crop uptake. Minor residual moisture and heat not economically
recoverable are released to the atmosphere 355 and may be treated
using conventional emission control technologies to further reduce
air discharges.
[0138] When located within the CAPP 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
the Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 will share resources with both the
Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50, and if present, the Food and Commercial
Products Unit 4 65 when it is economically advantageous to do so.
In a reciprocal fashion, the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 will
potentially have excess distillers grains or minor amounts of other
combustible solids such as off-specification or spoiled corn or
solid wastes 145 that can be converted in the Energy Conversion
Unit 6 75. Depending upon the type of products made in the Food and
Commercial Products Unit 4 65, there may also be substantial solid
residue by-products 342 that could be used directly in the Energy
Conversion Unit 6 75. In some cases, it may also be feasible for a
portion of the biofuel production 332 from the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1
50 to be used in the energy Conversion Unit 6 75.
[0139] For an Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 operating as part of the
CAPP 10, most of the energy produced is sent to the Fluid Biofuel
Unit 1 50 as high grade heat energy in the form of steam or heat
transfer media 150 and depending upon the products produced in the
Food and Commercial Products Unit 4 65, it may consume a portion of
the high grade heat 325 produced as well. In a similar fashion, a
CAPP 10 Energy Conversion Unit 6 75 may share low grade heat 330
with the Fluid Biofuel Unit 1 50 and the Food and Commercial
Products 4 65.
[0140] FIG. 9 graphically shows the interrelationships between an
Energy Conversion Unit 6 within a SAF and the other Units within
the SAF complex. The energy entering the Energy Conversion Unit 6
76 and/or 77 will flow from the SAF Environmental Management Unit 3
61 and/or 62 in two renewable energy forms, namely biological
solids 245 and, when an anaerobic process is used, biogas
containing methane 220. Energy is returned to the Environmental
Management Unit 3 61 and/or 62 to assist in solids drying and
solids processing, and to maintain process temperatures 405 for the
entire Environmental Management Units 3 61 and/or 62 component
operations and processes in the form of both low grade heat 256
& 257 (stack gases) and high grade heat 254 (usually steam).
After combustion, residual solids containing minerals and some
nutrients from the organic solids feed-stream 350 are transported
to the Soil Crop Unit 5 71 and/or 72 for incorporation into the
soil and crop uptake. Minor residual moisture and heat not
economically recoverable 355 is released to the atmosphere.
* * * * *