Biological digestion of animal carcasses

Details Biological digestion of animal carcasses Biological digestion of animal carcasses

1999-12-22

2002-02-26

Beisner, William H. (Department: 1744)

Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology

Process of utilizing an enzyme or micro-organism to destroy...

Treating animal or plant material or micro-organism

C435S245000, C210S620000, C071S009000, C071S015000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06350608

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
As the human habitat expands and as more and more animals become domesticated or intertwined in the human environment, people take on the responsibility of disposing of animals that die. Animal deaths may be due to predators desire for foodstuff, disease, natural causes, or natural disasters, such as the recent Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina where state officials estimated that more than 100,000 hogs drowned in the deluge, which also killed one million chickens and turkeys (
The Wall Street Journal
. Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1999, page A2). Collecting, handling, transporting and disposing of dead animals are difficult and costly, since the carcasses soon become offensive and putrescible if left to decay by natural processes. Our world needs an inexpensive, ecologically safe process for disposing of dead animal carcasses.
Various means of disposing of animal carcasses are currently used. In North Carolina,
The Wall Street Journal
supra, reports that incinerators will be brought in to dispose of the carcasses of dead farm animals, contributing to a “smelly, stinky mess.” Florida statute 823.041, mandates that the bodies of dead animals be disposed of by burning or burying at least 2 feet below the surface of the ground; or disposed of by rendering companies licensed to do business in the state.
Furthermore, it is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,806 that meatpacking waste, including blood, is disposed of through a series of three stabilization ponds and one aeration pond producing a discharge stream suitable for use as a soil conditioner. This elaborate system requires treatment for 10 days in each stabilization pond and 5 days in the aeration pond. Thus the process is not only costly but also time consuming. Aerobic liquid composting of animal waste is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,233; a rotating shaft and propeller induces air into liquefied animal waste. U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,169 teaches a composting system with increased ventilation and solar panels to provide heat of decomposition and evaporation of moisture that converts animal carcasses to carbon dioxide gas, water vapor and stabilized compost consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,437 uses an aerator which shears the solid particles while simultaneously adding oxygen to sludge being treated and recirculated for an extended period of time. Aeration is used primarily to digest sludge. U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,100 oxygenates a mixture of wastewater and activated sludge which is agitated to avoid settling using a water jet either at surface or just below the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,394 teaches the odorless recycling of raw sewage liquor treated with aerobic bacteria, air, oxygen, ozone, or a blend thereof to provide pure water. U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,988 discloses a waste treatment process with microorganisms from household waste to eliminate the need for an activated charcoal absorption tower.
More recently, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,545,325; 5,651,891 and 5,853,588 disclose wastewater treatment processes which combine aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic treatment zones followed by a final clarification or settling step using a mechanical means or chemical means, such as a polymeric material to clarify the final effluent. Such multiple stage treatment processes are costly to build and operate, although purportedly less time is required for production of purified wastewater, e.g., days instead of months. Nonetheless, the cost of such customized construction would be a deterrent in reaching the desired goal of removing animal carcasses in an effort to cleanup the environment.
The waste disposal industry is still seeking an inexpensive, ecologically safe method for disposing of animal carcasses. The variety of disposal methods offered is, to some extent, evidence that none is without disadvantage. The present invention provides a more optimum, inexpensive solution for animal carcass disposal without noxious odors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The first objective of the present invention is to provide a novel, inexpensive, on-site disposal process for animal carcasses.
The second objective of this invention is to provide a system for the disposal of animal carcasses in which space age technology, known as HYDROLAZE, is utilized in the disintegration/comminuting of a carcass.
The third objective of this invention is to provide a system for the disposal of dead animals that utilizes a primary aeration tank and a secondary aeration tank for the complete digestion and liquefaction of carcasses.
The fourth objective of this invention is to provide a system for the disposal of animal carcasses such that in the primary aeration tank a unique blend of bacteria is employed to efficiently digest the animal carcass.
The fifth objective of this invention is to provide a system for the disposal of animal carcasses that produces a clarified liquid that is reusable in the system as the liquid supply for comminuting and pulverizing animal carcasses.
The sixth objective of this invention is to provide a system for the disposal of animal carcasses that produces a clarified liquid that is suitable for further treatment and subsequent safe return to the environment.
The seventh objective of the present invention is to provide a system for the disposal of animal carcasses that eliminates noxious processing odors.
A preferred embodiment of the invention consists of the features of construction which are illustrated in
FIGS. 1-3
, wherein animal carcasses are processed through five units, including: 1. Comminuting/pulverizing chamber; 2. primary aeration tank; 3. secondary aeration tank; 4. clarifying tank and 5. a final disposal/reuse tank. The operating procedures and devices are hereinafter described in detail, the scope of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.


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OA1 Rick Brooks, “North Carolina Hurricane Damages Rise”,The Wall Street Journal, pg. A2, Sep. 21, 1999.
OA2 Florida Statute 1997, Chapter 823—Public Nuisances, pg. 1708; §823.041—“Disposal of Bodies of Dead Animals; Penalty”.

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