Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment – Containment – Geologic – marine – or extraterrestrial storage and containment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-20
2001-09-11
Suchfield, George (Department: 3672)
Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment
Containment
Geologic, marine, or extraterrestrial storage and containment
C166S246000, C166S250010, C166S302000, C405S129250, C405S129350, C405S129450, C435S262500, C588S253000, C588S253000, C588S260000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287248
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Over 10 million tons of biosolids from municipal sewage sludge are generated each year in the United States alone. The prevailing methods for the disposal of biosolids biosolids include the application of the biosolids to surface land application, such as to crop land, range land or forests, composting and landfill disposal. Each of these methods is associated with disadvantages.
For example, one disadvantage of the application of biosolids to surface lands is the resistance of persons living in the area of the application because of concerns about nuisances such as odor and wind-blown dust from the site of application. Biosolids application to surface land and landfills also creates risks for contamination of potable surface water and groundwater.
Further disadvantageously, weather conditions can delay the application of biosolids to surface land, and trucking biosolids to the application site creates pollution and nuisances. Additionally, the capacity for the disposal of biosolids by application to surface lands and landfills is limited and the associated costs are generally high. Also, greenhouse gasses, such as methane and carbon dioxide, are generated by the decomposition of the biosolids and these gases are released into the atmosphere at the sites of surface land application and most landfills.
Therefore, there is a need for an additional method for the disposal of biosolids that provides less risk for environmental contamination. Additionally, there is a need for a additional method for the disposal of biosolids that is less expensive. Further, there is a need for an additional method for the disposal of biosolids that does not permit the release of carbon dioxide and other green house gases into the atmosphere. Also, there is a need for an additional method for the disposal of biosolids that can produce usable byproducts from biosolids.
SUMMARY
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for the disposal of solids such as biosollids. The method comprises, providing a supply of biosolids; creating a slurry of the biosolids suitable for injecting; selecting a suitable injection formation at least about 100 m below a ground surface; injecting the biosolids slurry into the injection formation; and allowing the injected biosolids slurry to degrade. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises providing a supply of biosolids; creating a slurry of the biosolids suitable for injecting; selecting a suitable injection formation below a ground surface; injecting the biosolids into the injection formation; and allowing the injected biosolids to degrade; where the injected formation selected is separated from the ground surface by one or more sets of alternating layers of high permeability and low permeability.
The supply of biosolids can be derived from at least one source selected from the group consisting of municipal sewage waste, waste water treatment waste, animal waste, non-human-non-animal industrial waste and a combination of the preceding, or from other suitable sources. The injection formation is preferably between about 500 and about 3,000 meters below the ground surface.
In a preferred embodiment, the injection formation has a temperature greater that about 25° C. In another preferred embodiment, the injection formation comprises a natural gas formation in a gas accumulation zone. In still another preferred embodiment, the injection formation has a porosity greater than about 15%.
In a preferred embodiment, the one or more of alternating layers of high permeability and low permeability is at least three pairs of alternating layers of high permeability and low permeability. In another preferred embodiment, the method further comprising creating fractures within the injection formation before injecting the biosolids into the injection formation. In yet another preferred embodiment, the method further comprising transporting the selected biosolids to an injection site by pipe before injecting the biosolids.
In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises monitoring pressure in the injection formation at a time selected from the group consisting of before injecting the biosolids into the injection formation, during the injection of the biosolids into the injection formation, after injecting the biosolids into the injection formation and a combination of the preceding. In another preferred embodiment, the method comprises monitoring pressure in at least one layer of the one or more of alternating layers after injecting the biosolids into the injection formation.
In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises increasing the rate of degradation of the biosolids by performing an action selected from the group consisting of blending at least one waste stream with the provided biosolids, inoculating the biosolids with at least one species of bacteria, changing the temperature of the biosolids, changing the salinity of the biosolids, adding at least one chemical to the biosolids and a combination of the preceding.
In another preferred embodiment, the method further comprises allowing methane to be generated by the degradation of the injected biosolids and recovering methane generated by the degradation of the injected biosolids, after injecting the biosolids into the injection formation. In another preferred embodiment, the method further comprising increasing the rate of methane generation by performing an action selected from the group consisting of blending at least one waste stream with the provided biosolids, inoculating the biosolids with at least one species of bacteria, changing the temperature of the biosolids, changing the salinity of the biosolids, adding at least one chemical to the biosolids and a combination of the preceding.
In a preferred embodiment, the degradation of the biosolids generates a gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and combinations of the preceding, and the method further comprises decreasing the rate of the generated carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or combination of the preceding by performing an action selected from the group consisting of blending at least one waste stream with the provided biosolids, inoculating the biosolids with at least one species of bacteria, changing the temperature of the biosolids, changing the salinity of the biosolids, adding at least one chemical to the biosolids and a combination of the preceding.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3335798 (1967-08-01), Querio et al.
patent: 3513100 (1970-05-01), Stogner
patent: 4271696 (1981-06-01), Wood
patent: 4802144 (1989-01-01), Holzhausen et al.
patent: 4867247 (1989-09-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 4973194 (1990-11-01), Peterson
patent: 4978172 (1990-12-01), Schwoebel et al.
patent: 5108226 (1992-04-01), Jennings, Jr.
patent: 5133624 (1992-07-01), Cahill
patent: 5191157 (1993-03-01), Crocker
patent: 5227759 (1993-07-01), Perkins
patent: 5310285 (1994-05-01), Northcott
patent: 5314265 (1994-05-01), Perkins et al.
patent: 5318382 (1994-06-01), Cahill
patent: 5387737 (1995-02-01), Schmidt et al.
patent: 5405224 (1995-04-01), Aubert et al.
patent: 5463164 (1995-10-01), Perkins
patent: 5484231 (1996-01-01), Cannan et al.
patent: 5489740 (1996-02-01), Fletcher
patent: 5536115 (1996-07-01), Keck
patent: 5551976 (1996-09-01), Allen
patent: 5570973 (1996-11-01), Hunt
patent: 5589603 (1996-12-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 5734988 (1998-03-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 6002063 (1999-12-01), Bilak et al.
patent: 6137028 (2000-10-01), Snow
R.C. Earlougher, Jr., “Advances in Well Test Analysis,”SPE Monograph Series,p. 1-3 (1977).
S.N. Shah et al., “Friction Pressures of Proppant-Laden Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids,”SPE Production Engineering,pp. 437-445 (Nov. 1986).
Well Completions,SPE Reprint Series,No. 5a, vol. 1, Table of Contents, pp. 150 and 170 (1978).
Holzhausen, G.R. et al., “Hydraulic-fracture growth in dipping anisotropic strata as viewed through the surface deformation field,”U.S. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, Rapid City, Sout
Bilak Roman
Bruno Michael S.
Dusseault Maurice B.
Farah David A.
Sheldon & Mak
Suchfield George
Terralog Technologies USA, Inc.
LandOfFree
Method for biosolid disposal and methane generation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for biosolid disposal and methane generation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for biosolid disposal and methane generation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2517419