Patent ID: 6048458
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: B03B,B07B,B09B,C05F,C12M,C22B,Y02A,Y02P,Y02W,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of digestion of municipal solid waste (MSW) comprising digestible organic material and lignin coated cellulose fibers, comprising: heating said MSW in the presence of moisture to yield a heated solid phase; elevating the ambient pressure of and then explosively decompressing the heated solid phase to yield a treated solid phase comprising at least a substantial portion of the fibers in a ruptured condition exposing the cellulosic internal surfaces thereof; slurrying the treated solid phase in an aqueous phase; subjecting the slurry to at least one stage of anaerobic digestion to yield a digested solids slurry; and separating a substantial portion of the aqueous phase from the digested solids slurry to yield a digested solids residue.