IMPROVED ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC DIGESTION OF WASTE AND BIOMASS BY USE OF LACTOBACILLUS CULTURE ADDITIVES

Abstract: Improved digestion process applicable to aerobic and anaerobic digesters for waste treatment facilities during normal and overload conditions. The digestion system utilizes the addition of a lactobacillus fermentation product in a concentration sufficient to improve the digestion of units without deleteriously affecting the digestion system during normal load conditions. In addition, the use of the lactobacillus fermentation product facilitates recovery of digester systems from sour digestion conditions ("stuck digesters") in relatively short periods of time. Further, the ability of the digestion system to operate at higher-than-normal loadings and lower-than-normal detention times permits the use of existing facilities at not only peak periods which would otherwise be subjected to overloadings but to be able to actually operate a system at twice designed loading, thus allowing for increased digester system capacity without incurring new capital equipment costs.

Description: IMPROVED ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC DIGESTION OF WASTE AND BIOMASS BY USE OF LACTOBACILLUS CULTURE ADDITIVES ' TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to the use of a lacto¬ bacillus fermentation product as a microbiological addi¬ tive to existing anaerobic and/or aerobic digestion systems to improve digestion of wastes and bio ass. BACKGROUND ART Heretofore, the use of lactobacillus micro¬ organisms has been documented for a variety of purposes. For example, U. S. Patent No. 3,497,359 discloses the incorporation of the lactobacillus bacteria and their metabolic products for use as a livestock feed supple¬ ment to promote digestion of foodstuffs by animals. Another use for lactobacillus bacteria in feed for live- stock is described in U. S. Patent No. 3,343,962. The use of soluble lactic acid fermentation by-products together with inactivated nondesiccated bacillus bacteria, primarily to reduce odor, has been done in the past in a general application, with regard to farm and ranch use, to septic tanks, and to muni¬ cipal use for the initial treatment of the waste, and was used only in normal load conditions and applied only to the lower levels of areas to be treated. In recent years, the public has paid great attention to the effects of pollutionf om an industrial society into the surrounding environment. The treat¬ ment of domestic and industrial waste water has been subjected to close scrutiny by the public and regula¬ tory agencies alike. The establishment of standards for municipal and industrial waste water treatment facilities has required substantial changes and addi- tions to the waste water treatment facilities in this country. Continuing inspection and regulation is per¬ formed with the purpose of preventing accidents which release untreated waste water into the surrounding fresh water systems. The rhythm of discharge of waste water into the treatment system is directly dependent upon the operating schedule of the municipality and the indus¬ tries therewithin. While a regular and constant flow of the waste water would be the optimal situation, the exigencies of different production schedules prevent a uniform flow. Consequently, during peak periods, sub¬ stantial amounts of waste water may enter a facility the amount of which may exceed the existing capacity for the treatment of the waste- and biomass contained within the waste water. Both the primary and secondar digesters are unable to break down the total amount of the waste passing through the treatment system during the peak periods. Therefore, an alternative to building excess capacity in the waste water treatment system to withstand peak period digestion requirements as well as to allow for a normal expanded load capa¬ bility of the system, is to provide an additive to the waste water digestion facilities which biochemically creates a greater capacity for waste water treatment than the physical attributes thereof. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Consequently, it is an object of the inven¬ tion to;, provide improved aerobic and/or anaerobic di- gestion of waste and biomass by increasing the capacit of a waste water treatment facility by an increase in the biochemical capacity of the facilities without a concomitant increase in the physical capacity thereof. It is another object of the invention to provide improved aerobic and/or anaerobic digestion of f OMP waste and biomass in a waste water treatment facility by adding to the existing treatment chemicals an addi¬ tive which increases the biochemical capacity of the treatment facility. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved aerobic and/or anaerobic digestion system which will not deleteriously affect the chemical or physical properties of the waste water treatment facility when normal loadings of waste are present. Moreover, it is yet another object of the invention to provide a chemically stable waste water treatment facility for the treatment of waste during peak periods. A further object of the invention is to pro- vide an improved aerobic and/or anaerobic digestion system for waste and biomass by increasing the capacity of a waste treatment facility by using a biochemical additive of lactobacillus fermentation product in a controlled input, concentration and circulation in the digester. These and other objects of the invention which will become apparent as the detailed description of the preferred embodiment proceeds, are achieved by: a method for improving anaerobic digestion of waste and biomass, comprising: (a) producing a lactobacillus culture as a digester additive; and (b) introducing said lactobacillus fermentation " product into an anaerobic digester system in a concentration from about 10 to about 1,000 pp of anaerobic digester volume, so that said lactobacillus additive promotes digestion of the wastes and biomass at a greater-than-normal rate. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The waste water input to any treatment facili¬ ty contains a variety of organic waste generated by CJ.-H human population, biomass generated from the plant pop lation, or combinations thereof. Additionally, where industrial facilities are nearby, organic waste and chemicals generated by those industrial facilities are often mixed with the municipal waste water and require similar waste water treatment. The various organic wastes, biomass, or the various combinations thereof are commonly treated in a facility that includ an anaerobic digestion process which utilizes micro- organisms capable of living without free oxygen to con vert complex compounds to simple gases and water. The products resulting from an anaerobic digestion process are methane, carbon dioxide, and unreacted digested solids. Whenever the capacity of the waste water tre ment facility utilizing the digestion process is small than the loading of wastes in that system, the prevail ing microbial population cannot stabilize completely before the waste water or effluent is transferred to the next stage of treatment. The microorganisms comprising the anaerobic digestion process are fragile and vulnerable to minor variations in the parameters of their environment with¬ in the waste treatment facility. If any of these parameters deviates from the optimum standard, the per¬ formance of the microorganisms in the digesters im¬ mediately falters. Often, the result of an imbalanced system is "a stuck digester" when the microorganisms cease their normal breakdown of waste material. In other words, a stuck digester results when its operatio is considerably moved from the norm such as when a substantial amount of gas being generated is not metha that is, a gas low in methane but high in carbon dioxide. " In order to prevent the effects due to over¬ loaded conditions, a "stuck digester," or to greatly <r 7 - increase the capacity of the digester as up to about four times its normal capacity, the present invention - provides a method for inducing the waste water treat¬ ment facility to act beyond its existing physical capacity by aiding digestion of the waste and biomass. Lactobacillus fermentation products have unexpectedly been found to stabilize the digester pro¬ cess during peak load and stuck digester conditions, as well as to increase its treating capacity. The lacto- bacillus fermentation products are generally intro¬ duced into the anaerobic digester system in small con¬ centrations, either by direct addition to the digester, through addition to the waste water prior to entering the digester, or introduced into the digester recycle stream. Most likely, the introduction of the lacto¬ bacillus product additive will occur at the point of recirculation, in that accessability and mixing are maximized with such point of addition. For example, in an aerobic digester having multiple stages , the lactobacillus product additive may be added solely to the first anaerobic stage and not to the second. Al¬ ternatively, the product may be added to the second stage and not the first stage in that less degradable material exists in the second stage. The lactobacillus product additive may be introduced into the anerobic digester upon a regular schedule to anticipate peak periods regularly occurring, or upon an irregular schedule when a peak period or "stuck digester" " unexpectedly occurs. Typically, the additive is mixed into the digester on a daily basis in such concentrations to maintain the desired amount of lactobacillus fermentation product in the digester. The lactobacillus additive of the present invention can be made in a manner described in either U. S. Patent No. 3,497,359 or U. S. Patent No. 3,343,962, both of which are hereby fully incorporated by refer¬ ence, including type of culture and mode of preparation thereof, The concentration of the lactobacillus pro¬ duct additive to be added to the anerobic digestion process depends upon the characteristics of the indi- vidual waste water treatment facility. Typically, the concentration may range from 10 to 1,000 parts by volume of aproduct per one million parts of digester liquid volume. A concentration of from 100 to 500 is desired with about 200 parts per -million parts of di- gester liquid volume being preferred. The lactobacil- lus product can contain from 10 4 to 109 nonviable microorganisms per milliliter, depending on production o conditions with 10 microorganisms per milliliter being preferred. Insufficient concentrations of the lacto- bacillus product additive do not achieve the prevention of overloading or stuck digesters , whereas large con¬ centrations of the lactobacillus product additive de- leteriously affect the performance of the digestion system during normal loading by depressing the system pH. Therefore, it is important to assess the proper concentration of the lactobacillus product to be added, according to a variety of operating parameters and concentrations of by products produced. In order for the lactobacillus product addi- tive to chemically maximize the anerobic digestion pro¬ cess, the pH and buffering capacity of the digestion system must be maintained. Further, the volume of gas generated by the anaerobic digestion system must be within the acceptable ranges for a normal operation of a municipal anaerobic digester. Additionally, the con¬ tent of the gas produced by the anaerobic digestion system must maintain a sufficient concentration of methane gas, thereby indicating proper digestion. The destruction of volatile solids in the waste is tested by a percentage and comparison of the volatile solids existing prior to treatment and remaining after treat- _c:"i_ ment. Also, the temperature, pH and ratio of acidity to alkalinity are variables which, affect anaerobic di¬ gestion. Most anaerobic digesters are operated in a temperature range from about 20°C to about 65°C with the preferred temperature range being approximately 30-40°C for mesophilic digestion and 55-65°C for thermophilic digestion. A temperature outside of these ranges will severely reduce the activity of the microorganisms in the digestion process. The reduction in activity re¬ quires a concomitant additional digestion time. Anaerobic digestion requires a pH of the digestion fluids and wastes to be from about 6.4 to about 7.4 with a preferred range of from about 6.8 to about 7.2.. In no case should the pH fall below 6.2, in that the production of methane by the microorgan¬ is s is inhibited. When the pH is maintained within the optimum range, the microorganisms present maximize digestion and production of the proper byproduct gases and minimize the amount of malodorous compounds remain¬ ing. Whenever digestion occurs with a pH below the optimal conditions, the gas generated as a byproduct has a high carbon dioxide content mixed with a variety of organic gases which release foul odors into the atmosphere. Whenever the pH is above the range de¬ scribed above, the microorganisms suitable for an acidic environment are inhibited from digesting in an alka¬ line environment and the digestion activity is severely reduced. A test determining the concentration of vola¬ tile acids measures the acidic content in the waste water. The acid content typically contains a variety of organic fatty acids, which, If present in large amounts, inhibits the activity of the methane producing bacteria and prevents complete digestion. On the con¬ trary, a measurement of the alkalinity of the waste de- termines the capacity for the neutralization of the volatile acids produced by the fermentation and de¬ gradation of the wastes. If the concentration of the volatile acids when compared with the concentration of the alkalinity levels exceeds a range from about 0.3 to about 0.4, the performance of the digester system is deficient. A volatile acid/alkalinity ratio betwee 0.5 and 0'.8 indicates a serious breakdown of the anaerobic digestion process. The parameter of total gas production moni¬ tors the success of the digestion system through the production of the gas byproducts. The amount of gas generated is directly dependent on the success of the digestion by the anaerobic digestion process. A de- crease in the volume of gas produced, per pound of organic waste introduced into digestion, indicates an alteration in the optimal parameters of the digestion process. Within the total gas production generated, the components of the gas further indicate the type of digestion within the anaerobic digester. The de¬ sired component of an anaerobic digestion system is methane, comprising from usually over 50 percent and more normally from about 60 to about 65 percent of the total composition. The other significant component is carbon dioxide in a concentration from about 30 percent to about 35 percent of the total composition of the gas. Other gases comprise the remainder of the compo¬ sition of the gas produced by the anaerobic digestion. More complete digestion is indicated by higher levels of methane generated, and an increase in the carbon dioxide percentage composition over an extended period of time generally indicates the malfunctioning of the anaerobic digester. The digestion of volatile solids producing unreactive solids and gas is the purpose of anaerobic digestion. The greater the percentage of destruction of volatile solids, the greater the successful diges¬ tion by the anaerobic digester. The processing of these volatile solids more rapidly, and with greater 5 efficiency, permits the anaerobic digester to operate chemically beyond its normal design capacity. It has been found that the addition of lactobacillus fermen¬ tation product, in small concentrations to the diges¬ ters, unexpectedly can accept organic loading rates 10 . up to 0.4 pounds of volatile solids, per cubic foot of digester volume per day, whereas the normal rate is 3 usually 0,05 to 0.15 pounds of volatile solids/ft. /day. With such additive, any waste water treatment facility not presently capable of digesting such organic loading 15 rates may now accomplish complete digestion without the substantial capital investment of increasing plant capacity. Typically, to increase a 1 MGD digester plant to a 2 MGD digester plant would run about $133,000.00 20 of new capital investment or an interest cost only on the money of nearly $10,000.00 and a total operating cost of $24,000 to $105,000 depending on the source of digester feed material. In contrast, to increase the 1 MGD plant to a 2 MGD plant with the additive of the 25 invention would require between about 470-2900 gallon per year additive, depending on the type of system, at an equipment cost of about $10,000 or an annual operating cost of between $5,700 and $30,000. * The lactobacillus product additive to the 30 digester is not affected by the operation of the anaerobic digester system in a batch, seini-continuous, or continuous feeding and product removal conditions. The operation of the anaerobic digester, having the lactobacillus product additive therein, maximizes di- 35 gestive capacity under each of these engineered condi¬ tions. A stuck digester that has effectively ceased digestion may be alleviated by the addition of a lactobacillus product additive having a concentration from about 10 to 1,000 parts by volume per million parts of digester liquid volume. Once the stuck di¬ gester begins its recovery, the digester returns to it normal operating capacity, as supplemented by the lact bacillus product additive, for peak period loadings. The suitability of this method has been tested in both laboratory and full-scale waste water treatment facilities. The synerglstiε combination of the unexpectedly small concentrations of the lacto¬ bacillus product additive with whatever microorganisms already present in the anaerobic digester may be more fully understood by reference to the following example which demonstrate the vast improvements to chemical capacity. ' EXAMPLE ' I A high rate sludge digestion system is fed with a blend of 70 parts by weight of activated sludge solids, and 30 parts by weight of primary sludge solid and operating at a loading rate of 0.15 pounds of vola tile solids per cubic foot of digester capacity per day. The temperature of the digestion system is appro mately 35°C, with a detention time of about 12 days. The yield of methane and effluent qualities of the treated sludge comprise the control for further experi mentation. EXAMPLE II The reaction conditions of Example I are re¬ peated except that approximately 200 parts by volume o lactobacillus fermentation product is added, per milli parts of digester liquid volume, and the digester load ** 5 ing rate is increased to 0.3 lb. VS/ft -day. While the effluent qualities of the digestion system are about the same, the methane yield is twice that of th digester operated according to the conditions Example I. ' EXAMPLE Til The reaction conditions of Example II are duplicated for this experiment, except that no lacto- bacillus culture additives are added to the digestion system, but the loading rate is maintained at 0.3 lb. 3 VS/ft -day. When compared with the results of Examples I and II, these reaction conditions produce very poor effluent quality and low methane yields. ' EXAMPLE TV A stuck digester is generated under reaction conditions to simulate Inactivity of digestion within the digester. In order to recover from the stuck di¬ gester reaction conditions, a total of 180 days is necessary for alleviating the failed conditions. ' EXAMPLΈΓ V . A stuck digester is generated, according to the parameters of Example IV, except that 1,000 parts by volume of lactobacillus culture additives, per million parts of digester liquid volume are added. The completed recovery of the digester from its failed condition occurs .in 30 days. ' EXAMPLE VI A high rate sludge digestion system was loaded at 0.2 pounds volatile solids per cubic foot of digestive capacity per day, detention time was 7 days. The digestion system maintained a steady state for approximately 1 month to 40 days. EXAMPLE VII The same digester conditions, as the previous example, were utilized except that the loading rate was increased to 0.4 pounds volatile solids per cubic foot of digester capacity per day and the digester was treated daily with the lactobacillus cultures when the loading rate has been doubled. Comparable statis¬ tics are generated between the test and the control and, "BUREAU OMPI .< ,_. IPO ,s in some cases, such as total gas yield, the test gen¬ erated greater results although " having twice the load¬ ing rate. Further, the test digester had about twice the bicarbonate alkalinity (a measurement of buffer capacity) , ammonia nitrogen and filtrate COD than the control digester had. The percentage effluent volatil solids was about the same for both digesters , even though the test digester had twice as much loading rat Further, the test digester achieved a 5 percent great- er reduction in the volatile solids than the control digester. The result of this comparison Indicates that the operating of an anaerobic digester, at twice the normal loading, is possible when the digester system is treated with a lactobacillus fermentation product additive. There Is no reduction in the efficiency of the process in other respects. The increased gas production, higher volatile solids reduction, higher bicarbonate alkalinity, without an increase in vola- tile acid concentration are extremely beneficial to the digester operating at greater-than-normal capacity. The ammonia nitrogen concentration was higher in the additive-digester, indicating a faster rate of pro¬ tein degradation which improves the efficiency of the anaerobic digester. Therefore, the treatment of the anaerobic digester with unexpectedly small concentra¬ tions of lactobacillus fermentation product additives, according to this invention, permits doubling .of the digester loading rate with no undesirable alteration of the effluent quality or the process efficiency of the anaerobic digester, in particular, and the overall waste water treatment facility, in general. C * .. TABLE I SUMMARY OF STEADY-STATE GAS PRODUCTION DATA FOR THE TEST AND THE CONTROL DIGESTERS DURING PHASE XIX WHEN THE FORMER DIGESTER WAS LOADED AT DOUBLE THE RATE OF THE LATTER AT A DETENTION TIME OF ABOUT 7 DAYS ' MEAN MEAN MEAN TOTAL GAS YIELD, METHANE CONTENT, METHANE YIELD, DIGESTER SCP/LB VS ADDED MOL % SCF CH Λ /lb VS ADDED 4- Control 4.71 68.0 3.20 Test 5.06 67.5 3.42 TABLE II SUMMARY OF STEADY- STATE EFFLUENT QUALITY FOR THE TEST AND THE CONTROL DIGESTERS DURING PHASE XIX WHEN THE FORMER DIGESTER WAS LOADED AT DOUBLE THE RATE OF THE LATTER AT A DETENTION TIME OF 1 DAYS MEAN MEAN MEAN MEAN BICARBONATE MEAN MEAN 1 - EFFLUENT VOLATILE SOLIDS VOLATILE ACIDS, ALKALINIT , AMMONIA NITROGEN, FILTRATE COD, m DIGESTER PH REDUCTION, %* mg/ AS ACETIC mg^ AS CaC0 3 ppm as N ■ /l Control 6.94 22.2 39 2,704 634 419 Test 7.32 27.6 30 5,720 1,088 699 VS. - VS 1 o *VS reduc tlon ~ VS. - (VS. VS ) 1 1 o Where VS . = Percent VS in feed solids , decimal equivalent VS = Percent VS in effluent solids , decimal equivalent o ' EXAMPLE VITI An anaerobic digestion system at an operatin waste water treatment plant in the United States was tested to demonstrate the operative conditions of the invention in a full scale system. A primary digester was fed with the combined municipal and industrial solids sludge at a volume of 47,600 gallons per feedin load. The desired detention time in the unit was approximately 20 days. The pH level in the primary digester unit remained from about 6.0 to about 7.1 pH during the study. Operating temperature ranged from about 35.3°C to about 32.7°C. The volatile acid/alka¬ linity ratio average ranged from about 0.02 to about 0.09. During the study, three phases were conducted, the first phase being the start-up of the digester und the experimental tabulation of operating conditions, the second phase being the staggered introduction of a maximum of 200 ppm of volatile solids/cubic feet days of digester capacity, and the third phase being the reduction in the detention time from 20 days to 10 days without any lactobacillus fermentation product addi¬ tions in the "control" digester. EXAMPLE ' IX Another primary digester was operated accord- ing to the parameters of the control digester of Exampl VIII, except that the pH ranged from about 6.7 to about 7.6, and the average operating temperature during Phase I was approximately 34.1°C. Further, the volatile acid/alkalinity ratio averaged 0.14 during Phase I. Similar gas production and percentage composition was generated. During Phase II, the test digester was treated with an initial dosage of 25 milligrams of lactobacillus culture additive per liter, with the addi tive being incrementally Increased to reach a concen- tration of 200 milligrams per liter within a period of 14 days. When the concentration reached 125 milligrams per liter, the. volatile acid/alkalinity ratio began to Increase. Therefore, this concentration level was maintained until the ratio decreased. The Phase II was continued until a concentration of 200 milligrams per liter of lactobacillus culture additive was ob¬ tained. The detention time was approximately 20 days, and the ptl, during Phase II, ranged ' from approximately 7.1 to about 6.5. While the temperature remained the same as that in Phase I for this test, the gas produc- tiόn slightly increased over Phase I gas production, without a change in composition of the byproduct gas produced. In Phase III of the experimental tabulation in the test operation digester, the feed rate of vola- tile solids was doubled. The detention time was approxi¬ mately 9 days with the pH ranging from approximately 7.4 to 6.5. A seasonal change in the environment appeared as a temperature decrease to approximately 31°C, While the volatile acid/alkalinity ratio doubled during Phase III, the range was within that required for a healthy digester. Comparable levels of gas production and percentage composition occurred during this phase. All other indicators showed the digester with the addi¬ tive operating at twice the normal throughput, to be performing within otherwise normal conditions for all other parameters. Even more significant and unexpected is the fact that with almost one-half the detention time, the test digester with the additive achieved a 95 percent total volatile solids removed, whereas the controlled digester of the previous example achieved only approximately 82 percent total volatile solids removed. Table III summarizes the three phases of reaction conditions within the test digester and the control digester. The percentage biodegradable matter remaining is an indication of the significant diges- tive capacity increase when the lactobacillus culture additives are introduced and the anaerobic digester is experiencing greater-than-normal loadings , as seen by solids loading for Phase III in the tabl e. OMP WIP -LI- 0f9I0/08Sα/XDd 10110/180 . Hence, in summary, the " use of the additive in the digester appears as if optimum results will be achieved to increase the flow capacity by 100 percent by maintaining approximately 200 gallons of additive per 1,000,000 gallons liquid. The preferred technique for entering the additive is to use a conventional chemical feed pump, and effect a feeding about every 12 hours, with this all being accomplished to utilize the existing internal and external mixing equipment of the sewage treatment facility which in affect pro¬ vides a relatively uniform mix of the chemical addi¬ tive throughout the digester. The additive in 55 gallon drums of a water slurry can easily be added through the standard chemical feed pump to affect the degree of mixing required. We have found that fermentation of the lacto bacillus culture is necessary to get the end result product which indicates that the additive may be appli cable to aerobic digesters as well, since the culture is partially aerobic in the fermentation procedure, although there is no purposeful injection of oxygen as this seems to inhibit growth, of the culture. Tests of the additive show it to be more effective than activated carbon in alleviating unstabl conditions in anaerobic digesters. Further, the addi¬ tive does not add to the sludge volume as activated carbon does with the attendant increase in disposal costs. The activated charcoal may well work with the additive in an aerobic system. Operating parameters for aerobic digestion are similar to anaerobic digestion. Both processes operate at mesophillic conditions (20°C to 45°C) or thermophillic conditions (45°C to 65°C) . The aerobic digestion or activated sludge process Is designed to reduce volatile solids, produce stable odorless pro¬ ducts for disposal, improve sludge dewatering proper- O ties, and enhance fertilizer value of residue. Operating parameters for aerobic digestion are hydraulic retention time of 12 to 22 days, loading, 3 0.1 to 0.2 pounds VS per ft -day, oxygen requirement 3 of 20 scf per 1000 ft tank volume, dissolved oxygen of 1 to 2 mg per liter, mixing power of 0.5 to 1.0 3 horsepower per 1000 ft tank volume, and volatile solids reduction of 20 percent to 50 percent. The effluent quality should be approximately: 0 3 30 mg/1 P0 4 35 mg/1 Soluble BOD 2 to 50 ppm One other way to approach the cost factor in constructing a new digester capacity is that is cur- rently is estimated to cost between $7.50 to $8.00 per cubic foot of new digester capacity. The inven¬ tion is based upon doubling design plant capacity by utilizing the additive. While the invention is meant to particularly cover the broad range of lactobacillus bacteria in the fermentation culture stage as comprising the addi¬ tive, the testing of the strain utilized in the ex¬ amples presented hereinabove indicates: that the pre¬ dominant strain now is Lactobacillus Bulgaricus which is an enriched and fairly pure organism. Essentially, when referring to the 200 ppm injection quantity being the desired amount to achieve the 100 percent in¬ creased digester flow capability, it is broken down to substantially the chemical percentages indicated here- inbelow: -20- ADDITIVE ANALYSTS Crude Protein not less than 4 percent Crude Fat not less than 0.2 percent Crude Fiber not more than 0,2 percent Invert Sugars not less than 5 percent Total Acid not less than 12 percent Water not more than 72 percent Ash not more than 5 percent Nonviable lactobacillus cells not less than 1 x 10 pe ml. While a detailed description of the preferre methods for preventing digester breakdown during "stuc digester" and overload conditions, as well as increase digester capacity has been described in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited the to or thereby. Consequently, for an understanding of the scope of the invention, reference should be made to the following claims.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS (received by the International Bureau on 22 April 1981 (22.04.81)) 1. A method for improving anaerobic and/or aerobic digestion of waste and biomass, comprising: (a) obtaining a nonviable lactobacillus fermentation product as a secondary digester additive; and (b) introducing said lactobacillus fermen¬ tation product into a digester system in a concentra¬ tion from about 10 to about 1,000 ppm of a digester 0 volume so that said digesting system digests the wastes and biomass at a greater-than-normal rate. 2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein said lcatobacillus fermentation product is introduced 5 periodically to maintain said concentration in the digester system, said concentration having between aabboouutt 1100 4 4 ttoo aabboouutt 110099 llaaccttoobbaacciillJlus microorganisms per milliliter of digester volume, 0 3. A method according to Claim 1, further comprising the step of storing said lactobacillus fermentation product before said introduction into the digester system. 5 4. A method according to Claim 3, wherein said storage combines said lactobacillus fermentation product with external nutrients selected from the group consisting of cobalt carbonate, diammonium phosphate, ferrous lactate and lactic acid. 0 5. A method according to Claim 2, including the step of maintaining the pH of said digester at from about 6.4 to about 7.2. *2 6. A method according to Claim 5, wherein said lactobacillus fermentation product is introduced OMPI in a single dose, periodically, or continuously to maintain said concentration in the digestion system 7. A method according to Claim 5, in whi said lactobacillus fermentation product is added wi fresh feed, recycled feed, or blends thereof. 8. A method according to Claim 5, in whi the lactobacillus fermentation product is separatel added to a digester. 10 9. A method according to Claim 5, in whi a single treatment of the lactobacillus fermentatio product is supplied to said digester. 15 10. A method according to Claim 5 , in wh the lactobacillus fermentation product is preheated to the temperature of the digestion system with or without fresh or recycled feed before introduction said digester. 20 11. A method according to Claim 5, in wh the lactobacillus fermentation product is added in high initial concentration to the digester at start up to bring the concentration of said lactobacillus 25 fermentation product in the digester to the desired level after which the ratio of the fresh feed to ad tive is adjusted to maintain the desired concentrat of said additive in the digester. 30 12. A method for improving aerobic diges of waste and biomass, comprising: (a) obtaining a nonviable lactobacillus fermentation product as a secondary digester additi (b) introducing said lactobacillus ferme 35 tion product into an aerobic digester system in a c -BϋR _0. centration of about 10 to about 1 , 000 ppm of digester volume ; and (c) operating the digester with a hydraulic retention time of between about 12 to about 22 days with a loading og between about .1 to .2 pounds VS per ft per day, and at an oxygen loading of 20 scfm per 1,000 3 ft tank volume. 13. A method according to Claim 12 , wherein said lactobacillus fermentation product is introduced periodically to maintain said concentration in the digester system, said concentration having between aabboouutt 1100 4 4 aanndd aabboouutt 110099 llaaccttoobbaaccii.llus microorganisms per milliliter of digester volume, 14. A method according to Claim 13, includ¬ ing the step of maintaining the pH of said digester at from about 6.4 to about 7.2. 15. ' A method for improving anaerobic digestio of waste and biomass, comprising-: (a) cultivating a nonviable lactobacillus culture as a seondary digester additive; and (b) introducing said lactobacillus culture into an anaerobic digester system in a concentration from about 10 to about 1,000 ppm of anaerobic digester volume so that said lactobacillus culture additive di¬ gests the wastes and biomass at a greater-than-normal rate. 16. A method according to Claim 15, wherein said lactobacillus fermentation product is introduced periodically to maintain said concentration in the digester system, said concentration having between about 10 4 and about 109 lactobacillus microorganisms per milliliter of digester volume. 17. A method according to Claim 16, incl ing the step of maintaining the pH of said digester at from about 6.4 to about 7.2. STATEMENTUNDERARTICLE 19 This statement explains the amendment of the claims for the above-identified application pursuant to Article 19(1) and Rule 46 of the PCT. The above-identified PCT application has been searched and seven (7) documents were found, some being listed as relevant and others as just generally defining the state of the art. These references are not pertinent and the claims have been amended to distinguish the inventions from the docu¬ ments. Accordingly, claims 1, 12 and 15 set forth the fact that a nonviable lactobacillus fermentation product is utilized. The prior art patents to Ishida, U.S. Patent No. 4,213,857; to El-Sayed, U.S.. Patent No. 4,237,003; and to Bodenrader, U.S. Patent No. 4,214,985 cannot be applied since their publication date is after the priority date of the present application, that is 12 December, 1979. Claims 1, 12, and 15, and the claims dependent therefrom, are readily distinguished from the Stitt patent, U.S. Patent 3,961,073 in that they relate to a nonviable lactobacillus fermentation product.

Inventors: FEDDE P, GHOSH S, HENRY M, KLASS D
Applicants: TRANSAGRA CORP
Application year: 1980
Main classification: C02F3
IPC codes: C02F3, C02F11