APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING LIQUID AND SEMI-SOLID ORGANIC WASTE MATERIALS

摘要

An apparatus and method for treating for disposal organic waste material carried within a sludge, by adding to the sludge an alkali metal silicate and a setting agent, is disclosed. The apparatus includes several mixers (20, 22, 70), each having a trough (134) with an input end and a discharge end, at least one rotatable shaft (140) mounted longitudinally along the trough (134), a plurality of blades (164) mounted to the shaft (140), and a drive for rotating the shaft (140). The sludge is deposited within a first mixer (20), and then directed from the mixer (20) into a tank (26). A series of chopper pumps (30, 32, 34) recirculate the sludge into the tank (26), and alternatively, the sludge may be passed through an additional mixer (22). Leaving the tank (26), the sludge is directed into a second mixer (70) at its input end. Water is introduced at the input end, and a setting agent is added along the trough (134) at a point adjacent the input end. Further along the trough (134), an alkali metal silicate is introduced. The mixture is recovered from the second mixer (70), and carried to a remote location for setting.