Microbiological Waste Fractionation Using Selective Strains
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in effectively recycling and processing mixed waste streams from abattoirs and meat processing industries, where thermal treatments and other methods can cause unwanted sedimentation and pose environmental risks due to microbial reactions, necessitating the use of natural microbial cultures with beneficial features.
Innovation Solution
The use of selective microbial strains like Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Bacillus cereus, combined with controlled physicochemical conditions such as salt concentration and temperature, to selectively cultivate and process waste streams, enabling the production of organic fertilizers, biogas, and other valuable products while ensuring microbiological safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal treatments are applied to waste materials, then hygienization and pathogen elimination are improved, but unwanted sedimentation and gelatinization occur causing processing difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal treatment with a microbiological system using selected bacterial cultures to achieve hygienization. The bacteria naturally decompose organic matter and eliminate pathogens through metabolic processes rather than heat, avoiding gelatinization and sedimentation while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter from temperature-based treatment to microbiological activity-based treatment. By controlling pH, oxygen levels, and nutrient availability rather than temperature, the system achieves hygienization without the unwanted side effects of thermal processing.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If natural microbial cultures are used for waste processing, then environmental safety is improved, but control over processing direction and speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different selective conditions in different stages of processing. Specific pH ranges, oxygen levels, and nutrient compositions are used to favor certain bacterial groups at different times, allowing directional control while maintaining environmental safety through natural microbial action.
Solution Approach 2:
The selected bacterial cultures are multi-functional, performing decomposition, pathogen elimination, and nutrient cycling simultaneously. This universal capability allows the system to achieve multiple objectives with a single biological agent rather than requiring separate controlled processes.
3Loss of substance
If mixed waste streams are processed, then material recycling potential is improved, but fractionation difficulty and contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bacterial cultures naturally self-organize and self-select based on the composition of the mixed waste stream. Different bacteria target different substrates (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) according to their metabolic capabilities, automatically fractionating the waste without external intervention or complex separation equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pH and oxygen level changes to dynamically control which bacterial groups are active at different stages. This temporal separation of microbial activity allows efficient processing of mixed wastes by sequentially activating different decomposition pathways without requiring physical fractionation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively separates and processes waste materials, producing high-quality organic fertilizers and biogas, while maintaining microbiological safety and reducing environmental risks by leveraging the natural enzymatic properties of these microbes.
Implementation Method 1
leverage the natural enzymatic properties of these microbes
Implementation Method 2
The use of selective microbial strains like Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Bacillus cereus, combined with controlled physicochemical conditions
Implementation Method 3
Certain physicochemical features of the process, or their combinations, such as the temperature, pH, osmolarity, oxygen concentration
Data Source
AI summary
Various waste fractions from meat, gravy, and animal feed industries, that are difficult to recycle, as well as wastes, for example, from fishing and fish processing, are often challenging to separate for further processing into products. The hygienic and otherwise safe and economical utilization of these, consistent with ecologically sustainable development, requires the development of new methods. According to the method and apparatus of this invention, with the help of microbes and their enzymes, for example, bone and tissue waste, as well as protein, fat material or materials containing blood matte, that have been separated during meat processing, can be fractioned into new raw materials. Gained products can be, for example, energy fractions and gases, waxes and various organic fertilizers and soil improvement substances.