WO2009034365A4

WO2009034365A4 - Systems of total capture and recycling of used organic and inorganic matter of selfsustainable human habitations

Info

Publication number: WO2009034365A4
Application number: PCT/GB2008/003597
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Anthony Miller
Original assignee: Peter Anthony Miller
Priority date: 2007-09-10
Filing date: 2008-10-24
Publication date: 2009-05-28
Also published as: GB0917964D0; GB2460982B; WO2009034365A1; GB2460982A; DE112008004043T5

Abstract

Systems of total capture and recycling of used organic and inorganic matter of the earth's environment to enable the realization of selfsustainable human habitations in previously uninhabitable areas of the earth and thereby contribute to the elimination of environmental pollution. Disclosed is a combination of interconnected innovative technologies to enable the realization of self-sustainable communities largely independent of outside man-made energy and potable water combined with ZERO fluid emissions into the environment that point the way to a sustainable solution of the global warming and environmental pollution problems comprising large scale cyclic photosynthetic carbon capture and associated fluid purification systems with fluid recycling and solids' recovery systems. Schematised illustrations provide the principles of the present invention, whereby carbon gases emitted from conventional power stations and other combustion processes are converted by photosynthesis to carbohydrates then hydrocarbons and recycled as fuel in captive closed systems thus completely eliminating emissions of green house gases to the atmosphere as well as providing the precondition for maintaining a high degree of sanitation of the process. Fluid purification systems are disclosed to enable the long-term recycling and reuse of the photosynthesising fluids involved in the power generation and all fluid streams generated and used within selfsustainable human habitats.

Claims

25AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 21 April 2009 (21.04.2009)

1. Captive cyclic processes enabling the creation of selfsustainable human habitats in previously uninhabitable and arid regions of the earth centring on the conversion of solar and light energy to biological matter by photosynthesising means, whereby in closed biological and physical systems the quantities of organic and inorganic matter are conserved in an essentially captive condition on a permanent basis by the application of means for power generation and fuel production based solely on solar energy involving the captive recycling of organic and inorganic matter of the process; means for the captive purification and filtration of fluids of the processes whereby both purification (solutes-free), conservation of inorganic bio-nutrient (solutes-rich) fractions and solids recovery and reuse are carried out on a permanent basis; means for the photosynthesising desalination or sea and brackish water for make-up of potable water storage for animal consumption and use and means for containing biological processes whereby all fluids and waste biomass are recycled and reused on a permanent basis.

2. Captive cyclic process according to Claim 1 wherein the biological products of photosynthesis are represented as chains of glucose molecules that are liquefied under anaerobic conditions and combusted to produce power according to the following set of cyclic chemical reactions; whereby the preferred means for realising this

carbon dioxide water glucose oxygen

captive recycling of organic and inorganic matter of the process on an industrial scale are illustrated in Fig.2.

3. Captive cyclic process according to Claim 1 wherein the biological products of photosynthesis are represented as chains of glucose molecules which are gasified under anaerobic conditions and combusted to produce power according to the following set of cyclic chemical reactions I, II, III; whereby the preferred means for realising

A Combustion 3CH₄ + 6O₂ + 3CO₂ > 6CO₂ + 6H₂O — I

METHANE OXYGEN CARBON DIOXIDE CARBON DIOXIDE WATER

B) Photosynthesis 6CO₂ + 6H₂O > C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ — Il

CARBON DIOXIDE WATER GLUCOSE OXYGEN

C) Anaerobic digestion C₆Hi₂O₆ > 3CH₄ + 3CO₂ — HI

GLUCOSE METHANE CARBON DIOXID this captive recycling of organic and inorganic matter of the process on an industrial scale are illustrated in Fig.1.

4. Process according to Claim 1, wherein the biological products of photosynthesis are represented as chains of glucose molecules which are directly combusted to produce power in a cyclic manner according to the following set of cyclic chemical reactions IV, V; whereby the

A) Combustion C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ > 6CO₂ + 6H₂O 1V

GLUCOSE OXYGEN CARBON DIOXIDE WATER

B) Photosynthesis 6CO₂ + 6H₂O > C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ V

CARBON DIOXIDE WATER GLUCOSE OXYGEN preferred means for realising on an industrial scale are illustrated in Fig.5.

5. Apparatus according to Claims 1,9,10,11 and Fig.3 wherein a unit of photosynthesising bioreactors consists of packed transparent or translucent conduits adjacent to one another and connected in such a way that fluid under pressure can be introduced at the lower end and travel in serpentine fashion to exit at the opposing upper end; whereby the said fluid while in transport is subjected to the impingement of light radiation from an external source to initiate and promote a photosynthetic reaction in the said fluid.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, whereby a plurality of packed joined conduits are stacked one on top of the other sharing common fluid inlet and outlet manifolds and whereby fluids to undergo photosynthesis are introduced to the lower manifold and exit through an upper manifold joined to a gas escape valve mechanism (LC).

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, whereby individual units of a plurality of stacked, packed conduits are removable by lifting vertically for purposes of maintenance. 27

8. Apparatus according to Claims 5-7 and fig. 5 whereby a row or rows of a plurality of packed conduits making up photobioreactors are joined end to end.

9. A photosynthesising power generating process according to Claims 1, 3 and Fig.1 whereby gas containing carbon dioxide from power generation is first purified to remove contaminating by-products then pumped under pressure for absorption in seeding vessels from where the seeded nutrient liquid pressurized with dissolved carbon dioxide is pumped under increased pressure by pumps through photo-bioreactors and delivered to anaerobic digesters where in one embodiment the carbohydrate harvest is first of all allowed to settle whereby the supernatant liquid is removed by pump and passed through a purifying filtration system and recycled under pressure to the seeding vessels; whereby thickened carbohydrate suspension is subjected to enzymatic and microbiological anaerobic digestion; wherewith the emitted methane and carbon dioxide are passed through filters and fed by feed pumps to the power generator as fuel after which collected biosludge is separated into a liquid nutrient fraction and recovered solids for recycling in the universal fluid purification and solids recovery system; whereby evolved oxygen is collected under positive pressure from the photosynthesizing bioreactor and delivered to the power station by feed pump for the combustion and power generating process.

10. A photosynthesizing power generating process according to Claims 1, 2 and Fig.2 whereby gas containing carbon dioxide from a combustion process is first purified to remove contaminating byproducts then pumped under pressure for absorption in seeding vessels from where the seeded nutrient liquid pressurized with dissolved carbon dioxide is pumped under increased pressure by pumps through photobioreactors where in one embodiment the carbohydrate harvest is first allowed to settle whereby the supernatant liquid is removed by pump and passed through a purifying filtration system and recycled under pressure to the seeding vessels; whereby thickened carbohydrate suspension is transferred to enzymatic hydrolizing vessels where the carbohydrates are liquefied and transformed into fermentable saccharides and smaller chained hydrocarbons from which the contents are transferred to fermenters where after dosing with yeast fermentation takes place at an elevated temperature; whereby evolved carbon dioxide is purified and recycled to the photobioreactor; after which the yeast content of the fermenters is allowed to settle; whereupon the clarified supernatant is transferred to the feed tank of a distillation unit where high percentage alcohol is recovered and pumped to the power generator for combustion with recycled oxygen from the photobioreactor.

11. A photosynthesising power generating process according to Claims 1, 3 and Fig.4 whereby gas containing carbon dioxide from a 28 combustion process is first filtered to remove contaminating byproducts then passed through a contained biological growth process and recycled as an oxygen rich-carbon dioxide mixture to the power plant for the combustion process; whereby biomass from the contained biological growth process is transported with other sources of biowaste to a disintegrator and converter and thence to anaerobic digesters where in one embodiment the comminuted biomass is subjected to enzymatic and microbiological anaerobic digestion whereby the emitted methane and carbon dioxide are passed through filters and fed to the power plant as fuel; whereby collected biosludge is separated into a liquid nutrient fraction and recovered solids for recycling from the universal fluid purification and solids recovery system; whereby the purified and sterilized liquid nutrient is recycled to the contained biological growth process as irrigation.

12. A photosynthesizing power generating system according to Claims 1, 4 and Figs.5, 17 whereby gas containing carbon dioxide from a combustion process is first purified by subjecting the hot gas stream to corona discharge to electrostatically charge suspended particulate matter for removal by oppositely charged shuttle packed beds; whereby the purified gas stream is pumped under pressure for absorption in seeding vessels from where the seeded nutrient liquid is passed through the photobioreactor exiting as a suspension of photosynthesised biological matter; whereby from a holding vessel the suspension is fed to a filter / cake press / vacuum drier; whereby the dewatered filter cake in the first chamber is delivered to the hydraulic cake press chamber for further dewatering while the already pressed and dewatered cake is simultaneously delivered to the final chamber for thermal-vacuum drying that produces a solid carbohydrate fuel for combustion with the recycled oxygen from the photobioreactor.

13. A photosynthesizing process according to Claim 1 and Fig.9 for the production of desalinated (potable) water from sea and saline water that is largely independent of solar energy input, whereby sea or brackish water with carbon dioxide are passed through a photobioreactor whereby oxygen is emitted and used, as oxidizing agent for combustion in power plant and biomass, produced in the photosynthesizing bioreactor, is fed to anaerobic bioreactors from which methane gas is emitted, purified and recycled as fuel for combustion in the power plant; whereby the electric energy generated in the power plant is transmitted to the photosynthesizing unit to energize embedded artificial lighting (removable light sources) units to activate the photosynthesizing process in the absence of solar radiation input whereby water molecults originally extracted from the saline water in the photosynthesising reaction are regenerated in the combustion reaction in the power plant as water vapour that is condensed, purified and stored as potable water. 29

14. Process according to Claim 1 and Fig.8; whereby for the production of desalinated (potable water) from sea and saline water solar generated photosynthesized biomass from PHOTO- BIOREACTORS using saline water as carrier, reactant and nutrient medium is fed with recycled biomass from diverse sources to BIOREACTORS to produce power and potable water.

15. Processes according to Claims 1, 9-12, wherein fluid purification recycling and solids recovery systems and apparatus comprise filter bands arranged to intermittently move over plane, pervious support members, whereby in the stationary state elements vertically moveable with respect to the pervious support member engage the periphery of the stationary filter band to seal the overlying sections, thereby forming a space into which fluid is delivered and allowed to exit through the section of filter band by means of pressure differential; whereby alternatively the upper plane of the sealed section of stationary filter band is made integral with an overlying fluid purification member; whereby the section of the stationary filter band is transferable to one or more separately located planar pervious support members enabling further distinctive and simultaneous operational procedures to be carried out with the purification member or the section of filter band and/or the thereon deposited solids⁹ material.

16. Fluid purification recycling systems and apparatus according to Claim 15 and Figs.6b,12,13,14,19 wherein the fluid purification members are integral with sealed sections of the filter band and consist of four separate stages taking the form of shuttle packed beds, shuttle expanded elements, filter bed regeneration unit and a residue filtration/ solids recovery unit.

17. Solids recovery apparatus according to Claim 15 and Figs.17a/b wherein a plurality of sections of filter band or purification members integral with said sections of filter band can be transferred by the band to a plurality of separate stationary pervious support members thus enabling simultaneous liquid purification and/or filter cake formation and further distinctive operational procedures to be carried out with the purification members or the deposited solids thereon or on the sections of filter band.

18. Filter bed regeneration unit according to Claim 16, whereby means consisting of counter-current solids washing operations of used filter beds of filter aid materials deposited on the surfaces of shuttle expanded elements and shuttle packed beds that after removal are regenerated in the filter bed regeneration unit; whereby the regenerated filter beds are redeposited in the shuttle units; wherewith the regenerating liquid is purified by the residue filtration and solids recovery unit for recycling to the shuttle units for filter pack backwashing and bed removal. 30

19. Filter bed counter-current washing and regeneration system according to Claim 18 and Fig.14 whereby in batch-wise counter-current operation shown as a succession of agitation/settling operations using vessels 1-4, filter beds are freed of impurities and finally recycled as a suspension for reforming on the surfaces of the expanded filter elements and/or packed bed members.

20. Fluid purification apparatus and solids recovery system according to Claim 15 and Fig.5 where in gas purification operations, the incoming gas is pre-radiated with corona-discharge or its electrical equivalent to charge aerosols and suspended particulate matter in the said gas before passing through beds of granular or powdered material supported by expanded filter elements and/or packed bed members provided with an opposite electrostatic surface charge.

21 Solids recovery apparatus according to Claim 17 entitled FILTER / CAKE PRESS / VACUUM DRIER whereby vertically moveable elements with respect to one or more pervious support members consist of flat plates with peripheral seals for pressing on the surface of filter beds lying on sections of the filter band and/or one or more stationary radiant heating elements above and below the pervious support members are all for the purpose of removing residual liquid and drying said beds.

22. Solids recovery apparatus according to Claim 17 entitled FILTER / VACUUM DRIER whereby one or more separately positioned elements vertically moveable with respect to one or more pervious support members forming sealed chambers in fluid connection with a source of vacuum for the purpose of removing liquid by evaporation from the solids material lying on one or more sections of the filter band supported by pervious support members positioned above a lower heating plate.

23. Solids⁹ recovery apparatus according to Claim 17, whereby units entitled UNIVERSAL SOLIDS' RECOVERY STSTEM comprise one or more separately positioned vertically moveable sealing elements with respect o one or more solids' recovery members integral with the sealed sections of filter band taking the form of shuttle extended filter surface elements whereby in operation the solids filling the voids of the expanded elements after dewatering are transported and splayed on deflection rollers and turned top downwards whereby the solids are deposited and collected.

24. Solids recovery apparatus and system according to Claim 17 entitled FILTER TUNNEL DRIER whereby one or more separately positioned elements are moveable with respect to one or more pervious support members forming sealed filter chambers for solids recovery whereby a further separately positioned sealing element consists of a chamber through which heated gas is circulated to dry deposited solids' 31 material lying on a stationary section or sections of moveable filter band supported on pervious support members.

25. Captive cyclic process according to Claim 1 whereby in photosynthesising biological processes pertaining to contained horti- and agriculture according to the scheme illustrated in Fig.10 the crops are sealed off from the environment; whereby both liquid and gaseous fluids involved in the biological growth process are purified and recycled on a permanent basis in universal fluid processing plants; whereby waste carbohydrate and carbon containing residues are recycled as biomass for energy generation and nutrient recovery and recycling.

26. Selfsustainable human habitats with cyclic captive processes according to Claims 1,3,4,13,15,25 and Fig.15 comprising a plurality of photosynthesizing units and recycling facilities for producing fuel for power stations, horticultural products, animal fodder and arable crops capable of sustaining human populations in cyclic closed systems with comprehensive processing and reuse of all waste-liquids, -gases and -solids all sealed off from the environment providing all essential energy and food requirements of the human habitats whereby all purified fluids (water/air), beverages, sugar, food, chemicals, alcohol, hydrogen, fuel, photochemicals, oxygen, methane, carbon dioxide, etc. are produced in unique or identical universal fluid processing plants integrated in closed systems with power plants, photosynthesising facilities, potable water production, water and wastewater treatment plants all interconnected and interdependent resulting in ZERO EMISSIONS into the environment .

27. Human settlements according to Claims 26 and Figs. 16a/b disclosing the provision of facilities and processes for the maintenance of selfsufficient human habitats in hitherto sparsely inhabited or empty regions of planet earth showing examples of potential sites for the establishment of such habitats.

28. Human settlements according to Claim 26 and Figs. 6b, 19 disclosing a selection of essential processes involving fluid purification and solids recovery including potable water, sugar and byproducts, chemicals and pharmaceuticals and beer production by means of identical universal fluid purification and processing systems.