The invention is directed to a process for enhancing the plant nutrient
value of relatively low analysis organic waste material (e.g. sewage
sludge) involves treating the waste material with an acid and base in a
pipe-cross reactor or tubular to form a melt; spraying the melt onto a
recycling bed of fines in a granulator and flashing off the water
contained in the melt as steam; rolling the melt onto recycled fine
particles in a granulator to form granulated particles; and drying these
granulated particles in a to form an enhanced plant nutrient value
composition (e.g. a fertilizer or soil conditioner having a greater NPK
value than the original relatively low analysis organic waste material).
The process further includes drawing off the fumes from the granulator,
passing them through a dryer with the granulated particles, and
subsequently oxidizing the fumes to eliminate volatile organic compounds
and/or gaseous hydrocarbon pollutants be converting such into carbon
dioxide and water vapor.