Method for the molecular destruction of waste-activated sludge using high electrical voltage

The present invention is directed to the discovery that the majority of the water contained in municipal waste-water sludge treated by the municipal treatment plants is contained within and between molecular cells. The water molecules contained within the cell, for purposes of this application, shall be referred to as "intra-cellular", water molecules, while the water molecules between the cells and bound thereat via both mechanical and electrical bonding shall be referred to as "intercellular" water molecules. It has been the discovery that this intra-cellular and intercellular water makes up the majority of the water in municipal waste-water sludge treated at a municipal treatment plant, which intra-cellular and intercellular water is not typically released by conventional, municipal dewatering methods which process the municipal sludge. The present invention is directed to a pulsed electric-field system for rupturing and destroying molecular cellular units of waste-activated sludge to thereby liberate intracellular water molecules from the solids-content thereof. The waste-activated sludge is contained in waste sludge, such as paper-pulp sludge, municipal waste sludge, animal or plant waste sludge. The pulsed-electric field is generated by an electroporating device producing a non-arcing pulsed electric field. The released intracellular dissolved/organic matter may be recycled back to an aeration tank for supplying food to bacteria of the aeration tank for performing aerobic digestion thereon, whereby the intracellular, dissolved organic matter is used as food for the bacteria of the aeration tank, whereby the aerobic digestion process is accelerated.