Patents Assigned to Estech, LLC
  • Publication number: 20100200683
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for controlling the processing solid waste material in a vessel during a processing cycle, comprising: (1) loading the vessel with a charge of solid waste products, said vessel comprising: (a) a rotatably mounted cylindrical vessel having an interior surface and two ends, at least one end terminating in a hatch that may be opened to allow access to the interior of said vessel and sealably closed to allow pressurization of said vessel; (b) a vessel steam inlet for injecting steam into at least one of said ends so as to come into contact with waste material placed into said vessel; (c) a thermometer adapted to monitor the processing temperature of the waste material placed into said vessel during an operational cycle; (d) a timer adapted to monitor the processing time of an operational cycle for the waste material placed into said vessel; (e) a microprocessor having processing instructions adapted to calculate the required processing time by integrating the functi
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: ESTECH, LLC
    Inventors: Jan K. Michalek, Theodore J. Thomas, Leong Soon Lee
  • Publication number: 20100163396
    Abstract: The present invention includes systems, apparatus and methods for processing solid waste products. The present invention includes an apparatus and method of processing solid waste products in an autoclave, comprising the steps: (a) loading the autoclave with a charge of solid waste products containing water; (b) sealing the autoclave; (c) rotating the autoclave while heating the autoclave such that the charge of solid waste products containing water creates steam in the autoclave, and whereby so waste liquid water or steam and cellulosic material are produced; (d) conducting liquid water or steam from the autoclave to a water cleaning system and then to a heat recovery steam generator so as to generate steam therefrom; and (d) reintroducing the steam generated by the heat recovery steam generator into the autoclave. The system preferably is a closed loop system to conserve water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Estech, LLC
    Inventors: Jan K. Michalek, Theodore J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100092356
    Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus, system, waste treatment facility and method of autoclave loading and treatment that involves (a) receiving solid waste at a solid waste treatment facility; (b) compressing the waste into a plurality of compressed bales, the compressed bales bound by a binding material adapted to melt at a temperature at which an autoclave operates or otherwise break upon the operation of the autoclave; (c) loading the compressed bales into an autoclave; and (d) operating the autoclave so as to melt or break the binding material to allow the compressed bales of solid waste to be decompressed and treated in the autoclave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Estech, LLC
    Inventors: Jan K. Michalek, Theodore J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20090250535
    Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus for processing solid waste products, the apparatus comprising: (a) a rotatably mounted cylindrical vessel having a first end and a second end, a hatch at both the first end and the second end that may be opened to allow access to the interior of the vessel to a respective first and second environmental space outside the interior of the vessel, and sealably closed to allow pressurization of the vessel; (b) a steam inlet for injecting steam into at least one of the ends; and (c) an environmental barrier for at least partially separating the environments of the first and second environmental space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: Estech, LLC
    Inventor: Jan K. Michalek
  • Patent number: 7584911
    Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus and method for processing solid waste products. The apparatus comprises a rotatably mounted cylindrical vessel having a first end, a second end and an interior surface, at least one end terminating in a hatch that may be opened to allow access to the interior of the vessel and sealably closed to allow pressurization of the vessel; a steam inlet for injecting stem disposed at one or both ends; a plurality of substantially straight blades protruding from the interior surface of the vessel, and each the blade extending substantially the entire length of the vessel, so as to be capable of transporting waste material from the bottom of the vessel toward the top of the vessel, and releasing the waste material to fall to the bottom of the vessel. The apparatus also includes one or more actuators for moving the vessel between a position wherein the first end is higher than the second end and a position wherein the second end is higher than the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Estech, LLC
    Inventors: Jan K. Michalek, Ufuk Bozkaya
  • Patent number: 7347391
    Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus and method for processing solid waste products. The apparatus comprises a rotatably mounted cylindrical vessel having a first end, a second end and an interior surface, at least one end terminating in a hatch that may be opened to allow access to the interior of the vessel and sealably closed to allow pressurization of the vessel; a steam inlet for injecting stem disposed at one or both ends; a plurality of substantially straight blades protruding from the interior surface of the vessel, and each the blade extending substantially the entire length of the vessel, so as to be capable of transporting waste material from the bottom of the vessel toward the top of the vessel, and releasing the waste material to fall to the bottom of the vessel. The apparatus also includes one or more actuators for moving the vessel between a position wherein the first end is higher than the second end and a position wherein the second end is higher than the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Estech, LLC
    Inventors: Jan K. Michalek, Ufuk Bozkaya