Patents by Inventor Christopher Bruce Bradt
Christopher Bruce Bradt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20220033291Abstract: A method and system for high rate acidification and organic solids solubilization of feedstocks such as municipal source separated organics, municipal sewage sludge, and various industrial organic wastes are disclosed. The method and system feature a completely mixed bioreactor containing hydrogen-producing microorganisms, a crossflow membrane unit or membrane module located downstream of the bioreactor, a storage tank for receiving concentrated microorganisms from the membrane unit or module, and a connection that recirculates desired quantities of biomass from the storage tank to the bioreactor. This configuration decouples the solids residence time (SRT) from the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and results in a high solubilization rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2019Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Hisham Mohamed HAFEZ, Ashar SAYEED, Christopher Bruce BRADT, David Alan SALT
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Patent number: 10786763Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and press enables treatment of solids with enclosed fluids to generate a filtered mass having a solids content above 50%. A split filter module with first and second filter blocks clamped together for forming barrel sections or filtering sections is disclosed for use in a solid/fluid separating device including a barrel and a conveyor screw in the barrel. The split filter module permits replacement, maintenance, or repair of the filter blocks without disassembly or the separating device, or removal of the conveyor screws.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2017Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: GREENFIELD SPECIALTY ALCOHOLS INC.Inventor: Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Publication number: 20190143247Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module (300) and press comprises at least one filter unit (301) for a solid/fluid separating press having a barrel with a core opening (112) for at least one conveyor screw. The filter unit includes a pair of end plates (321,322) and a plurality of intermediate filter plates (314) placed one behind the other and sealingly compressed into a plate stack (310) between the end plates. Each intermediate plate (314) has at least one drainage perforation (362) separate from the core opening, the core opening and drainage perforation each extending from a front face to a back face of the intermediate filter plate. In the filter unit, all end plates and barrel plates are aligned such that the core openings form the core passage of the filter block and such that the drainage perforations form an internal fluid collection chamber (338) within the filter unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2017Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventor: Christopher Bruce BRADT
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Publication number: 20180133625Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and apparatus enables treatment of solid/fluid mixtures to generate a filtered mass having a solids content above 50%. A filter unit with stacked filter plates and filter passages recessed into a face of each filter plate is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2017Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Christopher Bruce BRADT, Dave SALT
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Publication number: 20170312658Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and press enables treatment of solids with enclosed fluids to generate a filtered mass having a solids content above 50%. A split filter module with first and second filter blocks clamped together for forming barrel sections or filtering sections is disclosed for use in a solid/fluid separating device including a barrel and a conveyor screw in the barrel. The split filter module permits replacement, maintenance, or repair of the filter blocks without disassembly or the separating device, or removal of the conveyor screws.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventor: Christopher Bruce BRADT
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Patent number: 9643110Abstract: Disclosed is a solid/liquid separation apparatus including an extruder press combined with a solid/fluid separation module for separating fluid from a mass of solids compressed by the extruder at elevated pressures. The extruder includes two or more extruder screws with flighting intercalated at least along a part of the extruder barrel. The separation module forms a continuation of the barrel, receives the pressurized mass and at least a portion of the twin screws, and includes a filter pack consisting of a filter plate and a backer plate. The filter plate has a throughgoing filter slot extending away from a core opening and into the filter plate for directing fluid away from the core opening. The backer plate has a core opening shaped and sized equal to the barrel and defines a passage for guiding fluid collected in the filter slot to an exterior of the filter pack.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2013Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.Inventors: Richard Romeo Lehoux, Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Patent number: 9434961Abstract: A continuous process for the recovery of ethanol from hemicellulose and cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass. Yield of fermentable sugars can be maximized by continuous operation of the pre-treatment system and careful selection of pretreatment conditions including the addition of only small amounts of dilute mineral acid and low pressure. With this approach, the xylose component that is mainly present in its unfermentable oligomeric form in known pre-hydrolysis Kraft processes can be recovered more efficiently and as a monomer that can be fermented by xylose fermenting yeasts and bacteria. Due to the use of only dilute acids, there is a very low loss of glucose and xylose hence very low production of toxic chemicals (e.g. HMF, furfural) in the pretreatment step. The resulting overall fermentation efficiency of both hexose and pentose sugars is 90% of the theoretical maximum.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2011Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: GREENFIELD SPECIALTY ALCOHOLS INC.Inventors: Frank A. Dottori, Robert Ashley Cooper Benson, RĂ©gis-Olivier Benech, Richard Romeo Lehoux, Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Patent number: 9403109Abstract: Disclosed is a solid/liquid separation apparatus including an extruder press combined with a solid/fluid separation module for separating fluid from a mass of solids compressed by the extruder at elevated pressures. The extruder includes two or more extruder screws with flighting intercalated at least along a part of the extruder barrel. The separation module forms a continuation of the barrel, receives the pressurized mass and at least a portion of the twin screws, and includes a filter pack consisting of a filter plate and a backer plate. The filter plate has a throughgoing filter slot extending away from a core opening and into the filter plate for directing fluid away from the core opening. The backer plate has a core opening shaped and sized equal to the barrel and defines a passage for guiding fluid collected in the filter slot to an exterior of the filter pack.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2013Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.Inventors: Richard Romeo Lehoux, Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Patent number: 9352253Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and pretreatment apparatus and method enables pretreatment of biomass at high temperature and pressure with the ability to vary residence and processing times.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: GREENFIELD SPECIALTY ALCOHOLS INC.Inventors: Richard Romeo Lehoux, Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Patent number: 9254449Abstract: A process for separation of solid and liquid components in a distillation whole stillage utilizing airless spray drying is disclosed, which is more efficient and economical than conventional processes. In the process, distillation whole stillage resulting from distillation of fermented biomass is first subjected to an evaporation step for separating the whole stillage into a condensate and a concentrate including water, dissolved solids and suspended solids. The concentrate is then subjected to airless steam spray drying for converting the concentrate into dried solids, steam and vapors. All steam and vapors resulting from the airless steam spray drying step are then redirected as energy source to a processing step upstream of the airless spray drying step. At least some of the steam generated in the airless spray drying step is airless steam.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2012Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.Inventors: Richard Romeo Lehoux, Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Publication number: 20150343350Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and apparatus enables treatment of solids with enclosed fluids to generate a filtered mass having a solids content above 50%. A split filter module with first and second filter blocks clamped together for forming barrel sections or filtering sections is disclosed for use in a solid/fluid separating device including a barrel and a conveyor screw in the barrel. The split filter module permits replacement, maintenance, or repair of the filter blocks without disassembly or the separating device, or removal of the conveyor screws.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Christopher Bruce BRADT, Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Jouko KOPONEN, Dave SALT
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Publication number: 20150336031Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and apparatus enables treatment of solid/fluid mixtures to generate a filtered mass having a solids content above 50%. A filter unit with stacked filter plates and filter passages recessed into a face of each filter plate is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Christopher Bruce BRADT, Dave SALT
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Publication number: 20150224428Abstract: A device and method for controlling backpressure in a screw conveyor press including barrel and one or more conveyor screws in the housing is disclosed. The device includes a barrel block for forming an axial section of the barrel and having a pressure surface for facing the conveyor screw. At least a portion of the barrel block is deformable for adjusting a spacing between at least a portion of the pressure surface and the conveyor screw. An arrangement for deforming the deformable portion, for example a hydraulic or mechanical deforming arrangement, can be included. Substantially the whole barrel block can be made of deformable material, preferably elastically deformable material. The device can further include a casing for enclosing the barrel block and the arrangement for deforming can be positioned between the casing and the barrel block. The device provides for backpressure control independent of conveyor screw rpm.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2014Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Christopher Bruce BRADT, Jeffery Alan WOOD
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Patent number: 8852450Abstract: The use of a side stream and residue from the lignocellulose to ethanol process for use in preventing the formation of ice and in melting ice and snow on roadways. The future lignocellulose to ethanol industry will provide a significant proportion of these streams that provide an organic solution that when added to chloride salts of calcium, magnesium and sodium provides an improved environmentally friendly road deicing product with reduced corrosiveness and increased friction. A deicer composition of calcium chloride aqueous solution containing 25-38% by weight calcium chloride mixed up to 50% by volume of hemicellulose hydrolysis side stream can reduce the corrosivity of calcium chloride to 70% less that of a sodium chloride solution.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.Inventors: Christopher Bruce Bradt, Richard Romeo Lehoux, Mark Isaac Schwartz, Demetre Spanos
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Patent number: 8746138Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and pretreatment apparatus and method enables pretreatment of biomass at high temperature and pressure with the ability to vary residence and processing times.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2011Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.Inventors: Richard Romeo Lehoux, Christopher Bruce Bradt
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Publication number: 20140110324Abstract: A solid/fluid separation module and pretreatment apparatus and method enables pretreatment of biomass at high temperature and pressure with the ability to vary residence and processing times.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: GREENFIELD SPECIALTY ALCOHOLS INC.Inventors: Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Christopher Bruce BRADT
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Publication number: 20130264264Abstract: Disclosed is a solid/liquid separation apparatus including an extruder press combined with a solid/fluid separation module for separating fluid from a mass of solids compressed by the extruder at elevated pressures. The extruder includes two or more extruder screws with flighting intercalated at least along a part of the extruder barrel. The separation module forms a continuation of the barrel, receives the pressurized mass and at least a portion of the twin screws, and includes a filter pack consisting of a filter plate and a backer plate. The filter plate has a throughgoing filter slot extending away from a core opening and into the filter plate for directing fluid away from the core opening. The backer plate has a core opening shaped and sized equal to the barrel and defines a passage for guiding fluid collected in the filter slot to an exterior of the filter pack.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2013Publication date: October 10, 2013Applicant: GREENFIELD ETHANOL INC.Inventors: Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Christopher Bruce BRADT
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Publication number: 20130175467Abstract: The use of a side stream and residue from the lignocellulose to ethanol process for use in preventing the formation of ice and in melting ice and snow on roadways. The future lignocellulose to ethanol industry will provide a significant proportion of these streams that provide an organic solution that when added to chloride salts of calcium, magnesium and sodium provides an improved environmentally friendly road deicing product with reduced corrosiveness and increased friction. A deicer composition of calcium chloride aqueous solution containing 25-38% by weight calcium chloride mixed up to 50% by volume of hemicellulose hydrolysis side stream can reduce the corrosivity of calcium chloride to 70% less that of a sodium chloride solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2011Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: GREENFIELD ETHANOL INC.Inventors: Christopher Bruce Bradt, Richard Romeo Lehoux, Mark Isaac Schwartz, Demetre Spanos
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Patent number: 8394235Abstract: A process for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, in particular during the production of ethanol from biomass. The process including a cooking step where the biomass is exposed to steam at elevated temperatures and pressures for a preselected period of time in a treatment vessel. During the process, volatile and liquid compounds are purged from the treatment vessel.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2010Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: GreenField Ethanol Inc.Inventors: Christopher Bruce Bradt, Richard Romeo Lehoux
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Publication number: 20130025798Abstract: A process for separation of solid and liquid components in a distillation whole stillage utilizing airless spray drying is disclosed, which is more efficient and economical than conventional processes. In the process, distillation whole stillage resulting from distillation of fermented biomass is first subjected to an evaporation step for separating the whole stillage into a condensate and a concentrate including water, dissolved solids and suspended solids. The concentrate is then subjected to airless steam spray drying for converting the concentrate into dried solids, steam and vapors. All steam and vapors resulting from the airless steam spray drying step are then redirected as energy source to a processing step upstream of the airless spray drying step. At least some of the steam generated in the airless spray drying step is airless steam.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2012Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicant: GREENFIELD ETHANOL INC.Inventors: Richard Romeo LEHOUX, Christopher Bruce BRADT