Abstract: A method of processing thin stillage in an ethanol refining operation is provided. The method comprises treating thin stillage upstream of a concentration or evaporation step with an aid comprising a sorbitan ester of a fatty acid, an ethoxylated sorbitan ester of a fatty acid, or a combination thereof, thereby forming treated thin stillage. The aid may include at least one of sorbitan monooleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing the energy needed to process stillage in an ethanol refining operation. The method involves adding to stillage an effective amount of at least one processing aid. The flocculant induces the separation of insoluble material that would otherwise remain suspended in water but which impose a high shear energy cost on the refining processes. This allows for the removal of insoluble material that would otherwise be overlooked but which increase energy costs. This allows for more efficient and effective separation and recovery of insoluble fractions of the concentrated thin stillage that would otherwise be overlooked and lost in the process. Loss of these valued fractions as a result of traditional processing techniques and those requiring extensive additional energy input results in the loss of high value co-products to low revenue process streams.

Abstract: A method of processing thin stillage in an ethanol refining operation is provided. The method comprises treating thin stillage upstream of a concentration or evaporation step with an inverse emulsion comprising at least one anionic flocculant and an emulsifying agent selected from a sorbitan ester of a fatty acid, an ethoxylated sorbitan ester of a fatty acid, and combinations thereof, thereby forming treated thin stillage; clarifying the treated thin stillage via at least one of dissolved air flotation and induced air flotation, thereby forming clarified thin stillage and a float layer comprising oil and solids; separating the oil from the solids of the float layer; and recovering the oil.

Abstract: A method of conditioning a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor containing one or more nonionic polysaccharides and/or one or more organic molecules is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing the energy needed to process stillage in an ethanol refining operation. The method involves adding to stillage an effective amount of at least one processing aid. The flocculant induces the separation of insoluble material that would otherwise remain suspended in water but which impose a high shear energy cost on the refining processes. This allows for the removal of insoluble material that would otherwise be overlooked but which increase energy costs. This allows for more efficient and effective separation and recovery of insoluble fractions of the concentrated thin stillage that would otherwise be overlooked and lost in the process. Loss of these valued fractions as a result of traditional processing techniques and those requiring extensive additional energy input results in the loss of high value co-products to low revenue process streams.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method(s) of improving flux in a membrane bioreactor by adding an effective amount of catonic, amphoteric, and zwitterionic polymers, or a combination thereof. The membrane bioreactor impacted by the addition of these polymers is made up of a combination of anaerobic reactors, anoxic reactors, and aerobic reactors and anaerobic digesters.

Abstract: A method of conditioning a membrane biological reactor mixed liquor containing one or more nonionic polysaccharides and/or one or more organic molecules is disclosed.

Abstract: Cationic polymers having a molecular weight greater than about 200,000 can be added to the activated sludge in an MBR for industrial wastewater treatment for reasons, which include: conditioning the activated sludge; improving flux through a membrane in the MBR; reducing fouling of the of the membrane in the MBR; and reducing foaming of the activated sludge in the MBR.

Abstract: Cationic polymers having a molecular weight greater than about 200,000 can be added to the activated sludge in an MBR for industrial wastewater treatment for reasons, which include: conditioning the activated sludge; improving flux through a membrane in the MBR; reducing fouling of the of the membrane in the MBR; and reducing foaming of the activated sludge in the MBR.

Abstract: A method of conditioning mixed liquor in a membrane biological reactor comprising adding to the mixed liquor an effective coagulating and flocculating amount of one or more water soluble cationic, amphoteric or zwitterionic polymers, or combination thereof and methods of reducing membrane fouling, enhancing membrane flux and reducing sludge production.

Abstract: An activated sludge process for the clarification of wastewater comprising introducing the wastewater into a reactor where microorganisms consume organic material in the wastewater to form a mixed liquor comprising water, the microorganisms and an activated sludge; separating clarified water from the mixed liquor by filtration through a microfiltration or ultrafiltration membrane; separating the activated sludge from the mixed liquor; adding to the activated sludge at least one high molecular weight water soluble polymer to form a mixture of water and coagulated and flocculated solids; dewatering the coagulated and flocculated solids to form a mixture of dewatered solids and filtrate water; and recycling the filtrate water into the mixed liquor and a method of controlling polymer dosage, preferably using fluorescence emission spectroscopy.

Abstract: A method of conditioning mixed liquor in a membrane biological reactor comprising adding one or more water soluble anionic polymers to the mixed liquor and also adding one or more water soluble cationic, amphoteric or zwitterionic polymers, or combination thereof; wherein said one or more water soluble anionic polymers may be added either before, simultaneously with or after the addition of said water soluble cationic, amphoteric or zwitterionic polymers is described and claimed. Also described and claimed are methods of reducing membrane fouling, enhancing membrane flux and reducing sludge production.

Abstract: A method of conditioning an activated sludge in a membrane biological reactor comprising (i) adding to the activated sludge an effective amount of at least one water soluble cationic polymer to form a mixture of water and coagulated and flocculated suspended solids; and (ii) separating the coagulated and flocculated suspended solids from the water by filtering through an ultrafiltration or microfiltration membrane.

Abstract: A method of conditioning mixed liquor in a membrane biological reactor comprising adding to the mixed liquor an effective coagulating and flocculating amount of one or more water soluble cationic, amphoteric or zwitterionic polymers, or combination thereof and methods of reducing membrane fouling, enhancing membrane flux and reducing sludge production.

Abstract: The invention is a process for removing color from a paper mill waste effluent containing color bodies which comprises: treating the waste effluent containing color bodies with an effective color-removing amount of a water-soluble silicon-containing copolymer coagulant prepared from diallyldimethylammonium halide and a vinyltrialkoxysilane; coagulating the color bodies present in the waste effluent; and then removing the coagulated color bodies from the waste effluent.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for removing true and apparent color from pulp and paper waste waters. It comprises treating these waste waters with a vinylamine polymer including from about 1 to about 100 mole percent vinylamine and from about 1 to about 99 mole percent of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of amidine vinylformamide, vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, vinyl pyrrolidinone and the esters, amides, nitriles and salts of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for removing true and apparent color from pulp and paper waste waters. It comprises treating these waste waters with a coagulant and vinylamine polymer. The coagulant is selected from the group consisting of epichlorohydrin-dimethylamine, guanidine-formaldehyde condensation polymers, cyanoguanidine-formaldehyde condensation polymers, urea-formaldehyde condensation polymers, polyethyleneimines, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, copolymers of polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride and acrylamide, and ethylenedichloride-ammonia. The vinylamine polymer includes from about 1 to about 100 mole percent vinylamine and from about 1 to about 99 mole percent of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of amidine vinylformamide, vinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, vinyl pyrrolidinone and the esters, amides, nitriles and salts of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing metals from a fluid stream containing these metals. The method involves treating the fluid stream with a water soluble ethylene dichloride ammonia polymer having a molecular weight of from 500 to 100,000 that contains at least 5 mole percent of dithiocarbamate salt groups to form a complex with the metals. Then, the fluid stream is passed through a filtering device to remove the complexes from the fluid stream.

Abstract: A process for removing color from a pulp and paper wastewater which comprises the following steps: (a) treating the wastewater with a reducing agent which is capable of inactivating color producing functional groups of the wastewater; and (b) treating the wastewater subsequent to step (a) with a polymer which is capable of removing color from the wastewater.

Abstract: A method for treating and resolving a phosphorus containing oily waste emulsion is described. The treatment uses an emulsion destabilizing cationic polymer of low molecular weight in combination with filter aids to form a coacervate slurry. The coacervate slurry can be optionally treated with either high molecular weight anionic or cationic coagulents, or combination thereof. The suspended solids formed by the above treatments are removed from the slurries and wasted or discarded or incinerated. The remaining liquids may be recycled, reused, or treated as effluent meeting environmental standards.