Including Collecting Or Storing Gas (e.g., Fuel, Carbon Monoxide, Etc.) Patents (Class 210/603)
  • Patent number: 8568590
    Abstract: A method for recovering phosphate from sewage treatment plants using multi-stage anaerobic digestion includes the treatment of organic acid digest with calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, and similar compounds to raise pH to near neutral values and precipitate calcium phosphate compounds such as brushite and similar amorphous compounds. The method includes the formation of calcium phosphates on weak-acid ion exchange columns and membranes in contact with organic acid digest. The system includes removal of the calcium phosphate compounds formed by sedimentation, either static or against an upwelling flow, centrifugation, or filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: Phillip Barak
  • Patent number: 8568591
    Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support an environmentally-friendly, “green” thermophilic anaerobic digestion system. The system includes a thermophilic anaerobic digester as well as various independent modular anaerobic units to generate bio-methane from certain organic energy sources, including but not limited to, among other things, green municipal waste, restaurant and organic waste and effluents from industries such as breweries, grocery stores, food processing plants, granaries, wineries, pulp and paper mills, ethanol and biodiesel plants, fat and animal rendering, agricultural field crops, organic sludge accumulation within lagoons and waterways, marine organic matter and animal manure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: Robert Knoop
  • Publication number: 20130264279
    Abstract: A renewable energy microgeneration system is disclosed. The system comprises one or more portable containers that include a plurality of small holding tanks that are configured to perform at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion on waste, a large holding tank that is configured to perform mesophilic anaerobic digestion on the waste after at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion is performed, and a de-watering unit that is configured to dry what remains of the waste after mesophilic anaerobic digestion is performed. The system further comprises a controller for automatically moving the waste between the plurality of small holding tanks, the large holding tank, and the de-watering unit as required to facilitate mesophilic anaerobic digestion in the large holding tank. Further, the portable containers are configured to be transported to a site and placed in fluid communication with each other at the site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventor: Nicolas W. SASSOW
  • Patent number: 8506809
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for production of bio-gas, capable of improving quality of a raw material to be fed thereto. Among the raw material, a part free from inhibitory materials is directly introduced an anaerobic digestion reactor while the other part containing the inhibitory materials is introduced into a first solid-liquid separator and separated into a solid-phase material free from the inhibitory materials and a liquid-phase material containing the inhibitory materials. The solid-phase material in the first solid-liquid separator is fed to the anaerobic digestion reactor after hydrolysis. A liquid waste in the anaerobic digestion reactor and a liquid-phase material in the first solid-liquid separator are concentrated by a sludge concentrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Boo Kang Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Jin Eum, Gi Yang Oh, Jang Gyu Kim, Hun Suk, Myeong Jung Yu, Long Li
  • Patent number: 8507228
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods of capturing carbon by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising CO. The methods of the invention include converting CO to one or more products including alcohols and/or acids and optionally capturing CO2 to improve overall carbon capture. In certain aspects, the invention relates to processes for producing alcohols, particularly ethanol, from industrial waste streams, particularly steel mill off-gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Michael Charles Milner Cockrem, Simon David Oakley, Michael Kopke
  • Publication number: 20130186823
    Abstract: By acidifying manure, emissions of methane gas and ammonia gas are prevented significantly. The method for the acidification of manure is provided by an acidic flow of an anaerobic digestion device and/or the flow of sulphuric and/or sulphurous acid from a device that removes hydrogen sulphide gas from biogas from an anaerobic digestion device by chemical and/or biological oxidation to sulphuric acid. When manure is digested, acidification has the advantage that more methane is formed in the digestion process by the prevention of the formation of methane by acidification in the storage process, the advantage that the part of ammonia that would be emitted as a gas is now stored as a nitrogen mineral in the digested manure for use as fertilizer, and the advantage is that the manure has a pH value that is more preferable for digestion processes in the case the manure will be digested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: RED PATENT B.V.
    Inventor: Red Patent B.V.
  • Patent number: 8486359
    Abstract: The processes are utilized to recover ammonium from waste water using CO2 acidified absorption water. The process is particularly suited for utilization of cellular matter and a CO2 rich tail gas from a syngas fermentation process and derives significant benefit from the recovery of ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium carbonate. Ammonia and ammonium are recovered from the treatment of the syngas as an ammonium rich solution, at least a portion of which is recycled to the fermentation zone to aid in the production of liquid products. A carbon dioxide rich gas produced by fermentation is used to capture the ammonia and ammonium, forming the ammonium rich solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Coskata, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Hickey
  • Patent number: 8480901
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and products for biomass digestion, which includes the production of biogas, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified Class A Biosolids, and pathogen reduced organic liquid fertilizer. Through the digestion of waste materials using sequential phases in an efficient digestion process, enhanced biomass conversion efficiency and improved output of products (in quantity and/or quality) are obtained with a significant reduction in dwell time in each phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Landmark Structures I, LP
    Inventor: Detlev K. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8470177
    Abstract: A system and method for treating high-strength organic liquid waste. Generally, the method includes feeding influent high-strength organic liquid waste including organic molecules to an anaerobic digester, converting at least a portion of the organic molecules in the liquid waste to acids using acid forming bacteria, converting at least a portion of the acids in the liquid waste to methane using methanogenic bacteria, separating the liquid waste after treatment with the methanogenic bacteria into alkaline sludge and effluent, and using the alkaline sludge to adjust the pH of the liquid waste in the anaerobic digester. In the case of acidic high-strength organic liquid wastes, a portion of the acids produced by the acid forming bacteria may be recirculated to the front of the anaerobic digester and combined with influent high-strength organic liquid waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: DVO Licensing, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. Dvorak
  • Patent number: 8465645
    Abstract: A renewable energy microgeneration system is disclosed. The system comprises one or more portable containers that include a plurality of small holding tanks that are configured to perform at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion on waste, a large holding tank that is configured to perform mesophilic anaerobic digestion on the waste after at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion is performed, and a de-watering unit that is configured to dry what remains of the waste after mesophilic anaerobic digestion is performed. The system further comprises a controller for automatically moving the waste between the plurality of small holding tanks, the large holding tank, and the de-watering unit as required to facilitate mesophilic anaerobic digestion in the large holding tank. Further, the portable containers are configured to be transported to a site and placed in fluid communication with each other at the site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: SEaB Energy Holdings Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicolas W. Sassow
  • Publication number: 20130146533
    Abstract: An anaerobic digestion device includes a digester body configured to receive organic waste and a plurality of plates coupled to one another so as to divide an interior volume of the digester body into a plurality of compartmentalized chambers. The compartmentalized chambers are movable relative to the digester body to advance a slurry of said organic waste along a length of the digester body. A plurality of ports spaced along the digester body and arranged to vent biogas from the digester body. A storage vessel is configured to receive and store biogas received from the digester body via the ports, and a heating system configured to heat the digester body. The heating system is fuelled by the biogas vented from the digester body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Ronald E. ARNOLDSEN, JR., Debra A. ARNOLDSEN
  • Patent number: 8460437
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the treatment of process gas from an anaerobic digestion system or a landfill gas system. In one embodiment, the system comprises a caustic scrubber including a vertical column having a top and a bottom and including a counter current flow system, wherein a process gas stream flows up vertically through the column in counter current flow to a caustic liquid solution that flows downward through the column. The caustic liquid solution removes at least one acid from the process gas stream, wherein treated gas that is substantially free of acids bubbles out through an opening at the top of the vertical column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Clean Energy Renewable Fuels, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Grill
  • Publication number: 20130140231
    Abstract: Method and system for treating wastewater includes treating sludge with ozone in a plug-flow type reactor to cause lysis of biosolids in the sludge. The ozonated sludge may be provided to an anaerobic or anoxic section of the wastewater treatment system to aid the denitrification processes occurring in the anaerobic or anoxic section of the wastewater treatment system or to other sections of the wastewater treatment system such as a fermenter, an aerobic digester, or an anaerobic digester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Richard A. Novak, Malcom E. Fabiyi
  • Publication number: 20130140230
    Abstract: A method for removing methane from biogas is described. The method includes: (i) receiving biogas including methane and other components into a first tank; (ii) receiving water into the first tank; (iii) contacting the biogas with the water inside the first tank; (iv) dispensing methane gas from an outlet of the first tank; and (v) producing from the tank an effluent stream that includes other components of the biogas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher OTT
  • Patent number: 8444854
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of organic liquid and solid waste, comprising a first stage of treatment of the liquid content fraction of the waste by methanization, a second stage of treatment in a thermophilic or mesophilic aerobic phase of the semi-solid content fraction of the waste and a third stage in which said treated liquid and solid content portions are mixed in order to form a substrate, which is further treated by mesophilic or thermophilic aerobic phase treatment, resulting into compost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Societe Civile DLMR
    Inventors: Beatrice De Lippe, Fritz Ranke, Dominique Martin
  • Patent number: 8445259
    Abstract: An enhanced apparatus and a method for treating organic sludge is constructed such that the sludge is first dewatered with a first dewatering device; the dewatered sludge is passed through a thermal hydrolysis reactor to hydrolyze polymers contained in the dewatered sludge, the hydrolyzed sludge is passed through a digester to digest the hydrolyzed sludge anaerobically, the digested sludge is passed through a second dewatering device to dewater the anaerobically digested sludge to form dewatered cake, solution generated in dewatering with the second dewatering device is passed through a crystallization reactor to crystallize and the remove phosphorus and nitrogen in the solution, and the dewatered cake by the second dewatering device is passed through an incineration or high temperature melt processing apparatus to incinerate or melt the dewatered cake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventor: Seok-woong Kang
  • Patent number: 8440084
    Abstract: An effluent treatment apparatus which is a flushed anaerobic digester with fixed biofilm (FAD system) is disclosed. The FAD system creates and maintains an optimum environment for the development and activity of anaerobic bacteria. The FAD system can be used for all treatment methods for anaerobic bacteria, regardless of function. The FAD system is intended for the production of biogas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Greenwatt
    Inventors: Morgan Jean-David Michael Thomas, Jacques Benoit Michotte
  • Publication number: 20130092627
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the treat en of process gas from an anaerobic digestion system or a landfill gas system. In one embodiment, the system comprises a caustic scrubber including a vertical column having a top and a bottom and including a counter current flow system, wherein a process gas stream flows up vertically through the column in counter current flow to a caustic liquid solution that flows downward through the column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Grill
  • Patent number: 8414770
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing anaerobic digestion of biomaterials using a clarifier, a batch reactor, and/or a digester are disclosed. The clarifier performs pretreatment processing of biomaterial to improve anaerobic digestion. The batch reactor and/or the digester are coupled to the clarifier and are configured to digest the processed biomaterial. A control system for an anaerobic digestion process includes a flow control system, a temperature control system, and a totalization system. The flow control system controls the flow of biomaterial and the delivery of chemical agents to the biomaterial based on conductivity, temperature, pressure, and/or composition of the biomaterial. The temperature control system includes a heat source and heat exchangers that control the temperature of the biomaterial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Epcot Crenshaw Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Satish Smith
  • Patent number: 8409439
    Abstract: A high pressure mixer is designed to generate high mixing turbulence within the bottom zone of a liquid holding vessel while simultaneously entraining and transferring liquid from the upper surface down to the vessel bottom. Mixing action is accomplished through the incorporation of two jet nozzles, nested one inside the other, strategically located and powered by pressurized liquid drawn from the vessel being mixed. Surface liquids are entrained using a weir section that is either a fixed or floating component of the mixer assembly. Liquid used for developing outlet velocity in primary jet is drawn from multiple locations including the vessel center zone, the vessel bottom and mixer annulus. Vessel pressure is maintained sufficiently high for a period to create a high concentration of dissolved gas in the slurry during digester operation. After shutting off the mixer pressure is lowered to release dissolved gas resulting in a three region segregation of slurry components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Nested Nozzle Mixers, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Peter Tovani, Gary D. Matzen
  • Patent number: 8409438
    Abstract: To provide an apparatus for treating a radioactive nitrate waste liquid that includes a denitrification tank (12A) which accommodates active sludge that adsorbs or takes in the radioactive substance in a nitrate waste liquid (11) and in which an anaerobic microorganism that reduces the nitrate to nitrogen gas grows, and a reaeration tank (14) in which a denitrification-treated liquid (24) treated in the denitrification tank (12A) is aerated and mixed with active sludge. A pH adjuster (21), a carbon source (22), and nitrogen gas are supplied to the denitrification tank (12A) so as to separate a denitrified liquid into a solid content and the denitrification-treated liquid (24) by using a first solid-liquid separating film (25), and the denitrification-treated liquid (24) treated with the active sludge in the reaeration tank (14) is reaerated and separated into a solid content and a reaeration-treated liquid (27) by using a second solid-liquid separating film (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Ogawa, Katsushi Shibata, Osamu Kohanawa, Kazuhiko Kuroda, Hiromitsu Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 8398855
    Abstract: A waste treatment process comprised of an ammonification system to convert soluble organic nitrogen into ammonia nitrogen, followed by a physico-chemical process to remove a substantial amount of the ammonia as a recovered ammonium sulfate fertilizer or ammonium hydroxide (“aqua ammonia”), and followed by an ammonia oxidation process to oxidize the remaining ammonia from the physico-chemical process. The process reduces ammonia and carbonaceous organic matter to less than 10 mg/l and recovers ammonia in the form of either ammonium sulfate or ammonium hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventors: Philip Bruno Pedros, Mark Mathew Simon, Stephen Howard Brown
  • Patent number: 8394271
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the anaerobic digestion of high-solids waste material. The apparatus includes a closed container having a relatively circular outer wall. The closed container has a first passage having an inlet in which the waste material flows in a first direction, a second passage in which the waste material flows in a second direction, and a divider having an end. The divider separates the first passage from the second passage, such that the waste material flows around the end of the divider when flowing from the first passage to the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: DVO, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. Dvorak
  • Patent number: 8382983
    Abstract: A method for removing methane from biogas is described. The method includes: (i) receiving biogas including methane and other components into a first tank; (ii) receiving water into the first tank; (iii) contacting the biogas with the water inside the first tank; (iv) dispensing methane gas from an outlet of the first tank; and (v) producing from the tank an effluent stream that includes other components of the biogas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher Ott
  • Patent number: 8377304
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treatment of sludge in water purification, the method comprising the steps: providing an enzyme mixture comprising at least one enzyme capable of digesting natural polymeric materials; and adding the enzyme mixture and at least one chelating reagent, in optional order or simultaneously, to an aqueous sludge suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Kemira Oyj
    Inventors: Estera Szwajcer Dey, Olof Norrlöw
  • Patent number: 8372284
    Abstract: Disclosed are a wastewater treatment plant and a wastewater treatment method. The wastewater treatment plant includes: a reactor including a gas outlet, a treated water outlet, and an inlet through which wastewater and gas are supplied, through which the wastewater is introduced, to perform aeration and denitrification; a sludge separation means including plural reaction unit bodies stacked inside the reactor to divide the interior of the reactor into upper and lower sides and separating sludge in a aeration process by forming a gas hold-up space for collecting the gas rising from a lower portion of the reactor; and a aeration unit introducing gas into the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ecodays Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hong Bok Choi
  • Patent number: 8366932
    Abstract: A novel method for treating sulfide-containing wastewater is described which involves treating sulfide-laden biogas produced in a bioreactor in a sulfide oxidizing unit (SOU). Oxidation in the SOU is monitored by an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) probe which minimizes the input of air/oxygen to produce elemental sulfur without significant production of sulfate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Shihwu Sung, Samir Kumar Khanal, Thanapong Duangmanee
  • Patent number: 8366938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for purifying liquid effluents, in which water is separated from substances by performing, in a single vertical enclosure (3), a vertical bubbling in the effluents fed at a flow rate d. The enclosure has a free surface and includes at least two compartments (4, 5, 6, 7) communicating together for enabling a circulation between the compartments successively from the top to the bottom and from the bottom to the top between the lower portion thereof and a medium level at a flow rate D at least three times higher than the flow rate d. The supernatant phase is continuously discharged and a hydraulic or gaseous chemical oxidation of said effluents is simultaneously carried out in the same enclosure, the chemical oxidation rate and the bubble flow rate and size being selected in order to progressively obtain a separation of the solid/liquid and liquid/liquid phases at the surface of the enclosure for obtaining a COD below a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Orege, Societe a Responsabilite Limitee
    Inventors: Patrice Capeau, Michel Lopez, Pascal Gendrot
  • Patent number: 8357297
    Abstract: Anaerobic Wastewater treatment system and process in which the influent is passed through a mixing chamber and then through a series of filters of progressively smaller size to separate the materials carrying the colonized bacteria from finer solids in the influent and separate the materials according to size in a completely enclosed and flooded environment. The materials from the filters are progressively reduced to a smaller size, the materials of smaller size are returned to the mixing chamber, and new influent is inoculated with the colonized bacteria carried by the materials returned to the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Inventor: Herman P. Miller, III
  • Patent number: 8354027
    Abstract: A reactor for biological purification of waste water includes a reactor vessel having a substantially flat or a round bottom, at least one supply pipe arranged in a lower region of the reactor vessel for feeding the waste water to be purified into the reactor, at least one fluid discharge pipe for discharging purified waste water from the reactor, at least one solid matter discharge pipe arranged in the lower region of the reactor vessel for discharging solid matter from the reactor and at least one diverting means including at least one diagonally extending section. The at least one diverting means is designed and/or arranged so that solids sinking to the bottom of the reactor from the upper region of the reactor are deflected so that the solids settle in a region of the at least one solid matter discharge pipe and are discharged from the reactor through the at least one solid matter discharge pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignees: Voith Patent GmbH, Aquatyx Wassertechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Gommel, Dieter Efinger, Werner Gessler, Ronald Mulder
  • Patent number: 8337699
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for anaerobically purifying waster water, especially waste water from the paper industry, comprising a reactor vessel, several inlets arranged in the bottom region of the reactor vessel to feed waste water to be purified into the reactor, at least one outlet for discharging purified water, and at least one sediment drain. One or more inlets are fed by a supply pipe, and several supply pipes are fed by a collecting supply pipe. In order to ensure that waste water to be purified is fed as regularly as possible at the bottom of the reactor vessel, at least the majority of the supply pipes of a collecting supply pipe supply waste water to be purified to a maximum of 10 inlets, and at least the majority of said supply pipes each have a control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: Voith Patent GmbH, Aquatyx Wassertechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Gommel, Dieter Efinger, Werner Gessler, Ronald Mulder
  • Publication number: 20120312742
    Abstract: A renewable energy microgeneration system is disclosed. The system comprises one or more portable containers that include a plurality of small holding tanks that are configured to perform at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion on waste, a large holding tank that is configured to perform mesophilic anaerobic digestion on the waste after at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion is performed, and a de-watering unit that is configured to dry what remains of the waste after mesophilic anaerobic digestion is performed. The system further comprises a controller for automatically moving the waste between the plurality of small holding tanks, the large holding tank, and the de-watering unit as required to facilitate mesophilic anaerobic digestion in the large holding tank. Further, the portable containers are configured to be transported to a site and placed in fluid communication with each other at the site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: SEAB ENERGY HOLDINGS LTD
    Inventor: Nicolas W. SASSOW
  • Publication number: 20120285884
    Abstract: A use of calcium oxide-cement kiln dust (CaO-CKD) for anaerobic granulation of palm oil mill effluent. A process to produce biogas from palm oil mill effluent using calcium oxide-cement kiln dust (CaO-CKD) wherein steps include inoculating palm oil mill effluent sludge in a reactor, conducting anaerobic digestion on the sludge and conducting anaerobic granulation of palm oil mill effluent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG
    Inventor: Anwar Ahmad
  • Patent number: 8308945
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing organic waste material are provided. These methods and systems include integrating an anaerobic bio-digester and nutrient recovery module with a bio-production facility, which can locally provide feedstock for the bio-production facility, and can locally provide organic material for the anaerobic bio-digester. Methods and systems for integrating an anaerobic bio-digester with a gas cleaner are also provided, which can recover nutrients while cleaning the biogas produced by the anaerobic bio-digester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Highmark Renewables Research Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Mike Kotelko, Trevor Jason Nickel, Bern Kotelko, Brett Kotelko, Xiaomei Li
  • Patent number: 8308946
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing anaerobic digestion of biomaterials using a clarifier, a batch reactor, and/or a digester are disclosed. The clarifier performs pretreatment processing of biomaterial to improve anaerobic digestion. The batch reactor and/or the digester are coupled to the clarifier and are configured to digest the processed biomaterial. A control system for an anaerobic digestion process includes a flow control system, a temperature control system, and a totalization system. The flow control system controls the flow of biomaterial and the delivery of chemical agents to the biomaterial based on conductivity, temperature, pressure, and/or composition of the biomaterial. The temperature control system includes a heat source and heat exchangers that control the temperature of the biomaterial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Epcot Crenshaw Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Satish Smith
  • Patent number: 8298424
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an anaerobic digester configured to include input reactors into which livestock wastewater or food waste (hereinafter, ‘inflow’) is introduced; regions of an anaerobic digestion reactor designed for the inflow passing through an input reactor to perform methane fermentation to produce and transfer biogas simultaneously into the next region; an inlet pipe into which sludge liquid is drawn; an inlet pipe into which activated liquid is drawn; a biogas capturing device; a first heat exchange tube to allow the sludge liquid to perform heat exchange with a new inflow; regions of a subsequent treatment reactor to allow the sludge liquid whose heat exchange is completed to be introduced and to treat gas odor components generated from the sludge liquid; and a liquid-composting reactor in which the emitted sludge whose odor components have been removed is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventors: Sang Bum Lee, Ke Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8287732
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the treatment of lipid-extracted algae biomass and recycling nutrients are provided. The lipid-extracted algae biomass is hydrolyzed prior to anaerobic digestion, and the products generated by anaerobic digestion are further processed to yield by-products that are of use either for external use or as process inputs to carry out specific steps within an integrated algal growth and anaerobic digestion process designed to minimize economic costs, required costly inputs while improving upon system capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Washington State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Shulin Chen, Craig Frear, Quanbao Zhao
  • Patent number: 8283159
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fermenter (10) for producing biogas from organic material, having a fermentation chamber (11) with a substantially round basal surface to receive fermentation material; arranged, in the peripheral region of the fermentation chamber, filling means (12) for substrate to be fermented; arranged, above the fermentation chamber, an unpressurized gas store (13) with gas discharging means (14); stirring means (15); a settling chamber (16) with overflow rim; and also pumping means (17) for the continuous or batchwise removal of fermentation material from the fermentation chamber and introduction into the settling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: Wilhelm Gantefort
  • Patent number: 8282827
    Abstract: A method of producing methane, an organic based fertilizer and usable water from animal waste includes the step of separating the animal waste into liquid waste and solid waste. The solid waste is subjected to anaerobic digestion to produce methane and a wet by-product. The wet by-product is pressed to into a filter cake which is pelletized into the organic based fertilizer. The liquid waste is clarified to produce a supernatant and a sludge which is pressed into a filter cake together with the wet by-product. Ammonia is extracted from the supernatant to produce ammonium sulfate and an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution is filtered to produce a concentrate and water filtrate. The water filtrate may be used as drinking or washing water. The ammonium sulfate and concentrate may be used to supplement to the solid waste which is pelletized into the organic based fertilizer. In alternative embodiments a portion of the supernatant and aqueous solution may be used as a liquid fertilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: ATD Waste Systems Inc.
    Inventor: J. Victor Van Slyke
  • Patent number: 8252183
    Abstract: An exemplary method of treating nitrogen-contaminated wastewaters, especially those with high ammonia concentrations, according to the invention includes the steps of ammonia degassing and recapture, and of nutrient assimilation with microalgae. Organic nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, heavy metals and other compounds may also be removed in different embodiments of the invention. Examples of applicable wastewaters include landfill leachate, municipal solid waste anaerobic digester effluent, agricultural anaerobic digester effluent, municipal wastewaters, agricultural wastewaters, and other similarly contaminated wastewaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Kent BioEnergy Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Massingill, Gregory Schwartz, Christian-Dominik Henrich, Timothy R. Wells, Wayne Sterud, James Carlberg, Jon C. Van Olst
  • Patent number: 8246828
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for selective production of hydrogen and methane from a biomass feedstock in a reactor vessel maintained under anaerobic conditions by controlling moisture concentration in the reactor vessel. The method comprises the steps of introducing a biomass feedstock into the reactor vessel maintained under anaerobic conditions; introducing a bacterial inoculum into the reactor vessel to facilitate digestion of the biomass feedstock; setting a moisture concentration of the contents of the reactor vessel at a first moisture level; and collecting hydrogen gas from the reactor vessel. The method may further comprise maintaining the moisture concentration at a first moisture level or within a first moisture range. The method may additionally comprise increasing the moisture concentration of the contents of the reactor vessel to a second moisture concentration; and collecting methane gas from the reactor vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: GeoSynFuels, LLC
    Inventors: Dae-Yeol Cheong, Thomas R. Clark
  • Publication number: 20120181229
    Abstract: A method of treating wastewater containing an organic compound includes feeding wastewater to an anoxic tank, adding compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus components to wastewater, performing anaerobic treatment on wastewater, and discharging treated wastewater as pre-treated water; introducing pre-treated water into an anaerobic treatment tank, performing anaerobic treatment on pre-treated water, thereby decomposing the organic compound into organic compounds of smaller molecular size and a mixture gas containing methane and carbon dioxide, and discharging treated water as primary water; introducing primary water into an aerobic treatment tank, performing aerobic treatment on primary water, and discharging treated water through a solid-liquid separator as secondary water; and introducing at least a part of secondary water into a reverse osmosis membrane separation unit, and separating part of secondary water into RO permeated water and RO concentrated brine, wherein at least a part of RO concentrated
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicants: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC., CHIYODA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayo Shinohara, Kazushige Kawamura, Hiromi Satoh, Toshinobu Imahama, Atsushi Kitanaka, Masahide Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8221626
    Abstract: A renewable energy microgeneration system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: SEaB Energy Holdings Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicolas W. Sassow
  • Patent number: 8216471
    Abstract: An integrated bioreactor and its applications as well as a method for treatment of highly-concentrated organic wastewater using the same. The integrated bioreactor with a concentric columnar structure includes an inner layer and an outer layer, in which the inner layer is an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and the outer layer is a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). The effluent of the MBBR is recycled into UASB via a reflux pump mounted between a water tank and the integrated bioreactor. A water outlet of the UASB is arranged with an on-line pH monitor and a mechanical agitation device is arranged on the top of a bottom water distributor. The bioreactor is low in cost, features friendly maintenance, stable operation, and high degree of automation, and can be applied under low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nanjing University
    Inventors: Hongqiang Ren, Ke Xu, Lili Ding, Jicheng Xie, Xinkun Ren
  • Publication number: 20120168373
    Abstract: Novel methods and systems for efficient and economic treatment of wastewater, and other fluidized and solid organic wastes, comprise heating the aerobic digestion process with waste heat given off by the generation of power fueled by the biogas by-product of a co-located anaerobic digestion process. Other power generation processes may be utilized for supplying supplemental waste heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventor: David Anthony Del Porto
  • Patent number: 8211305
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for renovating process water, especially during the production of paper. Said system comprises at least one process water renovation unit, at least one of which is provided with an anaerobic reactor spiked with anaerobic microorganisms as well as a lime elimination unit. Also disclosed is a method for renovating process water, particularly during the production of paper, which encompasses at least one process water renovation step in which at least some of the process water continuously delivered to the process water renovation step is subjected to a purification step in an anaerobic reactor that is spiked with anaerobic microorganisms and to a deliming step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Meri Entsorgungstechnik fuer die Papierindustrie GmbH
    Inventors: Lucas Menke, George Troubounis
  • Patent number: 8211692
    Abstract: The bioconversion of gas feedstreams to liquid products by direct contact with a layer of microorganism obtains enhanced productivity through the regular cycling of liquid across a substrate that supports a biolayer of microorganisms while separating the gas and liquid phases. Such processes produce liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components by contacting CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A periodic laving of liquid from the liquid contact side to and away from the microorganisms can increase nutrient flow to the microorganisms while enhancing the recovery of liquid products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Coskata, Inc.
    Inventors: Rathin Datta, Shih-Perng Tsai, Jian Xu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
  • Publication number: 20120138527
    Abstract: An integrated bioreactor and its applications as well as a method for treatment of highly-concentrated organic wastewater using the same. The integrated bioreactor with a concentric columnar structure includes an inner layer and an outer layer, in which the inner layer is an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and the outer layer is a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). The effluent of the MBBR is recycled into UASB via a reflux pump mounted between a water tank and the integrated bioreactor. A water outlet of the UASB is arranged with an on-line pH monitor and a mechanical agitation device is arranged on the top of a bottom water distributor. The bioreactor is low in cost, features friendly maintenance, stable operation, and high degree of automation, and can be applied under low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: NANJING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hongqiang REN, Ke XU, Lili DING, Jicheng XIE, Xinkun REN
  • Publication number: 20120132586
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing anaerobic digestion of biomaterials using a clarifier, a batch reactor, and/or a digester are disclosed. The clarifier performs pretreatment processing of biomaterial to improve anaerobic digestion. The batch reactor and/or the digester are coupled to the clarifier and are configured to digest the processed biomaterial. A control system for an anaerobic digestion process includes a flow control system, a temperature control system, and a totalization system. The flow control system controls the flow of biomaterial and the delivery of chemical agents to the biomaterial based on conductivity, temperature, pressure, and/or composition of the biomaterial. The temperature control system includes a heat source and heat exchangers that control the temperature of the biomaterial.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventor: Charles Satish Smith
  • Patent number: 8182688
    Abstract: A biogas generator employs an anaerobic digestion process to convert organic waste material within a sealed reservoir to a biogas. A solar thermal panel connected to the reservoir heats a fluid traveling through a conduit, which is connected to a heat exchanger within the reservoir. The heated fluid travels through the heat exchanger and heats the waste material to facilitate the anaerobic digestion process. Solar cells produce electricity to operate one or more pumps that pump the heated fluid through the conduit, and pump the waste material and the generated biogas, into and out of the reservoir. A rotating lid structure has elongated agitators which extend into the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventor: Robert E. Simmons