公开(公告)号：US20200170206A1

公开(公告)日：2020-06-04

申请号：US16787149

申请日：2020-02-11

Applicant: BioProcess Algae LLC

Inventor： Adam Crotteau

IPC: A01G33/00 ,  A23K10/12 ,  C02F9/00 ,  A23K10/37 ,  A23K10/16 ,  A23K10/38 ,  C11B13/00

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a novel process in which thin stillage is processed to produce algae oil and protein rich biomass as well as other energy rich byproducts. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, thin stillage is removed from an evaporator during the evaporation process to produce mid-stillage. This mid-stillage is preferably routed to a new process where it is directed to a pre-treatment centrifuge to remove suspended solids, sludge and corn oil. Thereafter, the mid-stillage is preferably cooled and then directed to a fermentation tank where the mid-stillage is subject to a batch fermentation process with algae “seed” fed from an algae inoculation system. Once the batch is harvested, the oil-rich algae/mid-stillage is then preferably heated to rupture the cells and liberate the oil. Thereafter, the oil-rich algae/mid-stillage is preferably processed by a centrifuge which produces solids, a light phase oil and a “clean” mid-stillage stream that can be evaporated to a very high level of solids.

公开(公告)号：US10588279B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15491498

申请日：2017-04-19

Applicant: BIOPROCESS ALGAE LLC

Inventor： Adam Crotteau

IPC: A01G33/00 ,  C11B13/00 ,  A23K10/38 ,  A23K10/16 ,  A23K10/37 ,  C02F9/00 ,  A23K10/12 ,  C02F1/04 ,  C02F1/38 ,  C02F101/32 ,  C02F103/32 ,  C02F1/00 ,  C02F3/32

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a novel process in which thin stillage is processed to produce algae oil and protein rich biomass as well as other energy rich byproducts. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, thin stillage is removed from an evaporator during the evaporation process to produce mid-stillage. This mid-stillage is preferably routed to a new process where it is directed to a pre-treatment centrifuge to remove suspended solids, sludge and corn oil. Thereafter, the mid-stillage is preferably cooled and then directed to a fermentation tank where the mid-stillage is subject to a batch fermentation process with algae “seed” fed from an algae inoculation system. Once the batch is harvested, the oil-rich algae/mid-stillage is then preferably heated to rupture the cells and liberate the oil. Thereafter, the oil-rich algae/mid-stillage is preferably processed by a centrifuge which produces solids, a light phase oil and a “clean” mid-stillage stream that can be evaporated to a very high level of solids.