# US 10,118,851 B2 · Process for the anaerobic fermentation of biogenic waste materials and plant for carrying out this process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,851 B2 - Document ID: US10118851B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/225,180 - Filed: 2016-08-01 - Published: 2017-02-02 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-31 - Assignees: Hitachi Zosen Inova AG - Applicants: Hitachi Zosen Inova AG - Inventors: Adrian Schatz; René Leisner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118851B2 ## CPC - C12M 21/04: {for producing gas, e.g. biogas (digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10)} - C02F 11/04: Anaerobic treatment; Production of methane by such processes - C02F 11/121: by mechanical de-watering - C12M 29/04: {Filters; Permeable or porous membranes or plates, e.g. dialysis} - C12M 29/18: {External loop; Means for reintroduction of fermented biomass or liquid percolate (loop type reactors for chemical or physical processes B01J19/2435)} - C12M 41/36: {of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements (electrooptical investigation of individual particles G01N15/14, flow cytometers G01N15/1404)} - C12M 47/02: {Separating microorganisms from the culture medium; Concentration of biomass (separating microorganisms from their culture media C12N1/02)} - C12M 47/14: {Drying} - C12P 5/023: {Methane} - Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel - Y02W 30/40: Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A process for the anaerobic fermentation of biogenic waste materials including the steps that a fermentation material containing the waste materials is mixed with liquid and the fermentation material suspension obtained in this manner is anaerobically fermented in a fermenter and the digest produced in the fermentation of the fermentation material suspension is dewatered of a dewatering device, wherein, with separation of press water, a press cake is obtained that has a dry matter proportion increased with respect to the digest; the press water is subjected to a solids separation, wherein a residual liquid having a dry matter proportion reduced with respect to the press water of at most 15% by weight is obtained and the residual liquid is used at least in part for the mixing according to the fermentation material step. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for the anaerobic fermentation of biogenic waste materials, comprising: a) mixing a liquid with a fermentation material containing the waste materials to obtain a fermentation material suspension, and anaerobically fermenting the fermentation material suspension in a fermenter to produce a digest; b) dewatering the digest by means of a dewatering device to obtain a press water and a press cake having a dry matter proportion increased with respect to the digest; and c) subjecting the press water to a solids separation to obtain a residual liquid having a dry matter proportion reduced with respect to the press water, the dry matter proportion of the residual liquid being at most 15% by weight, wherein the residual liquid is used at least in part for the mixing according to step a). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, performed continuously or semi-continuously. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solids separation according to step c) is performed by means of filtration and/or by means of screening, and the residual liquid is formed by the filtrate of the filtration or by the screen underflow of the screening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the press water obtained in step b) and/or the residual liquid obtained in step c) is temporarily stored before the respective following step. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein step a) comprises mixing the fermentation material in a mixing device with the residual liquid and optionally further water to obtain the fermentation material suspension. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dry matter proportion in the fermentation material suspension in step a) is between 25 and 35% by weight. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the digest, the press cake obtained during the dewatering according to step b), the residual solids obtained in the solids separation in step c), or a mixture thereof is added to the fermentation material or the fermentation material suspension as inoculum material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining and setting to a desired value one or more parameters of the residual liquid, said parameters being selected from the group consisting of: pH, buffer capacity, H2S content, ammonium ion content or ammonia content, content of fatty acids, and content of short-chain carboxylic acids. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising adding at least one of the following auxiliaries or additives to the residual liquid: acid, lye, buffer, micronutrient elements or trace elements, and macronutrient elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the solids separation according to step c) is performed by means of screening having two or more screening stages, wherein, in a first screening stage c1), a coarse fraction of solids components is separated off from the press water and from the suspension remaining from the stage c1) as screen underflow, in a subsequent second screening stage c2), a fine fraction is separated off in order to obtain the residual liquid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solids separation according to step c) is performed using a vibrating screen and/or a shaking screen. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the solids separation according to step c) is performed using a vibrating screen and/or a shaking screen.