# US 10,479,716 B2 · Biorefinery method and system for isolated environments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,716 B2 - Document ID: US10479716B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/828,809 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-01 - Assignees: University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Applicants: University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Inventors: Mark E. Zappi; Daniel Gang; Emmanuel Revellame; Andrei Chistoserdov; Rafael Hernandez; Rakesh Bajpai; Wayne Sharp; Dhan Fortela - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479716B2 ## CPC - C02F 9/00: Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage - B01J 20/0207: {Compounds of Sc, Y or Lanthanides} - B01J 20/0233: {Compounds of Cu, Ag, Au} - B01J 20/027: {Compounds of F, Cl, Br, I} - C02F 1/281: {using inorganic sorbents} - C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light - C02F 3/30: Aerobic and anaerobic processes - C02F 2103/44: from vehicle washing facilities - C02F 2203/008: Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle - C02F 2303/10: Energy recovery - C05F 3/04: from human faecal masses - C05F 17/50: Treatments combining two or more different biological or biochemical treatments, e.g. anaerobic and aerobic treatment or vermicomposting and aerobic treatment - Y02C 20/40: of CO2 - Y02W 10/30: Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies - Y02W 10/37: using solar energy - 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) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C05F: ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE - Y02C: CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG] - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A Biorefinery System (BIOSYS) that effectively treats all human activity-derived waste (black water, grey water, and food waste streams) using biological systems and that produces as process by-products: recovered potable water, liberated free oxygen, edible protein cake (with and without lipids), soil amendments, and machinery lube oils. Additionally, the system captures and chemically binds carbon dioxide into microbial cells and associated by-products, thus producing recovered usable returned cabin air. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for treating waste comprising the steps of: a. metabolically decomposing chemical oxygen demand of solid and liquid influents through anaerobic bacteria digestion, wherein said decomposition produces products comprising hydrogen, methane, liquid effluents, and solid effluents; b. directing said liquid effluents and solid effluents into a tank, said tank housing aerobic bacteria, wherein said aerobic bacteria convert an organic fraction of said effluents into lipid-enriched content microbial solids and produce liquid-phase and gaseous-phase effluents; c. employing a growth algal reactor wherein green algae attached to a turf matrix to remove nutrients from said liquid-phase effluent and scrub carbon dioxide from said gaseous effluents and wherein said employing step produces whole cells; d. extracting lipids from said microbial solids and said whole cells; and e. removing any residual chemicals from said liquid-phase and said gaseous-phase effluents using advanced adsorption polishing with a functionalized mesoporous adsorbent bed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said influents comprise black water, grey water, and food waste. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrogen and methane are used to power fuel cells. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein elements compromising ammonium, phosphate, iron, cobalt, or a combination thereof are integrated with anaerobic bacteria as nutrients from said anaerobic bacteria digestion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein solids produced in the aerobic bacteria step are used as additional feedstock for the decomposition step. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said aerobic bacteria step is eliminated, wherein said liquid effluents and said solid effluents are directed into a liquid-solid separation process after said decomposition step. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said extracting step is performed using carbon dioxide supercritical extraction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein any non-lipid products from said extracting step are recycled as additional feedstock for said decomposition step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said removing step is performed using ordered mesopourous carbon. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said functionalized mesoporous adsorbent is modified by metal nanoparticles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein said nanoparticles comprise Cerium(III) chloride. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said mesoporous adsorbent is doped with silver nanoparticles and iodine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising a UV disinfection system. ### Claim 14 A system for treating human-derived waste and capturing value-added chemicals in an isolated environment comprising a series of biological processes, wherein said series of biological systems comprises: a. metabolic decomposition of chemical oxygen demand of influents, wherein the products of said decomposition comprise liquid effluents, and solid effluents; b. conversion of an organic fraction of said liquid effluents and said solid effluents into lipid-enriched content microbial solids and producing liquid-phase effluent and gaseous-phase effluent; c. removal of nutrients from said liquid-phase effluent; d. scrubbing carbon dioxide from said gaseous effluents e. extraction of lipids from said microbial solids; and f. removal of any residual chemicals from said liquid-phase and said gaseous-phase effluents using advanced adsorption polishing with a functionalized mesoporous adsorbent bed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said influents comprise black water, grey water, and food waste. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said mesoporous adsorbent is doped with silver nanoparticles and iodine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said aerobic bacteria step is eliminated, wherein said liquid effluents and said solid effluents are directed into a liquid-solid separation process after said decomposition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said metabolic decomposition is performed by anaerobic bacteria digestion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said conversion of the organic fraction is performed by aerobic bacteria.