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US 10,611,700 B2Granted
Self-flushing anaerobic digester system
AssigneeDari-Tech, Inc.
InventorDavid DeWaard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A digester system comprising a primary digester tank containing a primary feed material portion, a secondary digester tank containing a secondary feed material portion, a first conduit connected between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank to define a primary tank lower opening within the primary digester tank and a secondary digester tank lower opening within the secondary digester tank, and a flow control valve configured to allow or prevent flow of fluid through the first conduit. When the flow control valve is configured to allow flow of fluid through the first conduit, a portion of the primary feed material portion flows from the primary digester tank to the secondary digester tank to form the secondary feed material portion.
Claims14
A digester system comprising:
- a primary digester tank containing a primary feed material portion defining a primary feed material level and biogas located within the primary digester tank above the primary feed material level;
- a secondary digester tank containing a secondary feed material portion defining a secondary feed material level and biogas located within the primary digester tank above the primary feed material level;
- a first conduit connected between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank to define a primary tank lower opening within the primary digester tank and a secondary digester tank lower opening within the secondary digester tank, where the primary digester tank lower opening is below the primary feed material level and the secondary digester tank lower opening is below the secondary feed material level;
- a second conduit connected between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank to define a primary tank upper opening within the primary digester tank and a secondary digester tank upper opening within the secondary digester tank, where the primary digester tank upper opening is above the primary feed material level and the secondary digester tank upper opening is above the secondary feed material level;
- and
- a flow control valve configured to allow or prevent flow of fluid through the first conduit;
- wherein
- the second conduit allows flow of biogas directly between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank;
- when the flow control valve is configured to allow flow of fluid through the first conduit,
- a portion of the primary feed material portion flows from the primary digester tank to the secondary digester tank to form the secondary feed material portion, and
- when the portion of the primary feed material portion flows from the primary digester tank to the secondary digester tank, biogas flows from the secondary digester tank to the primary digester tank through the second conduit;
- and
- when the flow control valve is configured to allow flow of fluid through the first conduit, the primary digester tank lower opening is arranged such that solid contaminate that has accumulated at the bottom of the primary digester tank is flushed out of the primary digester tank.
10 more elements
A digester system comprising:
- a primary digester tank containing a primary feed material portion defining a primary feed material level and biogas located within the primary digester tank above the primary feed material level;
- a secondary digester tank containing a secondary feed material portion defining a secondary feed material level and biogas located within the second digester tank above the secondary feed material level;
- a first conduit connected between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank to define a primary tank lower opening within the primary digester tank and a secondary digester tank lower opening within the secondary digester tank, where the primary digester tank lower opening is below the primary feed material level and the secondary digester tank lower opening is below the secondary feed material level;
- a second conduit connected between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank to define a primary tank upper opening within the primary digester tank and a secondary digester tank upper opening within the secondary digester tank, where the primary digester tank upper opening is above the primary feed material level and the secondary digester tank upper opening is above the secondary feed material level;
- a flow control valve configured to allow or prevent flow of fluid through the first conduit;
- a pump is operatively connected to the secondary digester tank and a separator;
- wherein
- the second conduit allows flow of biogas directly between the primary digester tank and the secondary digester tank;
- when the flow control valve is configured to allow flow of fluid through the first conduit,
- a portion of the primary feed material portion flows at a first flow rate from the primary digester tank to the secondary digester tank to form the secondary feed material portion, and
- when the portion of the primary feed material portion flows from the primary digester tank to the secondary digester tank, biogas flows from the secondary digester tank to the primary digester tank through the second conduit;
- the primary digester tank lower opening is arranged such that solid contaminate that has accumulated at the bottom of the primary digester tank is flushed out of the primary digester tank when the flow control valve is configured to allow flow of fluid through the first conduit;
- the pump is configured to transfer at least a portion of the secondary feed material portion from the secondary digester tank to the separator at a second flow rate;
- the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate;
- and
- the separator separates the secondary feed material portion pumped from the secondary digester tank into liquid and solid components.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.