# US 11,897,822 B2 · Reciprocating freeze concentration for urine-based fertilizer production > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,822 B2 - Document ID: US11897822B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/093,123 - Filed: 2020-11-09 - Published: 2021-05-13 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-07 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of Michigan - Applicants: The Regents of the University of Michigan - Inventors: Abraham Noe-Hays; Nancy G. Love - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897822B2 ## CPC - C05C 3/00: Fertilisers containing other salts of ammonia or ammonia itself, e.g. gas liquor - B01D 9/0013: {by indirect heat exchange} - C01C 1/10: Separation of ammonia from ammonia liquors, e.g. gas liquors {(as part of the ammonia synthesis process C01C1/04)} - Y02P 20/129: Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines - C05C: NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C01C: AMMONIA; CYANOGEN; COMPOUNDS THEREOF ({metal hydrides, monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof C01B6/00}; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; azides C01B21/08; {compounds other than ammonia or cyanogen, containing nitrogen, non-metals and optionally metals C01B21/082}; metal imides or amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a reciprocating concentration system that includes first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed, and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber. The system further includes a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock, the system comprising: a reciprocating concentration system comprising: first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed; and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber; and a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system; wherein the heat dump system comprises a thermoelectric heat pump and a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric heat pump. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the heat dump system is in thermal communication with one of the first and second chambers or in alternating thermal communication with both of the first and second chambers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the heat dump system is in thermal communication with the heat transfer system. ### Claim 4 A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock, the system comprising: a reciprocating concentration system comprising: first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed; and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber; and a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system; wherein the heat transfer system comprises a heat pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein: the heat pump is disposed between the first and second chambers; and the heat transfer system further comprises cooling and warming shells adjacent the first and second chambers, each of the cooling and warming shells carrying a respective thermal transfer fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein: the cooling shell is disposed along a respective upper portion of the first and second chambers such that the feedstock freezes from the upper portion downward; and the warming shell is disposed along a respective lower portion of the first and second chambers such that the feedstock melts from the lower portion upward. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the heat transfer system further comprises first and second pairs of thermal transfer channels in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, respectively, each thermal transfer channel passing through the heat pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the heat pump comprises a thermoelectric heat pump. ### Claim 9 A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock, the system comprising: a reciprocating concentration system comprising: first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed; and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber; a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system; and insulation disposed between a heat sink of the heat dump system and the reciprocating concentration system. ### Claim 10 A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock, the system comprising: a reciprocating concentration system comprising: first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed; and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber; and a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system; wherein the heat transfer system comprises: first and second thermally conductive blocks adjacent to the first and second chambers, respectively; and a Peltier cell disposed between the first and second thermally conductive blocks. ### Claim 11 A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock, the system comprising: a reciprocating concentration system comprising: first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed; and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber; and a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system; wherein the first and second chambers are disposed in an inclined orientation. ### Claim 12 A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock, the system comprising: a reciprocating concentration system comprising: first and second chambers to which the feedstock is alternately provided and from which the concentrated product is alternately removed; and a heat transfer system in thermal communication with the first and second chambers, the heat transfer system being configured to reversibly transfer heat between the first and second chambers such that the first chamber alternates between melting a frozen portion of the feedstock in the second chamber and having a frozen portion of the feedstock in the first chamber melted by the feedstock in the second chamber; and a heat dump system in thermal communication with the reciprocating concentration system, the heat dump system being configured to remove heat from the reciprocating concentration system; wherein: the reciprocating concentration system further comprises a third chamber to which the feedstock is provided and from which the concentrated product is removed; and the heat transfer system in thermal communication with the third chamber such that the feedstock in the third chamber melts and freezes out of phase relative to both the first and second chambers.