# US 12,767,566 B2 · Methods of treating waste streams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,767,566 B2 - Document ID: US12767566B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/380,781 - Filed: 2025-11-05 - Published: 2026-03-05 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-04 - Assignees: U.S. Clean Water Technology, Inc. - Applicants: U.S. Clean Water Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Kurt W. Swogger; John Richard Graves; Philip J. Carlberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12767566B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/463: by electrocoagulation - C02F 1/40: Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16) - C02F 1/46109: {Electrodes} - C02F 2001/46119: {Cleaning the electrodes} - C02F 2001/46138: {Electrodes comprising a substrate and a coating} - C02F 2001/46171: {Cylindrical or tubular shaped} - C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil - C02F 2201/4611: Fluid flow - C02F 2201/4617: DC only - 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) ## Abstract Processes for removing oil and other organics especially lipids from process steams comprising lipids, brown grease, and water is disclosed and a process to remove metals and organics from leachate from landfills and other waste sites that generate contaminated water streams. The processes may involve adjusting pH and using electrical fields generated by a device comprising electrodes to induce gas bubbles. The gas bubbles facilitate movement toward the surface of the solution where they may be skimmed off and recovered. Processes are also described that upgrade brown grease to usable precursors for make beneficial products such as jet fuel. Other processes described herein include removal of carbon char from pyrolysis products like tires, plastics, rubbers, municipal solid waste, and oil or sewage sludge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for treating a lipid stream comprising one or more lipids and water, wherein the process comprises: a) heating the lipid stream to release the one or more lipids from the water and forming an aqueous phase comprising water and an oil phase comprising the one or more lipids; b) decreasing the pH to dissolve at least a portion of one or more metals present; c) optionally decanting at least a portion of the one or more lipids; d) optionally treating the oil phase, the aqueous phase, or both with aluminum ions released by electromagnetic field reaction of an aluminum rod acting as an electrode operating at greater than 4 volts and less than 20 volts; e) treating the oil phase, the aqueous phase, or both with an electrode system wherein the electrode system comprises a titanium and a ruthenium oxide coated titanium electrode system operating at greater than 1 volt up to 50 volts; f) attaching hydrogen bubbles to at least a portion of the one or lipids such that the hydrogen attached lipids surface; g) generating peroxides, hyperoxides, or a combination thereof to oxidize one or more oxidizable components comprising metal, living organisms, organic materials, BOD, COD, or any combination thereof; h) separating the oil phase from the aqueous phase; i) increasing the pH to precipitate at least a portion of the metals while avoiding substantial mount of emulsion formation; and j) filtering solids comprising metal precipitates, organic matter, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the lipid stream comprises brown grease. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the lipid stream is heated to from about to about 90 C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the pH is decreased to less than about 6 to dissolve at least a portion of one or more metals present. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the aluminum ions are generated by an electromagnetic field reaction of an aluminum rod acting as an electrode wherein the electrode is operated at greater than about 4 volts and less than about 20 volts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 which further comprises skimming the surfaced, hydrogen attached lipids into a lipid recovery chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the peroxides, hyperoxides, or a combination thereof are generated using an electrode system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the pH to precipitate at least a portion of the metals is a pH of from greater than 7 up to about 10. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the pH is decreased using sulfuric acid, acetic acid, citric acid, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 which further comprises treating the aqueous phase with a carbon bed under conditions to remove at least a portion of BOD. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein separating comprises centrifuging, gravity separation, membrane separation, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11 which further comprises filtering solids prior to separating. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 which comprises employing an EWCU capable of producing one or more electric fields. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the heating is conducted prior introducing the lipid stream into the EWCU. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 which further comprises converting the separated oil phase to a useful product. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The process of claim 15 wherein the useful product comprises a jet fuel, a biodiesel, a renewable diesel, a lubricant, a yellow grease, a soap, an animal feed, or a chemical feedstock.