# US 2025/0083203 A1 · System and method for conveying effluent from a tissue digester > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0083203 A1 - Document ID: US20250083203A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/809,562 - Filed: 2024-08-20 - Published: 2025-03-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-08 - Assignees: Gateway Services Inc. - Applicants: Gateway Services Inc. - Inventors: Martin Minajew - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250083203A1 ## CPC - B09B 3/70: Chemical treatment, e.g. pH adjustment or oxidation (involving an extraction step B09B3/80) - B09B: DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Disclosed herein are tissue digesters and methods of operation. In some examples, a tissue digester includes a fluid container having an upper region and a lower region; a first drain extending from within the fluid container at the lower region and in selective fluid communication with a first drain conduit; a second drain extending from within the fluid container at the upper region and associated with a second drain conduit; and a divider within the fluid container projecting from an inner sidewall of the fluid container from a first elevation at or beneath that of the second drain to a second elevation above the second drain thereby to form, with the inner sidewall, a trough, wherein fluid within the fluid container is permitted to enter the trough thereby to exit the second drain only when at least a level of the fluid in the fluid container exceeds the second elevation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tissue digester comprising: a fluid container having an upper region and a lower region; a first drain extending from within the fluid container at the lower region and in selective fluid communication with a first drain conduit; a second drain extending from within the fluid container at the upper region and associated with a second drain conduit; and a divider within the fluid container projecting from an inner sidewall of the fluid container from a first elevation at or beneath that of the second drain to a second elevation above the second drain thereby to form, with the inner sidewall, a trough, wherein fluid within the fluid container is permitted to enter the trough thereby to exit the second drain only when at least a level of the fluid in the fluid container exceeds the second elevation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the second drain is in selective fluid communication with the second drain conduit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tissue digester of claim 2, wherein the second drain is in selective fluid communication with the second drain conduit via at least one of: a drain valve, a panel, a door. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the second drain is in open fluid communication with the second drain conduit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the divider projects obliquely from the inner sidewall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, further comprising at least one fluid inlet for selectively providing fluid into the fluid container. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the second drain conduit is in fluid communication with the first drain conduit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the first drain extends from a bottom wall of the fluid container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the selective fluid communication of the first drain and the first drain conduit is provided by a first drain valve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tissue digester of claim 1, wherein the second drain and the second drain conduit are associated with a second drain valve. ### Claim 11 A tissue digester comprising: a fluid container having an upper region and a lower region; a first drain extending from within the fluid container at the lower region and in selective fluid communication with a first drain conduit; and a second drain associated with the upper region of the fluid container and associated with a second drain conduit, wherein fluid within the fluid container is permitted to exit the second drain only when at least a level of the fluid at the second drain is at least at an elevation of the second drain. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, further comprising: a trough associated with the upper region and having a dividing wall extending upwards at least from a first elevation to a second elevation at a top of the upper region, wherein the second drain extends from within the trough, wherein fluid within the fluid container is permitted to enter the trough thereby to cause the level of the fluid at the second drain to be at least at the elevation of the second drain only when a level of the fluid in the fluid container exceeds the second elevation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, wherein the second drain is in selective fluid communication with the second drain conduit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tissue digester of claim 13, wherein the second drain is in selective fluid communication with the second drain conduit via at least one of: a drain valve, a panel, a port. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, wherein the second drain is in open fluid communication with the second drain conduit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The tissue digester of claim 12, wherein the trough comprises an inner sidewall of the fluid container and the dividing wall projects from the inner sidewall from the first elevation to the second elevation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The tissue digester of claim 12, wherein the trough comprises an outer sidewall of the fluid container and the dividing wall is the outer sidewall. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The tissue digester of claim 12, wherein the trough is on the inside of the fluid container. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The tissue digester of claim 12, wherein the trough is on the outside of the fluid container. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, further comprising at least one fluid inlet for selectively providing fluid into the fluid container. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, wherein the second drain conduit is in fluid communication with the first drain conduit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, wherein the first drain extends from a bottom wall of the fluid container. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, wherein the selective fluid communication of the first drain and the first drain conduit is provided by a first drain valve. ### Claim 24 (depends on 11) The tissue digester of claim 11, wherein the selective fluid communication of the second drain and the second drain conduit is provided by a second drain valve. ### Claim 25 A method of operating a tissue digester, the tissue digester comprising a fluid container having an upper region and a lower region; a first drain extending from within the fluid container at the lower region and in selective fluid communication with a first drain conduit; a second drain extending from within the fluid container at the upper region and associated with a second drain conduit; and a divider within the fluid container projecting from an inner sidewall of the fluid container from a first elevation at or beneath that of the second drain to a second elevation above the second drain thereby to form, with the inner sidewall, a trough, wherein fluid within the fluid container is permitted to enter the trough thereby to exit the second drain only when at least a level of the fluid in the fluid container exceeds the second elevation, the method comprising: initiating a tissue digestion by submerging at least remains within an alkaline liquid within the fluid container, wherein a fluid level of the alkaline liquid and resulting effluent during the tissue digestion remains below the second elevation; after at least some tissue digestion, causing the fluid level of the effluent to rise to above the second elevation thereby to permit an upper stratum of the effluent to enter into the trough; and after permitting the upper stratum of the effluent to enter into the trough, draining a remainder of the effluent via the first drain. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising: draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain comprises draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain simultaneously with the draining of a remainder of the effluent via the first drain. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain comprises draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain before the draining of a remainder of the effluent via the first drain. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain comprises draining the upper stratum of the effluent via the second drain after the draining of a remainder of the effluent via the first drain. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein a liquid level of the alkaline liquid and the resulting effluent during the tissue digestion remains below the first elevation. ### Claim 31 A method of operating a tissue digester, the tissue digester comprising a fluid container having an upper region and a lower region; a first drain extending from within the fluid container at the lower region and in selective fluid communication with a first drain conduit; and a second drain associated with the upper region of the fluid container and associated with a second drain conduit, wherein fluid within the fluid container is permitted to exit the second drain only when at least a level of the fluid at the second drain is at least at an elevation of the second drain, the method comprising: initiating a tissue digestion by submerging at least remains within an alkaline liquid within the fluid container thereby to produce an effluent; after at least some tissue digestion, causing an upper stratum of the effluent to enter into the second drain; and after permitting the upper stratum of the effluent to enter into the second drain, draining a remainder of the effluent via the first drain. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein a liquid level of the alkaline liquid and the resulting effluent during the tissue digestion remains below the elevation of the second drain, wherein causing the upper stratum of the effluent to enter into the second drain comprises: causing the fluid level of the effluent to rise to at least the elevation of the second drain.