# US 7,465,398 B1 · Method for filtering and recovering solids from potato process water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,465,398 B1 - Document ID: US7465398B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/004,386 - Filed: 2004-12-03 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2000-09-29 - Assignees: Delta T, LLC - Inventors: Jeffrey P Robert; Walter Scott Roesener - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465398B1 ## CPC - B01D 61/02: Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration {; Nanofiltration} - B01D 61/04: Feed pretreatment - C08B 30/048: {from potatoes} - C08B 30/10: Working-up residues from the starch extraction {, e.g. potato peel or steeping water}, including pressing water from the starch-extracted material - C08L 3/02: Starch; Degradation products thereof, e.g. dextrin - C08L 5/04: Alginic acid; Derivatives thereof - B01D 61/58: Multistep processes - B01D 2311/04: Specific process operations in the feed stream; Feed pretreatment - B01D 2311/08: Specific process operations in the concentrate stream - B01D 2317/022: Reject series - B01D 2317/025: Permeate series - B01D 2317/06: Use of membrane modules of the same kind - B01D 2317/08: Use of membrane modules of different kinds - 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) - C08B: POLYSACCHARIDES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF (polysaccharides containing less than six saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes C12P19/00; sugar industry C13; production of cellulose D21) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) ## Abstract A method for filtering and recovering solids from potato process water that results in a product containing a portion of the solids from the potato process water is presented. In general, the method involves providing a plurality of vessels wherein a step in a manufacturing process takes place in each vessel and wherein at least one step in the manufacturing process produces a potato process water having solids. The potato process water is passed through at least one ultrafilter wherein each ultrafilter produces an ultrafilter (u/f) permeate stream and a u/f concentrate stream. The u/f concentrate stream is collected and reintroduced into at least one vessel in the manufacturing process producing a product containing a portion of the solids from the potato process water. The final characteristics of the product remain essentially unchanged. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for filtering and recovering solids from potato process water, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of vessels wherein a step in a manufacturing process takes place in each vessel and wherein at least one step in the manufacturing process produces a potato process water having solids; b) passing the potato process water through at least one ultrafilter wherein each ultrafilter produces a u/f permeate stream and a u/f concentrate stream; and c) collecting and reintroducing the u/f concentrate stream into at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying in the manufacturing process producing a product containing a portion of the solids from the potato process water and wherein the final characteristics of the product remain essentially unchanged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the manufacturing process is selected from the group consisting of: peeling; washing; pre-cooking; cooling; cooking; ricing; and drying. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein the process water having solids is produced by a manufacturing process selected from the group consisting of: peeling; washing; pre-cooking; cooling; and cooking. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of passing the u/f permeate stream through at least one reverse osmosis filter wherein each reverse osmosis filter produces a r/o permeate stream and a r/o concentrate stream and wherein the r/o concentrate stream is introduced into at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4, wherein the r/o concentrate stream is combined with the u/f concentrate stream and introduced into at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the potato process water is passed through a series of ultrafilters, each ultrafilter producing a u/f concentrate stream and a u/f permeate stream, wherein each u/f permeate stream is collected and wherein each u/f concentrate stream is fed to a successive ultrafilter in the series to form a final u/f concentrate stream and wherein the final u/f concentrate stream is introduced into said at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of passing the u/f permeate streams through at least one reverse osmosis filter wherein each reverse osmosis filter produces a r/o permeate stream and a r/o concentrate stream and wherein the r/o concentrate stream is introduced into said at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein the r/o concentrate stream is combined with the u/f concentrate stream and introduced into said at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of passing the u/f permeate stream through a series of reverse osmosis filters, each reverse osmosis filter producing a r/o permeate stream and a r/o concentrate stream, wherein each r/o permeate stream is collected and wherein each r/o concentrate stream is fed to a successive reverse osmosis filter in the series to form a final r/o concentrate stream and wherein the final r/o concentrate stream is introduced into said at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the final r/o concentrate stream is combined with the u/f concentrate stream. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the potato process water is passed through a series of ultrafilters, each ultrafilter producing a u/f concentrate stream and a u/f permeate stream, wherein each u/f concentrate stream is fed to a successive ultrafilter in the series to form a final u/f concentrate stream and wherein each u/f permeate stream is collected and passed through a series of reverse osmosis filters, each reverse osmosis filter producing a r/o permeate stream and a r/o concentrate stream, wherein each r/o permeate stream is collected and wherein each r/o concentrate stream is fed to a successive reverse osmosis filter in the series to form a final r/o concentrate stream and wherein the final u/f concentrate stream and the final r/o concentrate stream are introduced into said at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the final u/f concentrate stream and the final r/o concentrate stream are combined before introducing into said at least one vessel used for either ricing or drying. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of introducing a processing additive into the potato process water before the potato process water is passed through at least one ultrafilter. ### Claim 14 A method for filtering and recovering solids from potato process water, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of vessels wherein a step in a manufacturing process takes place in each vessel and wherein at least one step in the manufacturing process produces a potato process water having solids; b) introducing an enzyme into the potato process water and passing the potato process water through at least one ultrafilter wherein each ultrafilter produces a u/f permeate stream and a u/f concentrate stream; and c) collecting and reintroducing the u/f concentrate stream into at least one vessel in the manufacturing process producing a product containing a portion of the solids from the potato process water and wherein the final characteristics of the product remain essentially unchanged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method according to claim 14, wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of: a protease enzyme and an amylase enzyme. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein the enzyme is an alpha-amylase enzyme. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, wherein the enzyme is added at an amount ranging from about 0.08 ml to about 0.4 ml enzyme per pound of starch and wherein the enzyme activity is at least 150 KNU-s/g. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method according to claim 17, wherein the enzyme is added at an amount of about 0.2 ml enzyme per pound of starch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A method according to claim 14, wherein the enzyme is added continuously.