Anaerobic digesting systems and methods for processing animal waste
AssigneeDaritech, Inc.
InventorDavid DeWaard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A digester system for digesting feed material comprises a digester tank, a thickener, and a seal system. The digester tank generates a first digested material and biogas from the feed material. The thickener is operatively connected to the digester tank to remove a second digested material from the feed material to alter a solid content of the feed material in the digester tank. The seal system substantially prevents the thickener from removing biogas from the feed material with the second digested material.
Claims39
A digester system for digesting feed material comprising liquids and solids, comprising:
- a digester tank, where the digester tank generates a first digested material and biogas from the feed material;
- a thickener;
- a first conduit operatively connected between the thickener and the digester tank to allow a pre-thickened feed material to flow from the digester tank to the thickener;
- a second conduit operatively connected between the thickener and the digester tank to allow a thickened feed material to flow from the thickener to the digester tank;
- and
- a seal conduit operatively connected to the thickener to allow a second digested material to flow out of the thickener;
- wherein
- the seal conduit defines a corner portion arranged above the thickener and below a level of the feed material within the digester tank such that the corner portion and the thickener are flooded with teed material substantially to prevent the thickener from allowing entrained biogas in the pre-thickened feed material from exiting the thickener with the second digested material.
A waste processing system for waste slurry, comprising:
- a digester tank for containing feed material comprising liquids and solids, where
- the feed material comprises at least a portion of the waste slurry, and
- the digester tank generates a first digested material and biogas from the feed material;
- a thickener;
- a first conduit operatively connected between the thickener and the digester tank to allow a pre-thickened feed material to flow from the digester tank to the thickener;
- a second conduit operatively connected between the thickener and the digester tank to allow a thickened feed material to flow from the thickener to the digester tank;
- and
- a seal conduit operatively connected to the thickener to allow a second digested material to flow out of the thickener;
- wherein
- the seal conduit defines a corner portion arranged above the thickener and below a level of the feed material within the digester tank such that the corner portion and the thickener are flooded with feed material substantially to prevent the thickener from allowing entrained biogas in the pre-thickened feed material from exiting the thickener with the second digested material.
A method of digesting feed material comprising liquids and solids, the method comprising the steps of:
- arranging the feed material within a digester tank;
- combining the feed material with microorganisms within the digester tank to generate a first digested material and biogas from the feed material;
- allowing a pre-thickened feed material to flow from the digester tank to a thickener;
- allowing a thickened feed material to flow from the thickener to the digester tank;
- removing a second digested material from the pre-thickened feed material using the thickener such that the thickened feed material alters a solid content of the feed material in the digester tank;
- and
- arranging a seal conduit such that the second digested material flows out of the thickener through the seal conduit and such that at least a corner portion of the seal conduit is above the thickener and below a level of the feed material within the digester tank such that
- the corner portion and the thickener are flooded with feed material, and
- back pressure is maintained on the second digested material within the thickener substantially to prevent biogas from being entrained within the second digested feed material leaving the thickener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.