Method and system for processing of aquatic species

• US 9,765,112 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lemnature Aquafarms Corporation
• Original Assignee: Parabel Ltd
• Inventors: Olivier, Laurent, Havemann, Greg, Antalik, Paul, Alderson, Brandi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZALASKY, KATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US14/170,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20140221630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23J 1/006 from vegetable materials A23J1/005, A23J1/12 and A23J1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/22 from fish
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/147 Polymeric derivatives, e.g. peptides or proteins
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/163 Sugars; Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 17/70 Comminuted, e.g. emulsified, fish products; Processed products therefrom such as pastes, reformed or compressed products A23L17/65, A23L17/10, A23L17/20, A23L17/40, A23L17/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 17/002 for treating of meat, fish waste or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 1/36 by a combination of two or more processes of different types
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 37/0003 General processes for their isolation or fractionation, e.g. purification or extraction from biomass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to methods for recovering multiple products from industrial-scale production of a biomass of an aquatic species. Specifically, the present disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to methods for cultivating Lemna for extracting a protein concentrate, a biocrude, and/or a carbohydrate-rich meal. In some embodiments, a process of recovering at least one product from biomass of an aquatic species may comprise: lysing a biomass to generate a lysed biomass; separating the lysed biomass to generate a juice and a first solid phase; filtering the juice to generate a filtered juice and a second solid phase; clarifying at least one juice to generate a clarified juice and a third solid phase, wherein the clarified juice comprises a soluble protein; coagulating the soluble protein from the clarified juice to generate a liquor comprising a wet protein concentrate; and separating the wet protein concentrate from the liquor.

Claims

1. A process of recovering at least one product from biomass of an aquatic species comprising:

lysing a biomass to generate a lysed biomass;

separating the lysed biomass to generate a juice and a first solid phase;

filtering the juice to generate a filtered juice and a second solid phase;

clarifying at least one juice selected from the group consisting of the juice, the filtered juice, or any combination thereof to generate a clarified juice and a third solid phase,

wherein the clarified juice comprises a soluble protein;

coagulating the soluble protein from the clarified juice to generate a liquor comprising a wet protein concentrate; and

separating the wet protein concentrate from the liquor.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

drying the wet protein concentrate to generate a dry protein concentrate.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein drying the wet protein comprises using a spin flash dryer, a spray dryer, a drum dryer, a flash dryer, a fluid bed dryer, a double drum dryer, a rotary dryer, evaporator, or any combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein the dry protein concentrate comprises at least 50% protein by weight.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

processing at least one solid phase selected from the group consisting of the first solid phase, the second solid phase, the third solid phase, and any combination thereof to generate a wet bio-crude.

6. The process of claim 5 further comprising:

drying the wet bio-crude to generate at least one product selected from a dry bio-crude and a carbohydrate-rich meal.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein drying the wet bio-crude comprises using a spin flash dryer, a spray dryer, a drum dryer, a flash dryer, a fluid bed dryer, a double drum dryer, a rotary dryer, or any combination thereof.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein separating the lysed biomass comprises using at least one of a decanter centrifuge, a belt press, a fan press, a rotary press, a screw press, a filter press, and finisher press, or any combination thereof.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the aquatic species comprises a species of Lemna.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein lysing a biomass comprises using at least one of:

a ball mill a colloid mill, a knife mill, a hammer mill, a grinding mill, a puree machine, and a filter press, or any combination thereof.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein filtering the juice comprises a vibratory separator, a vibrating screen filter, a circular vibratory separator, a linear/inclined motion shaker, a decanter centrifuge, a filter press, or any combination thereof.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the vibratory separator comprises at least one vibrating screen filter.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein clarifying at least one juice comprises using a high-speed multi disc stack centrifuge, a micro filtration system, an ultrafiltration system, or any combination thereof.

14. The process of claim 1 further comprising storing the clarified juice in a chilled storage tank.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein coagulating protein from the clarified juice comprises lowering the pH of the clarified juice.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the pH is lowered to below about 6.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein the pH is lowered to below about 5.

18. The process of claim 15, wherein the pH is lowered to about 4.5.

19. The process of claim 15, wherein lowering the pH comprises using at least one acid selected from hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid.

20. The process of claim 1, wherein coagulating protein from the clarified juice comprises using a heat precipitator comprising at least one heat exchanger.

21. The process of claim 1, wherein coagulating protein from the clarified juice comprises

heating the clarified juice to a first temperature to generate a heated clarified juice;

and

cooling the heated clarified juice to a second temperature to form the liquor comprising the wet protein concentrate.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein the first temperature is from about 40°

C. to about 100°

C.

23. The process of claim 21, wherein the second temperature is below about 40°

C.

24. The process of claim 21, wherein the second temperature is below about 30°

C.

25. The process of claim 1, wherein separating the wet protein concentrate from the liquor comprises using a high-speed multi disc stack centrifuge, settling tank, or any combination thereof to form the wet protein concentrate and a supernatant liquor.

26. The process of claim 25 further comprising:

washing the wet protein concentrate with a first wash; and

separating the wet protein concentrate from the first wash.

27. The process of claim 1, further comprising washing the lysed biomass.