	US 12,466,752 B2
	Method of dewatering
Rubindra Bariya, Plainfield, IL (US)
Assigned to Synata Bio, Inc., Warrenville, IL (US)
Filed by Synata Bio, Inc., Warrenville, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/050,932.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/273,564, filed on Oct. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0145474 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. C02F 1/66 (2023.01); C02F 9/00 (2023.01); C02F 11/12 (2019.01); C02F 11/14 (2019.01); C05F 7/00 (2006.01); C12P 7/04 (2006.01); C12P 7/08 (2006.01); C02F 11/122 (2019.01); C02F 11/143 (2019.01); C02F 11/147 (2019.01)

CPC C02F 9/00 (2013.01) [C05F 7/005 (2013.01); C12P 7/04 (2013.01); C12P 7/08 (2013.01); C02F 1/66 (2013.01); C02F 11/122 (2013.01); C02F 11/143 (2019.01); C02F 11/147 (2019.01)]

20 Claims

1. A method of dewatering solid byproduct comprising:

a. fermenting syngas to produce an oxygenated compound and solid byproduct containing water and solid particles,

i. the syngas comprising at least two of the following components:

CO, CO₂, and H₂, and

ii, wherein the oxygenated compound is ethanol, butanol, butyrate, acetate, propanol, propionate, or any combination thereof;

b. treating the solid byproduct with alkaline material effective to increase pH of the solid byproduct to a value of from about 7 to about 8.5;

c. adding coagulant to the alkaline-treated solid byproduct, the coagulant effective to reduce net charge of the particles;

d. adding polymer to the solid byproduct having particles with reduced net charge, the polymer effective to agglomerate the particles so they have an average particle size of at least about 1 mm;

e. removing the oxygenated compound from the solid byproduct particles; and

f. dewatering the agglomerated solid byproduct particles using a solid separation unit to form a cake separated from a clarified stream filtrate, the cake containing the solid byproduct, wherein the dewatering occurs before or after the removal of the oxygenated compound from the solid byproduct particles.