The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 30, 2026
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2023
Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc, Houston, TX (US);
Sankaran Murugesan, Katy, TX (US);
Jerry J. Weers, Richmond, TX (US);
Sai Reddy Pinappu, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Jeffery K. Bolton, Batton Rouge, LA (US);
James E. Kiolbassa, Mansfield, TX (US);
Rolando P. Perez, Cut Off, LA (US);
Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
It is a continuing goal to reduce the amount of sludge produced in a biorefinery while also improving oil quality and water quality. In one aspect, an exemplary method of minimizing sludge from biorefineries includes the steps of feeding a source feedstock into a degumming centrifuge, where the source feedstock is separated into wet oil and a primary sludge stream, and conveying a portion of the primary sludge stream to a three-phase centrifuge. At the three-phase centrifuge, the portion of the primary sludge stream is separated into recovered centrifuge oil, which is retrieved; centrifuged water, which is conveyed to a wastewater treatment plant; and centrifuged sludge. The remainder of the primary sludge stream is conveyed to a gravity separator, where the remainder of the primary sludge stream is separated into recovered oil and residual sludge. The residual oil is retrieved from the gravity separator.