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. 08, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1996
Scott Arthur Guelcher, Weirton, WV (US);
Jeffrey Scott Kanel, Kingsport, TN (US);
Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN (US);
Abstract
A process for dewatering an aqueous suspension of microalgae is disclosed in which the aqueous suspension of the algae is introduced into a bubble column or a modified bubble column for generating a froth of bubbles and adsorbed algal cells that can be separated from the aqueous suspension. In one advantageous embodiment, the bubble column is a multi-stage loop-flow flotation column that has three loop-flow zones, each of which is defined by a draft tube concentrically mounted in the column to divide each loop-flow zone into a riser and the downcomer. Fine bubbles of gas and brine are in cocurrent upward flow in the riser and in cocurrent downward flow the downcomer. A higher gas holdup is promoted in the riser than in the downcomer, thereby circulating the brine in loop-flow upwardly through the riser and downwardly through the downcomer. Liquid communication between adjacent loop-flow zones is substantially eliminated. A froth enriched in algae is generated that can be separated from the aqueous suspension. The process has application in the recovery of mixed carotenoids from Dunaliella salina.