BIO-OIL RECOVERY SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Like much of the additive competition - this appears to be an additive that is mixed in to break the oil free. What makes this a little different is the emulsion breaking additive is a polar protic solvent. That means ethanol or glycerol. I have read a few patent applications over the years but this one is a bit hard to follow. Not complex - hard to follow. I'll see if I can SkunK it down a bit:
It seems they heat the ethanol and mix it with the emulsion. The oil can then be recovered by gravity - Either by letting it set or centrifuge.
Here is some of the letters between USPTO and ICM found in the public PAIR:
USPTO 9 Page LETTER
Let me just show you two quotes that caught my eye - Please feel free to read the whole thing, it is interesting. Just remember that the ICM application has a total of 20 Claims
SkunK
I think quote in the application describes some of GreenShift's other additive competition:
"Other conventional methods may use surfactants, such as polysorbate 80, which can adulterate the resulting co-products, such as animal feed, such that these co-products are no longer acceptable under the Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) guideline."
20 claims yet their all rejected or withdrawn from further consideration by the examiner.
ReplyDeleteSo does that mean it's rejected?
Valero?
ReplyDeleteWho in their right mind would want to go through all these hoops just to "try" to get around sound patented and proven technology? Valero does not need to sign a contract with GERS until they initiate production of corn oil. Certainly Valero will find out what fools they are dealing with at ICM, or that Valero has fools within.
ReplyDeleteAn energy balance on this Rube Goldberg machine would be quite interesting. Besides that, it is not patentable! These techniques fo emulsion breaking and separation have been around for decades.
Look up USDA ARSD work on utilizing ethanol to extract corn oil. This is not near new.
ReplyDelete