Method and system for processing of aquatic species
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.
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.