Granted Patent B2

US 12,371,641 · App. 17/878,700 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventors: Jennifer Stokes (Rosemount, MN); Chris Nagel (St. Paul, MN); Claire Notermann (Sunfish Lake, MN); Sukhwan Soontravanich (Inver Grove Heights, MN)

Assignee: ECOLAB USA INC.

C11D3/3765B08B3/08B08B9/032B08B9/0804C11D1/722C11D3/0026C11D3/0073C11D3/10C11D3/221C11D3/33C11D2111/20

Abstract

Claims (16)

1. A method of cleaning a fermentation tank comprising:

a. circulating an alkali metal hydroxide from a storage tank through a clean-in-place system comprising a first circuit comprising a first fluid path from the storage tank, through the first circuit, and back to the storage tank, and a second circuit comprising a second fluid path from the storage tank, to a fermentation tank along the second circuit, and back to the storage tank, wherein the first fluid path and the second fluid path are different and the first fluid path does not pass through the fermentation tank;

b. adding a first composition to the alkali metal hydroxide in the second circuit after the storage tank and before or in the fermentation tank to form a second composition, the first composition comprising at least one of a nonionic surfactant, a polymer, and a chelating agent;

c. returning the second composition in the fermentation tank to the storage tank.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recirculating the second composition in the fermentation tank.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reacting a portion of the alkali metal hydroxide with carbon dioxide or carbonic acid in the fermentation tank to form alkali metal carbonate or alkali metal bicarbonate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first composition comprises the nonionic surfactant, the polymer, and the chelating agent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first composition further comprises at least one of a corrosion inhibitor or an antifoaming agent.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second composition comprises the first composition, the alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal carbonate, and alkali metal bicarbonate.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second composition comprises the first composition, alkali metal carbonate, and alkali metal bicarbonate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second composition is free of alkali metal hydroxide after 30 minutes after combining the first composition with the alkali metal hydroxide.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant is an alcohol alkoxylate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a polymer of acrylic acid.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chelating agent is EDTA.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first composition consists of feed additive-compatible ingredients.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second composition is recirculated in the fermentation tank for 15 to 90 minutes.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (354)