A continuous feeding and discharging system for solid material under high pressure is provided. The system includes a feeding assembly, a high pressure vessel, and a discharging assembly. The feeding assembly includes a raw material hopper that feeds solid raw material, a CO.sub.2 feeder that feeds dry ice, and a mixer that mixes the solid raw material with the dry ice to form an impermeable mixture. The high pressure vessel performs an extraction process under a supercritical condition to extract soluble components from the solid raw material. The discharging assembly includes a discharging extruder that receives the solid residue discharged from the high pressure vessel, a binder liquid feeder that feeds binder liquid to mix with the solid residue to form a uniform mixture and compacts the mixture to form impermeable pellets of residue, and a discharging valve that discharges the impermeable pellets of residue from the discharging extruder.

A bearing assembly can be used in liquid service applications where the bearing assembly is intermittently or continuously exposed to liquid, such as below the liquid level of a solid-liquid extractor. In some examples, the bearing assembly includes an annular sleeve and an annular bearing. The annular sleeve is designed to be installed over the end of a rotatable shaft and positioned inside of a housing through which the rotatable shaft at least partially protrudes. The annular sleeve has an outer surface and length parallel to the rotational axis of the rotatable shaft. The outer surface of the annular sleeve may taper radially inwardly along at least a portion of the length of the sleeve. As a result, the bearing assembly and rotatable shaft positioned therein may pivot within housing about the taper of the annular sleeve.

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for counter-current solids leaching. A multi-stage countercurrent leaching chamber can include a top and bottom end, a barren liquor input, two or more regions for countercurrent mixing, and a barren solids output. The input can be configured to receive barren liquor. The two or more regions for countercurrent mixing and separation can be configured to mix and separate liquid and solid phases. The barren solids output can be configured to collect and discharge barren solids from the bottom end of the multi-stage countercurrent leaching chamber. A fluidized bed chamber and clarifier chamber can also be included, where the fluidized bed receives a fluidizable slurry of pregnant solids and the clarifier chamber aids in separating liquids from solids passing from a top of the fluidized bed chamber to the top end of the multi-stage countercurrent leaching chamber.

A method and system for the treatment of a biomass stream to separate organic extracts/biomolecules (such as proteins, lipids and/or carotenoids) from the biomass stream, wherein the water content of the biomass stream is decreased by bringing the biomass stream into contact with a compressed liquefied gas solvent, to create a low-water content biomass stream and introducing the low-water content biomass stream to an extraction apparatus that recovers one or more organic products with little or no measurable solvent residue.

A biomass-derived protein compound has a high concentration of protein and can be made to have a very low concentration of fat and water; even when the biomass feedstock has a high fat concentration. The biomass-derived protein compound may be a whole protein that is non-denatured and enzymatically digestible. This unique protein compound can be produced from molecules from more than one source organism, including various animals and/or plant feedstocks. The unique protein compound is derived from a unique biomass method and apparatus for the treatment of a biomass stream to extract and separate an essentially solvent-free product from the biomass stream. In this unique method the solids content of the biomass stream is increased by bringing the biomass stream into contact with a moderately pressurized liquefied gas solvent, to create a high solids content biomass stream and introducing the high solids content biomass stream to an extraction apparatus.

In embodiments, an aqueous solution containing lixiviants and/or other chemicals and/or reagents may be delivered into the well through one or more conduits or pipes. The chemicals in the aqueous solution may further be mixed together and/or with other ingredients. The solution may thereafter be screened and delivered by being pumped to pressures required for delivery of the solution from a perforated well, deep into a heap leach pad to leach, re-leach, and/or rinse extracted components of interest, such as metals for recovery. The delivery method may open or stimulate new fluid pathways or channels by lifting and mobilizing materials in the heap, thereby creating new channels, and allowing fluid to travel substantially horizontally through the heap to interface with inventory metal for recovery. The system may include a mobile platform assembled near or at the vicinity of the injection well.

A method and system for the treatment of a biomass stream to separate organic extracts/biomolecules (such as proteins, lipids and/or carotenoids) from the biomass stream, wherein the water content of the biomass stream is decreased by bringing the biomass stream into contact with a compressed liquefied gas solvent, to create a low-water content biomass stream and introducing the low-water content biomass stream to an extraction apparatus that recovers one or more organic products with little or no measurable solvent residue.

A technique for purifying solid materials containing contaminants, such as petroleum coke, may involve introducing the contaminated solid material into an extractor vessel along with an organic solvent. The contaminated solid material and organic solvent may be conveyed in a countercurrent direction during which the contaminant is extracted at least partially out of the solid material and into the solvent. After extraction, the resulting extracted solid material can be processed in a desolventizing unit and the recovered solvent sent back to the extractor. Further, the solvent containing extracted contaminant can be processed in a solvent recovery unit, further recovering solvent that can be sent back to the extractor.

A pretreatment for use with systems and methods for extracting and separating a bio-molecule, such as a lipid and/or a protein, from a biomass includes the step of contacting the biomass with a drying gas to substantially dewater the biomass to 20% water content by mass or less. Such pretreated biomass, mixed with one or more compressed liquefied gas solvents, may then be introduced into individual filter cells in a rotary pressure filter to separate lipids from proteins.

A method for storing hazardous materials within a pile by installing a drill casing a perforated casing section into a well installed in the pile, inserting a pipe or hose having an opening into the drill casing, aligning the opening of the pipe or hose with at least one perforated casing section, sealing the drill casing to isolate air or fluid flowing into or out of the drill casing so that the air or fluid only flows into or out of the drill casing through the at least one perforated casing section, pulling or pushing air or fluid through the pipe or hose at a pressure sufficient to open void spaces within the pile, and injecting hazardous materials through the pipe or hose at pressure sufficient to cause the hazardous materials to fill the void spaces.