A digester system for digesting feed material comprises a digester tank, a thickener, and a seal system. The digester tank generates a first digested material and biogas from the feed material. The thickener is operatively connected to the digester tank to remove a second digested material from the feed material to alter a solid content of the feed material in the digester tank. The seal system substantially prevents the thickener from removing biogas from the feed material with the second digested material.

Systems and methods are provided for separating high value by-products, such as oil and/or germ, from grains used for alcohol production. In one embodiment, a method for separating by-products from grains used for alcohol production includes, subjecting milled grains to liquefaction to provide a liquefied starch solution including fiber, protein, and germ. The germ is separated from the liquefied starch solution. The separated germ is ground, e.g., to a particle size less than 50 microns, to release oil to provide a germ/oil mixture. Then, prior to fermentation, the oil is separated from the germ/oil mixture to yield an oil by-product. The pH of the germ/oil mixture can be adjusted to about 8 to about 10.5 and/or cell wall breaking enzymes or chemicals may be added to help release oil from the germ. In one example, the oil yield is greater than 1.0 lb/Bu.

The present invention relates to processes for recovering butanol produced in a fermentative process using, for example, an ethanol production plant which has been reversibly-retrofitted for butanol production, that is, the ethanol production plant may be converted for butanol production, but can also revert to an ethanol production. The present invention also relates to processes for recovering butanol produced in a fermentative process in a butanol production plant that may be converted to ethanol production plant.

Processes for grinding corn, ground corn products, and processes for making ethanol from the ground corn products. In some examples, a process for making ethanol can include introducing a plurality of corn pieces into a mill. The process can also include milling the corn pieces in the mill to produce a ground corn product. Greater than 25 wt % of the ground corn product can have a particle size of greater than 105 μm, as measured according to AOAC 965.22-1966. Greater than 80 wt % of the ground corn product can have a particle size of 425 μm or less, as measured according to AOAC 965.22-1966. The process can also include processing the ground corn product to produce a fermentation mash that can include ethanol and separating at least a portion of the ethanol from the fermentation mash to produce a stillage.

Processes and systems for recovering products from a fermentation mash. In some examples, a process for recovering products from a fermentation mash can include processing a ground corn product to produce a fermentation mash that can include ethanol. At least a portion of the ethanol can be separated from the fermentation mash to produce a whole stillage. The whole stillage can be separated to produce a fiber rich product and a filtrate. The fiber rich product can be hydrolyzed to produce a saccharification mash. The saccharification mash can be processed to produce additional ethanol and a stillage protein product.

The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to systems, devices and methods for the fractionation, isolation, extraction and processing of the adipose supernatant layer of a bone marrow aspirate. In particular, the various embodiments relate to systems, devices, and methods of obtaining, utilizing, and processing the adipose supernatant layer of a bone marrow aspirate as a source of mesenchymal stem cells.

The invention relates to a method for producing biogas from lignocellulose-containing biomass, preferably from straw, and to a plant for carrying out said method.

Processes and systems for recovering products from a fermentation mash. In some examples, a process for recovering products from a fermentation mash can include processing a ground corn product to produce a fermentation mash that can include ethanol. At least a portion of the ethanol can be separated from the fermentation mash to produce a whole stillage. The whole stillage can be separated to produce a fiber rich product and a filtrate. The fiber rich product can be hydrolyzed to produce a saccharification mash. The saccharification mash can be processed to produce additional ethanol and a stillage protein product.

Reactors, systems and processes for the production of biomass by culturing microorganisms in aqueous liquid culture medium circulating inner loop reactor which utilize nonvertical pressure reduction zones are described. Recovery and processing of the culture microorganisms to obtain products, such as proteins or hydrocarbons is described.

The present invention relates to a processing method at acidic or neutral pH in a reactor (4) for processing lignocellulosic biomass (P), said process including a continuous cleaning phase of the reactor which comprises introducing a basic aqueous solution (EB) into said reactor containing the biomass being processed.