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US 11,944,109 B2Granted
Fractionated stillage separation and feed products
AssigneeICM, Inc.
InventorsCharles C. Gallop, Christopher Riley William Gerken
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure describes methods to separate solids from liquids in a production facility. A process separates components in the process stream by applying non-condensable media to create density differences and then using a mechanical device to separate the solids from the liquids based on the density difference. The process produces the liquids and solids, which may be further processed to create valuable animal feed products.
Claims21
A method for separating components in a process stream, the method comprising:
- receiving the process stream having a mixture of components of liquids and solids;
- adding a non-condensable media to the mixture of components to change a density differential between the components;
- separating the solids from the liquids in the mixture of components with a first separation device, to provide a separated solids stream and a separated liquids stream, wherein the separated solids stream is approximately 10% to approximately 40% total solids;
- producing at least a portion of the separated solids stream as a feed product;
- and
- processing the separated liquids stream with a membrane-based second separation device to recover suspended solids as a stream comprising protein.
3 more elements
A method of producing a protein product from a processing stream, the method comprising:
- receiving a process stream from a production facility, the process stream comprising a mixture of one or more liquids and one or more solids;
- adding a non-condensable media to the mixture to change a density of each of differential between the one or more solids and the one or more liquids:
- separating the one or more solids from the one or more liquids in the mixture based on a difference in density between the one or more solids and the one or more liquids, to provide a separated solids stream and a light emulsion phase;
- processing the light emulsion phase with a separation device comprising an open channel membrane filter to recover oil from a protein-containing stream;
- and
- producing at least a portion of the separated solids stream as a feed product comprising protein.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a process stream comprising a mixture of one or more liquids and one or more solids;
- adding non-condensable media to the mixture to change a density differential between the one or more liquids and the one or more solids;
- and
- separating the one or more liquids from the one or more solids in the process stream using a first separation device to provide a separated liquids stream and a separated solids stream, wherein the separated solids stream has at least approximately 38% protein;
- wherein the first separation device includes a sedicanter centrifuge, a decanter centrifuge, an air flotation device, a disk stack centrifuge, a cyclone, or a settling tank;
- and
- processing the separated liquids stream with a second separation device to separate oil from a protein-containing stream, the second separation device comprising an open channel membrane filter.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a process stream comprising a mixture of one or more liquids and one or more solids;
- and
- separating the one or more liquids from the one or more solids in the process stream with a first separation device to provide a separated liquids stream and a separated solids stream, the first separation device including a sedicanter centrifuge, a decanter centrifuge, a disk stack centrifuge, an air floatation device, a cyclone, or a settling tank;
- wherein the separated solids stream has at least 38% protein;
- and
- processing the separated liquids stream with a membrane-based separation device to provide a stream comprising a protein content of about 7% to about 27%.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.