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US 11,998,026 B2Granted
Fractionated stillage separation and feed products
AssigneeICM, Inc.
InventorsCharles C. Gallop, Kurt A. Dieker, Christopher Riley William Gerken, John A Pereira
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims6
A method for separating components in a process stream, the method comprising:
- receiving a process stream having a mixture of components 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 the components, wherein the non-condensable media is selected from the group consisting of air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and combinations thereof;
- separating the one or more liquids and the one or more solids of the process stream using an apparatus selected from the following:
- a sedicanter centrifuge, a decanter centrifuge, a disk stack centrifuge, and combinations thereof, to provide a separated solids stream and a separated liquids stream;
- separating the separated liquids stream with a first separation device to provide a light emulsion phase and a heavy phase with suspended solids;
- separating the heavy phase with suspended solids with a second separation device to provide a clarified heavy phase and a light phase concentrate, wherein the clarified heavy phase comprises 1% to 30% fat and 0.7% to 70% available oil;
- reducing viscosity of the heavy phase with suspended solids by adding a chemical to the heavy phase with suspended solids;
- and
- separating the light emulsion phase with a mechanical separation device to produce oil, heavy phase solids, and heavy phase liquids.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.