Methods for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct and system therefore
AssigneeFluid Quip Technologies, LLC
InventorChie Ying Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates generally to corn dry-milling, and more specifically, to methods for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct produced in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol and a system therefore. In one embodiment, a method for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct includes, in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol, separating the whole stillage byproduct into an insoluble solids portion and a thin stillage portion. The thin stillage portion is separated into a protein portion and a water soluble solids portion. Next, the protein portion is dewatered then dried to define a high protein corn meal that includes at least 40 wt % protein on a dry basis.
Claims23
A method for recovering oil from a whole stillage byproduct comprising:
- separating a whole stillage byproduct, via particle size, into a first insoluble solids portion, which includes fiber, and a first liquid portion, which includes free oil and protein;
- thereafter, separating the first insoluble solids portion, via particle size, into a second liquid portion and a second insoluble solids portion, which includes the fiber, followed by dewatering the second insoluble solids portion, via weight, to produce a dewatered insoluble solids portion defining a wet cake, which includes the fiber;
- combining the first and second liquid portions together to define a combined liquid portion, which includes the free oil and protein;
- separating the combined liquid portion, via weight, into a lighter water soluble solids portion, which includes the free oil, and a heavier solids portion, which includes the protein;
- and
- thereafter, separating the free oil from the water soluble solids portion, via weight, to provide an oil portion.
A method for recovering oil from a whole stillage byproduct comprising:
- separating a whole stillage byproduct, via a first paddle screen, into a first insoluble solids portion, which includes fiber, and a first liquid portion, which includes free oil and protein;
- thereafter, separating the first insoluble solids portion, via a second paddle screen, into a second liquid portion and a second insoluble solids portion, which includes the fiber, followed by dewatering the second insoluble solids portion, via a decanter, to produce a dewatered insoluble solids portion defining a wet cake, which includes the fiber;
- combining the first and second liquid portions together to define a combined liquid portion, which includes the free oil and protein;
- separating the combined liquid portion, via a clarifier, into only a lighter water soluble solids portion, which includes the free oil, and a heavier solids portion, which includes the protein;
- and
- thereafter, separating the free oil from the water soluble solids portion, via an oil recovery centrifuge, to provide an oil portion.
A system for recovering oil from a whole stillage byproduct comprising:
- a first paddle screen that is situated after a distillation column for distilling alcohol and that receives the whole stillage byproduct produced, wherein the first paddle screen separates the whole stillage byproduct into a first insoluble solids portion, which includes fiber, and a first liquid portion, which includes free oil and protein;
- a second paddle screen that is situated after the first paddle screen and that receives the first insoluble solids portion from the first paddle screen, wherein the second paddle screen separates the first insoluble solids portion into a second liquid portion and a second insoluble solids portion, which includes the fiber;
- a decanter that is situated after the second paddle screen and that receives the second insoluble solids portion from the second paddle screen, wherein the decanter dewaters the second insoluble solids portion to produce a dewatered insoluble solids portion, which includes the fiber;
- a clarifier that is situated after the first and second paddle screens and that receives the first and second liquid portions together to define a combined liquid portion, which includes the free oil and protein, wherein the clarifier separates the combined liquid portion into only a lighter water soluble solids portion, which includes the free oil, and a heavier solids portion, which includes the protein;
- and
- an oil recovery centrifuge that is situated after the clarifier and that separates the oil from the water soluble solids portion to recover an oil portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.