High purity starch stream methods and systems
AssigneePOET Research, Inc.
InventorsSteven Redford, Todd Peterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for isolating a high purity starch stream are provided. The methods provide an initial treatment step in advance of traditional grinding or fractionation operations (such as dry milling or wet milling operations) that facilitate separation of starch from other components of starch-based grains, for example facilitate separation of soft endosperm from other components of corn kernels including hard endosperm. The systems include a first treatment system for separating a high purity starch stream from other components of the grain stream, wherein the system can be configured as a bolt on for traditional milling operations such as wet milling and dry milling operations.
Claims20
A process, comprising:
- pretreating corn grain to produce a pretreated corn grain that facilitates separation of at least a portion of soft endosperm from the corn grain;
- separating a first stream comprising soft endosperm from the pretreated corn grain resulting in a second stream suitable for use as feedstock in a fermentation process, wherein the second stream comprises fiber, germ, and starch;
- exposing at least a portion of the second stream to fermentation conditions to produce ethanol;
- and
- providing the first stream to a non-ethanol process, wherein the non-ethanol process comprises producing one or more non-ethanol bio-products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.