Dry Milling Corn Fractionation Process
AssigneeCrown Iron Works Company
InventorsFloyd C. Teeter, JR., Gregg L. Haider, Jeffrey D. Scott, JR., Bruce D. MacKinnon, Jesse L. Devine
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Abstract
A method for fractionating whole kernel corn into bran, germ and endosperm fractions. Corn (tempered or non-tempered) is processed through an impact mill and through a screener to divide the initial feed stream into two or more flows or substreams. The substreams or portions thereof may be further processed through a plurality of aspirators, roller mills and screeners to provide bran, germ and endosperm fractions of desired purity levels.
Claims9
A method for fractionating corn kernel comprising:
- Supplying a feed stream of corn kernel to an impact mill;
- Processing the feed stream through the impact mill to form a fractionated kernel stream;
- Separating the fractionated kernel stream in a first screener to provide three process streams, a first endosperm unders stream, a first mids stream and a first overs stream;
- Processing the first overs stream through a first aspirator to provide two process streams, a first bran-rich unders stream, and a second overs stream;
- Serially processing the second overs stream through a first roller mill and a second screener to provide three process streams, a second endosperm unders stream, a second mids stream and an thirds overs stream;
- Processing the third overs stream through a second aspirator to provide two process streams, an second bran-rich unders stream, and a fourth overs stream;
- Serially processing the fourth overs stream through a second roller mill and a third screener to provide three process streams, a third endosperm unders stream, a third mids stream and a fifth overs stream;
- and
- Serially processing the fifth overs stream, alone or in combination with an additional overs stream through a third roller mill and a fourth screener to provide two process streams, a fourth endosperm unders stream, and a sixth overs stream.
A method of fractionating corn kernel into three high purity fraction streams, including an endosperm fraction stream, a bran/tip cap stream, and a germ fraction stream, comprising:
- Providing at least one processing line comprising an impact mill, a plurality of screeners, a plurality of aspirators, and a plurality of roller mills;
- Supplying a feed stream of corn kernel to an impact mill;
- Processing the feed stream through the impact mill to form a fractionated kernel stream;
- Processing the fractionated kernel stream through a first screener to provide a first endosperm fraction unders stream, a first mids stream and a first overs stream;
- Processing the first overs and first mids streams respectively through first and second aspirators to separate the streams into sub-streams, including first and second overs sub-stream and first and second bran-rich unders sub-streams;
- Processing the first overs sub-stream or sub-streams thereof through at least one aspirator and a plurality of roller mills and a plurality of screeners to provide a first germ fraction stream, a third bran-rich unders sub-stream and a plurality of endosperm fraction streams;
- and
- Processing the second overs sub-stream or substreams thereof through a plurality of roller mills and a plurality of screeners to provide a plurality of endosperm fraction streams and a second germ fraction stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.