# US 2016/0249673 A1 · Distiller grain production device

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- Number: US 2016/0249673 A1
- Document ID: US20160249673A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/845,107
- Filed: 2015-09-03
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-15
- Assignees: Nationwide 5, LLC
- Inventors: Michael R. Thomas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160249673A1

## CPC

- A23N 17/005: {for shaping by moulding, extrusion, pressing, e.g. pellet-mills (processes A23K40/00; presses in general B30B)}
- A23K 10/38: from distillers' or brewers' waste
- A23P 10/25: Agglomeration or granulation by extrusion or by pressing, e.g. through small holes, through sieves or between surfaces
- A23P 10/28: Tabletting; Making food bars by compression of a dry powdered mixture
- A23P 30/20: Extruding
- B29C 48/05: Filamentary, e.g. strands
- B29C 48/09: Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
- B29C 48/345: Extrusion nozzles comprising two or more adjacently arranged ports, for simultaneously extruding multiple strands, e.g. for pelletising
- B29C 48/395: using screws surrounded by a cooperating barrel, e.g. single screw extruders
- B29C 48/53: having a varying channel depth, e.g. varying the diameter of the longitudinal screw trunk
- B29C 48/872: {characterised by differential heating or cooling}
- B29C 48/875: for achieving a non-uniform temperature distribution, e.g. using barrels having both cooling and heating zones
- B29C 48/90: with calibration or sizing, i.e. combined with fixing or setting of the final dimensions of the extruded article
- B29C 48/911: {Cooling}
- B29C 48/92: Measuring, controlling or regulating
- F26B 5/14: by applying pressure, e.g. wringing; by brushing; by wiping
- F26B 17/20: the axis of rotation being horizontal or slightly inclined
- A23P 10/20: Agglomerating; Granulating; Tabletting
- B29C 48/04: Particle-shaped (making granules B29B9/00)
- B29C 48/06: Rod-shaped
- B29C 48/32: with annular openings, e.g. for forming tubular articles
- B29C 48/402: {the screws having intermeshing parts}
- B29C 48/904: {using dry calibration, i.e. no quenching tank, e.g. with water spray for cooling or lubrication}
- B29C 48/9135: {of flat articles, e.g. using specially adapted supporting means}
- B29C 48/919: {using a bath, e.g. extruding into an open bath to coagulate or cool the material}
- B29C 2948/92: Measuring, controlling or regulating
- B29C 2948/92019: Pressure
- B29C 2948/92209: Temperature
- B29C 2948/92428: Calibration, after-treatment, or cooling zone
- B29C 2948/9259: Angular velocity
- B29C 2948/926: Flow or feed rate
- B29C 2948/92638: Length
- B29C 2948/92704: Temperature
- B29C 2948/92923: Calibration, after-treatment or cooling zone
- A23N: MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS (machines for cutting straw or fodder A01F29/00; disintegrating, e.g. shredding, B02C; severing, e.g. cutting, splitting, slicing B26B, B26D)
- A23K: FODDER
- A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27)

## Abstract

A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material according to various embodiment can include a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated and moving the treated material through a series of successive treatment zones. Rotatable screws are provided within an extruder to compress and transport the treated material a die. The treated material is pressed through the die while a two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for producing a high density compact livestock feed from a loose granular material, comprising:
a source for supplying a loose granular material to be treated;
a controller in communications with a plurality of sensors for monitoring temperature of at least one zone as the treated material moves through a series of successive treatment zones;
an extruder comprising an elongated housing having an inlet end and a discharge end, the inlet end in communication with the source and to receive the loose granular material to be treated and to compress the treated material within the extruder, wherein the extruder includes:
rotatable screws provided within the housing and extending between the inlet end and the discharge end for compressing and transporting the treated material, the screws configured to apply an increasing compressive force to the treated material as the screws rotate and move the treated material longitudinally along the screws;
at least one drive coupled to the screws for axially rotating the screws;
at least one heater disposed along a portion of the housing for heating the treated material moving along the screws to a first predetermined temperature which causes at least one of an oil and a liquid to boil within the treated material and changes physical properties of the treated material into a modulus state;
at least one treatment zone provided within the extruder, wherein the at one treatment zone comprises at least one non-heating zone provided in the housing such that no heating is applied to the treated material; and
a die located at tips of the screws at the discharge end of the extruder for creating a substantial pressure for compacting the treated material, wherein the die includes:
a chamber having a through hole which extends longitudinally through the chamber and provides a restricted passageway for compressing the treated material, the through hole includes an inlet orifice for receiving the treated material from the discharge end of the extruder and an outlet orifice for discharging the treated material, pressing the treated material in the modulus state longitudinally through the restricted passageway by applying a two-dimensional cross-section compression which includes a pressure applied in a direction traverse to a direction of transport and a pressure applied in a direction parallel to the direction of transport, the two-dimensional cross-section compression is applied to the treated material such that liquids in the treated material migrates to its outer surface upon reaching the outlet orifice.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the high density compact body is shaped to form at least one of a pellet, a cube and a tub.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein, in the chamber, the pressure applied in the traverse direction onto the treated material is substantially equal to the pressure applied in the parallel direction.