US 2017/0360064 A1 · GRAIN BULK DENSIFYING DIE APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

An apparatus and method for processing grain material to generate a consistently high densified grain with a desired length, shape and size. The densified grain processing apparatus comprises a die assembly, a cooling assembly and a break-off assembly. The method includes receiving the grain material by the die assembly and forcing the grain material through an extrusion passageway that evenly distributes the grain material into a plurality of orifices thereby producing a high density shaped grain before the grain material exits the die assembly. A coolant is pumped to a coolant passage by means of an at least one pump and cools the shaped grain by passing the shaped grain through at least one of the cooling tube inside a cooling chamber. The break-off assembly then breaks off a predetermined length of the shaped grain.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An animal feed product consisting essentially of grain material that has been extruded through a die, the animal feed product comprising:

a high density product having a final densified structure that is at least approximately thrice the density of grain material in raw loose form;
at least one of entrapped air and entrapped moisture is removed from the high density product without the addition of binders or fillers;
and
the final densified structure comprising a substantially fine free structure.

1 more element

An animal feed product produced by the process, comprising:

densifying grain material into a high density grain material by extruding the grain material through a die under pressure, wherein the die comprises a die head including a relief surface provided therein;
preventing the pressure applied to the grain material in the die from being transferred downstream of the relief surface so as to maintain the pressure upstream of the die head, wherein upstream and downstream being defined by a direction of travel of the grain material being extruded;
and
removing heat from the high density grain material to produce a final product comprising:
a high density product having a final densified structure that is at least approximately thrice the density of the grain material in raw loose form;
at least one of entrapped air and entrapped moisture is removed from the high density product without the addition of binders or fillers;
and
the final densified structure comprising a substantially fine free structure.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Grain bulk densifying die apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Grain bulk densifying die apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20