System and method for starch separation and dry fracturing with fiber wash

A starch separation system for an ethanol plant, which system comprises:

• a dry fractionization system configured for receiving corn from the ethanol plant and fractionating the corn into components including corn oil, corn fiber, corn grits, corn, endosperm flour and germ cake;
• said ethanol plant configured for mixing said corn endosperm flour with water for conversion to sugar;
• said ethanol plant configured for feeding said corn grits to a hammer mill and combining with said corn endosperm flour for conversion to sugar;
• said ethanol plant configured for converting said sugar to ethanol;
• a fiber blender configured for combining said corn fiber and said germ cake with recycled beer bottoms from the ethanol plant, and an amylase enzyme from the ethanol plant and a fiber center eight to produce a blended fiber;
• a fiber slurry tank configured for receiving said blended fiber;
• a steam jet configured for receiving fiber slurry from the fiber slurry tank for mixing with steam to produce heated fiber slurry;
• a refiner configured for receiving said he did fiber slurry and exposing same to a high shear force for shredding the fiber and exposing starch embedded in the fiber components;
• said refiner configured for producing refined fiber;
• a fiber liquefaction tank configured for receiving said refined fiber and converting starch contained therein to water-soluble dextrins for producing a converted fiber stream;
• a fiber wash system configured for receiving said converted fiber stream and producing fiber wash water for input to the ethanol plant;
• said fiber wash system including fiber decanters configured for providing fiber centrate for combining with said fiber wash water;
• said fiber wash system configured for receiving a portion of the fiber centrate from the fiber decanters for combining with the fiber stream and process water to produce fiber wash water for input to the ethanol plant;
• said fiber decanters configured for producing fiber wet cake at approximately 35-40% wt solids for input to the ethanol plant for further processing;
• said dry fractionation system configured for recycling said fiber centrate and sending portions to the fiber blender and the fiber wash system;
• said fiber wash system washes soluble sugar and small particle size protein off of the converted fiber for producing washed fiber and fiber wash water;
• said fiber wash water laden with sugar and protein;
• said system configured for recovering said sugar and protein for increased process efficiency;
• said fiber wash system including:
• multiple fiber wash filters;
• said system being configured for flowing said fiber wash water counter current of fiber passing through said fiber wash system;
• and
• said system configured for combining said fiber wash with process water from the ethanol plant to produce said fiber wash water for input to the ethanol plant.

A method of separating starch in an ethanol plant comprising the steps of:

• receiving corn from the ethanol plant in a dry fractionization system;
• fractionating the corn into components including corn oil, corn fiber, corn grits, corn, endosperm flour and germ cake;
• mixing said corn endosperm flour with water for conversion to sugar;
• feeding said corn grits to a hammermill;
• combining said corn grits with said corn endosperm flour for conversion to sugar;
• converting said sugar to ethanol;
• producing a blended fiber by combining said corn fiber and said germ cake with recycled beer bottoms from the ethanol plant in a fiber blender;
• blending in said fiber blender an amylase enzyme from the ethanol plant and a fiber centrate;
• receiving said blended fiber in a fiber slurry tank;
• receiving fiber slurry from said fiber slurry tank and steam-heating said fiber slurry with a steam jet;
• receiving said fiber slurry in a refiner;
• exposing said fiber slurry to a high shear force in a refiner;
• shredding the fiber and exposing starch embedded in the fiber components in said refiner and producing refined fiber;
• receiving said refined fiber in a fiber liquefaction tank and converting starch contained therein to water-soluble dextrins for producing a converted fiber stream;
• and
• receiving in said fiber wash system said converted fiber stream and producing fiber wash water for input to the ethanol plant.