Dry grind system and method with front end germ separation for producing one or more sugar streams

A method with front end germ separation for producing a sugar stream, comprising:

• mixing ground grain particles derived from a feedstock of grain and/or grain components with a liquid within a settling tank to produce a slurry that comprises starch, fiber, and germ particles;
• via weights, separating out lighter germ particles from the slurry in the settling tank to degerm the slurry and allowing heavier solids within the slurry to settle out within the settling tank;
• removing a defined amount of mass/volume of the settled solids from the settling tank to provide a heavier first portion followed by removing a defined amount of mass/volume of remaining settled solids from the settling tank to provide a lighter second portion;
• subjecting the heavier first portion to a first liquefaction and separately subjecting the lighter second portion to a second liquefaction to provide a first and a second liquefied starch solution, respectively, which include starch and fiber;
• and
• subjecting the first liquefied starch solution to a first saccharification and separately subjecting the second liquefied starch solution to a second saccharification to convert the starch to simple sugars in the first and second liquefied starch solutions thereby producing a first sugar stream and a second sugar stream.

A system with front end germ separation for producing a sugar stream, comprising:

• a settling tank within which ground grain particles derived from a feedstock of grain and/or grain components mix with a liquid to produce a slurry that comprises starch, fiber, and germ particles, the settling tank configured to separate out lighter germ particles, via weights, from the slurry to degerm the slurry, and in which heavier solids within the slurry settle out, the settling tank further configured to remove a heavier first portion of the settled solids followed by an optional lighter second portion of the settled solids from the settling tank;
• a liquefaction system that receives the heavier first portion and optionally the lighter second portion to provide a liquefied starch solution, which includes starch and fiber, and whereat the starch begins to convert to oligosaccharides;
• and
• a saccharification system that is situated after the liquefaction system and that receives the liquefied starch solution, the saccharification system converts the oligosaccharides to simple sugars thereby producing a sugar stream.