Method for hydrolyzing keratinaceous material

The method of continuously hydrolyzing keratinaceous material comprising continuously delivering generally untreated such material to a vessel, heating the material within the laden vessel without a build-up of pressure to a temperature not exceeding approximately 212.degree. F., violently agitating by beating the keratinaceous material in the said vessel through the rotation of agitating means of between about 350 to 1,000 rpm, continuing the violent agitation and beating of the said material for a length of time required to beat the material to render it sufficiently wilted and to a flowable and pumpable consistency, continuously pumping the now flowable fluidized material from the said vessel and into a second vessel that is pressurized for hydrolization, heating the fluidized material while in the said second vessel to a temperature of between about 250.degree. F. to 365.degree. F. and for a length of time to generate vaporization and incident pressure therein up to between about 15 to 150 psig, agitating the material in the second vessel for a period of time until hydrolyzation occurs, and then continuously pumping the hydrolyzed material from the said second vessel for eventual drying.

The method of continuous hydrolyzing keratinaceous material comprising continuously delivering generally untreated such material to a vessel, heating the material within the laden vessel without a build-up of pressure to a temperature not exceeding 212.degree. F., violently agitating by beating the keratinaceous material in the said vessel through the rotation of agitating means of between about 150 to 350 rpm, continuing the violent agitation and heating of the said material for a length of time required to beat the material to render it sufficiently wilted and to a flowable and pumpable consistency, continuously pumping the now flowable fluidized material from the said vessel and into a second vessel that is pressurized for hydrolization, heating the fluidized material while in the said second vessel to a temperature of between about 250.degree. F. to 365.degree. F. and for a length of time to generate vaporization and incident pressure therein up to between about 15 to 150 psig, agitating the material in the second veseel for a period of time until hydrolyzation occurs, and then continuously pumping the hydrolyzed material from the said second vessel for eventual drying.

The method of continuously hydrolyzing keratinaceous material comprising delivering generally untreated such material to a vessel, heating the material within the laden vessel without a build-up of pressure to a temperature not exceeding approximately 212.degree. F., violently agitating by beating the keratinaceous material in the said vessel through rotation of its agitating means to between about 100 to 1,000 rpm, continuing the violent agitation and heating of the said material for a length of time required to beat the material to render it sufficiently wilted and to a flowable and pumpable consistency, continuously pumping the now flowable material from said vessel and into a second vessel that is pressurized for hydrolyzation, heating the material while in the said second vessel to a temperature of between about 250.degree. F. to 365.degree. F. and for a length of time to generate vaporization and incident pressure therein up to between about 15 to 150 psig, violently agitating by beating the keratinaceous material in the said second vessel through the rotation of agitating means to between about 100 to 1000 rpm until hydrolyzation occurs, and continuously pumping the now hydrolyzed feathers from the said second vessel while gradually providing for the simultaneous release of some of its generated pressure.