Apparatus for making a molasses-based animal feed mass

An apparatus for making molasses-based animal feed supplement masses comprised of molasses and other animal feed supplements, said apparatus comprising:

• molasses storage means for storing liquid molasses, said storage means including a molasses outlet;
• preheater means for heating the molasses, said preheater means comprising an elongated first conduit in fluid communication with and for conveying molasses from said molasses storage means outlet, said preheater means further including a elongated second conduit for conveying a heat transfer medium, said second conduit extending longitudinally and internally of said first conduit, and means for heating said heat transfer medium in fluid communication with said second conduit;
• a molasses heater-aerator for further heating and aerating molasses, said heater-aerator including a molasses receptacle having a molasses inlet and outlet, said molasses inlet being in fluid communication with said first conduit, said heater-aerator further including heater means for heating molasses in said molasses receptacle and aerator means for injecting air into the molasses while the molasses is being heat in said receptacle;
• a second molasses heater for further heating the molasses, said second heater comprising a housing having a molasses inlet and outlet, said molasses inlet in said housing in fluid communication with said molasses outlet of said receptacle of said heater-aerator, said second heater further comprising second heating means for heating molasses in said housing, agitating means for agitating molasses being heated in said housing, air circulating means for circulating air through said housing, and drive means for driving said agitating means;
• molasses pump means for pumping molasses from said first conduit of said preheater, through said heater-aerator and through said second heater to said outlet of said housing;
• a molasses cooler and de-aerator for cooling and de-aerating the molasses, said cooler and de-aerator including a cooler housing, said cooler housing having a molasses inlet and outlet, said molasses inlet of said cooler housing in fluid communication with said molasses outlet of said second heater housing, said cooler and de-aerator further including second agitating means positioned in said cooled housing for separating portions of the molasses in said cooler housing from the remainder of the molasses in said cooler housing to de-aerate the molasses cooling means to cool said portions while separated from said remainder, drive means for driving said second agitating means;
• a mixer for mixing molasses with other feed supplements, said mixer including a mixer housing having a first inlet in fluid communication with said cooler housing outlet, a second inlet for directing other feed supplements to said mixer housing, and a mixture outlet for egress of molasses mixed with the other feed supplements, said mixer further including a screw-type auger rotatably positioned in said mixer housing, said screw-type auger including a helical ribbon of variable pitch for mixing the molasses and the other feed supplements and conveying the mixture from said mixer housing inlets to said mixer housing outlet, drive means for rotating said screw-type auger;
• and
• conveying means for conveying said mixture from said mixer housing outlet to a mixture containerizing station for placing the mixture in containers and forming the masses of molasses-based animal feed supplements.

In a heater for heating a molasses composition and removing at least a portion of the water content of the molasses, the heater comprising a receptacle for receiving molasses to be heated, said receptacle including longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, opposed walls for channeling the flow of the molasses therethrough, and a heater means including heat transfer medium conduit means positioned in said receptacle between said opposed walls;

• the improvement:
• (a) wherein said heater transfer medium conduit means includes a single conduit having a diameter substantially filling the transverse distance betweeen said opposed walls;
• (b) and further including air injection means for injecting air into the molasses while it is being heated by said heater;
• (c) said receptacle including first and second longitudinally extending receptacle sections in fluid communication with each other, each of said sections having longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, opposed walls, said heat transfer medium conduit means further comprising a plurality of connected conduits positioned in said first receptacle section and said single conduit being positioned in said second receptacle section and substantially filling the space between the opposed walls thereof.