US 6,383,544 B1 · Method and apparatus for preparing mash in the production of animal feed pellets

Abstract

A method of preparing mash for extrusion into animal feed pellets is provided. The method includes conveying the mash along the length of a pre-conditioning chamber while injecting steam at a first temperature into the pre-conditioning chamber to heat and pre-condition the mash. The pre-conditioned mash is then transferred from the pre-conditioning chamber to a conditioning chamber and is conveyed along the length of the conditioning chamber while injecting steam at a second temperature into the conditioning chamber. In one embodiment, the steam injected into the conditioning chamber is superheated steam and the second temperature is higher than the first. In another embodiment, the steam injected into the pre-conditioning chamber is superheated steam and the first temperature is higher than the second. The mash is discharged from the conditioning chamber for delivery to a pellet mill for being extruded into feed pellets. The combination of residence time and temperatures within the pre-conditioning and conditioning chambers produces an animal feed of superior quality and nutritional value at reduced production costs.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method of preparing mash for the production of animal feed pellets comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing the mash into a pre-conditioning chamber;
(b) heating the mash to a first temperature within the pre-conditioning chamber;
(c) transferring the mash from the pre-conditioning chamber to a conditioning chamber;
(d) heating the mash to a second temperature within the conditioning chamber;
and
(e) transferring the mash from the conditioning chamber to a pellet mill for extrusion into feed pellets.

3 more elements

An apparatus for preparing mash for the production of animal feed pellets comprising:

an elongated pre-conditioning chamber having an upstream end and a downstream end and containing a conveyer mechanism for conveying mash from said upstream end of said pre-conditioning chamber toward said downstream end of said pre-conditioning chamber;
an inlet hopper at said upstream end of said pre-conditioning chamber for introducing raw mash into said pre-conditioning chamber;
an elongated conditioning chamber having an upstream end and a downstream end and containing a conveyor for conveying mash from said upstream end of said conditioning chamber toward said downstream end of said conditioning chamber;
a transfer conduit for transferring mash from said downstream end of said pre-conditioning chamber into said upstream end of said conditioning chamber;
a discharge chute at said downstream end of said conditioning chamber for discharging mash from said conditioning chamber for subsequent extrusion into pellets;
a first steam injector on said pre-conditioning chamber coupled to a source of steam for injecting steam at a first temperature into said pre-conditioning chamber;
a second steam injector on said conditioning chamber coupled to a source of steam for injecting steam at a second temperature into said conditioning chamber;
and
a steam superheater for superheating steam prior to its delivery to at least one of said steam injectors.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for preparing mash in the production of animal feed pellets

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for preparing mash in the production of animal feed pellets

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27