Method of extracting chitin from the shells of exoskeletal animals
OwnerJames Wooten, Norman S. Singerinventors
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Abstract
Chitin is extracted from the shells of exoskeletal animals such as crab, shrimp, crayfish, and lobster, by a primarily physical process comprising the step of cutting the shells in a wet state to approximately uniform particles. The resultant mass is then diluted and mixed to form a pumpable slurry. The slurry is separated to remove most unwanted materials, after which the particle size of the concentrated chitinous residue is further reduced. The once-washed, finely-cut chitinous slurry is again separated, resulting in a chitin end product.
Claims26
A mechanical purification method of extracting chitin by removing contaminant material without the use of chemicals from non-dried shells of exoskeletal animals, the shells having a moisture content of greater than 70%, comprising the steps of:
- a. shear force cutting said shells to produce a first mass of cut shell particles having an average particle size of about 800 microns or less;
- b. diluting and mixing said first mass of cut shell particles with water to create a first pumpable slurry having a moisture content of over 85 percent;
- and
- c. separating by de-watering said diluted first mass of cut shell particles from said first pumpable slurry to produce a first chitin extract created by the washing away of contaminant material from the diluted first mass of cut shell particles during the separating process.
A mechanical purification process for extracting chitin by removing contaminant material without the use of chemicals from non-dried shells of exoskeletal animals, the shells having a moisture content of greater than 70%, comprising the steps of:
- shear force cutting said shells to produce a first mass of cut shell particles having an average particle size of about 800 microns or less;
- washing said first mass of cut shell particles with water by diluting and mixing said first mass of cut shell particles with said water to form a slurry having a moisture content of over 85 percent;
- and
- de-watering said formed slurry to produce a de-watered first chitin extract created by the washing away of contaminant material during the de-watering step.
A mechanical purification process for extracting chitin by removing contaminant material without the use of chemicals from non-dried shells of exoskeletal animals, the shells having a moisture content of greater than 70%, comprising the steps of:
- shear force cutting said shells to produce a mass of cut shell particles having an average particle size of about 800 micron or less;
- washing said mass of cut shell particles with water by diluting and mixing said mass of cut shell particles to form a first slurry having a moisture content of over 85 percent, and processing said first slurry such that a majority of the contaminant material is separated from the mass of cut shell particles, wherein the washed and separated mass of cut shell particles comprise a first chitin extract;
- reducing the average particle size of the washed mass of cut shell particles by shear force cutting said washed mass of cut shell particles to produce a second mass of cut shell particles having an average particle size of about 70 microns or less;
- and
- washing said second mass of cut shell particles with water by diluting and mixing said second mass of cut shell particles with said water to form a second slurry and processing said second slurry such that a majority of other contaminant material is separated from the second mass of cut shell particles,
- wherein the washed and separated second mass of cut shell particles comprise a second chitin extract, which is purer than the first chitin extract.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.