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US 8,991,301 B2Granted
Device for softening grain
AssigneeBuehler AG
InventorsBernardus Van Dieren, Gerardus Toonen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for steeping barley having a container for containing the barley to be steeped. The container has a floor and the floor has passageways for flowing at least one of steeping water and gases through the passageways. The device further includes a water line system under the floor directly connected to the passageways.
Claims27
A device for steeping barley, comprising:
- a steeping container structured and arranged for steeping barley having a container floor structured and arranged for supporting the barley;
- passageways formed in the container floor that are structured and arranged for passing at least steeping water;
- and
- a water line system located outside of the steeping container and under the container floor being directly connected to the passageways in the container floor,
- wherein the water line system is structured to directly discharge water from the steeping container through the passageways in the container floor, and wherein the water line system is structured to supply water to the steeping container through the passageways, and
- wherein the passageways are provided with sieve material to prevent barley grains from passing through the passageway;
- a CO2 line system located under the container bottom floor being connected directly to the passageways for removing CO2 from the container, wherein the CO2 line system comprises:
- shared CO2 line elements;
- and
- CO2 branch line elements arranged to couple the passageways to the shared CO2 line elements;
- a CO2 main line element, wherein the shared CO2 line elements are connected to the CO2 main line element;
- the water line system further comprises:
- shared water line elements;
- and
- water branch line elements arranged to a couple the passageways to the shared water line elements;
- and
- common shared line elements formed a least in part by the shared water line elements and the shared CO2 line elements.
14 more elements
A method for steeping barley, comprising:
- at least one of:
- passing water through passageways formed in a steeping container floor of a steeping container, the steeping container floor being structured and arranged to support barley during steeping, and
- passing gas through the passageways formed in the container floor,
- wherein a water and gas supply line system is located outside of the container and under the container floor is directly connected to the passageways formed in the steeping container floor,
- wherein the water is directly discharged from the steeping container through the passageways in the steeping container floor,
- wherein the water is directly supplied to the steeping container through the passageways during steeping,
- wherein the passageways are provided with the sieve material to prevent barely grains from passing through the passageway;
- and
- wherein the water and gas supply line system includes:
- a CO2 line system located under the container bottom floor that is connected directly to the passageways for removing CO2 from the container, the CO2 line system comprising shared CO2 line elements and CO2 branch line elements arranged to couple the passageways to the shared CO2 line elements;
- a CO2 main line element to which the shared CO2 line elements are connected;
- shared water line elements;
- water branch line elements arranged to couple the passageways to the shared water line elements;
- and
- common shared line elements formed at least in part by the shared water line elements and the shared CO2 line elements.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.