The present invention relates generally to corn dry-milling, and more specifically, to methods for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct produced in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol and a system therefore. In one embodiment, a method for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct includes, in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol, separating the whole stillage byproduct into an insoluble solids portion and a thin stillage portion. The thin stillage portion is separated into a protein portion and a water soluble solids portion. Next, the protein portion is dewatered then dried to define a high protein corn meal that includes at least 40 wt % protein on a dry basis.

The present invention relates generally to corn dry-milling, and more specifically, to methods for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct produced in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol and a system therefore. In one embodiment, a method for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct includes, in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol, separating the whole stillage byproduct into an insoluble solids portion and a thin stillage portion. The thin stillage portion is separated into a protein portion and a water soluble solids portion. Next, the protein portion is dewatered then dried to define a high protein corn meal that includes at least 40 wt % protein on a dry basis.

The present invention relates to a method of dewatering post fermentation fluids in a starch to ethanol process. More particularly the invention relates to use of a nuclease enzyme for separation of whole stillage into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction. In a specific embodiment the present invention relates to a method of dewatering whole stillage comprising the steps of: i) subjecting whole stillage to one or more nuclease enzymes; ii) separating the material into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction.

The present invention relates to a method of dewatering post fermentation fluids in a starch to ethanol process. More particularly the invention relates to use of a nuclease enzyme for separation of whole stillage into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction. In a specific embodiment the present invention relates to a method of dewatering whole stillage comprising the steps of: i) subjecting whole stillage to one or more nuclease enzymes; ii) separating the material into an insoluble fraction and a supernatant fraction.

In a method of greasing a decanter centrifuge, each beating of the decanter centrifuge is located in a bearing housing and at least one bearing housing has a grease flow meter. The grease flow meter is connected to a control unit. The method includes generating a greasing operation when the operating time of the decanter centrifuge is equal to or exceeds a specific time interval between greasing operations. The greasing operation includes generating a start signal in the control unit, measuring an amount of grease injected into the bearing housing by using the flow meter, and generating a stop signal in the control unit when the amount of grease injected into the bearing housing is equal to or exceeds a specific amount of grease to be injected at each greasing operation.

A device for continuously separating flowable materials of different densities of a suspension includes: a drum that is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation, that is rotatable about the axis of rotation by a drum motor, and that surrounds a hollow space; a screw conveyor that is rotatably supported about the axis of rotation and is at least partially arranged in the hollow space and that is rotatable about the axis of rotation by a screw conveyor motor; an inflow pipe for supplying the suspension to the hollow space, wherein the drum has an outflow for the removal of a centrate acquired from the suspension from the hollow space; and the outflow section has a free jet section in which the centrate forms a free jet; and a measurement device by which the transmission and/or the reflection of the centrate in the free jet section can be contactlessly determined.

A device for continuously separating flowable materials of different densities of a suspension includes: a drum that is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation, that is rotatable about the axis of rotation by a drum motor, and that surrounds a hollow space; a screw conveyor that is rotatably supported about the axis of rotation and is at least partially arranged in the hollow space and that is rotatable about the axis of rotation by a screw conveyor motor; an inflow pipe for supplying the suspension to the hollow space, wherein the drum has an outflow for the removal of a centrate acquired from the suspension from the hollow space; and the outflow section has a free jet section in which the centrate forms a free jet; and a measurement device by which the transmission and/or the reflection of the centrate in the free jet section can be contactlessly determined.

A screen bowl decanter centrifuge comprises a horizontally rotatable bowl (10) within which a scroll conveyor (46, 60) is coaxially mounted for rotation at a slightly different speed for conveying solids, deposited by centrifugal action on the internal surface of the bowl, towards a solids discharge end of the bowl, the other end of the bowl having a liquids outlet (28). The bowl (10) has an imperforate frustoconical portion (18), which converges towards the solids discharge end and provides a sloping ramp up which solids are drawn by the conveyor out of the liquid pool contained in the bowl, and a perforate screen portion (20) downstream of the imperforate frustoconical portion (18) in the direction of solids discharge for assisting dewatering of the solids. The perforate screen portion (20) comprises a first portion (22) downstream of the imperforate frustoconical portion (18), inclined at a first angle with respect to the rotational axis (A-A) of the bowl, and a second, divergent portion (24), considered in the direction of solids discharge, downstream of the first portion (22) and inclined at a second angle with respect to the rotational axis of the bowl. The scroll conveyor (46, 60) is located adjacent to both the imperforate portion (18) and the perforate screen portion (20) of the bowl.

A screen bowl decanter centrifuge comprises a horizontally rotatable bowl (10) within which a scroll conveyor (46, 60) is coaxially mounted for rotation at a slightly different speed for conveying solids, deposited by centrifugal action on the internal surface of the bowl, towards a solids discharge end of the bowl, the other end of the bowl having a liquids outlet (28). The bowl (10) has an imperforate frustoconical portion (18), which converges towards the solids discharge end and provides a sloping ramp up which solids are drawn by the conveyor out of the liquid pool contained in the bowl, and a perforate screen portion (20) downstream of the imperforate frustoconical portion (18) in the direction of solids discharge for assisting dewatering of the solids. The perforate screen portion (20) comprises a first portion (22) downstream of the imperforate frustoconical portion (18), inclined at a first angle with respect to the rotational axis (A-A) of the bowl, and a second, divergent portion (24), considered in the direction of solids discharge, downstream of the first portion (22) and inclined at a second angle with respect to the rotational axis of the bowl. The scroll conveyor (46, 60) is located adjacent to both the imperforate portion (18) and the perforate screen portion (20) of the bowl.

The present invention relates generally to corn dry-milling, and more specifically, to methods for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct produced in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol and a system therefore. In one embodiment, a method for producing a high protein corn meal from a whole stillage byproduct includes, in a corn dry-milling process for making ethanol, separating the whole stillage byproduct into an insoluble solids portion and a thin stillage portion. The thin stillage portion is separated into a protein portion and a water soluble solids portion. Next, the protein portion is dewatered then dried to define a high protein corn meal that includes at least 40 wt % protein on a dry basis.