A fluid acceleration system includes a housing, a rotational element, a conduit assembly, and a driver. The housing defines an inlet, an outlet, and an interior chamber configured to receive a fluid. The rotational element is disposed within the interior chamber. The rotational element includes a central support and a plurality of blades coupled to the central support. The central support extends between an upper wall and a lower wall of the housing. The conduit assembly is positioned external to the housing. The conduit assembly connects the outlet to the inlet. The driver is positioned to drive the rotational element to accelerate the fluid within the interior chamber such that a portion of the fluid flows out of the outlet, through the conduit assembly, and back into the interior chamber through the inlet.

A fluid acceleration system includes a housing, a rotational element, a conduit assembly, and a driver. The housing defines an inlet, an outlet, and an interior chamber configured to receive a fluid. The rotational element is disposed within the interior chamber. The rotational element includes a central support and a plurality of blades coupled to the central support. The central support extends between an upper wall and a lower wall of the housing. The conduit assembly is positioned external to the housing. The conduit assembly connects the outlet to the inlet. The driver is positioned to drive the rotational element to accelerate the fluid within the interior chamber such that a portion of the fluid flows out of the outlet, through the conduit assembly, and back into the interior chamber through the inlet.

Apparatus and methods for food production including a food preconditioner (228) operable to heat and partially pre-cook food ingredients, and a twin screw extruder (20) operable to further cook the preconditioned ingredients to create final food products. The extruder (20) includes a pair of hollow core extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) having elongated hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192) equipped with helical fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) along the lengths thereof. The fighting (132, 134, 194) is also of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192). The fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) also includes forward, reverse pitch sections (64, 162, 216). The extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the extruders (20), without adding additional moisture.

Apparatus and methods for food production including a food preconditioner (228) operable to heat and partially pre-cook food ingredients, and a twin screw extruder (20) operable to further cook the preconditioned ingredients to create final food products. The extruder (20) includes a pair of hollow core extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) having elongated hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192) equipped with helical fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) along the lengths thereof. The fighting (132, 134, 194) is also of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192). The fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) also includes forward, reverse pitch sections (64, 162, 216). The extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the extruders (20), without adding additional moisture.