A process for producing a substantially dry product, according to various embodiments, may include receiving wet grain at a first screw The process includes receiving the wet grain at a second screw from the first screw. The process includes compressing the wet grain between the first screw and the second screw and dehydrating the wet grain when the wet grain is located within at least one zone of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain.

An adjustment assembly for adjusting a gap between a restrictor ring and an auger in an industrial food separator is provided. The adjustment assembly includes an electric motor and a mechanical assembly coupling the electric motor to the restrictor ring. The adjustment assembly is configured to translate rotation of a shaft of the electric motor into movement of the restrictor ring to change a width of the gap. A controller coupled to the electric motor. The controller having one or more processing devices, a memory coupled to the one or more processing devices, and storage media. The storage media has instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to send commands to the electric motor to move the restrictor ring to change a width of the gap.

A waste processing system and method for improving compaction and/or separating organics and liquids from waste material. An elongated extrusion screw and/or an adjustable compression gate may be provided to improve the compression of waste material. An improved extraction tube may also be provided to facilitate separation and removal of organics and other liquids from the compressed material. At least one sensor may be provided for sensing an increasing accumulation of waste material awaiting to be processed. An exemplary embodiment may also be adapted to add dry fraction to a waste load that is wet with organics or other liquids to improve compressibility. A system and method may also be adapted to automatically adjust to improve compression of the material and facilitate more efficient production.

A screw press for separating liquid from a solid-liquid mixture includes a casing having inlet and outlet sections, and a filter section there between. The filter section includes an axially extending stack of coplanar filtration plates defining a core passage for receiving a screw configured to convey the solid-liquid mixture from the inlet section to the outlet section while compressing and dewatering the solid-liquid mixture by forcing at least part of the liquid content of the mixture to be expelled out of the casing through inter-plate gaps defined between each pair of adjacent filtration plates. The filtration plates are fixed relative to one another and clamped in direct intimate face-to-face contact by a clamping assembly operable for applying a predetermined axially clamping pressure substantially uniformly about the core passage. The inter-plate gaps are controlled by the surface roughness of the plates and the clamping pressure.

A system 400 for obtaining a substance from a commodity has a first apparatus 420 with first 422 and second 424 openings, a device 426 for moving the commodity through the first apparatus, and at least one blade 428 for shearing the commodity. The at least one blade 428 is positioned between the first opening 422 and the second opening 424. A second apparatus 440 has a first opening 442 and a second opening 444, with the first opening 442 being fluidly connected to the second opening 424 of the first apparatus 420. The second apparatus 440 includes a device 446 for moving the sheared commodity from the second apparatus first opening 442 to the second opening 444. A third apparatus 460 obtains the substance from the sheared commodity, including a separator 460 having a first opening 462 fluidly connected to the second opening 444 of the second apparatus 440.

A method for removing liquid from a slurry includes: (i) feeding the slurry into the inlet of a press; (ii) removing liquid from the slurry as the slurry advances through a deliquifying section of the press, thereby producing a pressate stream; (iii) forming a plug of material as the slurry is advanced through a plug formation section of the press; (iv) advancing the plug of material to a discharge section of the press; and (v) removing additional liquid from the plug of material by operating the press so that the pressure in the discharge section of the press is greater than the pressure of the pressate stream by at least 2 psi. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling discharge consistency from a press, without provision of discharge restrictors, by varying the pressure differential between a discharge section of the press and a pressate stream.

The method includes the following steps: (i) feeding a slurry into the inlet of a press; (ii) removing liquid from the slurry as the slurry advances through a deliquefying section of the press, thereby producing a pressate stream; (iii) forming a plug of material as the slurry is advanced through a plug formation section of the press; (iv) advancing the plug of material to a discharge section of the press; and (v) removing additional liquid from the plug of material by operating the press so that the pressure in the discharge section of the press is greater than the pressure of the pressate stream by at least 2 psi. There is also described a method for controlling discharge consistency from a press, without provision of discharge restrictors, by varying a pressure differential between a discharge section of the press and a pressate stream.

A device according to various embodiments for preparing wet grain can include at least a first screw configured to receive wet grain. A second screw receives the wet grain from the first screw. At least one of a compressing element and a dehydrating element is included with at least one of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain.

A feeding arrangement comprising a transportation means (3) for transportation of material from a material supply to at least a first chute (7) and a second chute (8), a plug screw feeder (11) for feeding the material to the treatment stage. The plug screw feeder (11) is provided with a first inlet opening (12) connected to the first chute (7), which first chute (7) is provided between the transportation means (3) and the plug screw feeder (11). Further, the transportation means (3) comprises at least selectively openable first and second outlets (4, 5) arranged at different axial positions along the transportation means (2), which first outlet (4) is in connection with the first chute (7) and the second outlet (5) is in connection with the second chute (8).

A low speed seed oil expeller press with the capability of extracting oil through a new seed compression design that eliminates the need for filtration, and maintains the captured seed oil at a temperature below 130 degrees F. It has a seed preheating capability and controls the pressure and extraction oil temperature by adjustments of the expeller speed, the head volume and the size of the pressed seed exit orifice in the thorn. The seed oil expeller press eliminates seed rotation within the head volume so as to eliminate crushing, grinding or tearing of the seed by a symmetrical knived press head. The seed oil expeller press regulates seed temperature, seed feed rate, seed pressure, seed rotation and extracted seed oil temperature so as to compensate for the seed size, seed hardness and seed oil content.