High thermal transfer, hollow core extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) include 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) may also be of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192). Structure (88, 90) is provided for delivery of heat exchange media (e.g., steam) into the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192) and the hollow fighting (132, 134, 194). The fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) also includes a forward, reverse pitch section (64, 162, 216). The extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) are designed to be used as complemental pairs as a part of twin screw processing devices (20), and are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the devices (20), without adding additional moisture.

High thermal transfer, hollow core extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) include 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) may also be of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192). Structure (88, 90) is provided for delivery of heat exchange media (e.g., steam) into the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192) and the hollow fighting (132, 134, 194). The fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) also includes a forward, reverse pitch section (64, 162, 216). The extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) are designed to be used as complemental pairs as a part of twin screw processing devices (20), and are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the devices (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 flighting (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.

Continuous compounding systems include a feeding section and a compounding section. Method for compounding or mixing solid matter and liquid matter include providing a continuous compounding system, adding matter to the continuous compounding system, and mixing or compounding the matter.

A device for processing oil or gas well waste solids, the device including a pressurizing discharge unit having a casing. The casing includes a solids inlet and a water inlet. The solids inlet receives treated solids into a front end of the casing, where the treated solids are exposed to a reduced pressure in an internal chamber of the casing of less than atmospheric pressure. The water inlet receives water and adds the water to the treated solids in the internal chamber. The casing includes an extruder screw unit, the extruder screw unit having progressive screw sections located inside the internal chamber and corresponding to conveying mixing and pressurizing screw sections. The conveying screw section conveys the treated solids along a long axis length of the extruder screw unit from the solids inlet towards a discharge end of the casing while the reduced pressure is maintained, the mixing screw section mixes the treated solids and the water together to form a paste, and the pressurizing screw section conveys the paste towards the discharge end and generates, in a portion of the casing downstream from the mixing screw section, a backpressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. The casing includes a die assembly to extrude the paste through an orifice of the die assembly located at the discharge end while maintaining the backpressure on the paste in the internal chamber. Method and system embodiments for processing oil or gas well waste solids are also disclosed.

A device for processing oil or gas well waste solids, the device including a pressurizing discharge unit having a casing. The casing includes a solids inlet and a water inlet. The solids inlet receives treated solids into a front end of the casing, where the treated solids are exposed to a reduced pressure in an internal chamber of the casing of less than atmospheric pressure. The water inlet receives water and adds the water to the treated solids in the internal chamber. The casing includes an extruder screw unit, the extruder screw unit having progressive screw sections located inside the internal chamber and corresponding to conveying mixing and pressurizing screw sections. The conveying screw section conveys the treated solids along a long axis length of the extruder screw unit from the solids inlet towards a discharge end of the casing while the reduced pressure is maintained, the mixing screw section mixes the treated solids and the water together to form a paste, and the pressurizing screw section conveys the paste towards the discharge end and generates, in a portion of the casing downstream from the mixing screw section, a backpressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. The casing includes a die assembly to extrude the paste through an orifice of the die assembly located at the discharge end while maintaining the backpressure on the paste in the internal chamber. Method and system embodiments for processing oil or gas well waste solids are also disclosed.

High thermal transfer, hollow core extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) include 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) may also be of hollow construction which communicates with the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192). Structure (88, 90) is provided for delivery of heat exchange media (e.g., steam) into the hollow core shafts (54, 128, 130, 192) and the hollow fighting (132, 134, 194). The fighting (56, 132, 134, 194) also includes a forward, reverse pitch section (64, 162, 216). The extrusion screws (50, 52, 124, 126, 190) are designed to be used as complemental pairs as a part of twin screw processing devices (20), and are designed to impart high levels of thermal energy into materials being processed in the devices (20), without adding additional moisture.

The invention relates to a rotary shaft for processing foodstuffs, the rotary shaft has a rotation axis and the rotary shaft comprises at least one tool which extends along the rotation axis. The tool has an airfoil profile such that the tool comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. Further, the tool comprises at least one fluid channel between the mean camber line of the airfoil profile and the upper surface of the tool.

Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for converting a sheet into a continuous strip, wherein the sheet has a sequence of cuts extending in a cutting direction transversely across the sheet with respect to the longitudinal direction to form a plurality of interconnected sheet sections, wherein the continuous strip has zig-zag sections, wherein the sheet sections are arranged to be pulled apart in a feeding direction to form the zig-zag sections, wherein the apparatus includes a separator device with a retaining device for retaining an upstream sheet section with respect to a consecutive downstream sheet section in the feeding direction and a sensor device for detecting the pulling apart of the downstream sheet section from the upstream sheet section.

The disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for the production of cheese. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for making pasta filata cheese. In one embodiment, a continuous cooker stretcher is used for the production of pasta filata cheese.