Composition, system and method for pellet or flake production

Abstract

An additive for use in pelletizing or flaking a feedstock is disclosed. The additive may comprise about 25-80% by weight glycerin and about 20-75% by weight reverse osmosis water. A method is also disclosed, including disposing feedstock in a conditioning chamber, injecting the additive to lubricate the feedstock, and pelletizing the feedstock. The additive may also be used in flaking.

Claims

1. A system for pelletizing or flaking a feedstock, the system comprising: a lubricant comprising about 25-80% by weight glycerin; between about 0.1% and 4% by weight wheat grass rice solution; and about 20-75% by weight water, wherein the water has been subjected to reverse osmosis to remove minerals; a conditioning chamber; a stream line in communication with the conditioning chamber to heat the feedstock within the conditioning chamber; and a lubricant injection system in communication with the steam line to introduce the lubricant into the feedstock within the conditioning chamber in an amount of about one ounce to about four ounces of lubricant per ton of the feedstock.

2. The system of claim 1, the lubricant comprising fruit juice in an amount between about 0.1% and 4% by weight of the lubricant, and wherein the water has been subjected to reverse osmosis at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the fruit juice is fruit juice concentrate in an amount between about 0.1% and 2% by weight of the lubricant.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the fruit juice comprises at least one of orange juice, apple juice and pomegranate juice.

5. The system of claim 1, the lubricant comprising between about 0.1% and 5% by weight sugar cane extract.

6. The system of claim 1, the lubricant comprising between about 0.1% and 2% by weight organic vinegar.

7. The system of claim 1, the lubricant further comprising about 0.05 to about 0.1 percent by weight guar gum.

8. The system of claim 1, the lubricant further comprising about 0.1 to about 0.2 percent by weight Arabic gum.

9. The system of claim 1, the lubricant further comprising about 0.15 to about 0.25 percent by weight aloe vera powder.

10. A system for use in pelletizing or flaking a feedstock, the system comprising: a lubricant, the lubricant comprising about 25-80% by weight glycerin; between about 0.1% and 4% by weight wheat grass rice solution; and about 20-75% by weight water, wherein the water has been subjected to reverse osmosis to remove minerals; a conditioning chamber in communication with a steam line, the lubricant introduceable into the steam line in an amount of about 1 ounce to about 3 ounces of lubricant per ton of the feedstock.

11. The system of claim 10, the lubricant further comprising about 0.05 to about 0.1 percent by weight guar gum.

12. The system of claim 10, the lubricant further comprising about 0.1 to about 0.2 percent by weight Arabic gum.

13. The system of claim 10, the lubricant further comprising about 0.15 to about 0.25 percent by weight aloe vera powder.

14. A method for pelletizing a feedstock, the method comprising: mixing about 20-75% by weight reverse osmosis water with about 25-80% by weight glycerin, wherein the water has been subjected to reverse osmosis at at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and adding between 0.00001 and 0.001 percent by weight organic wheat grass rice solution to form a lubricant; and adding about 1 ounce to about 3 ounces of the lubricant per ton of the feedstock to a steam line in communication with a conditioning chamber.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises adding between 0.0001 and 0.01 percent by weight gum to the lubricant.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises adding between 0.1% and 4% by weight fruit juice to the lubricant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Various embodiments and aspects of the present disclosure are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of a pelletizing system formed in accordance with principles of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of a lubricant injection system which may be used to inject lubricant in accordance with the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 show a fragmented, close-up view of the quill used to entrain the lubricant mixture in the steam system;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a flow chart showing a representative example of the method of making a pellet in accordance with the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a flaking system formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of a representative example of the method of making flakes in accordance with the present invention.

(8) It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the present disclosure in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of different aspects of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not all configurations or embodiments described herein or covered by the appended claims will include all of the aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures.

(10) Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “one configuration,” “an embodiment,” or “a configuration” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment, etc. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places may not necessarily limit the inclusion of a particular element of the invention to a single embodiment, rather the element may be included in other or all embodiments discussed herein.

(11) Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details may be provided, such as examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may be used, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments discussed in the disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

(12) Before the present invention is disclosed and described in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular structures, process steps, or materials discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinarily skill in the relevant art. More specifically, the invention is defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be understood that terminology contained herein is used for the purpose of describing particular aspects of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or embodiments shown unless expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the discussion of any particular aspect of the invention is not to be understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be present apart from an express inclusion of that aspect in the claims.

(13) It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, singular forms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a die” may include an embodiment having one or more of such dies, and reference to “the dryer” may include reference to one or more of such dryers.

(14) As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to function as indicated. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context, such that enclosing the nearly all of the length of a lumen would be substantially enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the lumen had a slit or channel formed along a portion thereof. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, structure which is “substantially free of” a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it completely lacked a bottom.

(15) As used herein, the term “generally” refers to something that has characteristics of a quality without being exactly that quality. For example, a structure said to be generally vertical would be at least as vertical as horizontal, i.e. would extend 45 degrees or greater above horizontal. Likewise, something said to be generally circular may be rounded like an oval but need not have a consistent diameter in every direction.

(16) As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.

(17) As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member.

(18) Concentrations, amounts, proportions and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value as a minimum or a maximum. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics being described.

(19) As used herein, “feedstock” means any material which may be formed into pellets or flakes, including but not limited feed, biomass, fertilizer, wood, manure, woodchips, combustibles, etc.

(20) Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a diagram of a pelletizing system, generally indicated at 4, formed in accordance with principles of the present invention. It will be appreciated that the embodiment described is typical for some types of pelletizing systems, but that other systems will lack some of the components described and may have additional components not described. Unless otherwise indicated, the present invention is not tied to a particular formation of the pelletizing system.

(21) The pelletizing system 4 may include a hopper 8 for receiving the feedstock for the pellets. It will be appreciated that as used herein feedstock references the ingredients used to make a pellet, and not simply feed materials for animal. Thus, feedstock can include manure for fertilizer pellets, woodchips and other combustibles for wood pellets and virtually any other material used in making a pellet.

(22) Once the feedstock has been placed and mixed to any desired extent in the hopper 8, the feedstock may be passed by a conveyer 10 to a conditioning chamber 12. Depending on the ingredients being used, the conveyer can be a traditional conveyer belt, a screw conveyer, or simply a slide which conveys the feedstock to the conditioning chamber.

(23) The conditioning chamber 12 mixes the ingredients together. This is typically done under heat to make the feedstock more able to bind together and form a pellet which is capable of enduring vibration and impact as it is transported to the point of use. To this end a steam line 14 may be disposed in communication with the conditioning chamber 12 in order to heat the feed stock while it is being mixed. The steam injected into the conditioning chamber 12 may be formed in a steam generator 16. However, because putting moist steam into the conditioning chamber is likely to result in wet feedstock which may not stick together well and may have too high of a moisture content, a plurality of water traps 18 may be placed along the steam line to remove excess moisture from the steam.

(24) In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a lubricant may be injected into the feedstock being mixed in the conditioning chamber 12. This is typically done by a container of the lubricant 20 being attached to a pump 22. The pump 22 passes the lubricant through tubing 24 into a dispenser 26 (such as a quill) disposed in the feed line. While ordinarily putting liquid into the steam line 14 would be viewed as a negative due to the potential to cause the feedstock to clump or get overly moist, it has been found that adding between 0.5 and 6 ounces of the lubricant per ton of feedstock can significantly improve the pelletizing process. It is believed that a currently ideal amount of lubricant for softer materials, such as animal feed and fertilizer is between about 0.5 and 2 ounces per ton, with about 1 ounce being the presently preferred amount. For harder materials such as wood chips, it is believed that a range of 1-4 ounces per ton, with the presently preferred range being about 2 to 4 ounces per ton.

(25) The lubricant is carried by the feedstock as it passes out of the conditioning chamber 12 and through a conveyer 28 (if used) that carries the feedstock to the pelletizer 30. In the pelletizer 30 the feedstock is forcefully driven into a die (not shown in FIG. 1) having hundreds to thousands of holes. The feedstock in the holes is forcefully compressed to form pellets and then ejected from the holes. The warm, moist pellets may then be carried by a conveyer 32 or gravity to a cooler/shaker 34 where the pellets are cooled and dried until the moisture content is within desired ranges. Adjustments can be made along the steam line 14 to help ensure that the moisture is within desired ranges.

(26) In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that the lubricant tends to bond with the surface of the dies used to make the pellets and prevent the feedstock material from sticking to the dies in the pelletizer 30. This has several significant benefits. First, the lubricant bonding to the dies substantially reduces friction. This makes the pelletizer much quieter (a significant advantage as many pelletizers are so loud as to create a risk to hearing of those operating them) and reduces the amperage draw of the machine. In other words, the amount of energy used per ton of pellets is significantly reduced, thereby saving money. Within 15 minutes of adding the lubricant to the feed stock, there has been a drop in the amperage draw of up to 40 percent. In other words, the pelletizer 30 is able to form the pellets while doing less work because of the decreased friction. This saves motor life and results in a substantial savings in electricity.

(27) The reduced friction due to the lubricant bonding to the dies and other parts of the pelletizer is also significant because it enables the pelletizer to be run at a higher rate of speed without increasing the risk of the pelletized feedstock becoming jammed with the feedstock being made into pellets. Because the risk of the pelletizer getting jammed, pellet making systems are often run at substantially below their rated tonnage. For example, a 15 ton per house pelletizer is often run at 3-4 tons per hour to ensure that the pelletized does not get clogged. When using the lubricant of the present invention, however, it has been found that the same machine can operate at least 50 percent faster and often 100 percent faster without increasing the risk of the pelletized feedstock becoming jammed. By increasing the output per machine by 50 to 100 percent, the company making the pellets can substantially reduce their equipment costs. Moreover, early tests suggest that due to the reduced friction between the dies and the pellets, the dies will likely last longer, further increasing savings.

(28) The single biggest benefit to the use of the lubricant, however, is that the system can be run at high temperatures. For example, many pelletizing systems are run with the feedstock being heated to about 135-145 degrees Fahrenheit. Beyond that temperature the feedstock tends to get sticky and is more likely to gum up the pelletizer. With the addition of the lubricant discussed below, it has been found that a system that ordinarily is heated to less than 145 degrees can be heated to approximately 180 degrees Fahrenheit without clogging the pelletizing machine.

(29) Running the feedstock at 200 degrees or more has several benefits. First, at 200 degrees the feed stock becomes stickier. The feedstock bonds together better when pelletized. It has been found that simply increasing the temperature to 180 degrees provides a significant improvement in the PDI of the pellets. For example, on one test system, pellets run at 145 degrees had a PDI of 70, while pellets made from the same materials at 180 degrees had a PDI 92. While ordinarily the stickier feedstock would clog the machine, it has been found that the lubricant bonding to the die inhibits clogging at the higher temperature.

(30) Another advantage of running the feedstock at higher temperatures is that in feed pellets it has been found that the heat helps bring out the sugars or glucose in the feed. The feed pellets produced at higher temperatures had higher glucose readings. By using feed with higher glucose, animals grow more quickly and are ready for harvest at an earlier date. For example, in order to mature to a certain desired weight, one breed of chickens normally requires 45 days. Eating pellets made from the same material, but run at the higher temperatures discussed above, allowed the chickens to reach the desired weight in 43 days. A reduction of approximately 4.4 percent, amounting to a substantial profit increase.

(31) Finally, it has been found that heating the feed stock to about 180 and above degrees reduces, and in some cases eliminates, the need for mold inhibitors to be added to the feedstock to ensure that the pellets do not mold before being fed to the animals.

(32) Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown a diagram of the lubricant injection system. The lubricant may be contained in a container 20 and may be drawn through a line 40 into the pump 22. The pump 22 may include controls 42 for controlling the rate at which the lubricant is added. It may also include a volume indicator 44 for displaying the amount of lubricant which has been injected over a period of time.

(33) FIG. 3 show a fragmented, partial close-up view of a representative example of the dispenser 26 that may be placed along the steam line 14. The dispenser 26 may include a quill 27 which is disposed along the steam line. The quill dispenses a small quantity of the additive into the steam line 14 calculated so that about 0.5-6 oz. of additive is added per ton of feedstock being processed. More preferably, 1-2 oz. of additive is added depending on the material being pelletized. Remarkably it has been found that such a small amount can sufficiently lubricate the dies to process the feedstock at higher temperatures, with faster throughput and with less sticking of feedstock to the dies. This reduced energy consumption, increases productivity and results in pellets have a better PDI.

(34) The quill 27 has an open face 27a through which the additive is dispensed into the steam line 14. The face 27a is faced down stream so that the incoming steam does not inhibit release of the additive. It will be appreciated that the passing steam can essentially atomize the additive to promote distribution throughout the feedstock.

(35) FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a representative example of the method of making a pellet in accordance with the present invention. The pelletizing process may be commenced in a conventional manner. For example, when preparing feed pellets the process may commence by mixing the feed in the hopper 8 and then using the conveyer 10 to move the feedstock into the conditioning chamber 12. While the feedstock is being mixed in the conditioning chamber, it is heated to between about 130 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit (most commonly between about 135 and 145 degrees) as indicated at 100.

(36) Once the feedstock reaches the target temperature range for normal pellet formation, the additive pump may be turned on to start injecting additive into the steam line as indicated at 102. This may occur after some pellets have been formed, or may commence just before pelletizing occurs.

(37) The pelletizing process may commence and run for a period of time and then the temperature of the feedstock is increased to a higher than normal temperature, as indicated at 104 by injecting more steam. This may be done simply by waiting a predetermined amount time that is expected that enough additive has been applied to the working surfaces of the pelletizer or, as indicated at optional step 106, the temperature increase can be done in response to an amperage drop in the pelletizing machine—indicating that the additive is coating the die and reducing friction.

(38) The additive is continually added while increasing the temperature to a desired range, such as 175 to 225 degrees, as indicated at 108. It will be appreciated that the amount of additive may start out at a rate less than the optimal rate to prevent excess moisture while the die and other working parts of the pelletizer are coated with the additive. Once these parts are adequately coated (as indicated by the passage of time or by amperage drop in the pelletizer as indicated at 110), the amount of additive can be increased, thereby allowing additional temperature increases in the feedstock by increasing steam introduction from the steam line.

(39) Additionally, as the temperature increases and the additive is added at its desired rate, the speed of the feed auger can be increased as indicated at optional step 112. In experiments it has been found that instead of the amperage increasing with temperature common in conventional penalizing, once the full dose of additive is being added, the amperage will actually fall or remain steady as the temperature increases. Thus, it has been found that approximately 30 percent more pellets can be produced with the same or lower electricity consumption at the higher temperature. Noise is also reduced and throughput can be increased from 30% to 100%.

(40) Multiple different formulations of the additive of the present invention may be made depending on the desired use. For example, one formula used for making a closeup (mineral) pellet is:

(41) Closeup pellet (mineral Pellet) (by weight) may be made with:

(42) about 20-35% by weight glycerin

(43) about 0.1-3% by weight pomegranate rice solution (organic)

(44) about 0.005-0.01% by weight organic pulp free orange juice concentrate

(45) about 0.1-2% by weight aloe rice solutions (organic)—1%

(46) about 0.001-0.005% by weight arabic gum, and

(47) about 63-78% by weight water.

(48) A currently preferred composition for closeup pellets is:

(49) about 24% by weight glycerin (vegetable based)

(50) about 1% by weight pomegranate rice solution (organic)

(51) about 0.0073% by weight organic pulp free orange concentrate

(52) about 1% by weight aloe rice solutions (organic)—1%

(53) about 0.002% by weight arabic gum

(54) about 73.9907% by weight water (Reverse Osmosis at 100 degrees)

(55) Despite the abrasive nature of pellets and the difficulty in getting mineral pellets to bind, the above-referenced formula improved throughput and reduced noise while using relatively low amounts of glycerine and gum. The data in Example 7 below indicate the results for forming mineral pellets using 1 oz. of the above additive formula per pound of stockfeed (stockfeed is J. D. Heiskell mineral pellet, proprietary formula), compared to the additive known in the art. Notably, PDI of the formed pellets using the current formula is 96 after 90 minutes, while PDI using the additive known in the art is only 89 after 90 minutes.

(56) The formulation of protein pellets also creates challenges and can cause considerable friction on the pelletizing equipment. A representative formula for making protein pellets includes:

(57) about 52-65% by weight glycerin

(58) about 0.001-0.01% by weight guar gum

(59) about 0.001-0.01% by weight organic pulp free orange concentrate

(60) about 0.001-0.01% by weight organic apple juice concentrate

(61) about 0.1-4% by weight organic sugar cane extract

(62) about 33-46% by weight water

(63) A presently preferred composition for making protein pellets is:

(64) about 57% by weight glycerin (vegetable based)

(65) about 0.006% by weight guar gum

(66) about 0.0073% by weight organic pulp free orange concentrate

(67) about 0.0073% by weight organic apple juice concentrate

(68) about 2% by weight organic sugar cane extract

(69) about 40.979% by weight water (Reverse Osmosis at 100 degrees)

(70) Pellets for making feed for hogs and chickens often includes a high corn content and a large amount of soybean meal. For example, pellets are commonly made with about 50-65% by weight corn and 15-30% by weight soybean meal. Other seeds or fillers are often included. A formula for making hog and chicken feed pellets may include:

(71) about 30-45% by weight glycerin

(72) about 0.0001-0.01% by weight arabic gum

(73) about 0.0001-0.0010% by weight organic apple cider vinegar

(74) about 0.1-2% by weight organic sugar cane extract

(75) about 0.1-2% by weight organic aloe rice solution

(76) about 0.001-0.01% by weight organic pulp free orange concentrate

(77) about 0.0001-0.001% by weight organic wheatgrass rice solution

(78) about 0.0001-0.001% by weight organic pomegranate rice solution

(79) about 53%-67% by weight water.

(80) A currently preferred formulation used for making hog and chicken feed includes:

(81) about 30-45% by weight glycerin (vegetable based)

(82) about 0.001% by weight arabic gum

(83) about 00045% by weight organic apple cider vinegar

(84) about 1% by weight organic sugar cane extract

(85) about 1% by weight organic aloe rice solution

(86) about 0.00730% by weight organic pulp free orange concentrate

(87) about 0.0004% by weight organic wheatgrass rice solution

(88) about 00045% by weight organic pomegranate rice solution

(89) about 62.98635% Reverse Osmosis Water heated to 100 degrees F.

(90) The addition of the organic sugar cane extract and orange juice concentrate provides a pellet with flavor which is well received by the animals and which had a high PDI, while at the same time using approximately 1/14.sup.th or less of the amount of gum identified in Save Our Earth's application.

(91) In contrast to chickens and pigs, horses typically eat pellets in which alfalfa, or grasses such as Bermuda or Timothy grass are major ingredients. Common ranges for alfalfa are 25-100%, Bermuda grass 20-50% and Timothy grass 20-50%. A formulation for making horse pellets may include:

(92) about 30-50% by weight water

(93) about 0.0001-0.001% by weight organic apple cider vinegar

(94) about 0.1-2% by weight organic apple juice concentrate

(95) about 0.1-2% by weight organic sugar cane extract

(96) about 0.1-2% by weight organic pomegranate rice solution

(97) about 0.0001-0.001% by weight organic wheat grass rice solution

(98) about 0.00001-0.001% by weight Arabic Gum

(99) about 0.0001-0.001% by weight Guar Gum

(100) about 1% by weight organic aloe rice solution

(101) about 46-65% glycerin

(102) As with the hog and chicken feed, the formulation of the present invention allows substantially less gum while maintaining a high PDI for the resulting pellets. A presently preferred formulation for making horse pellets is:

(103) about 40% by weight water (Reverse Osmosis heated to 100 degrees F.)

(104) about 0.0009% by weight organic apple cider vinegar

(105) about 1% by weight organic apple juice concentrate

(106) about 1% by weight organic sugar cane extract

(107) about 1% by weight organic pomegranate rice solution

(108) about 0.00045% by weight organic wheat grass rice solution

(109) about 0.0001% by weight Arabic gum

(110) about 0.0003% by weight guar gum

(111) about 1% Organic Aloe Rice Solution

(112) about 55.998% glycerin (vegetable based)

(113) The formulation for pellets for broiler, turkeys and ducks also differs from that commonly used for hogs and chickens. A formulation for making pellets for broilers, turkeys and ducks may include:

(114) 45-60% by weight glycerin

(115) 0.1-2% by weight vinegar

(116) 0.1-4% by weight sugar cane extract

(117) 0.1-2% by weight pomegranate rice solution

(118) 0.1-2% by weight wheat grass rice solution

(119) 0.1-1% by weight aloe rice solution

(120) 34.5-50% by weight water

(121) A presently preferred formulation for use during the making of pellets for broilers, turkeys and ducks includes:

(122) 50% by weight glycerin (vegetable based)

(123) 1% by weight vinegar

(124) 2% by weight sugar cane extract

(125) 1% by weight pomegranate rice solution

(126) 1% by weight wheat grass rice solution

(127) 0.5% by weight aloe rice solution

(128) 44.5% by weight water (reverse osmosis at 100 degrees)

(129) The feed pellets so make have a high PDI without requiring any gum. Additionally, the sugar cane extract helps to elevate the sugar levels which can increase the speed at which the birds reach the desired harvest weight.

(130) While feed pellets are an important part of the pellet industry, wood pellets have become increasingly important as attempts are made to move away from coal and other non-renewable resources. While burning of wood gives off carbon dioxide, the growth of trees consumes carbon dioxide. Thus, it is believed that burning wood has a less detrimental effect on the environment. Moreover, it has been found that wood pellets can increase the BTUs given off while decreasing pollutants.

(131) A formulation for making would pellets may include:

(132) about 25-35% by weight water

(133) about 0.1-10% by weight polysaccharide brewex polysaccharide brewex is an organic, modified starch and generally considered a waste production of beer, the polysaccharide brewex used in these formulas was acquired from Reade Int'l Corp., 4894 Sparks Blvd., Ste. 107, Sparks, Nev. 89436).
about 0.1-2% by weight lignosulfonates
about 2-10% by weight sugar cane extract
about 1-4% by weight wheat grass rice solution
about 55.5-65.5% by weight glycerin

(134) It will be appreciated that pelletizing wood presents many unique challenges.

(135) For example, many wood pellet mills do not heat the wood shavings prior to pelletizing. This creates substantial friction and sound to the point where some mills are so loud that the walls literally shake and carrying on a conversation is next to impossible. Moreover, many mills will run at a fraction of the throughput (often 10-20%) for which the pelletizer is rated because of the friction and vibration.

(136) A currently preferred formation for use in pelletizing wood products includes:

(137) about 30% by weight water (reverse osmosis at 100 degrees F.)

(138) about 2% by weight polysaccharide brewex (acquired from Reade Int'l Corp., 4894 Sparks Blvd., Ste. 107, Sparks, Nev. 89436).

(139) about 0.5% by weight lignosulfonates

(140) about 5% by weight sugar cane extract

(141) about 2% by weight wheat grass rice solution

(142) about 60.5% by weight glycerin

(143) Samples of wood pellets made using the additive formula in the preceding paragraph show a gain in BTUs (British Thermal Units) of approximately 10-25%. The throughput on the pelletizing machines have been increased 10-60% percent depending on the conditioning process and the noise created by the machines was reduced by 30-35% on average.

(144) The use of the additive with wood pelletizing will depend on the configuration of the pelletizing equipment. For those facilities which lack steam injection into the conditioning chamber (often called a hog) where the wood shavings/grindings are further pounded, the additive can be added into the conditioning chamber. It has been found that the manipulation of the wood in the hog helps the additive to penetrate the exterior layer of the wood and act as a lubricant. When no conditioning chamber is used, the additive may be simply sprayed on the wood chips/shavings.

(145) One advantage of many of the formulations discussed above is that they are sufficiently organic that the pellets made using the additive are considered organic so long as the feed stock does not include non-organic material. This improves the marketability of the pellets over other systems which result in pellets which cannot be certified as organic.

(146) FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a flaking system, generally indicated at 120, formed in accordance with principles of the present invention. The flaking system includes may include a hopper 122 for holding corn or some other grain and a conveyer 124 for moving the product into a chest 126 which holds and heats the product. A water induction system 128 may also be included to adjusting the moisture content of the product in the chest.

(147) The flaking system 120 may also include a steam generator 130. The steam generator 130 may be connected to a steam line 134 which is connected to a plurality of valves 136 for introducing steam into the chest 126. Disposed along the steam line 134 is an additive pump 140 which is connected to an additive reservoir by a feed line 144. The additive pump 140 is connected by to the steam line 134 by an additive feed line 148.

(148) When the product in the chest is heated to a desired temperature, the product is passed through a plurality of rollers 150 which mash the product into flakes. The flakes are deposited on a conveyer 154 and taken to a dryer to get the flakes to a desired moisture content prior to packaging.

(149) Many crops have been genetically modified or hybridized to resist pests and various environmental conditions, such as drought. For example, many types of corn now include a waxy coating which inhibit insect infestations. This coating, however, tends to stick to the rollers 150 and can clog up the system. In an attempt to prevent such sticking, the water supply 128 in many current systems uses an acidic additive added thereto to help break down the coating while the feedstock is being heated. The presence of the acid water, however, can have detrimental effects on the rollers 150, the valves in the chest 126, and other components.

(150) In the present invention, the additive is added to the steam line 134 while the feedstock is being heated. In addition to helping address waxy coatings, etc., it has been found that the additive of the present invention allows the feedstock to be processed at a higher temperature. For example, corn is usually heated to 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit and then run through the rollers. Higher temperatures have been problematic because the corn wills stick to the rollers 150 and clog up the system. In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that corn can be run between 205 and 230 degrees, with the additive decreasing sticking to the rollers to acceptable levels. It is anticipated that the system will also last longer, as the components are not being subjected to acidic water during the process.

(151) Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown a diagram of the process, generally indicated at 204, of making flakes. The feedstock (which may be corn, rice or any other plan material which is to be flaked) is fed into the chest, as indicated at 208. Steam is injected into the chest to heat the feed stock, as indicated at 212. In accordance with the present invention, the steam includes an additive. The additive is preferably added to the steam just prior to injection and after any water traps placed along the steam line.

(152) Water may be added if needed to the feedstock to achieve a desired moisture content for mashing the feedstock through the rollers, as indicated at 216. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the feedstock can be heated to a temperature which is 5% to 40% higher than the normal temperature at which the feed stock is passed through the rollers. Thus, for example, corn can be heated to between 205 to 230 degrees, as indicated at 220, prior to being passed through the rollers, while conventional processing heated the corn to 175 to 180 degrees to minimize sticking of the corn to the rollers.

(153) The feedstock is then passed through the rollers or other mashing device, as indicated at 224, and then passed to a dryer, as indicated at 228, for drying to a desired moisture content.

EXAMPLES

(154) The following are examples of formulations made in accordance with the present invention compared to a control in which the material was processed (either feedstock formed into pellets or corn flaked) in three ways for comparison: (1) using the prior art additive from Save Our Earth (acquired from Save Our Earth Solutions, LLC, 17443 Energy Ln, Dallas, Tex. 75252-6188); (2) using the present disclosure's additive formula; and (3) without the addition of an additive as a control. Once the conditioning chamber was heated to a conventional temperature for processing the pellets consistent with the control group, the Save our Earth additive and the additive of the present invention where introduced until the amperage on the pelletizing equipment began to decrease. The heat in the conditioning chamber was then gradually increased until the amperage draw on the pelletizing equipment plateaued. The temperature in the pelletizing equipment was then held steady as long as the amperage remained consistent.

(155) For each example according to the prior art method, approximately 3 ounces of the Save Our Earth additive was added per ton of feedstock. Additional amounts were required (up to 6 ounces) because it was found the Save Our Earth additive was more dilute compared to the additive of the present disclosure.

(156) For each example according to the present disclosure, approximately 1 ounce of the present disclosure's additive was added per ton of feedstock. For each example, the following specific formula of the present disclosure (referred to below as the “Global Earth Solutions” formula) was used to make a 275 gallon (total weight of about 2,548.7 pounds) batch of additive:

(157) 110 gallons glycerin (about 1158.3 pounds)

(158) 2 lbs Guar Gum

(159) 4 lbs Arabic Gum

(160) 5 lbs aloe vera powder

(161) Remainder: Heated Reverse Osmosis Water (about 1,379.4 pounds)

Example 1—Wood Pellets

(162) The wood used as feedstock for wood pellets is generally a mix of soft woods like pine and hardwoods such as oak, fir and alder. The mix will vary depending on the location of the mill and the woods available. Softer wood pellets are generally used for bedding and the hardwoods are used for burning. The amount of SOES used was 6 ounces per ton of wood feedstock.

(163) The amount of additive used was 2 ounces per ton of feedstock for the Global Earth Solutions additive.

(164) TABLE-US-00001 Trial 1, Mixed Wood Feedstock. ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions - SOES Run Time of Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in Product (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) tons/hr.) 15 125 F. 152 2.2 30 130 F. 144 3 45 130 F. 144 3 60 130 F. 144 3 75 130 F. 144 3 90 130 F. 144 3 PDI (after 88 90 mins): Run Time of Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in Product (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 135 148 2.8 30 148 140 3.4 45 158 125 4 60 164 122 4.8 75 164 122 4.8 90 164 122 4.8 PDI (after 95 90 mins): ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 110 158 2 30 110 158 2 45 110 158 2 60 110 158 2 75 110 158 2 90 110 158 2 PDI (after 87 90 mins):

(165) TABLE-US-00002 Trial 2, Mixed Wood Feedstock. Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) (in tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions - SOES 15 135 150 4.2 30 140 149 4.2 45 145 147 4.3 60 145 147 4.3 PDI (after 90 mins): 87 ADDITIVE: Global Earth 15 140 144 4.8 30 148 140 5.1 45 158 138 5.4 60 160 133 5.5 PDI (after 90 mins): 95 Additive: No Additive 15 120 155 3.5 PDI (after 90 mins): 91

(166) The formula in accordance with the present disclosure was a substantial improvement over the control and the Save our Earth Additive.

Example 2—Protein Pellets

(167) The following is a comparison of a protein feedstock being pelletized (the protein feedstock may vary depending on the brand and location of the mill, but generally a 1600 pound batch of protein pellet feedstock consists of 1200 pounds of millrun mill, 300 pounds of soybean mill, and a 100 pound mineral pack). For each trial, 3 ounces of Save Our Earth Solution's additive was used per 1 ton of feedstock, and 1 ounce of the current disclosures (“Global Earth Solutions”) was used per 1 ton of feedstock.

(168) TABLE-US-00003 Trial 1, Protein Pellet Feedstock. Run Time of Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in Product (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions - SOES 15 145 125 2.8 30 152 119 2.9 45 154 109 3 60 154 109 3 75 154 109 3 90 154 109 3 PDI (after 90 mins): 89 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 168 90 4.8 30 171 90 5.2 45 171 85 5.6 60 175 75 5.8 75 175 75 5.8 90 175 75 5.8 PDI (after 90 mins): 94 ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 145 110 3 30 145 110 3 45 145 110 3 60 145 110 3 75 145 110 3 90 145 110 3 PDI (after 90 mins): 87

(169) TABLE-US-00004 Trial 2, Protein Pellet Feedstock. Run Time of Energy Draw Throughput Product (in Mins) Operating Temperature (in amps) (in tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 145 152 3.1 30 150 150 3.3 45 155 150 3.3 60 160 150 3.3 75 160 150 3.3 90 160 150 3.3 PDI (after 90 mins): 88 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 155 142 3.9 30 165 135 4.8 45 175 120 5.4 60 185 115 6.1 75 185 115 6.1 90 185 115 6.1 PDI (after 90 mins): 94 Additive: No Additive 15 145 152 3.1 30 145 152 3.1 45 145 152 3.1 60 145 152 3.1 75 145 152 3.1 90 145 152 3.1 PDI (after 90 mins): 91

(170) TABLE-US-00005 Trial 3, Protein Pellet Feedstock. Run Time of Operating Energy Draw Throughput Product (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) (in tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 140 152 3.1 30 145 150 3.3 45 150 150 3.3 60 155 148 3.4 75 155 148 3.4 90 155 148 3.4 PDI (after 90 mins): 89 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 155 142 4.1 30 160 133 5.1 45 168 128 5.4 60 175 121 5.8 75 175 121 5.8 90 175 121 5.8 PDI (after 90 mins): 94 ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 140 152 3.1 30 140 152 3.1 45 140 152 3.1 60 140 152 3.1 75 140 152 3.1 90 140 152 3.1 PDI (after 90 mins): 89

(171) TABLE-US-00006 Trial 4, Protein Pellet Feedstock Run Time of Operating Energy Draw Throughput Product (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) (in tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions - SOES 15 145 152 3.1 30 150 150 3.3 45 155 150 3.3 60 160 150 3.3 75 160 150 3.3 90 160 150 3.3 PDI (after 90 mins): 88 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 155 142 3.9 30 165 135 4.8 45 175 120 5.4 60 185 115 6.1 75 185 115 6.1 90 185 115 6.1 PDI (after 90 mins): 94 PRODUCT: No Product 15 145 152 3.1 30 145 152 3.1 45 145 152 3.1 60 145 152 3.1 75 145 152 3.1 90 145 152 3.1 PDI (after 90 mins): 86

Example 4—Flaking Corn

(172) The following is a comparison between a currently available additive, the additive of the present invention, and no additive in a flaking process. The feedstock used was corn for each of the trials. Approximately 3 ounces of the Save Our Earth Solutions was added per ton of corn feedstock, and approximately 1 ounce of the formula according to the present invention (Global Earth Solutions) was added per ton of feedstock.

(173) TABLE-US-00007 Trial 1, Flaking Corn Feedstock. Run Time of Operating Energy Draw Throughput Product (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) (in tons/hr.) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions - SOES 15 190 151 4.8 30 195 150 4.9 45 195 150 4.9 60 195 150 4.9 75 195 150 4.9 90 195 150 4.9 Glucose Content 925 (after 90 mins): ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 200 144 5.5 30 205 140 5.7 45 210 135 6.2 60 215 134 6.6 75 215 134 6.6 90 215 134 6.6 Glucose Content 1035 (after 90 mins): ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 190 151 4.8 30 190 151 4.8 45 190 151 4.8 60 190 151 4.8 75 190 151 4.8 90 190 151 4.8 Glucose Content 965 (after 90 mins):

(174) TABLE-US-00008 Trial 2, Flaking Corn Feedstock. Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw (in Throughput (in (in Mins) Temperature amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions - SOES 15 195 155 4.9 30 200 155 5 45 205 150 5.4 60 205 150 5.4 75 210 148 5.6 90 215 148 5.6 Glucose Content (after No data 90 mins): ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 200 150 5 30 215 145 5.6 45 210 140 5.8 60 222 138 6.5 75 224 135 7 90 224 135 7.5 Glucose Content (after 1038 90 mins): PRODUCT: No Product 15 200 155 4.9 30 200 155 4.9 45 200 155 4.9 60 200 155 4.9 75 200 155 4.9 90 200 155 4.9 Glucose Content (after No data 90 mins):

(175) TABLE-US-00009 Trial 3, Flaking Corn Feedstock. Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 190 151 4.8 30 195 150 4.9 45 195 150 4.9 60 195 150 4.9 75 195 150 4.9 90 195 150 4.9 Glucose Content (after 910 90 mins): ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 200 144 5.5 30 205 140 5.7 45 210 135 6.2 60 215 134 6.6 75 215 134 6.6 90 215 134 6.6 Glucose Content (after 1035 90 mins): ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 190 151 4.8 30 190 151 4.8 45 190 151 4.8 60 190 151 4.8 Glucose Content (after No Data 90 mins):

(176) TABLE-US-00010 Trial 4, Flaking Corn Feedstock. Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 195 155 4.9 30 200 155 5 45 205 150 5.4 60 205 150 5.4 75 210 148 5.6 90 215 148 5.6 Glucose Content (after 895 90 mins): ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 200 150 5 30 215 145 5.6 45 210 140 5.8 60 222 138 6.5 75 224 135 7 90 224 135 7.5 Glucose Content (after 1038 90 mins): ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 200 155 4.9 30 200 155 4.9 45 200 155 4.9 60 200 155 4.9 75 200 155 4.9 90 200 155 4.9 Glucose Content (after 920 90 mins):

(177) TABLE-US-00011 Trial 5, Flaking Corn Feedstock. Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw Throughput (in (in Mins) Temperature (in amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 185 158 5 30 190 155 5.3 45 195 155 5.3 60 200 152 5.8 75 200 150 5.8 90 200 150 5.9 Glucose Content (after 891 90 mins): ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 190 155 5 30 195 148 5.6 45 205 140 5.8 60 215 138 6.6 75 218 130 6.9 90 218 130 7 Glucose Content (after 1010 90 mins): ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 195 155 5 30 195 155 5 45 195 155 5 60 195 155 5 75 195 155 5 90 195 155 5 Glucose Content (after 890 90 mins):

(178) TABLE-US-00012 Trial 6, Flaking Corn Feedstock. Run Time of Energy Draw Throughput (in Product (in Mins) Operating Temperature (in amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 185 135 4 30 188 134 4 45 190 132 4.1 60 190 132 4.1 75 190 132 4.1 90 190 132 4.1 Glucose Content 842 (after 90 mins): ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 190 130 5 30 199 125 5.5 45 205 120 6.1 60 210 117 6.4 75 210 117 6.4 90 210 117 6.4 Glucose Content 1005 (after 90 mins):

Example 5—Chicken Manure

(179) The following is a comparison between a currently available additive, the additive of the present invention, and no additive used in pelletizing chicken manure. The feedstock used was chicken manure (organic). Approximately 6 ounces of the Save Our Earth Solutions was added per ton of chicken manure feedstock, and approximately 2 ounces of the formula according to the present invention (Global Earth Solutions) was added per ton of chicken manure feedstock.

(180) TABLE-US-00013 Trial 1, Chicken Manure Feedstock. Run Time of Energy Draw Throughput Product (in Mins) Operating Temperature (in amps) (in tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 145 175 9 30 155 170 9.8 45 165 166 10.2 60 170 164 10.2 75 175 161 10.2 90 175 161 10.2 Glucose Content (after 90 mins): PDI (after 90 mins): 91 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 160 155 10 30 175 145 12 45 185 135 15 60 75 90 PDI (after 90 mins): 96 PRODUCT: No Product 15 145 170 9 30 145 170 9 45 145 170 9 60 145 170 9 75 145 170 9 90 145 170 9 PDI (after 90 mins): 90

(181) TABLE-US-00014 Trial 2, Chicken Manure Feedstock. Run Time of Energy Draw Throughput Product (in Mins) Operating Temperature (in amps) (in tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 175 200 2.5 30 180 200 2.9 45 185 198 2.9 60 188 196 3 75 189 196 3 90 191 195 3.2 PDI (after 90 mins): 86 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 190 205 4 30 195 200 4.4 45 200 195 4.5 60 210 191 4.9 75 215 190 5.5 90 215 185 6 PDI (after 90 mins): 94.1 ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 195 185 4 30 195 185 4 45 195 185 4 60 195 185 4 75 195 185 4 90 195 185 4 PDI (after 90 mins): 89

Example 6—Hay/Alfalfa Pellets

(182) The following is a comparison between a currently available additive, the additive of the present invention, and no additive used in pelletizing hay/alfalfa. The feedstock used depends on the location of the mill, but generally comprises alfalfa, timothy grass, and/or Bermuda grass. Approximately 4 ounces of the Save Our Earth Solutions was added per ton of chicken manure feedstock, and approximately 1 ounce of the formula according to the present invention (Global Earth Solutions) was added per ton of hay/alfalfa feedstock.

(183) TABLE-US-00015 Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw (in Throughput (in (in Mins) Temperature amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 155 180 3.8 30 160 176 4 45 163 170 4.2 60 168 170 4.2 75 170 168 4.3 90 170 168 4.3 PDI (after 90 mins): 88 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 170 160 4.4 30 180 155 4.6 45 185 150 5.5 60 187 141 6.2 75 187 141 6.2 90 187 141 6.2 PDI (after 90 mins): 95 ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 145 180 3.8 30 145 180 3.8 45 145 180 3.8 60 145 180 3.8 75 145 180 3.8 90 145 180 3.8 PDI (after 90 mins): 87

Example 7—Mineral Pellets

(184) The following is a comparison between a currently available additive, the additive of the present invention, and no additive used in forming a mineral pellet. The mineral blend used as feedstock for the mineral pellet depends on the location of the mill, and in the present case a proprietary feedstock from J. D. Heiskell (Colorado) was used. Approximately 3 ounces of the Save Our Earth Solutions was added per ton of mineral feedstock, and approximately 1 ounce of the formula according to the present invention (Global Earth Solutions) was added per ton of mineral feedstock.

(185) TABLE-US-00016 Trial 1. Mineral Pellets Run Time of Product Operating Energy Draw (in Throughput (in (in Mins) Temperature amps) tons) ADDITIVE: Save Our Earth Solutions 15 180 205 3.2 30 188 200 3.6 45 188 198 4 60 188 195 4 75 188 195 4 90 188 195 4 PDI (after 90 mins): 89 ADDITIVE: Global Earth Solutions 15 180 195 3.3 30 188 180 4.8 45 195 180 4.8 60 200 172 5.6 75 205 163 5.6 90 209 161 6.1 PDI (after 90 mins): 96 ADDITIVE: No Additive 15 175 205 2.2 30 180 195 2.8 45 180 195 2.8 60 180 195 2.8 75 180 195 2.8 90 180 195 2.8 PDI (after 90 mins): 86

(186) Thus there is disclosed an additive system and methods of using the same. It will be appreciated that numerous modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The appended claims are intended to cover such modifications.