PROCESS FOR SEPARATION OF DRY FOOD AND FEED MATERIALS USING A TRIBO-ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATOR DEVICE

Abstract

A tribo-electro static separation process and system for the preparation of various food and feed products. A tribo-electric separation process and system for fractionating a feed mixture comprising at least two members of the group of proteins, starches, soluble and insoluble fibers. Namely, supplying a feed mixture comprising at least two of the group of proteins, starches, soluble and insoluble fibers to a tribo-electric separator and simultaneously charging and separating the feed mixture into at least two subfractions, with one of the subfractions enriched in one of protein, starch and fiber and having a composition different than the feed mixture.

Claims

1. A process for fractionating a feed mixture having a moisture content greater than 0% and comprising protein and at least one of starches, soluble fibers and insoluble fibers using a single step, continuous tribo-electrostatic separation process, comprising: a. supplying said feed mixture to a tribo-electric separator, said feed mixture comprising pulses, legumes, oilseeds, oilseed meal, fish meal, bone meal, or meat and bone meal (MBM); and simultaneously charging and separating said feed mixture into at least two subfractions, with one of the subfractions enriched in one of protein, starch and fiber and having a composition different than the feed mixture.

2. The process described in claim 1, wherein the feed stream comprises at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of: proteins, gluten, starches, soluble fibers, and insoluble fibers.

3. (canceled)

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the feed mixture has a protein content of at least about 35% dry matter (DM) basis.

5. (canceled)

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the protein level of one of the sub-fractions is enriched to be anywhere in the range of 25% to 46.5% DM, or 30-48% DM, or 52-62% DM, or 60-71.5% DM, or 55%-80% DM.

7-9. (canceled)

10. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the protein level of one of the subfractions is enriched by at least a relative change of 5% DM.

11-15. (canceled)

16. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed mixture can be processed at a rate of anywhere in a range of 1000 to 20,000 kg per hour per meter of electrode width.

17-33. (canceled)

34. The process of claim 1, wherein there is an adjustment of feed moisture prior to separation by one of drying or wetting.

35. (canceled)

36. The process of claim 1, wherein the voltage applied can be anywhere in range between 3 kV and 20 kV, preferably between 10 and 16 kV.

37. (canceled)

38. The process of claim 1, wherein the gap between electrodes is continuously adjustable and can be varied anywhere in a range between 0.5 to 2.5 cm, preferably between 0.9 to 1.7 cm.

39. (canceled)

40. The process of claim 1, wherein the feed mixture comprises pulses (or legumes) including any of peas, lima beans, fava beans, lupin beans, and garbanzo beans.

41. The process of claim 1, wherein the feed mixture comprises oilseeds and meals resulting after removal of the oil for raw oilseed, including any of soybean, canola, rapeseed, sunflower, mustard, sesame, flaxseed, safflower, corn germ, and peanut.

42-53. (canceled)

54. A tribo-electric belt separation system, comprising: a source of a feed stream, wherein the feed stream comprises pulses, legumes, oilseeds, oilseed meal, fish meal, bone meal, or meat and bone meal (MBM); and a single-step, continuous tribo-electric belt-type separator, the tribo-electric belt-type separator comprising: a feed inlet in fluid communication with the source of the feed stream; a first electrode and a second electrode configured to provide an electric field between the first and second electrodes; at least one first roller disposed at a first end of the separator; at least one second roller disposed at a second end of the separator; a continuous belt disposed between the first and second electrodes and supported by the at least one first roller and the at least one second roller; a first product stream outlet; and a second product stream outlet.

55. The tribo-electric belt separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the feed stream comprises at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of: proteins, gluten, starches, soluble fibers, and insoluble fibers.

56-57. (canceled)

58. The tribo-electric belt separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the feed stream comprises pulses or legumes including any of peas, lima beans, fava beans, lupin beans, and garbanzo beans.

59. The tribo-electric belt separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the feed stream comprises oilseeds and/or meals resulting after removal of the oil for raw oilseed, including any of soybean, canola, rapeseed, sunflower, mustard, sesame, flaxseed, safflower, corn germ, and peanut.

60. The tribo-electric belt separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the feed comprises bovine bone meal, gel bone lights, or fish meal.

61-62. (canceled)

63. The tribo-electric belt separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the feed stream is pre-processed with a dry separation technique.

64. (canceled)

65. The tribo-electric belt separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the feed stream is associated with a D10-D90 particle size range of about 0.1 micron to about 2000 micron, i.e. a D10-D90 particle size range of about 0.1 micron to about 1000 micron, i.e. a D10-D90 particle size range of about 0.5 micron to about 500 micron, i.e. a D10-D90 particle size range of about 1 micron to about 300 micron, i.e. a D10-D90 particle size range of about 10 micron to about 90 micron, i.e. a D10-D90 particle size range of about 1 micron to about 10 micron.

66-72. (canceled)

73. The tribo-electric separation system of claim 54, wherein the separator device has a throughout rate of at least about 2000 kg/hr/meter of electrode width, preferably at least about 3500 kg/hr/meter of electrode width, more preferably at least about 5000 kg/hr/meter of electrode width, even more preferably at least about 7500 kg/hr/meter of electrode width, even more preferably at least about 10,000 kg/hr/meter of electrode width, even more preferably at least about 15,000 kg/hr/meter of electrode width, most preferably at least about 20,000 kg/hr/meter of electrode width.

74-84. (canceled)

85. The tribo-electric separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the system is configured to yield a first product stream at the first product stream outlet according to any one of Tables 1-12 presented herein.

86. The tribo-electric separation system as claimed in claim 54, wherein the system is configured to yield a second product stream at the second product stream outlet according to any one of Tables 1-12 presented herein.

87-147. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0170] Certain illustrative features and examples are described below with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0171] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a tribo-electric belt separator system;

[0172] FIG. 2 is a ternary diagram representing composition ranges of various crops and feeds;

[0173] FIG. 3 is a graph of various particle size distributions separated from a wheat gluten/starch mixture as discussed in accompanying Example 1;

[0174] FIG. 4 is a graph of various particle size distributions separated from sunflower seed meal as discussed in accompanying Example 2;

[0175] FIG. 5 is a graph comparing two feed ports after a single pass in sunflower seed meal as discussed in Example 2;

[0176] FIG. 6 is a graph of various particle size distributions separated from whole wheat flour as discussed in Example 4;

[0177] FIG. 7 is a graph comparing the starch content to fiber content in whole wheat flour as discussed in Example 4;

[0178] FIG. 8 is a graph of the particle size distribution of the feed in oat bran as discussed in Example 5;

[0179] FIG. 9 is a graph of the particle size distribution of the feed in wheat bran as discussed in Example 6;

[0180] FIG. 10 is a graph of the protein content separated in a feed of lupin flour as discussed in Example 7; and

[0181] FIG. 11 is a graph of the protein content separated in a feed of bone meal as discussed in Example 11.

[0182] This invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The advantages of this invention may be better understood by referring to the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings. The drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. It will be recognized by the person of ordinary skill in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure, that the dimensions, sizes, components, and views shown in the figures are for illustrative purposes. Other dimensions, representations, features, and components may also be included in the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0183] This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of including, comprising, or having, containing, involving, and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

[0184] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a tribo-electric separation process and system for fractionating a feed mixture comprising at least two members of the group of proteins, starches, soluble and insoluble fibers. In particular, embodiments of the process includes supplying the feed mixture comprising at least two of the group of proteins, starches, soluble and insoluble fibers to a tribo-electric separator, and simultaneously charging and separating the feed mixture into at least two subfractions, with one of the subfractions enriched in at least one of protein, starch and fiber and having a composition different than the feed mixture. Embodiments of the process include operating a tribo-electrostatic belt separator (TBS) to fractionate the feed mixture.

[0185] The application of conventional electrostatic processes for the separation of food and animal feed materials have been demonstrated only for a narrow range of materials where either a difference in electrical conductivity can be exploited in a conventional roll or drum-type separator, or the feed material particle size is large and uniformly distributed for separation in a low-rate vertical plate-type device. The TBS process can separate a wider range of materials based on tribo-electrostatic charging properties, in a single-step continuous process at a high rate, as demonstrated by the examples shown in this application.

[0186] Another factor limiting the usefulness of conventional electrostatic separation processes for the separation of food and animal feed materials is due to the combustible nature of certain food and feed materials. An electrostatic separator must be designed to mitigate the risks associated with processing combustible materials, such as certain food and feed materials. The TBS apparatus of this disclosure has been designed to mitigate these risks in several ways: (1) the TBS apparatus electrodes are designed with discrete tiles which are designed and sized to limit the maximum energy of a spark by the energy that is stored in the capacitor that makes up the electrode tiles, (2) the TBS apparatus belt drive systems are designed to minimize the volume that is exposed to a combustible dust/air mixture, and therefore limit the energy developed during an dust ignition event, and (3) the TBS apparatus is fitted with explosion vents and flame quenching equipment. These features of the TBS apparatus are applied to the designs of the bench-scale (model X2.5) and pilot-scale (model O6/A) devices used in the examples shown in this application.

[0187] FIG. 2 shows a ternary diagram representation of the typical range of compositions (protein, total fiber, starch/sugars/other carbohydrates) for naturally grown materials in the major categories of food and feed ingredients. For purpose of clarity, FIG. 2 does not display the moisture and oil content that was present in the mixtures during processing. The protein content of food and feed materials is measured using the standard Kjeldahl or Dumas methods. The total fiber content is measured using one of the standard analytical methods such as the gravimetric method AOAC 991.43. The total starch and sugars are measured by polarimetry and various other methods or calculated. The oil content is measured using the standard acid hydrolysis/ether extract method. The moisture content is measured using the oven drying method. The composition for each of the three solid phase components is expressed as a percentage excluding the water and oil fractions.

[0188] Each of the triangles represents the composition of a particular crop that is used as a food ingredient or animal feed product. The soluble fiber content for these example crops is not included in the fiber measurements. The solid squares represent composition of the feed materials used in exemplary tests of separating such feed materials using the TBS apparatus and process of this disclosure. The empty squares represent the composition of the product and by-product materials produced for each example separation. The dashed arrows indicate the range of composition achieved from each example test separation of a feed material. It is important to note that the feed materials used for the example separations using the TBS apparatus and process contained various amounts of water and oil, and that the feed material input and the resulting outputs are presented as % protein, % fiber, and % starch/sugar/other carbohydrates, normalized to 100% by ignoring the water and oil content for each sample.

[0189] Examination of FIG. 2 reveals that the range of exemplary feed materials and outputs that are separated using the TBS apparatus and process of this disclosure form a region that includes most of the various crops (triangles) that are used as food ingredient or animal feed products. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that the TBS separation apparatus and process can be used for the other example crops shown (and not shown in FIG. 2) that both fall within the region that were tested in the examples and it is also reasonable to assume that the crops that are not within the illustrated regions would also be able to be separated by the TBS apparatus and process to yield similar results given the limited number of tests that were run (not all of the crops were subjected to testing). Thus, as is evident from the examples and discussion, it is reasonable to conclude that the TBS process and apparatus of this disclosure can be used on naturally occurring crops (as well as pre-processed crops), other agricultural products, by-products, fish and animal meals, and waste materials having a moisture content and/or an oil content, at commercially significant processing rates to simultaneously charge and separate the crops into two streams each enriched in at least one of protein, fiber and starch.

[0190] The present invention relates to a novel process for fractionating granular food and animal feed materials that exist in the regions depicted in FIG. 2 into their constitutive components using the tribo-electric belt separator (TBS) and process. The apparatus of FIG. 1 and the process are effective at processing dry, granular food and feed materials in a single-step separation process, as a continuously operating process, at commercially significant processing rates. By continuous, what is meant is that the constituents to be separated are simultaneously tribo-electrically charged, conveyed and separated. The process is applicable to the separation of various cereal grains, pulses, oilseeds, cocoa, coffee, and other agricultural products, by-products, and waste materials. The process has particular application in the enrichment of protein content of food and feed materials by separating the protein particles from starch and sugar particles, and separating protein particles from fibers. Another application is in the enrichment of starch content in food and feed materials by removal of residual fiber and protein. Other applications include separation of soluble from insoluble fiber, and the consequential enrichment of various health promoting components, such as beta-glucan. In other embodiments of the invention, other constituents of natural materials may be enriched or separated from a mixture containing micronutrients, vitamins, trace elements, color, phytochemicals, or minerals. Other examples of the invention are included showing the enrichment of protein content in animal meals by removal of ash containing bone particles.

[0191] The TBS operates as a single-step device where the food and feed particles are simultaneously tribo-charged by the frequent particle to particle collisions that occurs in the single device through the action of the special high-speed continuous-loop belt, conveyed and separated. Electrostatic separation processes based on tribo-charging are superior, and have wider application, than those based on charging by conductive induction or ion bombardment because separation can be achieved for a larger variety of particles with subtle differences in surface chemistry (or surface work function). Because the particle number density is so high within the electrode gap and the flow is vigorously agitated by the high-speed belt, there are many collisions between particles in the device, and optimal tribo-charging occurs continuously throughout the separation zone. The counter-current flow induced by the motion of the continuous-loop belt creates counter-current multi-stage separation within the TBS device.

[0192] In contrast to the TBS apparatus and process according to this disclosure, vertical plate electrostatic separators all require a separate upstream processing step to tribo-charge the feed particles prior to separation by the vertical plate separator. For vertical plate separators, the tribo-charging step may require that each particle contacts a special solid surface with particular surface properties to enable differential charge to develop on the surface of particles. However, the need for each feed particle to contact a special solid surface creates a significant limitation on the maximum processing rate that can be achieved with a vertical plate separator for a compact device.

[0193] An issue with separating food and feed materials is that they tend to be cohesive powders that adhere especially well to the surface of the electrodes needed to create the electric field in an electro-static separator. An advantage of the motion of the high-speed continuous loop belt in the TBS device and process of this disclosure is that it continuously scrapes the electrodes, which aids in removing the cohesive feed and feed materials from the electrodes and depositing them in the appropriate product hopper. The high-speed continuous loop belt is the only moving part in the TBS device and process, and by its design and high-speed motion it simultaneously conveys and tribo-charges the feed material, and the belt also provides a system to continuously clean electrodes of cohesive feed and feed materials that adhere to the electrodes. This feature enables the TBS apparatus and process of this disclosure to operate continuously without the need for complex electrode scraping mechanisms or electrode polarity switching systems that are required for vertical plate processes.

[0194] It is an advantage of the TBS apparatus and process of this disclosure, as illustrated by the test examples disclosed herein and illustrated in FIG. 2 that the TBS apparatus and process can be used to separate feed materials in their naturally occurring state with their naturally occurring moisture and oil content (that no pre-processing is necessary) to achieve separation of the feed content into two enriched streams of at least one of protein, fiber and starch. It is also appreciated that the moisture content of feed material for the TBS apparatus and process can be adjusted to a range that optimizes the particle tribo-charging and therefore optimizes the resultant separation results. The optimal moisture level can depend on the nature of the feed material and will typically vary between 0% and 30%, and preferably between 0.2 and 11%. Adjustment of feed moisture is advantageous for some food and feed materials, but it is not a necessary requirement to adjust the moisture level of food and feed materials to achieve satisfactory separation results for some materials using the TBS device and process of this disclosure. For example, in nine of the twelve examples described below, the separation results were achieved when processing feed materials as-received, that is with moisture levels as occurred naturally in the growing, harvesting, milling, and pre-processing. This observation demonstrates a unique feature and advantage of the TBS apparatus and process of the disclosure, which is that the single step tribo-charging and separating that occurs in the TBS process is adequate to charge the individual components to be separated without the need for a preliminary feed drying, or wetting, or a separate tribo-charging step.

[0195] In accordance with one or more embodiments, one or more enriched product streams may be associated with a dry, water-free process, without any required drying. Beneficially, protein concentrates produced by dry processes in accordance with one or more embodiments may retain native protein functionality compared to proteins concentrated by wet processes. In some specific non-limiting embodiments, oilseed meals may be enriched in protein, and fibers may be enriched in b-glucan. In accordance with one or more embodiments, one or more enriched product streams may be produced without chemicals, i.e. without acids, bases, or solvents, and/or without biologics. In accordance with one or more embodiments, one or more enriched product streams may be associated with a single-step, continuous charging and separation process. In accordance with one or more embodiments, one or more enriched product streams may be associated with a high throughput, high capacity process. For example, in some non-limiting embodiments, up to 17,000 kg/hr/m of electrode width is achievable for low density food and feed materials (bulk density 200 kg/m3). In accordance with one or more embodiments, one or more enriched product streams may be associated with a low energy consumption process. For example, less than 4 kWh/tons of feed for low density food and feed materials (bulk density 200 kg/m3). In accordance with one or more embodiments, product streams having different grade ranges with respect to one or more parameters may be provided. In at least some embodiments, the TBS device may be adjusted, i.e. the belt speed may be adjusted to enable the production of different product grades.

[0196] It has also been determined that: the TBS device and process can be operated with belt speed between 10 and 70 feet per second, preferably between 45 and 65 feet per second; the voltage applied to the electrodes of the TBS apparatus and process electrodes can vary between 3 kV and 20 kV, preferably between 10 and 16 kV; that the gap between the electrodes is continuously adjustable and can be varied between 0.5 to 2.5 cm, preferably between 0.9 to 1.7 CM.

[0197] The function and advantages of these and other embodiments will be more fully understood from the following non-limiting examples. The examples are intended to be illustrative in nature and are not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments discussed herein.

[0198] Examples of separation results obtained from various food and feed materials are detailed in the following examples, and the ranges of products and by-products achieved for selected examples is shown graphically in FIG. 2.

Example 1: Separation of Protein and Starch

[0199] A mixture comprised of wheat gluten (a type of protein) and wheat starch was prepared for testing using the pilot-scale (model O6/A) TBS apparatus and process to demonstrate the capability of the TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct protein and starch particles using the TBS apparatus and process in a single step. The feed material had a median particle size of approx. 90 microns, contained 8.1% moisture, and contained 1.7% oil, as measured by the acid hydrolysis method. The feed sample was fed as-received, with no adjustment to the moisture content, into the separator at a rate of 3600 kg per hour per meter of TBS electrode width. The TBS belt speed was set at 65 feet per second, and 12 kV was applied across the TBS electrode gap to produce an electric field strength of 1125 kV/m. Two resulting products were collected from the two ends of the separator. There was no middling fraction that needed to be re-processed. The mass yields of the two products, the composition of the feed and the products are shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Results from testing wheat gluten and wheat starch mixture Product 1 Product 2 (Enriched (Enriched Feed Starch) Protein) Mass 100% 83% 17% Protein 14.6% 3.6% 51.0% Moisture 8.1% Fiber 1.4% 1.5% 1.3% Ash 0.4% 0.3% 0.8% Fat/Oil 1.7% 0.7% 4.7% Starch 75.6% 87.6% 36.2% Starch Recovery 92.1% 7.9% Protein Recovery 25.6% 74.4%

[0200] The results in Table 1 show that product 1 is enriched in starch content with starch recovery i.e. fraction of feed starch recovered in product 1, of approx. 92%. Product 2 is enriched in protein content with protein recovery i.e. fraction of feed protein recovered in product 2, of approx. 74%. Particle size measurements of feed, product 1 and product 2 samples were conducted using a laser diffraction-based Malvern analyzer: FIG. 3 shows the particle size distribution for the feed, product 1, and product 2 with the median particle size (D50). The breath of the particle size distribution for each sample can be expressed using the value where 10% of the sample consists of particles smaller than a given size (D10), and the value where 90% of the sample consists of particles smaller than a given size (D90). For this feed sample, the D10-D90 range was 12 to 92 microns. For Product 1, the range was 11 to 75 microns. For Product 2, the range was 13 to 126 microns.

[0201] This example demonstrates the capability of TBS process to effectively tribo-charge and separate distinct protein and starch particles in a single step from a feed sample in fine dry powder form, at high processing rate, generating product streams enriched in each component.

Example 2: Separation of Protein and Fiber with Low Oil Content

[0202] A sample of finely ground solvent extracted sunflower seed meal was tested using the pilot-scale (model O6/A) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content by separating fiber content and demonstrating the capability of a TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct protein and fiber particles in a single step. The sunflower seed meal sample was milled to approximate median particle size of 75 micron and contained 8% moisture and 0.6% oil as measured by the acid hydrolysis method.

[0203] The feed sample was fed as received, with no adjustment to the moisture content, into the separator at a rate of 9,520 kg/hr/m of TBS electrode width. The TBS belt speed was set at 45 feet per second, and 12 kV was applied across the TBS electrode gap to produce an electric field strength of 1050 kV/m. Two resulting products were collected from the two ends of the separator. There was no middling fraction that needed to be re-processed. The mass yields of the two products, composition of the feed and the products from one of the test runs are shown in table 2 below.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Results from testing sunflower seed meal Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber (Protein Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% .sup.46% .sup.54% Protein 37.7% 24.7% 46.5% Moisture 8.0% Total Fiber 35.7% 50.8 26.9 Fat/Oil 0.6% Starch 2.3% 2.0% 2.7% Protein Recovery 31.1% 68.9% Fiber Recovery 61.7% 38.3%

[0204] The results in Table 2 show that product 2 is enriched in protein content with a protein recovery i.e. fraction of feed protein recovered in product 2, of approximately 69%. The fiber recovery to product 1 is approximately 62%. Particle size measurements of the feed, product 1 and product 2 samples were conducted using laser diffraction-based Malvern analyzer. FIG. 4 shows the particle size distribution of the feed, product 1, and product 2 with their median size (D50). For this feed sample, the particle size ranged (D10 to D90) from 10 to 266 micron. For product 1 the range was 18 to 403 microns. For product 2, the range was 20 to 320 microns.

[0205] Several tests were conducted to optimize process variables such as belt speed and feed port, and a product mass yield v/s product grade curve was generated by averaging the results. FIG. 5 shows the results from a single pass when the feed was fed using two different feed ports in the TBS. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process can separate and producing a wide range of products with different levels of purity at corresponding product mass yield.

[0206] This example demonstrates the capability of the TBS apparatus and process fed at any feed port to effectively charge and separate protein and fiber particles in a single step from a feed sample in fine dry powder form, at high processing rate, generating a product stream enriched in protein, and a product stream enriched in fiber.

Example 3: Separation of Protein and Fiber with High Oil Content

[0207] A sample of milled, mechanically-extracted rapeseed meal was tested using the bench-scale (model X2.5) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content by separating fiber content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct protein and fiber particles in a single step. The rapeseed meal sample was milled to approximate median particle size of 132 micron and contained 7.6% moisture and 9.8% oil as measured by the acid hydrolysis method.

[0208] The feed sample was fed as received, with no adjustment to the moisture content, into the separator. Two resulting products were collected from the two ends of the separator. There was no middling fraction that needed to be re-processed. The mass yields of the two products, composition of the feed and the products from one of the test runs are shown in Table 3 below.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Results from testing mechanically extracted rapeseed meal Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber (Protein Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 62.9% 37.1% Protein 35.0% 31.0% 43.3% Moisture 7.6% Fat/Oil 9.8% Fiber 33.9% 39.8% 21.3% Protein Recovery 45.2% 54.8% Fiber Recovery .sup.76% .sup.34%

[0209] The results in Table 3 show that product 2 is enriched in protein content with a protein recovery i.e. fraction of feed protein recovered in product 2, of approximately 55%. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process is capable of enriching protein from rapeseed meal that has been mechanically extracted (expeller pressed) with a relatively high oil content.

Example 4: Separation of Fiber and Starch

[0210] A sample of whole wheat flour was tested using a pilot-scale (model O6/A) TBS apparatus to demonstrate the capability of the TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct fiber and starch particles in a single step. The sample of whole wheat feed material had a median particle size of approx. 160 microns, contained 11.5% moisture, and contained 1.6% oil as measured by the acid hydrolysis method.

[0211] The feed sample was fed as-received, with no adjustment to feed moisture level, into the TBS separator at a rate of 7750 kg/hr/m of TBS electrode width. The TBS belt speed was set at 65 feet per second, and 16 kV was applied across the TBS electrode gap to produce an electric field strength of 1170 kV/m. Two resulting products were collected from the two ends of the separator. There was no middling fraction that needed to be re-processed. The mass yields of the two products, composition of the feed and the products from one of the test runs are shown in Table 4 below.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Results from testing whole wheat flour Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber (Starch Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 40.3% 59.7% Protein 15.3% 15.0% 15.3% Moisture 11.5% Fat/Oil 1.6% Total fiber 12.8% 13.9% 8.5% Ash 1.3% 1.7% 1.2% Total starch 61.6% 57.6% 66.1%

[0212] The results in Table 4 show that product 1 is enriched in fiber and product 2 is enriched in starch content. Particle size measurements of the feed, product 1 and product 2 samples were conducted using laser diffraction-based Malvern analyzer. FIG. 6 shows the particle size distribution of the feed, product 1, and product 2 with their median size (D50). For this feed sample, the particle size ranged (D10 to D90) from 17 to 469 micron. For product 1 the range was 37 to 563 microns. For product 2, the range was 12 to 432 microns.

[0213] Several tests were conducted to optimize separator variables such as electrode polarity configuration and feed port, and ash content was used to estimate the fiber content of the feed and products. FIG. 7 shows low ash product (product 2) mass yield v/s estimated fiber content of feed, fiber enriched product (product 1) and starch enriched product (product 2) data collected at various separator run conditions from a single pass. It shows that the TBS apparatus and process can produce a product with wide range of fiber content.

Example 5: Separation of Fiber and Starch

[0214] A sample of oat bran was tested using a pilot-scale (model O6/A) TBS apparatus to demonstrate the capability of the TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and starch particles in a single step. The feed material had a median particle size of approx. 800 microns. Preliminary experiments were conducted to determine the feed moisture level that results in optimum separation results for this feed material. The feed moisture content was adjusted to a level of 0.2% moisture, and the sample was fed in the separator at a rate of 5356 kg per hour per meter of TBS electrode width. The TBS belt speed was set at 65 feet per second, and 12 kV was applied across the TBS electrode gap to produce an electric field strength of 995 kV/m. Two resulting products were collected from the two ends of the separator. There was no middling fraction that needed to be re-processed. The mass yields of the two products, composition of the feed and the products are shown in Table 5.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Results from testing oat bran Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber- (Starch- Feed enriched) enriched) Mass 100% 89.2% 10.8% Protein 18.0% 19.3% 13.9% Moisture 0.2% Ash 2.9% 3.3% 1.7% Total fiber 17.3% 20.7% 8.2% Insoluble fiber 9.2% 10.1% 4.4% Soluble fiber 8.1% 10.6% 3.8% Fat/Oil 8.4% Starch 53.4% 46.6% 65.7%

[0215] The results in Table 5 show that product 1 is enriched in fiber and product 2 is enriched in starch. Particle size measurements of the feed were conducted using ultrasonic air sieving. FIG. 8 shows the particle size distribution of the feed, with the median size (D.sub.50). For this feed sample, the particle size ranged (D.sub.10 to D.sub.90) from 600 to 1400 micron.

[0216] This example demonstrates the capability of TBS process to effectively charge and separate distinct fiber and starch particles in a single step from a feed sample in fine dry powder form, at high processing rate, generating product streams enriched in each component.

[0217] Total dietary fiber is commonly divided into two types. Insoluble fiber is primarily composed of cellulose, hemi-cellulose, and lignins. Soluble fibers such as for example beta glucans or fructooligosaccharides are polysaccharides with a lower molecular weight than cellulose. Cellulose as a main representative of insoluble fiber occurs in nature as highly dense and highly crystalline protective material whereby soluble fibers occur in less crystalline form and have a lower molecular weight, similar to starches. The TBS apparatus and process is shown to be effective in separation of fiber and starch with cellulose being the main component of fiber. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that the TBS apparatus and process is also effective in separation soluble and insoluble fiber, in the absence of starch.

Example 6: Separation of Fiber and Starch

[0218] A sample of wheat bran was tested using the pilot-scale (model O6/A) TBS apparatus to demonstrate the capability of the TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and starch particles in a single step. The feed material had a median particle size of approx. 800 microns. Preliminary experiments were conducted to determine the feed moisture level that results in optimum separation results for this feed material. The feed moisture content was adjusted to a level of 2.1% moisture, and the sample was fed in the separator at a rate of 2976 kg per hour per meter of TBS electrode width. The TBS belt speed was set at 65 feet per second, and 12 kV was applied across the TBS electrode gap to produce an electric field strength of 1050 kV/m. Two resulting products were collected from the two ends of the separator. There was no middling fraction needed to be re-processed. The mass yields of the two products, composition of the feed and the products are shown in Table 6.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Results from testing wheat bran Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber- (Starch- Run ID RD5 1 70620 A11 Feed enriched) enriched) Mass 100% .sup.91% 9% Protein 17.9% 18.3% 15.8% Moisture 2.1% Ash 5.8% 6.6% 4.3% Total fiber 43.5% 45.1% 22.3% Soluble fiber 3.9% 4.2% 2.5% Fat/Oil 2.3% Starch 22.7% 16.5% 44.8%

[0219] Particle size measurements of the feed, product 1 and product 2 were conducted using ultrasonic air sieving. FIG. 9 shows the particle size distribution of the feed, with the median size (D.sub.50). For this feed sample, the particle size ranged (D.sub.10 to D.sub.90) from 600 to 1700 micron.

[0220] This example demonstrates the capability of TBS process to effectively charge and separate fiber and starch particles in a single step from a feed sample in fine dry powder form, at high processing rate, generating product streams enriched in fiber and starch.

Example 7: Enrichment of Protein from Lupin

[0221] A sample of milled lupin flour, a type of legume, was tested using the bench-scale (model X2.5) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and concentrate protein particles in a single step. The sample was milled to a median particle size of 80 micron, and tested as received, with no adjustment to the moisture content. A total of 12 runs were completed. The mass yield and the protein content of the product from one of the test runs is shown below in Table 7 and FIG. 10. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process is capable of separating protein from flour and producing different levels of purity at a corresponding product mass yield.

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Results from testing lupin flour Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber (Protein Run ID 171221-6 Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 75.5% 24.5% Protein 35.0% 30.2% 48.0% Moisture 7.3% Total Fiber 36.1% 42.7% 18.8% Fat/Oil 9.7% 8.7% 11.8% Starch 1.1% .sup.<1% 1.0%

Example 8: Enrichment of Protein from Pea

[0222] A sample of pea protein concentrate was tested using the bench-scale (model X2.5) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and concentrate protein particles in a single step. The sample was dry processed using conventional methods. The median particle size was 7 micron and fed as-received to the TBS apparatus. The mass yield and the protein content of the product from one of the test runs is shown below in Table 8. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process is capable of further enriching the protein content of pea protein that had been pre-processed using conventional dry separation techniques based on size and density-based separation methods.

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Results from testing pea protein concentrate Product 1 Product 2 (Starch (Protein Run ID 180710-4 Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 39.7% 60.3% Protein 57.6% 52.1% 61.6% Moisture 7.3% Total Fiber 17.3% 23.9% 13.4% Fat/Oil 2.4% Starch 4.0% 4.7% 3.5%

Example 9: Enrichment of Protein from Fava Bean

[0223] A sample of fava bean protein concentrate was tested using the bench-scale (model X2.5) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and concentrate protein particles in a single step. The sample was dry processed using conventional methods. The median particle size was 8 micron and the material was fed as-received to the TBS apparatus. The mass yield and the protein content of the product from one of the test runs is shown below in Table 9. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process is capable of further enriching the protein content of fava protein that had been pre-processed using conventional dry separation techniques based on differences in particle size and density.

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Results from testing fava protein concentrate Product 1 Product 2 (Starch (Protein Run ID 180710-4 Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 38.6% 61.4% Protein 66.6% 60.0% 71.5% Moisture 8.3% Total Fiber 13.3% 18.5% 11.8% Fat/Oil 2.0% Starch 6.0% 8.6% 4.6%

Example 10: Enrichment of Protein from Soy Flour

[0224] A sample of defatted soy flour was tested using the pilot-scale (model O6/A) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and concentrate protein particles in a single step. The sample was processed using conventional methods. The median particle size was 20 micron and the material was fed as-received to the TBS apparatus. The mass yield and the protein content of the product from one of the test runs is shown below in Table 10. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process can enrich the protein content of soy flour that had been pre-processed using conventional techniques.

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Results from testing defatted soy flour Product 1 Product 2 (Fiber (Protein Run IDRD9 170822 A6 Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 54.2% 45.8% Protein 55.5% 51.8% 59.5% Moisture 4.2% Total Fiber 18.8% 20.5% 17.5% Fat/Oil <0.3%

Example 11: Enrichment of Protein from Bone Meal

[0225] A screened sample of gel bone lights, generated from bovine bone meal, was tested using the bench-scale (model X2.5) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct protein particles from bone particles in a single step. The sample had a median particle size of 850 micron and was oven dried prior to testing. In contrast to previous examples, the separation is between protein and bone, instead of protein and fiber or starch. The mass yields and the protein content of the product from one of the test runs is shown below in Table 11. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process is capable of separating protein from bone meal and producing different levels of purity at a corresponding product mass yield. FIG. 11 shows results from eight runs of the TBS with a top negative polarity.

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 Results from Testing Bovine Bone Meal -Gel bone lights Analytical results Product 1 Product 2 (Protein (Ash Run ID 171218-3 Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 9.2% 90.8% Protein 41.0% 65.6% 38.7% Moisture 5.6% Ash 50.5% 25.1% 54.4% Oil/Fat 5.4% 8.5% 4.1%

Example 12: Enrichment of Protein from Fish Meal

[0226] A milled sample of fish meal was tested using the bench-scale (model X2.5) TBS apparatus and process, with the goal of enriching its protein content and demonstrating the capability of TBS apparatus and process to simultaneously charge and separate distinct protein particles from bone particles in a single step. The sample was milled to a median particle size of 81 micron and subsequently dried prior to testing. The mass yields and the protein content of the product from one of the test runs is shown below in Table 12. This result shows that the TBS apparatus and process is capable of separating protein from bone in fish meal.

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 Results from Testing Fish Meal Analytical results Product 1 Product 2 (Protein (Ash Run ID 180618-1 Feed Enriched) Enriched) Mass 100% 81.3% 18.7% Protein 73.4% 80.4% 54.7% Moisture 0.3% Ash 17.6%% 12.6% 39.0%

[0227] Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.