USRE24261E - Animal feed and method for making - Google Patents

Description

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Reissuecl Dec. 25, 1956 the material exits from the apertures in the plate, steam is evolved in large quantities. After water evaporates 24,261 from the mixture, the mixture is rapidly cooled and to- ANI FEED A M D F R MAKING gether with supplementary cooling is rapidly lowered to THE SAME 5 a temperature below the charring point and the extrustanley A Martin Deerfidd Beach Fla sion step is then repeated until the moisture content is reduced to the desired level, preferably below about 5% No Drawing. Original No. 2,707,151, dated April 26, by Weight. It has been found that in the present process 1955, Serial No. 423,523, April 15, 1954. Application of pressure extruding, the pressures at the foraminous "issue 'y 1956, serial 567,433 plate are in the neighborhood of 250 pounds per square inch and that the temperatures attained within the mix- 9 Chums 99-6) ture are normally above 300 degrees F. and that no Matter enclosed in heavy brackets II] appears in the charring or deleterious effects occur if the time which original Patent but forms 110 P Of this l'eiSSlle lf f the mixture remains at such elevated temperatures is cation; matter P in italics indicates the addmons kept below about fifteen seconds. These conditions may made by reissue be repeatedly duplicated on the same material without encountering harmful charring. Additionally, it has been found that due to the extreme pressures and tem- The present invention relates to a process for dehydratperatures which exist at the extrusion plate, there is a ing molasses and for simultaneously forming a high reaction occurring at the interface between the apertures molasses concentration animal feed and to the product of the extrusion plate and the material which is being produced thereby. forced therethrough such that the resulting extruded pellet It has been long recognized that the dehydration of has a slightly different color at its surface than that of black-strap molasses or other aqueous molasses bythe center of the pellet. The resulting pellets have a products from the refining of cane, beet and corn sugars greater resistance to the absorption of water from the is accompanied by certain inherent difficulties. Among atmosphere than any heretofore known dried molasses the more important of these difiiculties is the deterioramaterials. The reason for this increased resistance to tion of the molasses by charring when the temperature water absorption is not definitely known, but it is be- Of the molasses is raised to the Point which is n ry lieved that the extra hard and smooth surface film which to evaporate water. The customary method of overexists on the periphery of the pellets is responsible for coming this difiiculty has been to employ vacuum techthis characteristic, and it is thought that the surface film niques and specifically to dehydrate in batches under reresults from polymerization of the resins present in the duced pressure. For volume production, batch operamolasses.

tions are uneconomical and when attempts are made to The process of this invention is broadly applicable to continuously dehydrate under vacuum conditions, many all of the known types of industrial molasses including problems are encountered in maintaining the vacuum as cane blackstrap molasses, refiners blackstrap molasses, the water is removed, and as the molasses is fed in and high test molasses, beet molasses, hydrol and citrus moremoved from the processing equipment. The primary lasses. Where animal feed is the ultimate objective, object of the present invention is to provide a process cane blackstrap molasses is preferred. As these molasses for dehydrating molasses which overcomes the problems are normally obtained from the sugar processing indusheretofore encountered and which is simple, eflicient and tries they normally include 15% to 30% water. In order inexpensive in operation. to develop the required pressures in extruding the mo- Another object of this invention is to provide a conlasses through a foraminous plate, the molasses is first tinuous process for dehydrating molasses and for producadmixed with a filler material to form a slurry or stiff ing animal feed therefrom which eliminates the necessity mass. for using vacuum techniques. A wide variety of filler materials may be employed A further object of this invention is to provide a for this purpose and the filler selected will depend upon process for making high molasses sugar content animal the product which is desired. When it is desired to form feeds is dry, nonhygroscopic, pellet form, in which form a pure dehydrated molasses product, the filler may consist the animal feed is storage stable, readily handleable and of cane or beet sugar depending upon the source of the inexpensively transportable. molasses being employed. When the product is to be A still further object of this invention is the provision used as an animal feed suitable fillers may comprise of a pure dehydrated molasses product in pellet form ground grain mill screenings, sugar beet pulp, sugar beet and a high molasses sugar content animal feed in nonseeds, peanut hulls, cottonseed hulls, alfalfa, citrus pulp,

hygroscopic pellet form. ground corn cobs or mixture thereof. It will be ap- Other objects and advantageous features of the inparent that the proportion of filler which must be admixed vention will become apparent upon considering the with the molasses starting material will necessarily vary present disclosure in its entirety. with the moisture content of that molasses since the The present invention is based on the discovery that greatest pressures during extrusion result from the forcit is possible to greatly exceed the temperature at which ing of thick viscous solids through the extrusion plate. molasses normally chars or caramelizes and to attain While the proportion of filler solids is not critical to the such temperatures that the moisture content of molasses invention, suitable proportions have been found to be is flashed off as steam if the temperature is maintained about 20-65% filler and 80%35% molasses. When the at such high levels for only relatively short periods of molasses content exceeds about 80% of the mixture, it time, that is, seconds rather than minutes. In accordis difficult toobtain sufficient pressure during the extruance with the process of this invention, blackstrap mosion to attain the necessary temperatures to flash the lasses or its equivalent is admixed with a filler material steam from the mixture. Similarly when the proportion and in mixed form is pressure extruded through a foramof filler exceeds about 65%, the pressures developed in inous plate. The pressure developed in the extrusion the extrusion approach a maximum that can be handled of the mixture is suflicient to raise the temperature in the and the efiiciencyof the process decreases due to the remixture well above the boiling point of water and in a quirement for handling a high proportion of solids relrange between about 225 F. and 350 F. such that as ative to the moisture which is removed.

"In employing theprocess'of this invention for producditions for a thirty day period and at the end of this time ingpure-dry -molasses-solids, the process maybe started a thewpellets-were-found tohbefistillain..dry. non=tackyc form. with cane sugar solids and, thereafter th fill m y be a The pellets were admixed with conventional cattle feed recycled portion of the molasses solids which are oband found to be readily acceptable by cattle. 'tai ned' fromthe extrusion-stepsl A's above'-indicated, it 5 What is claimed is: isuSuaIIy necessary-to subjectthe r'ni'x'ed' masses and 1. A process for dehydrating molasses which comprises filler to aseries of'extrusibnstepsg the nrirhberof-steps the steps of mixing molasses'with a filler to form a mixde'p ndij in thezfqioi tu -e wntsnnor -'-the original ture, raising-the-.temperatureofsaid-mixture so ,asrto subr'riolasses and thedesird degree of dryness 'ef the final stantially avoid charring of-said molasses to between product. As-a" typical example,jithas been' found pos- 10 225 F.-.,and .350" F. for lessthan about15 seconds sible to reduce theamo'unt' of-moisture in a mixture of therebyfiashiug steam therefrom, r pi ly Cooling Said "molasses a'fid grain-millscreeningsfrom 29%" by-weight mixture to-a temperatureabelow 140 F. ,andfrepeating t'ol%by weight in three'ext'ru'sion steps. said steps until the moisture content-is below about 5% From both'the standpoint ofeconomical operation and by weight. l he quality of newest-11amproduct, it is-"preferred that 15 2. A process for dehydrating molasses which comprises the time'f during which the material remains at'temperathesteps of mixing molasses with a filler, rapidly extruding 't'ures above"the; charring'point of"molasses be-restricted themixture through aforaminous plateunder pressure tc'i the'shortest possible time. This time periodis easily suchthatthe temperatureyinf the mixture increasesrfrom vcontrolled by -controlling 'the speed of passage of the below the charring point to atemperature ,sufiic tly mixture through-"the extrusion apparatus and by -the high to flash off steam at the exit side of said plate, said Coolingt'ec'hniqbes employed -on the materiableaving-the high temperature being maintained for a relatively short extrusion plate. While the-maintenance of the mixed period of time, cooling the extruded mixture, and repeatrnola'sses material at temperatures well above the normal ingthe extrusion step untilthe moisture content in the "char'ring point for periods of up to about '15 seconds is extruded'mixture'is belowabout-5 y Weight "not harmful, it is preferred 'that the time be-kept in the 3. SA processfor forminganimal'feed which comprises neighborhoodof 5 to 8 seconds, the normal charring the steps of mixing molasses with an edible filler'in the point of molasses being about 140'F. "proportionsof35%80%-molasses and 20%65 %*filler,

' The memos-and "product of this-invention is illus- :raisingthe temperature ofsaid mixture so as to substantratedin greater detail in' the-exam'ple given below. iiauy' avoid chafring'of Said 1110135565'tobetwefili'igly EXAMPLE --F. 'and 0 for less than about 15-"seconds"-thereby -flashing steam therefrom, rapidly-coolingsaid--mixture-to Cane blackstrap molasses having' a water "cont'entof a temperature below 1'40'-F. and'r epeating-said steps-until 1-9% byweight was admixed with wheat-mill screenings -the'moisture content isbelow about --5%'-byweight.

having a watercontent of 10% in the ratio of68-% mo- 45A process for-forming animal feed which comprises lasses and 32% screenings. The molasses-was prelimi- 35 the steps of mixing molasseswith-an ediblefiller-in-the 'na'rily heated to approximately 100 degrees F. and the proportions-M85% 80%'-molasses and -20%65'%fi ller,

mixing was accomplishedin a paddle type mixer turning "rapidlyextruding-the mixture through a forarninous at-the' speed of about 1200 -R.=P.-M. The-admixed maplate under pressure: sucn-thatthe temperature in the "teria'l was then moved to the first extrude-r. 1' his extruder mixtureincreases froni below the charring point "to-"beadvanced the material from one end-to 'the 'other in 40 tween about 225--F. and 350-F. -and-steam is-flashed approximately 'five seconds during which time the-temtherefrom at theexit-sideof said plate-said temperature perature was raised from about 100' degrees F: up to being maintainedfor a relatively'short periodoftime, about 320 degrees F.,- measured at a'point'adjacent to rapidly cooling the'extruded mixture-to a temperatur the inside surface of the -forarninous plate. "Theforamb below 140 F. and'repeating theex-trusion step-until 'th nous plate was merely aflatsteel plate approximately-1V2 -moisture content-in the-extruded mixture is below 'abou inches thick and 7 inches in diameter-havingGOO three- 5% by weight. sixteenth inch diameter holes positioned therein. 1 As the 5. A process as claimed-'in claim 4 in which'the sai material exits from the extrusion-plate, clouds ofsteam "filler-is grain mill screening. escape and cool dry air is forceably blown on the escap- 6.- A processfor forming; pure dry-molasses-whic ---ii1g material-over a 30 secondintervalprior tothe'feedcomprises the steps of mixing cane-blackstrapmolasse ing of theextrudedmaterial into the su'cceedingextruder. with cane sugar in the proportions of -35%80%-molasse The material was then passed througha-second extruder, and 20%65% canesugar, rapidly extruding the -mix comparable in every respect to 'thefirst'extruder and tare-through a foraminous plate under pressure -suc thereafter through a third extruder in' similarmanner. "that thetemperature in themixture increases 'from-belo The pellets emanating '-fr'om"th'e' extrusionplateof the the charring point to between -22-5-F-.-and 356 Fr-f0 thirdextruder,"after 'co'oling, 'were extremely hard-='and less than about-lflseconds thereby 'iiashing'steamfro found 'to be coated with a"'smooth,-l1ard skin whichwas the said mixture, rapidly cooling the said mixture me te "slightly darker 'ii-ncolor '-than"the central portion of the perature below 14(i- '-F. and repeating'said steps until th pellet. The water content'of the pellets was l-percent. moisture content is less than 3%-=by weight.

Incommercial productionthe' extrusion step-is repeated 7. Pure dry molasses-particles having a hard'no until the moisture content or 'the extruded -pelletized hygroscopic film on theouter surface thereof, 'said' pa product is below about 5% byweight. In general; it is ticles being the product of the process 1of-claim- 1. preferred thatthe moisture content be reducediwell below 8. A high molasses content animal feed-consisting, 5% and in the range of .5%3%. 'It is to -=be under- "dehydrated molasses and a filler-selectedfromthe'gro stood'that conventional drying'techniques-to remove the consisting-of grain mill'screenings, beet' pulp, 'beetqse'e last tracesof water may be employed-in conjunction with citrus pulp, peanut-hulls, cottonseed -hul ls, alfalfa'a1 the extrusion steps if desiredy'although such drying tech- 'ground'cormcobs and having a total sugar content --b niques ha've'not been found to-be necessary in orderto tween-35-% to 40%, said feedbeing in -the-form" reduce the moisture content oftheextrudedproduct to particles having ahardperipheralskinwhich'is resista between.8%' -l.5%.T"'-In using conventional drying to theabsorptionof water; said' feed beingthe-"producttehii fililes,-care"should 'be' taken toavoidwai ug'Whe the'process of claim 4. w temperatureabove ithe normal chairing-temperature=of -A--pj'ocess for' dehydrat-ing --mol 1sses which "c0 -:-mo1asses." i i K "-pris'esthe-st'eps of m'ixipg'molass'es with afiller'fofor The"pellets 'were*tested for resistance-te moistureab: *hzixturprQhirrg the -tempera ture-vfuaidfimixture osoi'ption by subjeeang tnisa r mInsist atmospherieconto substantially qyoid charringwf"said molasses "to tween 225 F. and 350 F. for less than about 15 seconds References Cited t he file of this patent thereby flashing steam therefrom, rapidly cooling said the enema! Patent mixture to a temperature below 140 F. and repeating said UNITED STATES PATENTS if? untti the moisture content IS reduced to the desired 5 1,184,228 Carter May 23, I916 1,286,742 ORourke Dec. 3, 1918 1,638,964 Schreiber Aug. 16, 1927 1,877,266 Chapin et a1. Sept. 13, 1932 2,124,950 Knapheide et a1. July 26, 1938 10 2,744,824 Lent May 8, 1956