Solid-State Amino Acid Chelate Production via Mechanical Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing amino acid chelate compounds are expensive, inefficient, and prone to caking issues due to high energy losses and unreproducible product qualities, especially in the production of glycine chelates, which affects their solubility, structure, and trace element content.
Innovation Solution
Mechanical activation of metal oxides and/or metal carbonates in a solid form followed by a solid-state reaction with amino acids in an eccentric vibratory mill or other mixing reactors, decoupling mechanical activation from the reaction process to enhance energy efficiency and prevent caking, with thermal activation to accelerate the reaction and evaporate water, maintaining low moisture content to prevent caking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical activation is applied to mixtures of metal compounds and amino acids, then the reaction efficiency should improve, but energy losses increase significantly due to activating the entire mixture rather than just the metal compound
Solution Approach 1:
The process is segmented into two distinct stages: first, mechanical activation of metal compounds alone; second, solid-state reaction with amino acids. This segmentation avoids the energy waste of activating the entire mixture, while still achieving improved reaction efficiency through pre-activated metal compounds.
Solution Approach 2:
Mechanical activation of metal compounds is performed as a preliminary action before the actual chelate formation reaction. This pre-activation prepares the metal compounds for more efficient reaction with amino acids, improving overall productivity without the penalty of activating unnecessary materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional production methods with evaporation and drying are used, then amino acid chelate compounds can be produced, but caking occurs and product quality becomes unreproducible
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional thermal processing steps (evaporation and drying) are replaced with a mechanical approach - solid-state reaction in a vibratory mill. This substitution eliminates the caking problems associated with thermal processing while maintaining production feasibility, and significantly improves product quality reproducibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes the physical state parameters from wet/elevated moisture to dry/low moisture conditions. By conducting the reaction in a dry solid-state environment rather than through wet evaporation and drying, caking is prevented and product quality becomes reproducible.
3Reliability
If high energy input methods are used for production, then reaction completion can be achieved, but production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The energy input is segmented and concentrated where needed - mechanical activation is applied only to metal compounds, not the entire mixture. This ensures reaction completion through targeted activation while reducing overall energy input and production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanically activated metal compounds self-react with amino acids in the solid state without requiring additional high energy input. The pre-activated metal compounds are sufficiently reactive to complete the chelate formation spontaneously, eliminating the need for continuous high energy input.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method results in stable, reproducible, and cost-effective production of amino acid chelate compounds with improved solubility and structure, such as glycine chelates, allowing for higher trace element availability and reduced excretion rates, suitable for use in animal feed and fertilization.
Implementation Method 1
metal oxides and/or metal carbonates and/or metal sulfates and/or or metal chlorides and/or metal hydroxides are mechanically activated in solid form and then the activated metal oxides and/or metal carbonates and/or metal sulfates and/or or metal chlorides and/or metal hydroxides are brought together with amino acids in solid form and reacted in a solid state reaction
Implementation Method 2
thermal activation to accelerate the reaction and evaporate water, maintaining low moisture content to prevent caking
Data Source
AI summary
Preparing amino acid chelate compounds, comprises mechanically activating metal oxides, metal carbonates, metal sulfates, metal chlorides and/or metal hydroxides present in solid form, and reacting the activated metal oxides, metal carbonates, metal hydroxides, metal sulfates and/or metal chlorides with amino acids present in solid form, in a solid state reaction to obtain amino acid chelate compounds. An independent claim is also included for the amino acid chelate compounds comprising particles exhibiting finely dispersed and needle-like structure, prepared by the above method. ACTIVITY : Anabolic. No biological data given. MECHANISM OF ACTION : None given.