Brewery Waste Dewatering for Stable Animal Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small to medium-sized breweries face challenges in disposing of trub, hops, and yeast waste due to their high water content and nutritional value, which is often overlooked, leading to costly municipal disposal and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the collection and dewatering of trub, hops, and yeast mix (THYM) from brewery waste streams, using a combination of rotating drums and scrapers to reduce moisture content and preserve antimicrobial hop acids, resulting in a stable, easily handled animal feed product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If brewery waste (trub, hops, yeast mix) is disposed of through municipal systems, then disposal costs are incurred and environmental impact increases, but the nutritional value and antimicrobial properties of the waste are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts brewery waste, which is typically disposed of as a harmful environmental burden, into a beneficial animal feed product. The dewatering process transforms the waste stream into a concentrated, shelf-stable product that retains nutritional value and antimicrobial properties, thereby converting a harmful disposal problem into a valuable resource.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers valuable components (nutrients, antimicrobial hop acids) from the brewery waste stream that would otherwise be discarded. The dewatering process separates and concentrates these valuable components into a reusable animal feed product, preventing their loss during municipal disposal.
2Ease of operation
If dewatering process is applied to reduce moisture content, then handling characteristics improve and shelf stability increases, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of moisture content in the brewery waste through dewatering. By reducing moisture from near-100% to lower levels, the material transitions from a difficult-to-handle slurry to a free-flowing powder with improved handling characteristics and shelf stability, while the process is designed to minimize energy input.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If dewatering process is applied to reduce moisture content, then shelf stability improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces prolonged thermal drying processes with a mechanical dewatering system. The dewatering apparatus uses mechanical force to extract water from the brewery waste, achieving shelf-stable moisture levels much faster than conventional drying methods would require, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining product stability.
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
The process transforms brewery waste into a high-value animal feed with enhanced antimicrobial properties, improved handling characteristics, and reduced environmental impact by converting the waste into a shelf-stable powder with retained nutritional benefits.
Implementation Method 1
first and second rotating drums, the drums rotating in opposite directions, the drums being heated to a temperature of between approximately 85 and 105° C., inclusive, the drums drying the THYM
Data Source
AI summary
A trub, hops and yeast mix (THYM), a problematic brewery side stream, has high amounts of antimicrobial hop metabolites and positive nutritional effects. Trub, hops and yeast wastes from fermenters, whirlpools, mash tuns, kettles, hopbacks, and grundies with pumps, sanitary piping and storage tanks are combined. Dewatering the mix caused an unexpected improvement in the stability and rheological properties of the THYM, allowing for greater material handling. Dewatering and drying may be by using one or more of filter bags, double drum dryers, rotary dryers, agitated mixing, and flash dryers. A dry product is produced which is suitable for pelletizing and/or packaging. THYM as a feed or supplement can improve weight gain in animals, enhance food flavors, stimulate rumen propionate synthesis, reduce methane production in vitro, increase bovine feed efficiency in vivo, positively alter the gut microbiome.