Diluent-Assisted Shearing Flow Separation for Distillers Corn Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ethanol production facilities experience significant loss of distillers corn oil (DCO) during the two-phase centrifuge solid separation process, resulting in low DCO yield, as a substantial portion of DCO is sent to the wet cake, making it unavailable for further processing, and existing methods do not effectively address this issue.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of at least one diluent with a lower solid percentage than whole stillage, followed by the use of shearing flow separators to reduce the amount of DCO sent to the decanter, thereby minimizing DCO loss to the wet cake and increasing overall DCO production, while also isolating high-protein fine particles for additional processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a two-phase centrifuge solid separation device is used to separate whole stillage into wet cake and thin stillage, then solid-liquid separation is achieved, but a significant portion of distillers corn oil is lost to the wet cake phase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing diluent and performing shearing flow separation before the two-phase centrifuge solid separation. This pre-separation step removes DCO from the system prior to decanter processing, preventing its loss to the wet cake phase and enabling recovery of what would otherwise be wasted oil
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the separation process into distinct stages: first shearing flow separation to extract DCO, then two-phase centrifuge separation for solid-liquid division. This segmentation allows DCO to be separated from the stream that would otherwise send it to wet cake, resolving the contradiction between achieving solid-liquid separation and preventing DCO loss
2Productivity
If conventional ethanol production processes are used, then starch conversion to ethanol is achieved, but fiber portions remain unused and DCO yield is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers DCO that would otherwise be discarded with the wet cake byproduct. By implementing shearing flow separation before the decanter, the system captures DCO from the thin stillage stream, transforming a loss associated with conventional fiber processing into a valuable product stream
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces diluent as an intermediary substance that facilitates DCO separation. The diluent modifies the physical properties of the stillage mixture, enabling more effective DCO extraction through shearing flow separation and preventing DCO entrapment in the wet cake phase
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 approach significantly increases DCO yield and produces a high-protein product by reducing DCO loss to the wet cake and optimizing the separation process, enhancing the efficiency of DCO production and the nutrient value of byproducts.
Implementation Method 1
introducing the distillers corn oil containing diluted stillage product to a first shearing flow separator, wherein the first shearing flow separator produces a first overflow stillage product and a first underflow stillage product
Implementation Method 2
introducing the first underflow stillage product to a solid centrifuge separator, wherein the solid separator produces a thin stillage and a wet distiller grain
Implementation Method 3
introducing a first part of the first overflow stillage product to a first distillers corn oil centrifuge separator, wherein the first distillers corn oil centrifuge separator produces a first additional distillers corn oil product
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing additional distillers corn oil and a high protein product from an ethanol production facility includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from the ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; and introducing at least one diluent into the whole stillage, wherein the diluent has a lower solid percentage than the whole stillage, and the mixture of the whole stillage and at least one diluent produces a distillers corn oil containing diluted stillage product.