Animal Feed Supplement from Distillers Solubles
Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid animal feed supplements face high transportation costs due to water content, viscosity issues at low temperatures, and challenges in dehydration, which limits their use and requires costly insulation and mixing devices, while distillers' by-products like Condensed Distillers Solubles (CDS) are susceptible to bacterial fermentation and difficult to handle as solids.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the reaction of distillation by-products, such as thin stillage and CDS, with cation sources like Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, and Mo to form a reaction product that is then dried into a powder, reducing water content and viscosity, and enhancing bioavailability of cations, thereby overcoming handling and storage challenges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If liquid supplements are used to augment animal diets, then nutritional quality is improved, but transportation cost increases due to high water content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter from liquid to solid form by removing water through evaporation and concentration processes. This transforms the supplement from a liquid state (high water content, expensive to transport) to a solid concentrate state (low water content, cost-effective to transport while maintaining nutritional value)
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts water from the liquid supplement through evaporation and concentration processes. By removing the water component (the disturbing part), the supplement achieves solid form, reducing transportation costs while preserving the essential nutritional substances
2Quantity of substance
If liquid supplements are stored in cold climates, then nutritional value is maintained, but viscosity increases requiring insulation and mixing devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state from liquid to solid, eliminating the viscosity problem entirely. Solid supplements do not suffer from temperature-dependent viscosity changes, removing the need for insulation and mixing devices while preserving nutritional value
3Quantity of substance
If CDS is used as feed supplement, then organic acid content is improved, but susceptibility to bacterial fermentation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state from liquid to solid through evaporation and concentration. This state change reduces moisture content, which inhibits bacterial growth and fermentation while preserving the organic acid content and nutritional value
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high moisture content (which causes fermentation) into a beneficial solid form with low moisture content. The same evaporation process that removes water (preventing fermentation) also concentrates the organic acids and nutrients
4Quantity of substance
If CDS is used as feed supplement, then organic acid content is improved, but handling and storage becomes difficult due to viscosity and separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state from liquid to solid, transforming the handling characteristics. Solid supplements are easier to store, transport, and dose compared to viscous liquids, while maintaining organic acid content through the concentration process
5Ease of operation
If CDS is dehydrated to solid form, then handling becomes easier, but dosage control becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the degree of dehydration to achieve optimal solid form with appropriate moisture content for both easy handling and precise dosage control. The concentration process is optimized to produce a solid that flows and mixes well while maintaining stable composition for accurate dosing
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 results in a stable, cost-effective animal feed supplement with improved bioavailability of minerals and reduced storage and handling issues, allowing for efficient distribution and use as a solid form, addressing the limitations of liquid supplements and CDS.
Implementation Method 1
react the prepared distillation by-product with one or more cation source to form at least one reaction product
Implementation Method 2
The prepared distillation by-product is evaporated to form Condensed Distillers Solubles (CDS)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A process for preparing at least one animal feed supplement from one or more distillation by-product which includes the following steps in order: A Prepare the or each distillation by-product for processing; B Mix a prepared distillation by-product with one or more cation source; C Dry one or more reaction product; such that step A results in the prepared distillation by-product ready for step B and step B produces the one or more reaction product for step C.