Plant Hull Separation Using Amino Acid Disintegration Solutions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to completely and gently separate plant hull materials from seeds, kernels, and grains at room temperature or reduced temperatures without initiating seedling maturation, altering constituents, or generating harmful compounds, and do not effectively separate germs or root-like structures while preserving the integrity of the seeds, grains, or kernels.
Innovation Solution
A method involving immersion in a solution containing cationic amino acids and/or peptides, which allows for the gentle disintegration and hydration of plant hull materials at elevated temperatures, enabling the spontaneous detachment of hull materials while maintaining the integrity of the remaining constituents, and facilitates the separation of seedlings or sprouts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If physical separation methods are used to remove hull layers, then separation efficiency is improved, but the hull layers cannot be completely removed and the enclosed constituents are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by treating the plant material with aqueous solutions at controlled pH levels (2-12) and temperatures (20-100°C) to modify the physical and chemical properties of the hull layers, enabling complete separation without mechanical damage to the enclosed constituents. The solution parameters are optimized to selectively affect hull solubility while preserving seed integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses aqueous solutions as an intermediary medium to facilitate the separation process. These solutions act as a mediator between the hull layers and the enclosed constituents, allowing selective dissolution or swelling of the hull material without direct mechanical contact that would damage the seeds or kernels.
2Speed
If hot water or steam is used to accelerate hull swelling and separation, then separation speed is improved, but proteins are denatured, vitamins are inactivated, and harmful compounds are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the treatment solution by adjusting pH levels and adding specific chemicals to achieve effective hull separation at lower temperatures (20-100°C), thereby preventing thermal denaturation of proteins and inactivation of vitamins while maintaining acceptable separation speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
Chemical agents in the aqueous solution serve as intermediaries that accelerate the swelling and separation of hull materials without requiring high thermal energy input. This chemical mediation allows the process to proceed rapidly at温和 temperatures that preserve nutrient integrity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If room temperature treatment is used to preserve nutrient integrity, then harmful effects are minimized, but hull separation is incomplete and seedling maturation is not prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical environment by adjusting solution pH and composition to enhance hull layer solubility and swelling at room temperature or slightly elevated temperatures. This chemical modification enables complete separation and prevents seedling maturation without the need for high-temperature treatment that would damage nutrients.
4Productivity
If mechanical impact is used to separate germs from seeds, then separation efficiency is improved, but seed integrity is compromised and hull fragments are included
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs aqueous solutions as an intermediary to selectively swell and separate the germ from the seed coat through differential absorption and osmotic effects. This chemical-biological mediation allows gentle separation that maintains seed integrity while achieving complete germ removal without mechanical fragmentation.
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 method achieves complete and gentle separation of plant hull materials, prevents germination, and preserves the integrity of seeds, grains, or kernels, allowing for the easy recovery of valuable fractions such as soluble proteins and carbohydrates, and produces cellulose-based fibers suitable for human consumption.
Implementation Method 1
Treatment of the starting material with a disintegration solution and retention in the disintegration solution until disintegration is achieved
Implementation Method 2
disintegration of plant hull materials and constituents
Implementation Method 3
accelerating the softening of plant hull materials compared to prior art methods and under gentle conditions
Implementation Method 4
prevent seedling maturation or sprouting when storing plant products intended for reproduction in an aqueous medium at room temperature or slightly elevated temperatures
Implementation Method 5
allowing for the easy recovery of valuable fractions such as soluble proteins and carbohydrates
Implementation Method 6
produces cellulose-based fibers suitable for human consumption
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for disintegrating and decomposing plant starting material, having the following method steps: a) providing a plant starting material, b) mixing the starting material with a disintegrating solution and leaving the starting material in the disintegrating solution until disintegration is achieved, c) distributing the constituents of the disintegrated starting material in a distribution volume so as to obtain solid constituents and dissolved constituents of the plant starting material, d) separating solid constituents from dissolved constituents of the plant starting material, e) obtaining the separated constituents of the plant starting material as material fractions by e1) fractionating cellulose-based fibers from lignin-rich shells of the solid constituents of the plant starting material by means of a cyclone method and obtaining purified fractions of cellulose-based fibers and of lignin-rich shells, e2) aggregating/complexing dissolved proteins of the dissolved constituents of the plant starting material by means of complexing agent and separating the sedimented aggregated/complexed condensed proteins so as to obtain an aggregated/complexed protein mass.