Screw Press Dehydrating Wet Distiller Grains

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for processing wet distiller grains are inefficient, requiring additional energy for drying and resulting in products that are prone to crumbling or splitting during transport and storage, limiting their shelf life and market accessibility.

Innovation Solution

A screw press system that simultaneously dehydrates and compresses wet distiller grains into a dense form, such as cubes or pellets, using intermeshed flighted screws that generate mechanical heat to remove moisture without external heating, thereby enhancing the grains' durability and storage capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If wet distiller grains are processed using conventional drying methods, then moisture content is reduced, but energy consumption increases and shelf life is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture contentVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional thermal drying systems with a mechanical compression system using a screw press. The screw press applies mechanical force to compress wet distiller grains, extracting moisture through pressure rather than heat, thereby reducing energy consumption while achieving the desired moisture reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The screw press system utilizes the natural properties of wet distiller grains under compression to facilitate moisture extraction. The mechanical compression creates conditions where moisture is naturally expelled from the grain structure without requiring additional energy input, allowing the system to process the material using its own inherent characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Use of energy by moving object

If wet distiller grains are stored with high moisture content, then energy consumption is reduced, but shelf life decreases and product stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidshelf life

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs mechanical compression through a screw press to reduce moisture content to levels that extend shelf life, replacing energy-intensive thermal drying with a mechanical process that achieves the same stability outcome with lower energy input.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Strength

If additional binders or fillers are added to wet distiller grains, then product durability during transport is improved, but product purity and simplicity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct durabilityVSAvoidproduct purity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The screw press compression process enables the wet distiller grains to form a stable, durable product through mechanical consolidation alone. The compression creates sufficient structural integrity and binding between particles without requiring any additional chemical binders or fillers, maintaining product purity while achieving the desired durability for transport and storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If wet distiller grains are compressed into dense form, then transportation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransportation efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The screw press system processes wet distiller grains in a continuous, segmented manner through defined zones of compression. The device is divided into functional sections that progressively compress the material, achieving dense forms suitable for efficient transportation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure based on conventional screw press technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 system effectively reduces moisture content, increases the shelf life of the grains, and produces a dense, durable final product that can be transported and stored without additional binders or fillers, improving handling and storage practices.

Implementation Method 1

intermeshed flighted screws that generate mechanical heat to remove moisture without external heating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical heating: Viscous Heating

Implementation Method 2

simultaneously dehydrates and compresses wet distiller grains into a dense form

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

At least one of a compressing element and a dehydrating element is included with at least one of the first screw and the second screw to cause a physical property change to the wet grain

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDehydration: Desorption

Data Source

PatentUS10500805B2Grain dehydrating compressor for wet grain system and method

Publication Date: 2019.12.10 NATIONWIDE 5 LLC

AI summary

A substantially dry product is produced by a process comprising the steps of: removing moisture from a raw material having a first moisture content to produce the substantially dry final product having a final moisture content; (b) advancing the raw material longitudinally along and between at least a first screw and a second screw comprising at least a compression zone and a dehydrating zone which are arranged successively within the first and second screws; and (c) entrapping and removing a predetermined percentage of moisture as the raw material moves through the compression zone and dehydrating zone.