ALCOHOL PRODUCTION USING HYDRAULIC CAVITATION
First Claim
1. A method for alcohol production comprising:
- at one or more points along an alcohol production process, feeding a grain-based liquid medium processing stream of the alcohol production process through a liquid treatment apparatus configured to generate hydraulic cavitation; and
generating hydraulic cavitation within the liquid treatment apparatus by subjecting the grain-based liquid medium processing stream to shear under vacuum within the liquid treatment apparatus.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided which includes using a liquid treatment apparatus, which is equipped with cyclonettes, for example, to subject a liquid medium processing stream in an alcohol production process to hydraulic cavitation, i.e., to shear under vacuum, at one or more locations. The liquid treatment apparatus, in one embodiment, is directed to the formation of a central axial jet and a vacuum chamber that can be sealed by the exiting jet. Cavitation is generated by directing a high velocity jet of liquid medium processing stream through a volume of vapor under a vacuum created in the chamber through which the jet travels. This can reduce the production cost of alcohol, such as ethanol, by improving alcohol yield per bushel, among other benefits. In one embodiment, the alcohol production process is a dry grind process, a modified dry grind process, or a wet mill process. In one embodiment the alcohol production process utilizes grain as a starting material.
186 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for alcohol production comprising:
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at one or more points along an alcohol production process, feeding a grain-based liquid medium processing stream of the alcohol production process through a liquid treatment apparatus configured to generate hydraulic cavitation; and generating hydraulic cavitation within the liquid treatment apparatus by subjecting the grain-based liquid medium processing stream to shear under vacuum within the liquid treatment apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for alcohol production comprising:
applying hydraulic cavitation to a grain-based liquid medium processing stream at one or more locations in an alcohol production process, the hydraulic cavitation being applied by a liquid treatment apparatus wherein the liquid treatment apparatus subjects the grain-based liquid medium processing stream to shear under vacuum within the liquid treatment apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for alcohol production comprising:
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a liquid treatment apparatus configured to apply hydraulic cavitation to a grain-based liquid medium processing stream at one or more locations in an alcohol production process; and an alcohol production facility having the grain-based liquid medium processing stream in the alcohol production process, the alcohol production process adapted for use with the liquid treatment apparatus, wherein the liquid treatment apparatus applies hydraulic cavitation to the liquid medium processing stream at the one or more points in the alcohol production process by subjecting the grain-based liquid medium processing stream to shear under vacuum within the liquid treatment apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification