Carbon dioxide corn germ oil extraction system

• US 20100044205A1
• Filed: 10/28/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MOR Supercritical, LLC
• Original Assignee: MOR Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Marentis, Rodger T., DeLine, Kenneth E., Fetherston, Daniel, Claycamp, Daniel L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,603,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 202/153
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/104 using super critical gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/54 using solvents, e.g. supercritical solvents or ionic liquids

Abstract

Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of corn germ oil from corn germ utilizing extraction conditions adapted to a dry corn fractionation ethanol production process.

Claims

1. A corn oil extraction system, comprising:

a) a corn germ extraction zone;

b) an amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone;

c) an amount of supercritical carbon dioxide fluidically engaged to said amount of corn germ inside said extraction zone at a ratio of between about 2 to about 12 to 1 (wt/wt); and

d) an amount of corn oil of between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent extracted from said corn germ fluidically engaged to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at a ratio of between about 2 to about 12 to 1 (wt/wt) inside said corn germ extraction zone.

2. The corn oil extraction system of claim 1, further comprising a heat source which generates an amount of heat sufficient to maintain said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at a temperature of between about 60°

C. and about 120°

C. during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

3. The corn oil extraction system of claim 2, further comprising a pressure generator coupled to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which maintains a pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide of between 6,000 psi and 12,000 psi during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

4. The corn oil extraction system of claim 3, further comprising:

a) a temperature adjustment element coupled to said heat source; and

b) a pressure adjustment element coupled to said pressure generator, wherein said temperature adjustment element and said pressure adjustment element continuously adjust said temperature of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between about 60°

C. and about 120°

C. and said pressure of said amount of carbon dioxide between 6,000 psi and 12,000 psi to achieve said step of extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

5. The corn oil extraction system of claim 1, wherein said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide fluidically engaged to said amount of corn germ inside said extraction zone has a ratio of between about 2 to about 10 to 1 (wt/wt) and said amount of corn oil of between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent is extracted from said corn germ fluidically engaged to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at said ratio of between about 5.0 to about 8.0 to 1 (wt/wt) inside said corn germ extraction zone.

6. The corn oil extraction system of claim 5, further comprising a heat source which generates an amount of heat sufficient to maintain said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at a temperature of between about 80°

C. and about 120°

C. during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

7. The corn oil extraction system of claim 6, further comprising a pressure generator coupled to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which maintains a pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide of between 6,000 psi and 12,000 psi during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

8. The corn oil extraction system of claim 7, further comprising:

a) a temperature adjustment element coupled to said heat source; and

b) a pressure adjustment element coupled to said pressure generator, wherein said temperature adjustment element and said pressure adjustment element continuously adjust said temperature of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between about 80°

C. and about 120°

C. and said pressure of said amount of carbon dioxide between 6.000 psi and 12,000 psi to achieve said step of extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

9. The corn oil extraction system of claim 1, wherein said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide fluidically engaged to said amount of corn germ inside said extraction zone has a ratio of between about 2 to about 7 to 1 (wt/wt) and said amount of corn oil of between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent is extracted from said corn germ fluidically engaged to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at said ratio of between about 2 to about 7 to 1 (wt/wt) inside said corn germ extraction zone.

10. The corn oil extraction system of claim 9, further comprising a heat source which generates an amount of heat sufficient to maintain said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at a temperature of between about 80°

C. and about 120°

C. during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

11. The corn oil extraction system of claim 10, further comprising a pressure generator coupled to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which maintains a pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide of between 7,500 psi and 12,000 psi during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

12. The corn oil extraction system of claim 11, further comprising:

a) a temperature adjustment element coupled to said heat source; and

b) a pressure adjustment element coupled to said pressure generator, wherein said temperature adjustment element and said pressure adjustment element continuously adjust said temperature of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between about 80°

C. and about 120°

C. and said pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between 7,500 psi and 12,000 psi to achieve said step of extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

13. The corn oil extraction system of claim 1, wherein said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide fluidically engaged to said amount of corn germ inside said extraction zone has a ratio of between about 2 to about 6 to 1 (wt/wt) and said amount of corn oil of between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent is extracted from said corn germ fluidically engaged to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at said ratio of between about 2 to about 6 to 1 (wt/wt) inside said corn germ extraction zone.

14. The corn oil extraction system of claim 13, further comprising a heat source which generates an amount of heat sufficient to maintain said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at a temperature of between about 85°

C. and about 120°

C. during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

15. The corn oil extraction system of claim 14, further comprising a pressure generator coupled to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which maintains a pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide of between 8,000 psi and 12,000 psi during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

16. The corn oil extraction system of claim 15, further comprising:

a temperature adjustment element coupled to said heat source; and

a pressure adjustment element coupled to said pressure generator, wherein said temperature adjustment element and said pressure adjustment element continuously adjust said temperature of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between about 85°

C. and about 120°

C. and said pressure of said amount of carbon dioxide between 8,000 psi and 12,000 psi to achieve said step of extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

17. The corn oil extraction system of claim 1, wherein said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide fluidically engaged to said amount of corn germ inside said extraction zone has a ratio of between about 2 to about 5 to 1 (wt/wt) and said amount of corn oil of between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent is extracted from said corn germ fluidically engaged to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at said ratio of between about 2 to about 5 to 1 (wt/wt) inside said corn germ extraction zone.

18. The corn oil extraction system of claim 17, further comprising a heat source which generates an amount of heat sufficient to maintain said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide at a temperature of between about 90°

C. and about 120°

C. during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

19. The corn oil extraction system of claim 18, further comprising a pressure generator coupled to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which maintains a pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide of between 9,000 psi and 12,000 psi during fluidic engagement with said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone.

20. The corn oil extraction system of claim 19, further comprising:

a) a temperature adjustment element coupled to said heat source; and

b) a pressure adjustment element coupled to said pressure generator, wherein said temperature adjustment element and said pressure adjustment element continuously adjust said temperature of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between about 90°

C. and about 120°

C. and said pressure of said amount of carbon dioxide between 9,000 psi and 12,000 psi to achieve said step of extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

21. The corn oil extraction system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature adjustment element coupled to said heat source, wherein said temperature adjustment element adjusts said heat source to maintain a temperature of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between about 60°

C. and about 120°

C. to achieve extraction of said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

22. The corn oil extraction system of claim 21, a pressure adjustment element coupled to said pressure generator, wherein said pressure adjustment element adjusts said pressure generator to maintain a pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide between 6,000 psi and 12,000 psi to achieve said step of extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ said amount of corn oil comprising between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ in a duration of time of between about 10 and about 30 minutes.

23. The corn oil extraction system of claim 22, wherein said temperature adjustment element and said pressure adjustment element continuously adjust said temperature and said pressure of said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide to maintain said ratio of supercritical carbon dioxide to said amount of corn germ of between about 2 to about 12 to 1 (wt/wt) while extracting said amount of corn oil from said amount of corn germ of between about 18 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of said amount of corn germ.

24. The corn oil extraction system of claims 23, further comprising a comminutor which reduces particle size of said amount of corn germ fluidically engaged to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide in said corn germ extraction zone to less than about 30 mesh.

25. The corn oil extraction system of claim 24, further comprising a water removal element coupled to said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which operates to reduce an amount of water in said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide which fluidically engages said amount of corn germ inside of said corn germ extraction zone to between about one percent by weight to about seven percent by weight.

26. The corn oil extraction system of claim 25, wherein said amount of corn germ located inside said corn germ extraction zone contains an amount of water in the range of about ten percent by weight to about fourteen percent by weight prior to fluidic engagement with said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide inside said corn germ extraction zone.

27. The corn oil extraction system of claim 26, further comprising an amount of extracted corn germ generated by fluidic engagement with said amount of supercritical carbon dioxide inside said corn germ extraction zone, wherein said amount of extracted corn germ contains an amount of water in the range of about one percent by weight to about seven percent by weight.

28. The corn oil extraction system of claim 27, further comprising an amount of distillation soluble having an amount of solids in the range of about 20 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight mixed with said amount of extracted corn germ containing an amount of water in the range of about one percent by weight to about seven percent by weight sufficient to increase said amount of water contained by said amount of extracted corn germ to between eight percent by weight to about fourteen percent by weight.

29. The corn oil extraction system of claim 28, further comprising an amount of distillation soluble having an amount of solids in the range of about 20 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight mixed with said amount of extracted corn germ containing an amount of water in the range of about one percent by weight to about seven percent by weight sufficient to increase said amount of water contained by said amount of extracted corn germ to greater than fourteen percent by weight, and further comprising a dryer capable of reducing the amount of water contained by said amount of corn germ mixed with said amount of distillation soluble having said amount of solids in the range of about 30 percent by weight to about 60 percent by weight to between about eight percent by weight to about fourteen percent by weight.

30-60. -60. (canceled)