Method of recovering oil from thin stillage

• US 8,008,517 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GS Cleantech Corporation (Greenshift Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GS Cleantech Corporation (Greenshift Corporation)
• Inventors: Cantrell, David Fred, Winsness, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carr; Deborah D
• Application Number:
  US12/559,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20100004474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 554/8
• US Class Current: 554/8
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/004 by continuous methods
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/00 Production of fats or fatty oils from raw materials
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 13/00 Recovery of fats, fatty oils or fatty acids from waste materials
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/001 by a combination of two or more of the means hereafter
• CPC Class Codes: C12F 3/10 from distillery slops
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/74 Recovery of fats, fatty oils, fatty acids or other fatty substances, e.g. lanolin or waxes

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, a method recovers oil from a concentrated byproduct, such as evaporated thin stillage formed during a dry milling process used for producing ethanol. The method includes forming a concentrate from the byproduct and recovering oil from the concentrate. The step of forming the concentrate may comprise evaporating the byproduct. Further, the step of separating the oil from the concentrate may comprise using a centrifuge and, in particular, a disk stack centrifuge. Other aspects of the invention include related methods and subsystems for recovering oil from thin stillage.

Claims

1. A method of recovering oil from thin stillage, comprising:

evaporating the thin stillage to create a concentrate having a moisture content of greater than 15% by weight and less than about 90% by weight; and

centrifuging the concentrate to recover oil.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of centrifuging the concentrate comprises using a disk stack centrifuge.