US 12,343,736 B2
Process for protein enrichment of dried distillers grains using a tribo-electrostatic separator device
Natsuki Barber, Medway, MA (US); Kyle P. Flynn, Moseley, VA (US); and Abhishek Gupta, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to ST Equipment & Technology LLC, Needham, MA (US)
Appl. No. 17/609,305
Filed by SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Needham, MA (US)
PCT Filed May 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/032098
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 5, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/227631, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 12, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/845,137, filed on May 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0226835 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B03C 7/00 (2006.01); B02C 23/02 (2006.01); B03C 7/08 (2006.01); C12F 3/10 (2006.01)
CPC B03C 7/006 (2013.01) [B02C 23/02 (2013.01); B03C 7/003 (2013.01); B03C 7/08 (2013.01); C12F 3/10 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for fractionating a feed mixture derived from dried distiller's grains (DDG) or distiller's dried grains and mixed with solubles (DDGS) using a single-step tribo-electrostatic separation process, comprising:
a. drying the DDG or DDGS feed mixture
b. milling the DDG or DDGS feed mixture to a median particle size of 225-250 microns;
c. supplying said milled DDG or DDGS feed mixture to a tribo-electrostatic separator; and
d. simultaneously tribo-electrically charging and separating said DDG or DDGS feed mixture into at least two subfractions, with one of the subfractions having a protein composition higher than the DDG or DDGS feed mixture.