Green Plains. has been granted a patent for a method and system that reduces unfermentable solids in protein portions during the corn dry milling process for biofuel production. The system utilizes a counter current wash to enhance protein separation and improve the quality of the resulting protein meal. GlobalData’s report on Green Plains gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Green Plains, was a key innovation area identified from patents. Green Plains's grant share as of July 2024 was 45%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Method for reducing unfermentable solids in protein portion
The patent US12048935B2 outlines a system designed to reduce the unfermentable solids content in the protein portion derived from the back end of a starch-containing grain dry milling process, which is typically used for producing biofuels or biochemicals. The system consists of multiple apparatuses that work in sequence. The first apparatus separates a whole stillage byproduct into an insoluble solids portion, including fiber, and a stillage portion containing protein. The second apparatus, positioned after the first, utilizes counter current wash water to further separate the stillage portion into water soluble solids and protein, enhancing the removal of unfermentable solids. The third apparatus dewaters the protein portion to yield a high protein grain meal with at least 40% protein on a dry basis.
Additional claims detail the specific types of apparatuses used, such as filtration centrifuges, decanter centrifuges, and dryers, which facilitate the processing of the protein portion. The system may also include a fourth apparatus for further drying and recovering the dewatered protein portion, as well as options for separating and utilizing centrate portions for backset. Furthermore, the system incorporates an evaporator to separate soluble solids from the water soluble solids portion, and an oil recovery centrifuge to extract oil from the evaporated material. Overall, the patent presents a comprehensive approach to optimizing the extraction and processing of protein from starch-containing grains, aiming to enhance the efficiency of biofuel and biochemical production.
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GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
