Anaerobic pasteurizing conditioning system

Abstract

An anaerobic, pasteurizing conditioning system for treating matter such as whole and ground grain, minerals and other ingredients to increase the rate of their conversion and absorption during digestion and thus the nutritional value thereof. The system comprises a direct fired steam generator adapted for producing an effluent stream comprising steam and non-condensible gases, a vapor homogenizer for producing a substantially water-free treatment fluid from the effluent stream, and the treatment fluid containing insufficient oxygen for aerobic bacterial life. The treatment fluid, comprising steam and oxygen deficient non-condensible gases is discharged into the vessel for counter-current flow relative to grain passing therethrough. The operation of the direct fired steam generator is controlled for producing a sufficiently large volume of oxygen deficient gases and steam so that upon passage through the vapor homogenizer a sufficiently large volume of effluent comprising the treatment fluid is provided for purging the grain of other gases flowing therewith and maintaining the deficient oxygen level in the non-condensible gases of the treatment fluid for creating an anaerobic condition. In this manner an improved feedstuff is provided wherein the starch components have first been gelatinized in a heated, anaerobic environment and thereafter fractionated to render the feedstuff more digestible.