The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 08, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 23, 1998
Ilya Pikus, Plymouth, MN (US);
Greg Kimball, Circle Pines, MN (US);
Kevin Burns, Roseville, MN (US);
Hosokawa Bepex Corporation, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A method for treating material comprising starch and starch-bearing products wherein the products are introduced to a thermal processor comprising a housing defining an inner wall surface, an inlet end, an outlet end, and an agitator rotatable within the housing adapted to direct the material into contact with the inner wall surface. The inner wall surface is heated and nozzles associated with the agitator are used for discharging fluid from the nozzles into contact with the material during rotation of the agitator. Heating to obtain treatment of the material is provided by contact with the inner wall surface and by controlling the fluid discharge from the nozzles to create turbulence for spreading the material over a broad surface area of the inner wall surface to enhance and render substantially uniform the heat exchange between the material, the fluid, and the inner wall surface, and to control mass transfer between the fluid and the material. Moisture content of the material is controlled in the processor independent of material temperature.