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:
May. 27, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2001
Donald R. Hall, Savannah, GA (US);
Michael R. Hall, Savannah, GA (US);
Michael Moser, Alken, SC (US);
L. V. Benningfield, Jr., Albuquerque, NM (US);
Other;
Abstract
A process for extracting a fat from a feedstock (e.g., chocolate liquor), includes mixing the feedstock with a liquefied gas solvent (e.g., butane), filtering, washing the retentate with additional solvent, refiltering, drying, granulating, aerating the granulate, and separating the fat from the solvent in the original filtrate. The mixing, filtering, washing, refiltering, drying, and granulating are conducted under an atmosphere consisting essentially of the solvent vapor. An improved solvent extraction process includes repeatedly loading and unloading an extractor with solvent and feedstock to extract fat from the feedstock, wherein throughout loading, extracting, unloading and repeating: (a) a pressure in the extractor is continuously maintained above atmospheric pressure; (b) the extractor is continuously maintained under an oxygen-free atmosphere; and/or (c) the extractor is continuously maintained under an atmosphere consisting essentially of a vapor of the solvent.