Feed material for biomass generator
The present invention is a bacteria and nutrient delivery composition containing bran. The subject composition is preferably made in the form of a tablet that is structurally stable without being excessively hard. The tablets preferably have a configuration that reduces the likelihood of premature shearing in tableting presses or jamming in feeder devices for biomass generators. Methods of manufacturing the bacterial delivery composition in a structurally stable form that maintains bacterial viability are also provided.
1. A biomass generator feed material in tablet or pellet form, the feed material comprising the following ingredients:
a dried culture of non-spore forming Pseudomonas on bran that is substantially free of other bacteria;
at least one spore-forming strain of Bacillus without an incubation carrier;
protein;
sugar comprising sucrose but not dextrose;
starch; and
wherein the tablet or pellet comprises about 1 to 2 wt. percent bran.
2. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the ingredients are mixed throughout the tablet or pellet.
3. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the tablet or pellet is configured for use in a semi-automated feeder system without jamming by having a substantially cylindrical shape with convex ends, a length-to-diameter-ratio between about 0.9 and about 1.2, and a cup depth between about 0.018 inches and about 0.048 inches.
4. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the tablet or pellet tablet has a hardness between about 5.5 kilopond and about 8.5 kilopond.
5. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the spore-forming strain is one or more Bacillus species.
6. The feed material of claim 5 wherein the spore-forming strain is one or more of Bacillis subtilis, Baccillus licheniformis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , or Bacillus simplex.
7. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the sugar further comprises maltodextrin.
8. The feed material of claim 6 wherein the sugar further comprises maltodextrin.
9. The feed material of claim 7 wherein the tablet or pellet comprises around 2-7% protein and around 25-40% sugar by weight.
10. The feed material of claim 9 wherein the at least one spore-forming strain of waste decomposing bacteria comprises one or more species of Bacillus and wherein the tablet or pellet comprises around 0.1-10% of the Pseudomonas and Bacillus by combined weight.
11. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the tablet or pellet comprises around 5% protein and around 35% sugar by weight.
12. The feed material of claim 11 wherein the sugar further comprises maltodextrin.
13. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the dried bran culture preparation comprises about 5×10 9 cfu/g Pseudomonas.
14. The feed material of claim 9 further comprising around 0.1-11% microcrystalline cellulose by weight.
15. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the bran culture is incubated for about 48 hours.
16. The feed material of claim 15 wherein the bran culture is incubated under humidity.
17. The feed material of claim 15 wherein the bran culture is dried for about 72 hours.
18. The feed material of claim 17 wherein the dried bran culture is ground to a particle size of about 28-30 mesh.
19. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the dried bran culture is ground to a particle size of about 28-30 mesh.
20. The feed material of claim 19 wherein all other ingredients are 30 mesh or smaller.
21. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the tablet or pellet comprises around 2-7% protein, around 25-40% sugar by weight, and around 15-30% starch; and wherein the sugar further comprises maltodextrin.
22. The feed material of claim 21 further comprising around 0.1-11% microcrystalline cellulose by weight, around 0.1-1% magnesium stearate, and around 0.1-1% of the spore-forming strain of waste-decomposing bacteria comprising one or more Bacillus species.
23. The feed material of claim 22 wherein the ingredients are mixed throughout the tablet or pellet.
24. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the bran is autoclaved prior to culturing with the Pseudomonas.
25. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the dried culture comprises: autoclaved bran, non-spore forming Pseudomonas , and growth medium that are mixed, incubated, and dried.
26. The feed material of claim 1 wherein the tablets or pellets are non-friable and remain substantially intact through a feeder device in a biomass generator.