Advanced cook technology
This disclosure describes providing techniques to treat large-size solids obtained from a slurry or a mash in dextrin production process as can be used in an alcohol production process. This disclosure describes a process for separating a large-particles stream from a liquid stream containing small particles of a process stream using a first mechanical separation device. The process further includes adding water to the large-particles stream to create a lower-solids stream in a cook tank. In an embodiment, the process may grind the large particles from the large-particles stream. In another embodiment, the process may adjust conditions (temperature, pH, processing aids addition) of the lower-solids stream in the cook tank and incubating for a predetermined amount of time. The process further includes separating components from the lower-solids stream by using a second mechanical separation device.
1. A method used in an alcohol production facility, the method comprising:
separating a first suspended-solids stream from a first liquid stream containing fine-suspended solids of a process stream by using a first separation device in a counter-flow wash process;
sending the first liquid stream containing fine-suspended solids to a first tank;
milling a portion of the first suspended-solids stream by using a mechanical milling device;
adding water to the milled particles stream to create a lower-solids stream in a second tank;
heating the lower-solids stream in the second tank at a temperature less than about 95° C.; and
further separating a second suspended-solids stream from a second liquid stream containing fine-suspended solids of the lower-solids stream by using a second separation device in the counter-flow wash process; and
combining the second suspended-solids stream with the first liquid stream containing fine-suspended solids and mixing to homogenize;
wherein the method is performed downstream of slurry and upstream of fermentation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating of the lower-solids stream in the second tank has an average residence time from about 20 minutes to about 300 minutes.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical milling device comprises at least one of a disc mill, a pin mill, a grind mill, a hammer mill, or a roller mill.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a first portion of the second suspended-solids stream from the second mechanical separation device to a tank; and
milling a second portion of the second suspended-solids stream by using another mechanical milling device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower-solids stream in the second tank is heated to a temperature lower than about 80° C.(about 353 K) to remove starch.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separating, the milling, and the heating will cause an increase in ethanol yield that ranges from about 1% to about 3%.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the process stream comprises being obtained as slurry from a slurry tank prior to being cooked or as mash from a liquefaction tank after being cooked.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first separation device or the second separation device comprises at least one of a paddle machine, a washing paddle machine, a filtration centrifuge, a pressure screen, a vibration screen, or a gravity screen.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adding water to the milled particles stream comprises water that is at least one of dilution water, water used in a washing portion of the first separation device, or a combination of the dilution water and the water used in the washing portion of the first separation device.