Importance

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Abstract

A hydrolyzer system, apparatus, and method for effecting the continuous conversion of offal, feathers, hair, and other keratinaceous material into usable protein products for further commercial usage. The hydrolyzer system includes a feed screw conveyor, transfer conduit, feed substrate expansion chamber, hydrolyzer, product expansion means, and dryer. The hydrolyzer utilizes direct steam injection heat transfer in combination with a feed expansion chamber means and means for agitation and mixing within the hydrolyzer to fluidize a plug of feather feed substrate formed in the transfer conduit by the feed screw conveyor. The apparatus provides a means for heating and fluidizing the feather feed substrate at elevated temperatures while mixing same to effect its hydrolyzation while preventing the escape of back pressure therefrom via a feed substrate plug formed by the feed screw conveyor. The hydrolyzer utilizes a feed side expansion chamber connected to the feed inlet of the hydrolyzer vessel to break apart the feed substrate plug at the inlet of the hydrolyzer and to increase the surface area of the feed substrate subjected to direct steam injection. Utilization of the expansion chamber and direct heat injection results in a decrease in the energy necessary to pull apart the feather plug by the screw conveyor/agitator in the hydrolyzation process.

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First Claim