Compression screw for producing animal feed

Abstract

An animal feed producing system comprises a compression screw assembly. The compression screw assembly includes at least a first screw, a second screw and a plurality of barrels. The first and second screws include a plurality of flights and roots. The plurality of screws is configured such that they include a plurality of sections. Each section comprises a set of plurality of flights and a plurality of roots configured to perform a specific compression function, such as perpendicular compression and lateral compression.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An animal feed product produced by the process, comprising:
 conveying dried distiller grains within a device having multiple sections and including different mixing zones within some of the multiple sections, and the dried distiller grains having an initial dry matter content in a range from approximately 84% to 92% by weight;   flowing the dried distiller grains like a fluid under pressure through the multiple sections; and   
       selectively and repeatedly compressing and releasing the compression on the dried distiller grains as the dried distiller grains flow through the multiple sections to produce a final product comprising an animal feed product having no binders or fillers. 
     
     
         2 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 , further comprising entrapping moisture present in the dried distiller grains at a temperature which creates a lubrication property that enhances the dried distiller grains ability to flow when passing through a reduced surface area within the multiple sections. 
     
     
         3 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 , wherein the final product comprises a high protein content and a high fat content having no binders or fillers as compared to a conventional animal feed product. 
     
     
         4 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 , further comprising conveying and simultaneously compressing the dried distiller grain by at least one compression screw assembly within the device, the at least one compression screw assembly having a plurality of screws, wherein each compression screw assembly includes at least a first screw and a second screw and a plurality of barrels. 
     
     
         5 . The product produced by the process of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of screws includes a feed section, a plurality of middle sections, and a tip section. 
     
     
         6 . The product produced by the process of  claim 5 , further comprising receiving the dried distiller grain in the compression screw assembly at the feed section. 
     
     
         7 . The product produced by the process of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of screws includes a plurality of flights and a plurality of roots, and wherein each of the plurality of screws is defined having a plurality of sections, each section includes a set of the plurality of flights and the plurality of roots configured to perform a predetermined compression selected from a group consisting of perpendicular compression and lateral compression. 
     
     
         8 . The product produced by the process of  claim 5 , further comprising shearing the dried distiller grains to convert the dried distiller grains into fine granules by engaging the dried distiller grains with at least one shear edge extending along a portion of the plurality of screws as the dried distiller grains is being conveyed through the plurality of screws. 
     
     
         9 . The product produced by the process of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of middle sections comprises a transition section including a backup region interdisposed between a more aggressive compression region and a less aggressive compression region. 
     
     
         10 . The product produced by the process of  claim 9  wherein an angle of pitch of the plurality of flights included in each of the more aggressive compression region and the less aggressive compression region, is configured such that the dried distiller grains flow at a predetermined flow rate, and the angle of pitch is configured such that a predetermined amount of compression is applied as the dried distiller grains move through the more aggressive compression region and the less aggressive compression region, respectively; and
 the backup region backs up a flow of the dried distiller grains causing lateral compression applied to the dried distiller grains in the backup region. 
 
     
     
         11 . The product produced by the process of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the middle sections being configured in a pattern to provide a plurality of alternating stages of compression and release, wherein:
 each of the alternating stages is configured having a plurality of subsections, wherein each subsection is configured having a different amount of compression applied on the dried distiller grains as the dried distiller grains move through each subsection and each subsection is configured having a different angle of pitch, wherein the plurality of subsections within at least one of the plurality of alternating stages comprises at least a first subsection, a second subsection, and a third subsection.   
     
     
         12 . The product produced by the process of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first subsection is configured having a most forward angle of pitch relative to roots of the screws, and the first subsection is configured having fewer flights than the second subsection and the third subsection of the plurality of alternating stages;   a second subsection is configured having a flat pitch relative to the roots of the screws to back up flow of the dried distiller grains as the dried distiller grains move through the second subsection of the at least one of the plurality of alternating stages; and   a third subsection is configured having a least forward angle of pitch relative to the roots of the screws, and the third subsection is configured having more flights than the first subsection and the second subsection provided within the at least one of the plurality of alternating stages.   
     
     
         13 . The product produced by the process of  claim 12  further comprising moving the dried distiller grains through the at least one of the plurality of alternating stages such that the dried distiller grains travel at a fastest rate of speed through the first subsection, the dried distiller grains travel at a slowest rate of speed through the second subsection, and the dried distiller grains travel at an intermediate rate of speed through the third subsection, wherein the intermediate rate of speed is slower than the fastest rate in the first subsection and faster than the slowest rate in the second subsection. 
     
     
         14 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 , wherein the final product is shaped to form a pellet. 
     
     
         15 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 , wherein the final product is shaped to form a cube. 
     
     
         16 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 , wherein the final product is shaped to form a tub.