Methods and systems for forming moisture absorbing products from a microcrop

Abstract

The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to an absorptive solid (e.g., an animal bedding) produced from a microcrop such as Lemna . An absorptive solid of the present disclosure may comprise (i) an odor-absorbing amount of chlorophyll, and (ii) a carbohydrate extracted from a microcrop, the carbohydrate itself comprising at least some of the odor-absorbing amount of chlorophyll. A process for generating an absorptive solid may comprise the actions of: (i) lysing a microcrop consisting of at least one photosynthetic aquatic species to generate a lysed microcrop; (ii) separating the lysed microcrop into a solid fraction and a juice fraction; (iii) separating the solid fraction to form a solid; and at least one of: (a) milling the solid to generate an absorptive powder, (b) shaping the solid to generate the absorptive pellet or an absorptive granule; and (c) extruding the solid to generate an absorptive extrudate.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An animal bedding comprising an absorptive solid, wherein the absorptive solid comprises chlorophyll from a microcrop and is an absorptive powder, an absorptive pellet, an absorptive granule, or an absorptive extrudate, and wherein the absorptive solid is generated by a process comprising:
 lysing a microcrop consisting of at least one photosynthetic aquatic species to generate a lysed microcrop;   separating the lysed microcrop into a solid fraction and a juice fraction;   separating the solid fraction to form a solid; and   at least one of:
 milling the solid to generate the absorptive powder having an absorptive coefficient that is >9.0 L/kg; 
 shaping the solid to generate the absorptive pellet having an absorptive coefficient that is >1.44 L/kg; 
 shaping the solid to generate the absorptive granule having an absorptive coefficient that is >1.44 L/kg; and 
 extruding the solid to generate the absorptive extrudate having an absorptive coefficient that is >1.44 L/kg. 
   
     
     
         31 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein the absorptive pellets have an average length in a range of about 8-10 millimeters and an average width of about 4 millimeters. 
     
     
         32 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein the absorptive solid has a moisture content that is less than about 12% by weight. 
     
     
         33 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein the absorptive pellets have a carbohydrate content that is greater than about 50%, by weight. 
     
     
         34 . The animal bedding of  claim 31 , wherein the absorptive pellets have and absorptive coefficient greater than or substantially equal to 1.48 liters of liquid per kilogram of pellets. 
     
     
         35 . The animal bedding of  claim 33 , wherein the absorptive pellets change in color after being exposed to a liquid, thereby providing feedback to guide replacement of the animal bedding. 
     
     
         36 . The animal bedding of  claim 33 , wherein the absorptive pellets remain intact and do not clump with each other after being exposed to a liquid. 
     
     
         37 . An animal bedding comprising:
 an odor-absorbing amount of chlorophyll; and   a carbohydrate extracted from a photosynthetic aquatic species and comprising:
 at least a portion of the odor-absorbing amount of chlorophyll; and 
 an absorptive solid, wherein the absorptive solid is at least one of:
 an absorptive powder having an absorptive coefficient that is >9.0 L/kg; 
 an absorptive pellet having an absorptive coefficient that is >1.44 L/kg; and 
 an absorptive extrudate having an absorptive coefficient that is >1.44 L/kg. 
 
   
     
     
         38 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein the photosynthetic aquatic species carbohydrate is processed from  Lemna.    
     
     
         39 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein the photosynthetic aquatic species carbohydrate is processed from one or more photosynthetic aquatic species selected from the group consisting of  Lemna, Spirodela, Landoltia, Wolfiella, Salvinia, Wolffia, Azolla, Pistia , or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein at least some of the chlorophyll and at least some of the photosynthetic aquatic species carbohydrate are processed from a common harvest of an photosynthetic aquatic species. 
     
     
         41 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein at least one of:
 the absorptive pellets have an average length in a range of about 8-10 millimeters and an average width of about 4 millimeters;   the absorptive solid has a moisture content that is less than about 12%, by weight;   the absorptive pellets have a carbohydrate content that is greater than about 50%, by weight;   the absorptive pellets have a liquid absorption coefficient greater than or substantially equal to 1.48 liters of liquid per kilogram of pellets;   the absorptive pellets change in color after being exposed to a liquid, thereby providing feedback to guide replacement of the animal bedding; and   the absorptive pellets remain intact and do not clump with each other after being exposed to a liquid.   
     
     
         42 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein the photosynthetic aquatic species carbohydrate is processed from one or more photosynthetic aquatic species selected from the group consisting of  Lemna, Spirodela, Landoltia, Wolfiella, Salvinia, Wolffia, Azolla, Pistia , or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         46 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , the process further comprising adding the chlorophyll. 
     
     
         47 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of:
 the shaping the solid to generate the absorptive pellet does not substantially heat the solid;   the shaping the solid to generate the absorptive pellet is performed using steam; and   the extruding the solid to generate the absorptive extrudate is performed by an extruder, wherein the extruding combines heat, pressure, and water inside the extruder with expansion at the output die to induce texture and porosity into the absorptive extrudate.   
     
     
         48 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein at least some of the chlorophyll and at least some of the carbohydrate are processed from a common harvest of a photosynthetic aquatic species. 
     
     
         49 . The animal bedding of  claim 30 , wherein the lysing of the microcrop comprises using at least one lysing unit selected from the group consisting of a shear mill, colloid mill, a knife mill, a hammer mill, a grinding mill, a puree machine, a filter press, osmotic pressure, and chemical treatments that degrade biological structures of the microcrop. 
     
     
         50 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein the animal bedding comprises at least 150 mg/kg of chlorophyll. 
     
     
         51 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein the carbohydrate comprises at least 50 mg/kg of chlorophyll. 
     
     
         52 . The animal bedding of  claim 37 , wherein the animal bedding comprises at least 150 mg/kg of chlorophyll of which the carbohydrate comprises at least 50 mg/kg of chlorophyll.