101 results about "Preconditioner" patented technology

An improved, dual-shaft preconditioner (10, 70) is provided having independent drive mechanism (18, 20, 78, 80) operatively coupled with a corresponding preconditioner shaft (14, 16, 74, 76) and permitting selective rotation of the shafts (14, 16, 74, 76) at rotational speeds and directions independent of each other. The mechanisms (18, 20, 78, 80) are operatively coupled with a digital controller (60) to allow rotational speed and direction control. Preferably, the preconditioner (10, 70) is supported on load cells (62, 100) also coupled with controller (60) to permit on-the-go changes in material retention time within the preconditioner (10, 70). The preconditioner (10, 70) is particularly useful for the preconditioning and partial gelatinization of starch-bearing feed or food materials.

Adaptive rule-based methods to solve localization problems for ad hoc wireless sensor networks are disclosed. A large problem may be solved as a sequence of very small subproblems, each of which is solved by semidefinite programming relaxation of a geometric optimization model. The subproblems may be generated according to a set of sensor / anchor selection rules and a priority list. The methods scale well and provide improved positioning accuracy. A dynamic version may be used for estimating moving sensors locations in a real-time environment. The method may use dynamic distance measurement updates among sensors, and utilizes subproblem solving for static sensor localization. Methods to deploy sensor localization algorithms in clustered distributed environments are also provided, permitting application to arbitrarily large networks. In addition, the methods may be used to solve sensor localizations in 2D or 3D space. A preprocessor may be used for localization of networks without absolute position information.

Improved extruders and methods for the extrusion cooking of comestible products such as human foods or animal feeds are provided wherein the products may be produced with very low specific mechanical energy (SME) inputs as compared with conventional processing. The methods preferably involve introduction of very high levels of steam into the extruder barrel (12) during processing, which concomitantly reduces necessary SME inputs required to achieve desired cook and expansion levels in the products. In accordance with the invention, fully-cooked pet foods can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 18 kWhr / T, whereas aquatic feeds can be fabricated with SME inputs of up to about 16 kWhr / T. In preferred forms, the extruder (10) includes specially configured, intermeshed extrusion screws (18, 20) and a plurality of obliquely oriented steam inlets (48, 50), and an upstream, dual-shaft preconditioner (90) is used having individual variable frequency drives (98, 100) which allow infinite variablility in the speed and rotational direction of the preconditioner shafts (94, 96).

An improved screw feeder assembly is provided for interconnection between the outlet of a preconditioner and the inlet of an extruder barrel. The assembly includes an upright housing with a pair of elongated shafts equipped with auger flighting within the housing and driven by means of motor. Preferably, the housing is mechanically coupled to the outlet and inlet with the shafts extending through the preconditioner vessel and downwardly to a point within the inlet and closely adjacent the screw(s) within the extruder barrel; the flighting is provided along the length of the housing, from a point closely adjacent the outlet and into the extruder inlet. This provides a positive conveyance of preconditioned material from the outlet to the inlet. Use of the assembly allows maintenance of superatmospheric pressures and temperatures above 212° F. within the preconditioner, which permits more efficient processing.

Apparatus (20) for injection of fluid into extrusion system components such as a preconditioner (24) or extruder (100) is provided, preferably as a composite assembly including a fluid injection valve (52) and an interconnected static mixer section (54). Alternately, use may be made of the fluid injection valve (52) or static mixer section (54) alone. The invention greatly simplifies the fluid injection apparatus used in extrusion systems, while giving more efficient absorption of thermal energy with a minimum of environmental contamination, and the ability to inject multiple streams into the extrusion systems.

Improved single screw extruders systems (40) are provided including a single screw extruder (42, 92) as well as an upstream preconditioner (44). The extruders (42, 92) include a single, internal, elongated, helically flighted, axially rotatable screw assembly (52) having one or more improved screw sections (74, 74a, 76). The screw sections (74, 74a, 76) include specially configured flighting (86) wherein adjacent flighting portions (86a, 86b) have smoothly arcuate surfaces (88) extending between the respective flighting portion peripheries (90a, 90b). This flighting design provides smooth, substantially surge-free operation while increasing SME and cook values. The preferred preconditioner (44) has independently controlled mixing shafts (106, 108) allowing the shafts (106, 108) to be rotated at different rotational speeds and / or directions.