Abstract: A grinding machine for grinding food-products, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly, including a separator screw, separation chamber, metering auger, and metering cone, is located downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The metering auger is fixedly coupled to a distal end of the separator screw and has a reduced diameter relative to the separator screw. The metering auger advances in a downstream direction the hard material of the mixture of soft material and hard material.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to a system for monitoring the temperature and adjusting a densifier having a compression screw. The system may include at least one temperature sensor adapted to monitor the temperature of or adjacent to the compression screw and a control system in electrical communication with a motor and the at least one temperature sensor and adapted to vary a speed or stop the compression screw based on input from the at least one temperature sensor.

Abstract: A process for dewatering and reducing pathogens in liquid waste sludge having a liquid component and a sludge solids component. Alkaline material is added to the liquid waste sludge. Flocculent may then be mixed with the liquid waste sludge. The liquid waste sludge is then fed into a screw press having a screw. The screw simultaneously heats and dewaters the liquid waste sludge for a sufficient period of time and at a predetermined temperature for the sludge solids component from the screw press to be pasteurized. An apparatus is also provided for carrying out the process for dewatering and reducing pathogens in liquid waste sludge.