Abstract: The present invention is directed to improvements in the steeping process of corn wet milling and a steeping system therefore. The process for steeping corn includes subjecting corn situated in a battery of no less than four steeping tanks to a countercurrent flow of steep water. The first steeping tank defines a new corn receiving tank and the last steeping tank defines a discharge tank. The countercurrent flow of steep water includes sulfur dioxide and flows in a direction from the discharge tank to the new corn receiving tank. The sulfur dioxide concentration in the steep water of the first steeping tank is greater than the sulfur dioxide concentrations in a plurality of the remainder of the steeping tanks, which maintain sulfur dioxide levels that are substantially equivalent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the transfer between a solid matter and a liquid, comprising an outer drum and a perforated inner drum, means for commonly rotating the drums, and means situated inside the inner drum for moving the solid matter. In between the two drums, a number of troughs are formed which, during the rotation of the drums, bring up liquid and pour it out higher up through the inner drum. Along the front rim of each trough, the drum is provided with a drain opening, opposite to which means are provided for preventing, when the drain opening, during the rotation of the drums, is at the bottom, the penetration of solid matter through said opening.

Abstract: A hand-held bidirectional torsion spring wrist, hand and forearm exercise device has a pair of handgrip members rotatably joined together to rotate relative to each other in opposed directions about a common longitudinal axis, each sized and shaped to be gripped by a separate hand of a user to impart rotation thereof. An elongate flat rectangular spring member is disposed in the center of the handgrip members and has opposed ends secured to each handgrip member, respectively, and has a longitudinal axis coaxial with the common axis of the handgrip members. The spring member is subjected to a twisting torque force along its longitudinal axis upon relative rotation of the handgrip members in opposed directions to produce a resistive force against relative rotation of the handgrip members in opposed directions.

Abstract: Processes for extracting three sugars, fructose, sucrose and glucose, from dates are disclosed. Pitted dates are frozen and subdivided into particles. The particles are contacted with a heated water solution to extract the sugars from the date fibers. The sugar enriched water solution is separated from the date fibers by passing the water solution through one or more milli-screens. The sugar enriched water solution may be purified, and also may be treated to reduce the water content. The sugar solution containing the three sugars is a novel food product which can be used as a sweetener, for example, for sweetening soft drinks. Alternatively, the liquid product may be freeze-dried, vacuum oven-dried or spray-dried to produce a novel solid product containing the three sugars. The date fibers are dewatered, and admixed with ground date seeds to produce another novel food product.

Abstract: A continuous countercurrent process is provided of extracting juice from a bed of fibrous material such as sugar cane, the process comprising a plurality of stages, preferably three, with each stage including the removal of air, displacement of juice by a true plug-flow process, and drainage of the displaced juice and displacing medium.

Abstract: A counterflow single-screw extractor includes a screw conveyor having a helical scroll formed from arcuate flight sections each having a plurality of elongated slots extending away from the direction of screw rotation and permitting the flow of effluent through the product and the flights in a manner controlled by the size, number, and orientation of the slots. The slots permit efficient extraction using relatively little extraction medium and at the same time permit a single-screw extractor to be used without having to periodically reverse the direction of screw rotation to unclog the slots and by the pitch of the screw conveyor. The inventive arrangement permits the use of a multi-section extractor employing different extraction media and/or different extraction media wash rates in different sections of the extractor.

Abstract: A preliminary treatment of sliced sugar beets before they are subjected to diffusion comprises a first stage wherein the sliced sugar beets are contacted with a first solution of calcium monosaccharate while the sliced sugar beets and the calcium monosaccharate solution flow countercurrently to each other, and a second stage wherein the sliced sugar beets are contacted with a second solution of calcium monosaccharate while the sliced sugar beets and the calcium monosaccharate solution flow concurrently with each other.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for eliminating liquid components and fine-grained components from a sugar suspension, control variables for controlling the centrifuge are obtained from a measurement of the quantity of material per unit of surface area in the filter cake formed in the centrifuge during the centrifuging process. In particular, a radiometric measurement can be used for this purpose. From the time course of the measurements obtained, relationships with the physical composition of the filter cake at the instant of measurement are derived and used to adjust process control variables, such as the quantity of water to be added and the length of the washing phase. The control of such a process can be made fully automatic, with optical quality, using a single continuous measurement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovering sugar, sugar alcohol and organic acids comprising citric, malic and quinic acids from a juice extracted from almond hulls. Residues from the extraction is also recovered.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises inside a rotating drum, two conveying screws nested inside one another and a partition passing through the drum axis to form two series of succeeding cells inside which the solids and the liquid move in counter-current, two liquid channels being so arranged as to start from each cell to end in another cell, the one channel extending along the drum axis while the other channel lies cross-wise thereto. The cross-wise channel increases the liquid portion separated from the solids by recovering liquid which would otherwise flow back into the solids as portions of the partition pass the horizontal. The channel is obtained by extending one wall of a basket provided in each cell beyond the axis of the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for countercurrently contacting solids with a liquid comprises a rotatable drum housing a screw conveyor having helical turns affixed to the cylindrical side wall of the drum and defining a helical passageway for the solids between the turns, the passageway is divided into a series of compartments. Each compartment has a grating receiving the solids and raising the received solids while liquid is drained through the grating and then permitting the drained solids to fall into a succeeding compartment, and an imperforate partition trailing the grating in the direction of rotation of the drum, the partition defining a chamber receiving the liquid drained from the solids with the adjacent side wall of the drum and the helical screw turns. A passageway interconnects each chamber with the upstream compartment and these passageways extend along the side wall of the drum.

Abstract: Xylan-containing raw material which is very absorbent in the dry state, particularly one year old plants, is treated with an acid either by spraying or by an acid vapor to a limited extent. The extent of treatment is sufficient to permit hydrolysis of the xylan to xylose without complete saturation of the raw material. After hydrolysis, the raw material is washed in counterflow with water to extract the xylose solution. Washing may be accomplished in an extraction column or in a multi-step mixing arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for extracting components of solids, by means of a liquid contacting the solids in counter-current flow, comprises a rotating drum with a substantially horizontal axis, which drum has generally axial compartments extending from one end to the other. The materials to be extracted and the liquid are supplied to opposite ends of the compartments. The compartments have along a cross-section at right angle to the drum axis in the general shape of a circle sector the apex of which merges with the drum axis. At least those walls of the compartments extending generally radially are pervious to the liquid and the liquid level inside the drum is lower than the drum axis level.