Method and system for processing unfermented grain solids and utilizing the products thereof

Abstract

A system and method of producing a filler material for combining with a polymer in a product may comprise providing an initial mixture including wetted unfermented grain solids, oxidizing the initial mixture to form a treated mixture, removing moisture from the treated mixture, and combining the treated material with a polymer into a composition.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a filler material for combining with a polymer in a product, comprising:
 providing an initial mixture including wetted unfermented grain solids;   oxidizing the initial mixture to form a treated mixture;   removing moisture from the treated mixture; and   combining the treated material with a polymer into a composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unfermented grain solids are a fermentation byproduct from ethanol production. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the fermentation byproduct includes water. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing an initial mixture further includes:
 obtaining a fermentation byproduct including unfermented grain solids; 
 determining if the fermentation byproduct has a moisture content of at least a threshold moisture content; and 
 adding water to the fermentation byproduct if the moisture content of the fermentation byproduct is not at least the threshold moisture content. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the threshold moisture content is at least approximately 5 percent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of exposing the initial mixture to an oxidizer further includes adding an oxidizer to the initial mixture. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the step of exposing the initial mixture to an oxidizer further includes agitating the treated mixture. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of exposing the initial mixture to an oxidizer further includes heating the treated mixture. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of exposing the initial mixture to an oxidizer further includes heating the treated mixture during agitation of the mixture. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of removing moisture from the treated mixture further includes centrifuging the treated mixture. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of removing moisture from the treated mixture further includes heating the treated mixture after centrifuging the treated mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of removing moisture from the treated mixture further includes convection heating of the treated mixture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of removing moisture from the treated mixture further includes microwave heating of the treated mixture. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of removing moisture from the treated mixture further includes convection heating of the treated mixture and then microwave heating of the treated mixture. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of convection heating of the treated mixture is performed in a first geographic location and the step of microwave heating the treated mixture is performed in a second geographic location remote from the first geographic location. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the steps of providing the initial mixture, oxidizing the initial mixture, and removing moisture from the treated mixture is performed at an ethanol production facility. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  additionally comprising a step of removing further moisture from the treated mixture performed at a geographic location remote from the ethanol production facility. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  additionally comprising changing a physical form of the treated material to a substantially uniform particulate form. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of changing the physical form of the treated material includes milling the treated material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition comprises a preliminary composition; and additionally comprising:
 forming the preliminary composition with a first treated mixture content; 
 moving the preliminary composition to another geographic location; and 
 forming a final composition by adding additional polymer to the preliminary composition to provide the final composition with a second treated mixture content that is higher than the first treated mixture content. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  additionally comprising forming a finished product with the final composition.