FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a system for processing grain, and more specifically, to a water treatment application for prepping com for dehusking.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Dehusking machines are used to remove husks from various fruits and vegetables. For example, during the processing of com, the husks of the com must be removed before the kemels or seeds of the com can be harvested. The current process of dehusking com can cause losses due to material shelling and damage the kemels causing a significant loss in the total number of viable kemels that can be harvested. Loss of kemels is particularly a problem when dehusking certain tropical varieties of com. And when kemels are lost or damaged during the dehusking process, the com may have to be reprocessed or discarded which can become very costly.

SUMMARY

[0003] In one aspect, a system for processing com in preparation for dehusking generally comprises a plurality of transport stations for delivering com from an input end of the system to an output end of the system. At least one of the transport stations comprises a water treatment station for treating the com with water before delivering the com to the output end

[0004] In another aspect, a method of processing com in preparation for dehusking generally comprises delivering com to an input end of a system having a plurality of transport stations for delivering com from the input end of the system to an output end of the system. Transporting the com to a water treatment station for treating the com with water before delivering the com to the output end. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0005] Fig. 1 is a perspective of a processing system for preparing com for dehusking;

[0006] Fig. 1A is a fragmentary end view of the processing system of Fig. 1 showing corn being processed;

[0007] Fig. IB is a top view of the processing system of Fig. 1 ;

[0008] Fig. 1C is a perspective of a diverter of the processing system of Fig. 1 ;

[0009] Fig. ID is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the processing system of Fig. i ;

[0010] Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a processing system utilizing a water spray treatment for preparing corn for dehusking;

[0011] Fig. 2A is perspective of a receptacle of the processing system of Fig. 1 ;

[0012] Fig. 3 is an illustration of an auger bath treatment;

[0013] Fig. 4 is a graph illustrating seed loss for various warm water treatment tests;

[0014] Fig. 5 is a graph illustrating seed loss for various water treatments;

[0015] Fig. 6 is a perspective of a shaker bin of the processing system; and

[0016] Fig. 7 is a series of photos comparing corn that has been treated with warm water versus corn that has not been treated.

[0017] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Referring to Figs. 1-lB, a system for treating corn in preparation for dehusking is indicated generally at 10. The system incorporates a warm water treatment station 12 (broadly, a water treatment station) for applying warm water to the corn to soften the husks. The softened husks are easier to remove which can significantly reduce the amount of kernels that are lost or damaged during subsequent dehusking. Moreover, treating the com at the warm water treatment station 12 has not been found to adversely affect the viability of the harvested kernels after dehusking. For example, germination percentages have been found to be on par with prior processes which do not incorporate any warm water treatment. The reduction in seed damage/loss as a result of the warm water treatment creates a vastly more efficient processing system resulting in a better quality seed product.

[0019] Corn first enters a feed end 14 of the system 10. A diverter 16 (Fig. 1C) may be disposed upstream of the feed end 14 to divert or separate the corn along at least two passages. A first passage 18 is defined by a conveyor system that leads directly to a first outlet 20 of the system 10 where the corn is collected to be transferred to a husker 21 (Fig. 2) for dehusking. A second passage 22 directs the com into the warm water treatment station 12 where the com is treated with warm water prior to reaching a second outlet 23 of the system 10 where the treated corn is also collected to be transferred to the husker 21. The diverter 16 may be manually operated to divert a stock of com to either the first or second passages 18, 22. Corn that is directed to the first passage 18 bypasses the warm water treatment station 12. A decision to bypass warm water treatment may be made for various reasons. For example, corn that already has a moisture level or seed set above a threshold amount may be sent along the first passage 18. In one embodiment, corn with a moisture level of at least about 30% and/or a seed set of at least about 85% is sent along the first passage 18 by the diverter 16. Additionally, the daily capacity of the warm water treatment station 12 may affect the decision to bypass the warm water treatment station 12. If the daily capacity is exceeded, or expected to be exceeded, the diverter 16 may be operated to send the corn along the first passage 18 away from the warm water treatment station 12. In one embodiment, the decision of whether to bypass warm water treatment is based on the variety of corn being processed.

[0020] The com that is diverted along the second passage 22 travels along a conveyor system which leads to the warm water treatment station 12. The conveyor system of the second passage 22 includes a first conveyor 25 which transports the com to a second conveyor 27. The second conveyor is inclined and delivers the corn into a shoot 29 which drops the corn into the warm water treatment station 12. In the illustrated embodiments of Figs. 1-lB, ID, and 2, the warm water treatment station 12 comprises a conveyor 24 and a plurality of spray nozzles 26 disposed above the conveyor for spraying the warm water onto the corn traveling along the conveyor. The spray nozzles 26 create a wall of water through which the corn passes as they travel on the conveyor 24. In one embodiment, five spray nozzles are used. However, as shown in the illustrated embodiments, other numbers of spray nozzles are envisioned without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, a screen (not shown) may be disposed underneath the spray nozzles 26, between the nozzles and the conveyor 24 to catch any debris that may be in the water. This may be of particular importance when the water being sprayed has been recycled from a previous spray treatment as will be discussed in greater detail below.

[0021] Additionally or alternatively, common showers may be used to treat the corn with water. This embodiment may be preferred when there is little to no salt in the water which could potentially clog the shower. In another embodiment, a common tap with a sieve underneath that holds any dirt and debris can be used. This embodiment may be preferred when there are concerns regarding the cleanliness of the water.

[0022] A heater 30 (Fig. 2) may heat a supply of cold water and deliver the heated water through pipes 31 (Fig. ID) to the spray nozzles 26. In one embodiment, the heater 30 may heat the water to between about 20°C (68° F) and about 60°C (140° F). In one embodiment, the heater 30 may heat the water to between about 25°C (77° F) and about 40°C (104° F). In one embodiment, the heater 30 may heat the water to between about 20°C (68° F) and about 25°C (77° F). Still other temperature ranges are envisioned without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, water temperature may vary depending on the variety of com that is being treated. Alternatively the water may be heating using solar energy. Also, it is envisioned that the system may use water that has not been heated.

[0023] The conveyor 24 may be operated to run at a selected speed to control the time the com is sprayed by the spray nozzles 26. For example, a drive motor 35 connected to the conveyor 24 can adjust the speed of the conveyor to control the duration of time the com is subject to the warm water treatment. In one embodiment, the conveyor 24 is operated to run at a speed so that the corn is sprayed for between about 1 second and about 5 minutes. In one embodiment, the conveyor 24 is operated to run at a speed so that the corn is sprayed for between about 3 second and about 1 minute. In one embodiment, the conveyor 24 is operated to run at a speed so that the corn is sprayed for between about 1 second and about 5 seconds. Still other durations of time for spraying the com are envisioned without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor 24 is formed from wire mesh permitting water to drain from the conveyor to a receptacle 28 (Figs. 2 and 2A) below the conveyor. During treatment of the corn at the warm water treatment station 12, at least some of the water that is sprayed onto the corn is drained into the receptacle 28 and sent to a decanter 32. In the illustrated embodiment, a helical screw 33 (broadly, a transport device) in the receptacle 28 is operable to transports the water out of the receptacle by rotation of the screw which causes blades of the screw to push the water out of the receptacle toward the decanter 32. Other means of transporting the water out of the receptacle are envisioned without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The decanter 32 can either send the water out to be processed as waste, or deliver the drained water to a pump 34 to be recycled back through the heating system.

Recycling at least a portion of the water creates an efficient and environmentally conscious water treatment system. Anywhere from between about 400 liters to about 1000 liters of water may be used to treat about 25 tons of com.

[0025] Although the conveyor 24 is shown as delivering the com along a horizontal conveyor surface, the conveyor could be inclined to deliver the com along an inclined conveyor surface without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally or alternatively, a conveyor (not shown) configured to rotate the com as they are transported along the conveyor could be used to provide increased water coverage by the spray nozzles.

[0026] Referring to Figs. 1, IB, and 6, after being sprayed by the spray nozzles 26, the conveyor 24 transfers the com to a shaker bin 36 to shake excess water off the com. The water shaken from the com can also be collected and routed back through the heating system to be reused, thus, further contributing to the efficiency of the water treatment system.

[0027] Com leaving the warm water treatment station 12 is delivered to a fourth conveyor 40 which transports the com to a fifth conveyor 42. The fifth conveyor is inclined and delivers the com to a sixth conveyor 44 that is also inclined and that leads to the outlet 23 of the second passage 22. At the outlet 23 the com which has been softened by the warm water treatment is collected for transfer to the husker 21.

[0028] In another embodiment, a warm water treatment station 112 comprises an auger bath 126 (Fig. 3). The com is delivered to the auger bath 126 where the com soaks in the bath until it is delivered to output 23 of the system 10. The com can soak for a selected amount of time before being removed from the auger bath 126.

[0029] Tests have been performed to confirm and quantify the efficacy of the warm water treatment. In an Initial Small Scale Test various types of com were tested at different water bath temperatures against a control sample that was not subject to a water bath to determine if the water bath had any effect on the percentages of seeds that were lost during the harvesting process. During this test, com was subject to water baths of 40°C (104°F), 50°C (122°F), and 60°C (140°F), and for durations of 3 minutes and 5 minutes. The graph of Fig. 4 includes the test data from the Initial Small Scale Test (Phase 1). The results of this test showed roughly a 15% decrease in seed loss with the com that had been treated in a warm water bath. Figure 7 shows a picture of stocks of com after they have been dehusked where the com was treated in a warm water bath (7), and stocks of com after they have been dehusked where the com was not treated in a warm water bath (1). It is readily apparent from a visual review of the stocks of com that the com that was treated in a water bath resulted in less seed loss after dehusking. [0030] In a Secondary Small Scale Test, again various types of com were tested at different water bath temperatures against a control sample that was not subject to a water bath to determine if the water bath had any effect on the percentages of seeds that were lost during the harvesting process. During this test, com was subject to water baths of 25°C (77°F) and 40°C (104°F), and for durations of 1 minute, 10 seconds, and 3 seconds. The graph of Fig. 4 includes the test data from the Secondary Small Scale Test (Phase 2). The results of this test showed roughly a 10% decrease in seed loss with the com that had been treated in a warm water bath. In an Intermediate Scale (Spray) Test, roughly a 4% decrease in seed loss with the com that had been treated by a spraying of warm water was observed. The graph of Fig. 4 includes the test data from the Intermediate Scale Test (Spray Test UDI).

[0031] In a Large Scale Test various types of com were tested at different water bath temperatures against a control sample that was not subject to a water bath to determine if the water bath had any effect on the percentages of seeds that were lost during the harvesting process. During this test, com was subject to water baths of 25°C (77°F). The graph of Fig. 4 includes the test data from the Large Scale Test (Pilot Big Scale UDI). The results of this test showed roughly an 8% decrease in seed loss with the com that had been treated in a warm water bath. The graph shown in Fig. 5 also illustrates the reduction in seed loss.

[0032] Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

[0033] When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the" and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0034] In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

[0035] As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.