Patent ID: 11925943
Assignee: CROWN IRON WORKS COMPANY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  A | IPC B

Claim 14:
15. A separation system for separating a shell from a seed, the separation system comprising:
a separation column comprising:
a main separation column having a seed outlet and shell outlet;
a feed inlet intersecting the main separation column at a feed stream location, the feed inlet being configured to receive a feed stream containing shells of a fruit intermixed with seeds of the fruit;
a first liquid addition inlet positioned on the main separation column below the feed stream location, the first liquid addition inlet being configured to receive a first volume of a separation liquid; and
a second liquid addition inlet positioned above the feed stream location, the second liquid addition inlet being configured to receive a second volume of a separation liquid;

at least one pump configured to pump the first volume of the separation liquid to the first liquid addition inlet and the second volume of the separation liquid to the second liquid additional inlet, thereby causing the separation liquid to flow upwardly in the main separation column at a rate effective to cause the seeds of the fruit to flow upwardly with the separation liquid toward the seed outlet while the shells of the fruit flow downwardly against the upwardly flowing separation liquid toward the shell outlet.