Patent ID: 11925937
Assignee: KOSTER GRAIN, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  A | IPC A  B

Claim 0:
1. A method for producing granular wood material comprising:
providing a first hammermill having a first housing, a first hammer, and a first screen;
wherein the first screen defines a first plurality of openings having at least a first opening and wherein the first opening is no greater than 4.0 inches at its widest and no narrower than 1.5 inches at its narrowest;
wherein during operation of the first hammermill the first hammer passes no closer than 0.2 inches and no farther than 4.0 inches from first screen;
inserting a quantity of metal-containing wood material into the first housing;
heating the quantity of metal-containing wood material to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit after the quantity of metal-containing wood material enters the first hammermill and before the quantity of metal-containing wood material passes through the first screen;
operating the first hammermill at a speed of at least 2,000 revolutions per minute to pass the quantity of metal-containing wood material through the first screen to produce a quantity of large granular wood material having a plurality of particles no greater than 4.0 inches at their widest and no narrower than 1.5 inches at their narrowest;
providing a second hammermill having a second housing, a second hammer, and a second screen;
wherein the second screen defines a second plurality of openings having at least a second opening and wherein the second opening is no greater than 1.875 inches at its widest and no narrower than 0.2 inches at its narrowest;
wherein during operation of the second hammermill the second hammer passes no closer than 0.2 inches and no farther than 4.0 inches from the second screen;
heating the quantity of the large granular wood material to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit after the quantity of the large granular wood material enters the second hammermill and before the quantity of the large granular wood material passes through the second screen;
inserting a quantity of the large granular wood material into the second housing;
operating the second hammermill at a speed of at least 2,000 revolutions per minute to pass the quantity of the large granular wood material through the second screen to produce a quantity of unrefined small granular wood material having a plurality of particles no greater than 1.875 inches at their widest and no narrower than 0.2 inches at their narrowest; and
passing a magnet close enough to the quantity of unrefined small granular wood material to remove at least one piece of metal from the quantity of unrefined small granular wood material to produce a quantity of refined small granular wood material.